On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike targeted the home of Hamas commander Saeed Attallah Ali in the Beddawi camp near Tripoli, northern Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of Ali, his wife, and their two daughters. This incident marks the first strike in the area since the onset of the Gaza conflict nearly a year ago, as confirmed by Hamas.
Israel has broadened its military operations in Lebanon, extending beyond the border region amid a year of rising tensions with Hezbollah. Early Saturday, explosions were reported in the southern suburbs of Beirut, with local residents receiving warnings from Israel prior to the strikes. However, it is unclear how many civilians were able to evacuate safely.
On Friday, Israeli forces targeted Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in the southern suburbs, asserting that senior military personnel were eliminated. The Israeli military also reported strikes on Hezbollah fighters located inside a mosque near Salah Ghandour Hospital, which it claimed served as a command center. This attack resulted in serious injuries to nine hospital staff members, despite prior warnings to evacuate.
Hezbollah responded by engaging Israeli forces and launching rockets toward Israel’s Ramat David Airbase on Saturday. The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health has reported that over 2,000 individuals have died due to Israeli airstrikes in the past year, with the majority of casualties occurring in the last two weeks.
The United Nations condemned the civilian toll, describing it as “totally unacceptable.” As shelters for displaced individuals reached full capacity, the main Lebanon-Syria border crossing was closed following an Israeli strike on Friday. Despite requests from Israel, UN peacekeepers announced they would not withdraw from their positions in southern Lebanon.
Amid escalating tensions, a South Korean military aircraft successfully evacuated 97 citizens from Lebanon on Saturday, as the cycle of Israeli strikes and Hezbollah retaliations continues to intensify.
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