Beirut: Israeli Strike Kills Top Hezbollah Commander

A top Hezbollah military commander was killed in an Israeli air strike on the Lebanese capital Beirut on Friday, in a major escalation that has added to fears of an all-out war.

Hezbollah confirmed Ibrahim Aqil’s death after Israel said he was one of several senior Hezbollah figures killed in the strike.

Earlier, Lebanese officials said “at least 14 people were killed and dozens injured in the strike that hit the densely populated Dahieh area, a stronghold of the Iran-backed group in the city’s southern suburbs.”

A senior UN official has warned that the Middle East is at risk of a conflict that could “dwarf” the devastation witnessed in the region so far.

Political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo was speaking at a session of the Security Council following this week’s attacks, which saw Hezbollah’s pagers and walkie-talkies explode, killing at least 37 people.

In Beirut, there were chaotic scenes as emergency teams rushed to the site of the attack, rescuing the wounded and searching for people believed to be trapped under the rubble. At least one residential building collapsed, and others were heavily damaged.

Streets were closed by Hezbollah members, some looking incredulous as the attack represented another blow in a week, which saw pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to the group explode.

Dozens were killed, and thousands were wounded in those attacks, widely believed to be orchestrated by Israel.

Friday’s strike was the first to hit Beirut since July, when Hezbollah’s military chief Fuad Shukr was killed.

BBC/Shakirat Sadiq