Attack on Beirut

Israel attacks senior Hezbollah commander

(Bild: AFP/AFPTV/Mohamad Al Ghandour, Krone KREATIV)

According to Lebanese reports, an Israeli attack on the south of Beirut on Monday evening was directed against the Hezbollah commander of the southern front. An Israeli drone targeted Ali Karake, the number three in the Hezbollah military leadership, according to sources close to the pro-Iranian militia.

Shortly beforehand, the Israeli army had announced that it had carried out "a targeted attack" in the capital Beirut. It was the second time since Friday that the Israeli army had attacked a southern suburb of Beirut.

Among those killed was Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Akil, who was head of the elite Radwan unit. According to Hezbollah, a total of 16 of its commanders were killed in the attack.

Netanyahu with a message to civilians
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Lebanese civilians to take the Israeli army's calls for evacuation seriously and held out the prospect of a return after the end of the fighting. "Israel's war is not against you," Netanyahu said in a video message. "It is directed against Hezbollah," said the prime minister.

The Israeli army has been calling on people to leave the danger zone since the morning hours. "Please get out of the danger zone now", warned Netanyahu urgently: "As soon as our operation is over, you can safely return to your homes."

Conflict continues to escalate
Even before the killing of Akil and the fierce mutual attacks over the weekend, the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah had come to a head with the explosions of hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies by the militia in Lebanon.

Hezbollah holds Israel responsible for the explosions. The government in Jerusalem has not yet commented on who was responsible for the explosions, which killed dozens of people and injured thousands.