Israel-Lebanon latest: ‘At least 37 killed’ in Beirut by Israeli strike which left Hezbollah leader dead
It comes as 22, including children, were reportedly killed in a strike on a Gaza school
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
At least 37 people were killed by an Israeli strike in a densely populated area of Beirut on Friday, Lebanese authorities now say.
Israel says two Hezbollah leaders were among the dead, including Ibrahim Aqil, Hezbollah’s operations commander, and Ahmed Wahbi, a senior commander.
According to Lebanon, women and children were killed in the strike, which also left 68 people injured, Lebanon said.
Aqil was involved in Hezbollah’s bombing of the US embassy in Beirut which killed 63 people in April 1983, according to the US State Department.
On Saturday in Gaza, dozens of people including children were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
At least 22 people, including 13 children and six women, were killed in the attack while using the building as a shelter, the ministry added.
The Israeli military said it targeted a Hamas command centre embedded in the building previously used as a school.
Footage from the site showed blasted walls, wrecked and burnt furniture, and holes in the ceiling of one room. Witnesses said children were in the playground.
Top Hezbollah commander killed in Beirut airstrike, Israeli military says – fuelling fear of all-out war
The Lebanon explosions raise a question: Deep into the smartphone era, who is still using pagers?
Japan company denies making Hezbollah walkie-talkies that exploded in Lebanon
David Lammy considers plans to evacuate Britons from Lebanon as Israel conflict escalates
What is Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese group hit in ‘double tap’ pager attacks?
What is Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese group hit in ‘double tap’ pager attacks?
What is Hezbollah, the Lebanese group hit in ‘double tap’ pager attacks?
Israel has declared a ‘new phase of war’ on its border with Lebanon
What to know about the growing conflict between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah
What to know about the growing conflict between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah
This week saw a dizzying escalation in the 11-month-old conflict between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah
Iran calls Israeli attacks 'shameless' as it unveils new ballistic missile
Iran’s supreme leader has said that Israel is committing “shamless crimes” against children, not combatants.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was speaking on state TV from Tehran, where he told a group of envoys from Muslim countries that Israel is not “fighting men, but ordinary people”.
“Unable to hurt the real fighters in Palestine, they are venting their malicious anger on small children, on hospital patients, and on schools filled with young children,” he said.
Pictured: School shelter hit in Gaza by Israeli airstrike
School shelter hit in Gaza strike
Palestinians said an Israeli strike killed at least 22 people in a school sheltering displaced people in southern Gaza City on Saturday, while the Israeli military said the attack targeted a command centre of militant group Hamas.
The Gaza health ministry said most of those killed were women and children. The Hamas-run government media office said 13 children and six women were among the dead.
The military said it hit a Hamas command centre embedded in the compound that previously served as a school, repeating an accusation that the group uses civilian facilities for military purposes. Hamas denies that.
Reuters footage from the site showed blasted walls, wrecked and burnt furniture, and holes in the ceiling of one room as people tried to salvage what they could of belongings.
“The women and their children were sitting in the playground of the school, the kids were playing, and suddenly two rockets hit them,” said one witness Said Al-Malahi.
Cyprus urges restraint in Lebanon
Cyprus’s president called for restraint over escalating tensions in the Middle East in separate telephone conversations with the Lebanese and Israeli prime ministers on Saturday, his spokesperson said in a statement.
The east Mediterranean island is the closest European Union member state to the Middle East, and has good relations with both Lebanon and Israel. Cyprus was ready to act as a conduit for diplomacy as well as facilitate contacts between the sides, said spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis.
How the plot to explode Hezbollah’s pagers and walkie-talkies unfolded
How the plot to explode Hezbollah’s pagers and walkie-talkies unfolded
Israel’s Mossad spy agency is believed to be behind the operation, Chris Stevenson writes, which likely took months of planning
Weaponizing ordinary devices violates international law, United Nations rights chief says
What to know about the growing conflict between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah
What to know about the growing conflict between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah
This week saw a dizzying escalation in the 11-month-old conflict between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah
Iran's Supreme Leader says Israel is committing 'shameless crimes' against children
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Saturday that Israel is committing “shameless crimes” against children.
His comments came a day after an Israeli airstrike on the Lebanese capital, Beirut, killed 31 people, including three children and seven women, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments