For the third time since September 23, Israeli aircraft targeted the capital directly. Even though Thursday night was relatively calm in Beirut, airstrikes resumed in other areas on Friday.
On the Ground
Israeli warplanes conducted an airstrike around 7:00 AM on the town of Jebsheet, followed by another airstrike on the town of Zrarieh near Brique.
Reconnaissance and surveillance drones were spotted over Tyre and its surroundings. Additionally, airstrikes targeted the center of Blat town and al-Birka in Kfar Tibnit.
Despite the Israeli Army's warning of targeting Haret Hreik at 9 PM on Thursday, the southern suburbs of Beirut remained relatively calm.
On Friday, the Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced the elimination of a commander in Hezbollah's Radwan Force in Mays al-Jabal. He stated that airstrikes targeted Hezbollah terrorist elements in Lebanon. The airstrikes aimed to neutralize Gharib al-Shujaa, responsible for planning anti-tank missile attacks towards the Ramat Naftali area.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for two attacks, targeting technical equipment at the al-Abad site with a guided missile and Israeli soldier gatherings in and around the Yiftah barracks with a rocket salvo.
The Israeli media reported that more than 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon on Friday towards Galilee.
On Thursday night, an airstrike targeted Hosh al-Sayyid Ali between Hermel and Syria. Additionally, airstrikes targeted the towns of Shaqra and Beit Lif, while Israeli artillery shelled Naqoura, Labbouneh, and Alma al-Shaab with heavy artillery.
Updates on Al-Nuwairi Strikes
The Israeli Army conducted two airstrikes on Thursday evening in Beirut, specifically targeting al-Nuwairi and Ras al-Nabaa. The Ministry of Public Health reported 22 fatalities and 117 injuries. The strikes allegedly targeted Hezbollah's Liaison and Coordination Unit led by Wafiq Safa, whose office was in a densely populated neighborhood in Beirut.
The civil defense issued a statement stating that the search and rescue teams continued clearing rubble and searching for the missing.
Two residential buildings were hit in al-Nuwairi, damaging several floors, the statement reads, adding that rescues and evacuation are still underway and extinguishing fires in apartments, cars, and diesel tanks, the statement reads.
The civil defense stated that a second strike damaged seven adjacent buildings, with two nearly destroyed in Bahsa Tahta. The statement said that teams evacuated residents, rescued the injured, and recovered several killed.
Search operations for the missing continue on Friday in Beirut, with no final tally of casualties or injuries yet.
Wafiq Safa
The Israeli media claimed that one of the strikes targeted Wafik Safa, but this was not immediately confirmed. The target of the second strike remains unknown. Later at night, a Hezbollah leadership source confirmed that Safa survived the assassination attempt. A Lebanese security source told Reuters that the Israeli strike in central Beirut targeted at least one prominent Hezbollah figure. Three security sources confirmed to Reuters that Safa survived the assassination attempt.
On the other hand, a source in the Quds Force revealed to "Al-Jarida" that Mohammad Reza Fallahzadeh, the assistant commander of the force, has been appointed as a "supervisor" over Hezbollah until a new secretary-general of the party is appointed.
UNIFIL
On Friday, a new Israeli attack targeted UNIFIL forces, injuring soldiers from the Sri Lankan contingent by shrapnel from a tank shell fired at one of the towers of the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura.
Previously, UNIFIL announced in a statement that its headquarters in Naqoura and surrounding sites were repeatedly shelled, and two Italian soldiers were injured Thursday morning when an Israeli Merkava tank fired at a watchtower in the headquarters.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto called Israel's actions against the Italian battalion a "war crime," demanding clarification on the gunfire directed at the battalion and security cameras. He added that more information was needed and awaited Israel’s response. Crosetto also summoned the Israeli ambassador to protest the shooting. He contacted Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to firmly express that the events near the Italian UNIFIL bases in southern Lebanon are unacceptable to him and the Italian government.
When asked about Hezbollah’s weapons, Crosetto responded, "Lebanon is experiencing one crisis after another, and the Lebanese Army, with which we are working to implement UN resolutions, is also suffering from the crisis that has diminished its capabilities."
France's Ministry of Armed Forces announced that France and Italy would request a meeting of European countries contributing to UNIFIL after Israeli forces fired on UNIFIL troops in southern Lebanon. The French Foreign Ministry called for clarifications from Israel, stressing that protecting UN peacekeepers is the duty of all parties and condemning any harm to UNIFIL’s safety.
UNIFIL accused Israeli forces of "repeatedly" firing at its positions, injuring two Indonesian peacekeepers. Rome, the largest Western contributor to UNIFIL, denounced the "intolerable" acts and summoned the Israeli ambassador for a firm protest. France and Italy plan to meet with other European contributors next week.
Shipment of Medical Supplies
A one-ton shipment of medical supplies arrived at Rafic Hariri Airport on Thursday night from Paris via Middle East Airlines. The Lebanese diaspora and Lebanese-French associations collected the donations in response to a 24/09/2024 appeal by the Ministry of Public Health. The Lebanese embassy in Paris continues to receive donations for future shipments to Lebanon.
Diplomatically
According to The Wall Street Journal, US and Arab officials said the Biden administration is pushing to use Israel's attack on Hezbollah as an opportunity to end the group's dominance by electing a new Lebanese president. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has contacted leaders from Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia for support.
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