Israel strikes Beirut: What we know so far

Israel says the attack targeted Hezbollah commander in response to the Golan Heights attack on Saturday.

Israel has carried out an air raid in Beirut, killing at least one person in a move that could raise tensions between the country and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Israel’s military has said the attack on Tuesday targeted Hezbollah commander Muhsin Shukr, whose condition was not immediately clear.

The attack comes three days after an attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Israel blames on Hezbollah.

Here’s what to know about the explosion so far:

When and where did Israel attack Beirut? 

The blast was heard in Beirut’s southern suburbs at around 19:40 local time (16:40 GMT) on Tuesday evening.

It hit the Haret Hreik neighbourhood, near Hezbollah’s Shura Council its’s central decision-making authority.

Half of the targeted buildings in the densely populated neighbourhood collapsed and a nearby hospital suffered minor damages. Surrounding streets were littered with debris and broken glass as ambulances rushed to the scene.

Why did Israel bomb Beirut? 

Israel’s military said its strike targeted Hezbollah commander,  Muhsen Shukr also known as ”Haj Muhsen.” It claimed Muhsen was responsible for an attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 people and wounded 30 on Saturday.

Israel has occupied the western region of Golan Heights since the 1967 war while the remaining part is under Syria’s control.

The rocket attack on Saturday hit in Majdal Shams, in the northeastern part of the Israeli-occupied territory.

Hezbollah has denied involvement in the attack.

How many people died in the strike?

While casualties are still being confirmed, Lebanon’s National News Agency has reported at least one person was killed and several wounded.

Hezbollah sources have said Shukr survived the attack.

Has Israel bombed Beirut before?

Since launching its war on Gaza in October, Israel has attacked Beirut on at least one previous occasion before Tuesday’s attack. On January 2, Israel carried out a strike that killed senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri.

Israel’s last attack on Beirut before that was in 2006, during the 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah.

What’s next?

Israel’s military has not issued any new instructions for civil defence in Israel following the attack.

Reporting from Beirut, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr said the Israeli messaging is that this was their promised response to the Majdal Shams attack, and that they are not interested in more armed confrontation with Hezbollah beyond this.

While Hezbollah has promised to respond to any kind of attack from Israel, the retaliation may not be immediate, said Khodr.

Ori Goldberg, a political commentator in Tel Aviv, told Al Jazeera that the attack is likely not a “serious escalation.” He added that Israel might not risk war with Lebanon as it is already in the middle of “one of the most severe domestic crises it has ever experienced”.

“A war with Lebanon could perhaps rally Israelis around the flag, but its effects would be almost immediately disastrous,” said Goldberg.

Responding to questions about the attack on Tuesday, White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre said the US does not believe that an all-out war between Hezbollah and Israel is inevitable.

US President Joe Biden “believes it can be avoided” with a diplomatic solution, she added.

Source

:

Al Jazeera and news agencies