Planned hail of rockets

High-ranking Hezbollah commander probably killed

Qbaisi is said to have last been in this house - a "precise" attack from Israel is believed to have killed him.

(Bild: AFP/Anwar AMRO)

The high-ranking Hezbollah commander who is said to have been in charge of the missile attack on Israel was probably killed in the course of an air strike. Israel thus appears to have struck a decisive blow against the Islamist terror militia Hezbollah.

Israel and the radical Islamic Hezbollah in Lebanon continued their fighting on Tuesday. The situation threatens to escalate. The Israeli military announced that it had attacked dozens of Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon as well as in Beirut. More than 50 shells were fired from Lebanon towards northern Israel. According to Lebanese reports, 550 people have been killed in Israeli air strikes so far. UN representatives sounded the alarm.

Air strike on Beirut suburb
According to the Reuters news agency, Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Qubaisi may have been hit in one of these attacks. Qubaisi was a leading commander of Hezbollah's rocket forces. The attack is said to have taken place in a suburb of Beirut, which is considered a stronghold of the Lebanese terrorist organization. According to the authorities, six people were killed and 15 injured in the airstrike.

Two employees of the UN refugee agency UNHCR were also killed in Israel's heavy attacks in Lebanon. The organization is "horrified and deeply saddened" by the killing of its staff, UNHCR announced. The home of a colleague who had been working in the UN office in the east of the country for twelve years had been hit by an Israeli missile. Her youngest son was also killed. The other staff member killed had been working at the office in the coastal town of Tyre for years. UNHCR is "outraged by the killing of our colleagues".

"Large number" of Hezbollah members killed
On Monday alone, the Israeli army said it had attacked more than 1,600 targets to destroy military objectives of the Iranian-backed Shia militia. A "large number" of Hezbollah members were killed in the process, the army said. According to the Lebanese government, at least 492 people were killed in the Israeli attacks on Monday. On Tuesday, Health Minister Firass Abiad spoke of 558 dead. Among them were 50 children and 94 women. 1,835 people had been injured.

Meanwhile, Israel's military chief of staff Herzi Halevi announced further attacks on Hezbollah. The militia should not be given a break. "The situation requires sustained, intensive action in all areas." The military later announced that it had attacked targets in Beirut. The airstrike was aimed at a Hezbollah commander, according to security sources in Lebanon.