The Israeli army has again targeted Hezbollah and Islamist Palestinian organizations in attacks in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. In the West Bank, a commander of the militant group Islamic Jihad was apparently killed in one of its strongholds.
In Lebanon, Israel again shelled central Beirut and militant strongholds in the south and east of the country. The Israeli army said it killed the commander of the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad over the Nur Shams refugee settlement in the West Bank.
Muhammad Abdullah was “eliminated” in an attack on the Tulkarem camp on Thursday. Islamic Jihad initially did not confirm Abdullah’s death.
Islamic Jihad involved in October massacre
According to the Israeli military, Abdullah was involved in “numerous attacks in the region.” During the military operation, another ‘terrorist’ was killed and M-16 rifles, among other things, were seized. Islamic Jihad is allied with the Islamist-Palestinian organization Hamas, which sparked the Gaza War with its major attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
In Lebanon, 22 people were killed and 117 others injured in two airstrikes on the center of the capital Beirut on Thursday evening, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. According to Lebanese state news agency Ani, the Israeli attack on Beirut hit the densely populated residential area of Ras al-Nabeh and the neighboring district of Nueiri.
Lebanese security sources told AFP that one of the two attacks targeted a Hezbollah representative. It was the third shelling of central Beirut since Israel began expanding attacks on Hezbollah.
The US is trying to de-escalate
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken again expressed hope that the Lebanese state would drive Hezbollah out of public life. “It is clear that the people of Lebanon have a strong interest in the state asserting itself and taking responsibility for the country and its future,” Blinken told reporters after the Southeast Asian Association of States ASEAN summit.
Blinken also reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, while emphasizing that the US was making “intensive efforts” to prevent an expansion of fighting in the Middle East.
Hezbollah: The battle has just begun
The radical Islamist Hezbollah militia says it is open to any attempt to stop “the aggression.” The head of Lebanon’s Islamist media agency, Mohammed Afif, also said in a televised address that his group’s current priority is a military victory over Israel. The fight has just begun.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
