Israel targets senior Hezbollah operative in Beirut airstrike

2026-03-02 - 11:02

The Israeli army announced Monday evening that it had launched an airstrike targeting a "senior Hezbollah operative" in Beirut's southern suburbs, escalating the already intense confrontation along the Lebanon-Israel border. According to an Anadolu correspondent, the strike hit the Madi neighborhood in southern Beirut, though no information was immediately available about damage or possible casualties. Israel claims pinpoint operation In a statement, the Israeli military described the attack as a "pinpoint" operation, claiming to have hit a senior Hezbollah figure without revealing his identity or providing additional details. The lack of immediate comment from Lebanese authorities or Hezbollah left the outcome of the strike unclear, as residents braced for possible retaliation. The targeted assassination attempt, if confirmed, would represent a significant escalation in Israel's campaign against the Iran-backed group. Deadly day of strikes Monday's targeted strike comes hours after a broader wave of Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut's southern suburbs and southern Lebanon, killing at least 31 people and injuring 149 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Those strikes targeted Hezbollah sites across Lebanon in response to rocket fire launched by the group toward northern Israel. The Israeli army's Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir earlier announced the launch of an "offensive campaign" against Hezbollah, warning it could last several days. Hezbollah responds amid wider regional conflict Hezbollah confirmed it had struck a military site in northern Israel with rockets and drones, framing its action as retaliation for ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon. The group's statement also linked its operations to the broader regional context, citing the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior commanders over the weekend. As the conflict expands across multiple fronts, fears are mounting that the targeted strike could trigger further escalation between Israel and Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah.