Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has been killed after airstrikes in Beirut, the Israeli army has said.
Recent weeks have seen Israel unleash a barrage of strikes against Lebanon after it turned its attention to the conflict at its northern border.
On Saturday, Israel targeted the capital Beirut with a series of attacks claiming to have struck the central headquarters of Hezbollah.
People watch Hassan Nasrallah delivering a televised address, as they sit at a cafe in Beirut. Pic: Reuters
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it carried out a “precise strike” on Hezbollah’s “central headquarters”, which it claimed was “embedded under residential buildings in the heart of the Dahieh in Beirut”.
The first wave of attacks shook windows across the city and sent thick clouds of smoke billowing into the air.
While Israel stressed it had been a “precise” strike, preliminary figures from Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed at least six other people were killed and 91 were wounded.
Israel said Nasrallah was the intended target and initially, there were reports that he was fine and claims he had survived.
However, after several hours of confusion, his death was confirmed by Israel.
“Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorise the world,” it said, while Hezbollah itself is yet to issue a clarifying statement on its leader’s fate.
The Israeli strike was on residential buildings in Dahieh, Beirut
Alongside claiming to have killed Nasrallah, the IDF said it had killed a number of other commanders, including Ali Karaki, the commander of the southern front.
The country’s military said the strike was carried out while Hezbollah leadership met at their headquarters in Dahieh.
This continues a recent trend in which Israel has repeatedly targeted Hezbollah’s leadership structure.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Israel launched another wave of attacks on Beirut and the Bekaa Valley, a day after massive strikes shook the capital and targeted Bhamdoun.
Smoke rose from Beirut’s southern suburbs on Saturday morning and the streets were empty after the area was pummelled by the Israeli attacks that it claimed killed Nasrallah.
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