 "Hashem Safieddine is likely to become Hezbollah's next leader after Hassan Nasrallah' assassination by Israel. File image/AFP")
As Israel continues to pound Lebanon, the country’s media reported on Friday that senior Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine may have been injured in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburb. Safieddine was considered the presumed head of the Lebanese group after Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated in an Israel strike last week.
On Thursday, Israeli officials confirmed that Safieddine was the target of the airstrikes conducted in Southern Beirut. According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Israel believes Safieddine was injured in Thursday’s strike, but details about his condition remain unknown. The report also stated that top Hezbollah intelligence commanders were present with Safieddine at the underground site which was targeted in the recent strike.
Meanwhile, the Jewish nation conducted overnight strikes in Beirut, passing out new evacuation orders. Amid the chaos, the Israeli military has declined to comment on the presence of Hezbollah officials during the attack or to confirm whether Safieddine was injured.
Israel conducted overnight strikes in Beirut
Meanwhile, Israel conducted overnight airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburb. The attack came after the military issued evacuation orders for civilians in a specific building in the Burj al Barajneh neighbourhood of the Lebanese capital. Meanwhile, separate evacuation orders have been issued by the IDF on Saturday, warning people to stay away from the area by more than 500 metres.
Images circulating online show smoke rising over Dahieh, in southern Beirut on Saturday morning, following Israeli airstrikes. There was a series of loud blasts, according to reports, with smoke rising from the area close to the airport.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAs Israel continues with the sheeling four hospitals in Lebanon announced the suspension of work due to constant bombardment. In the Salah Ghandour Hospital, nine members of the medical and nursing staff were injured, most of them seriously, due to the Israeli attacks. The hospital is based in the town of Bint Jbeil. The hospitals started to suspend their operations after the World Health Organization said 28 health workers in Lebanon had been killed over the past 24 hours.
With inputs from agencies.