The Israel Defense Forces launched a strike against the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Tuesday, targeting a senior Hezbollah commander accused of orchestrating a recent bombing that killed 12 children at a soccer field in the Golan Heights. The airstrike, which rocked the city just before nightfall, marks a major escalation in cross-border tensions between Israel and Lebanon, risking a full-scale war.
In a post on X, the IDF confirmed that it had “carried out a targeted strike in Beirut, on the commander responsible for the murder of the children in Majdal Shams and the killing of numerous additional Israeli civilians.” It is unknown whether the Hezbollah commander, Fouad Shukr, also known as Al-Hajj Mohsen, managed to survive the blast.
Initial report- the IDF carried out a targeted strike in Beirut, on the commander responsible for the murder of the children in Majdal Shams and the killing of numerous additional Israeli civilians. At the moment, there are no changes in the Home Front Command defensive… pic.twitter.com/ja9PRE0cZM
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 30, 2024
This is the second time in nine months that Israel has struck against a target in Beirut, with a previous bombing killing a senior Hamas leader in the city in January.
Tuesday’s strike came in response to a deadly rocket attack on Saturday that killed 12 children and teens playing soccer in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the attack.
“This was about sending a clear message. We don’t want to see a wider war,” a senior Israeli official told Fox News. “Now this is in the hands of Hezbollah. Within 24 hours after the rocket attack in the Golan Heights, this response was being discussed among other options.”
🚨🇮🇱🇱🇧 HOLY SHIT. ISRAEL JUST BOMBED BEIRUT, LEBANON. pic.twitter.com/uQQBRi3vYz
— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) July 30, 2024
