Updated at 9:16 pm EST on July 30, 2024
An Israeli airstrike targeted the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Tuesday, a step that could escalate the Israel-Hezbollah conflict into a full-blown war.
Israel said that it targeted a senior Hezbollah commander, Fuad Shukr. A Lebanese government official told CNN that Shukr survived the strike, while Israel is claiming he was killed. Lebanon’s Health Ministry is reporting that three civilians, including two children, were killed in the attack and 74 others have been wounded.
The Israeli military claimed Shukr was responsible for the rocket that killed 12 Druze children in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday. Hezbollah denied responsibility for the killing of the children and has said they were hit by an Israeli air defense rocket.
After the strike, the US expressed strong support for Israel against Hezbollah. “Our commitment to Israel’s security is ironclad and unwavering against all Iran-backed threats, including Lebanese Hezbollah,” said National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson.
According to Al Jazeera, Hezbollah has warned that if Israel launched a strike deep into Lebanese territory, it would mean “all rules of war” are off. The last time Israel bombed Beirut was on January 2, when the Israeli military launched a drone strike that targeted a senior Hamas official.
Media reports said the US was warning Israel against targeting Beirut, but the US is still providing unconditional military aid and not using any of its leverage to rein in Israel. The US has also previously ensured it would back Israel in a full-blown war in Lebanon.
Since October 7, Israel and Hezbollah have been trading strikes across the border almost every day. According to an AFP tally, Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon have killed at least 527 people, including 104 children. On the Israeli side, 18 soldiers and 24 civilians have been killed, a total that includes the 12 Druze children.