Hezbollah Leader Killed in Israeli Airstrike Near Beirut

Israel confirmed Tuesday that one of its recent airstrikes outside Beirut killed Hashem Safieddine, a senior Hezbollah official widely seen as the successor to Hassan Nasrallah, the group’s long-standing leader. Safieddine’s death, along with 25 other Hezbollah commanders, has left the group’s leadership in disarray, though Hezbollah has yet to confirm his fate.

Targeting Hezbollah Leadership

Israel’s airstrike occurred earlier in October as part of a broader campaign targeting Hezbollah’s command structure in southern Lebanon. The ongoing strikes have severely weakened Hezbollah, as several of its top leaders have been killed in the past few months. The latest strike targeted a suburb of Beirut, leveling a building Israel claims housed Hezbollah facilities.

Just days before, Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, was killed in an Israeli operation in Gaza. These strikes, aimed at weakening both Hezbollah and Hamas, have significantly heightened tensions across the region.

Hezbollah Press Conference Disrupted

The attack on the Beirut suburb occurred 40 minutes after Israel issued an evacuation warning for two buildings in the area, moments before Hezbollah’s press conference was abruptly halted. The briefing focused on a recent drone attack that damaged the home of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A missile struck a building near the press site, sending smoke and debris flying as reporters fled the scene.

Hezbollah spokesperson Mohammed Afif confirmed that the militant group was responsible for Saturday’s drone attack on Netanyahu’s coastal residence. Israel stated that neither the prime minister nor his wife were present during the attack.

Blinken’s Diplomatic Push

As the violence escalated, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel for urgent talks, marking his 11th visit to the region since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Blinken met with Israeli leaders, including Netanyahu, to push for a ceasefire in Gaza and to discuss increasing humanitarian aid for Palestinians.

During the meeting, Blinken stressed the importance of Israel capitalizing on recent military successes, including the killing of Sinwar, to bring an end to the Gaza war and secure the release of hostages.

Tensions Rise as Hospitals Become Targets

Meanwhile, tensions are rising in Lebanon, particularly among hospitals fearing they may be targeted in future Israeli airstrikes. On Monday night, 18 people were killed and dozens injured in Beirut, near the Rafik Hariri University Hospital. Though Israel claims to have targeted Hezbollah positions, the proximity of the strike to the hospital has raised concerns among medical staff.

Staff at the Sahel General Hospital expressed similar fears after Israel accused Hezbollah of storing large sums of money and gold in the hospital’s basement. The hospital’s director denied the allegations and invited journalists to inspect the premises. Many patients were evacuated following the accusations, though no militants or contraband were found.

Escalating Death Toll

The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that 63 people were killed in the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll in the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict to over 2,500 in the past year. Israeli forces also reported casualties, with three soldiers killed on Tuesday—one in Gaza, one in Lebanon, and one in a rocket attack in northern Israel.

War Expands on Multiple Fronts

The war between Israel and Hezbollah, combined with the ongoing conflict in Gaza, shows no signs of abating. Israel continues to conduct extensive airstrikes in Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah strongholds. In response, Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets and drones into Israel, including strikes that have reached central areas of the country.

Since the beginning of the Hamas-led assault on October 7, the conflict has claimed over 1,200 Israeli lives. Retaliatory strikes in Gaza have left more than 42,000 Palestinians dead, many of them civilians, according to local health authorities. Efforts by Blinken, along with Egypt and Qatar, to broker a ceasefire continue, but with fighting intensifying on multiple fronts, a resolution remains elusive.