Anniversary tension: Israel strikes Beirut amidst high alert
On the anniversary of the most significant Hamas attack on Israel, which falls on Monday, October 7, the armed forces have been put on the highest alert, reported Daniel Hagari, spokesman for the Israeli army. Additionally, the Israeli armed forces struck targets of the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, during the night from Saturday to Sunday.
"We must continue exerting pressure on Hezbollah and creating additional and lasting damage to the enemy. Without relief and without allowing a respite for the organization," announced the Chief of General Staff, General Herzi Halevi, on Friday.
The Israeli military has reached full mobilization due to the possibility of renewed terrorist attacks, whose anniversary falls on October 7. These actions are in response to last year's Hamas attack, which was the largest attack on Israel in history, as noted on Friday by Daniel Hagari, spokesman for the Israeli armed forces.
At the same time, during the night from Saturday to Sunday, Israeli aircraft again attacked Hezbollah targets located in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
Israeli strikes on Beirut
The Israeli command ordered the evacuation of residents of several buildings from the southern suburbs of Beirut just before the assault began.
Official Lebanese media said Israeli strikes hit south Beirut Saturday night into Sunday, some of them "very violent", with AFP correspondents hearing explosions for over two hours in one of the most intense barrages yet, reported RTL citing AFP, its reporters and local media.
Despite the intense air raids, some key facilities, such as the airport in the southern part of Beirut, remain operational. However, only planes from the Lebanese carrier Middle East Airlines (MEA) are flying from the facility.
Continuation of clashes with Hezbollah
Chief of General Staff, General Herzi Halevi, emphasized on Friday that the military will continue actions against Hezbollah, signalling they do not intend to give them a moment's rest. Israel will not allow this terrorist group a moment of "relief or respite," announced Halevi.
Halevi reported that the ongoing ground operation in southern Lebanon since Tuesday has made significant progress, and Israeli forces have eliminated about 440 Hezbollah fighters. Additionally, the army announced the destruction of a key command centre of this group, located on hospital grounds in Bint Jbeil. The complex, in which a mosque was located, served as a terrorist operational base.
Intensification of air raids
Before the ground operation in Lebanon, Israeli forces carried out regular air raids on targets related to Hezbollah, which has been fighting Israel for decades.
The organization, financially and logistically supported by Iran, shells northern Israeli territory, which meets with regular military responses. Israel maintains that it has managed to destroy a significant portion of Hezbollah's arsenal and eliminate critical members of this group, including its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Additionally, Arab media reported on Saturday that the executive council leader and presumed successor to Nasrallah, Safiedine, was killed in an Israeli raid on Beirut during the night from Thursday to Friday. Since Friday, there has been no contact with Safiedine, wrote Reuters, citing three sources in the Lebanese security apparatus. Neither Israel nor Hezbollah has officially confirmed his death yet.
