BEIRUT, Nov 24 (NNN-NNA) – At least five people were killed and 25 others injured, yesterday, in an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential apartment in Haret Hreik, Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported.
Recalcitrant Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, confirmed the strike, saying it attempted to kill Haytham Ali Tabatabai, whom Netanyahu described as Hezbollah’s de facto chief of staff, that “led the organisation’s force build-up and armament efforts.”
“Israel is determined to pursue its objectives anywhere and at any time,” Netanyahu said.
Neither Israel nor Hezbollah mentioned whether Tabatabai was killed in the strike.
According to Lebanon’s Al-Jadeed TV channel, the strike also caused heavy damage to buildings and parked cars in the highly-populated neighbourhood. Hezbollah said the area contains no military centres.
Hospitals in Beirut’s southern suburbs said, they are in urgent need for blood units of all types, while the Lebanese army said, it has imposed a security cordon in the area.
Following the strike, the Zionist Israeli warplanes continued to fly low over the southern suburbs’ Dahieh region.
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu told his weekly cabinet meeting that, Israel “will continue doing whatever is necessary to prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing its ability” to threaten Israel.
Lebanese President, Joseph Aoun, condemned the strike, calling it “another sign of disregard for repeated calls to halt attacks and implement international resolutions.” He urged the international community to act decisively, to stop the strikes, prevent regional tensions, and spare further bloodshed.
In a separate development, an Israeli drone strike earlier in the day targeting a car in the village of Aita al-Shaab in southern Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil district killed one person.
A Lebanese security source said that, the dead was a Hezbollah member named Mohammad Saleh.
Since the ceasefire took effect on Nov 27, 2024, which largely ended about 13 months of cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel has struck Beirut a number of times, while attacking other areas in southern and eastern Lebanon almost daily, claiming they are aimed at eliminating Hezbollah “threats.” It has also maintained forces in five main positions in the Lebanese border area.
On Friday, the Lebanese Ministry of Health said, Israeli strikes and violations had killed 331 people and injured 945 others in Lebanon, since Nov 28, 2024.– NNN-NNA
