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Israeli strike in Beirut kills at least 14 including Hezbollah commander

The Israeli airstrikes on Beirut appeared to have flattened an entire apartment block, flipping cars and leaving others covered in rubble
Jack Quann
Jack Quann

08.51 21 Sep 2024


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Israeli strike in Beirut kills...

Israeli strike in Beirut kills at least 14 including Hezbollah commander

Jack Quann
Jack Quann

08.51 21 Sep 2024


Share this article


At least 14 people have been killed - five of them children - following Israeli airstrikes in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

The Lebanese National News Agency says dozens more are injured.

The strike appeared to have flattened an entire apartment block, flipping cars and leaving other vehicles covered in a heavy blanket of thick dust and rubble.

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Several people could be seen in video footage filmed by neighbours, trapped under piles of rubble.

The strikes on a neighbourhood in the south of the city also killed Hezbollah's operations commander Ibrahim Aqil.

According to sources being quoted in Lebanese media, the Hezbollah group of senior leaders was meeting in an underground basement of a large housing block when the missile penetrated.

Palestinian militant group Hamas has said that Israel will "pay the price" for killing Aqil.

Rescuers carry a body at the scene of a Israeli missile strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, 20-9-24. Rescuers carry a body at the scene of an Israeli missile strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, 20-9-24. Image: Associated Press / Alamy

Aqil was also wanted by the US for his alleged role in the bombing of the US embassy in Beirut in 1983.

The US had been offering a reward of $7m for information about him, who it said was the "principal member" of the group.

A second senior commander, Ahmed Wahbi, was also killed in the strike on on Friday.

Wahbi oversaw the military operations of the Radwan special forces during the Gaza war until early 2024.

UN meeting

The continued attacks - with Hezbollah also said to have fired rockets into Israel yesterday - were top of the agenda at a meeting of the UN Security Council.

Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib warned "no one in this world is safe anymore" after the attacks on communication devices.

He called on the council to "end the war on all fronts" - warning the world not to be "silent witnesses" to a "great explosion looming on the horizon".

“Isn't this terrorism when you target a whole population while they tend to their daily life and not fighting on the front?” he said, holding up a photo of one of the victims.

Mr Habib also branded Israel a "rogue state" suggesting: “This great explosion will spare neither East nor West."

Violation of international law

The United Nations' Human Rights Chief, meanwhile, says the weaponisation of pagers, walkie-talkies and radios is a violation of international law.

Volker Turk is calling for an independent investigation into the use of electronics in two attacks in Lebanon earlier this week, which killed at least 37 and injured more than 3,400.

He told an emergency meeting of the Security Council those behind the attacks "must be held to account" and said the explosions could violate key principles in international law.

The UN chief added the attacks appeared to have failed to distinguish between civilians and combatants, did not appear proportional and it seemed no precautions were taken to avoid civilian casualties.

United Nations' Human Rights Chief Volker Turk speaking to the Security Council, 20-9-24 United Nations' Human Rights Chief Volker Turk speaking to the Security Council, 20-9-24. Image: UN News

"It is a war crime to commit violence intended to spread terror among civilians," he said.

"Let me be clear – this method of warfare may be new and unfamiliar but international humanitarian and human rights law apply regardless and must be upheld.”

Hezbollah unilaterally entered the war last October, much to the frustration of Lebanon's caretaker government, a day after a Hamas attack on southern Israel and subsequent bombing of Gaza by Israel.

Hezbollah have repeatedly said their actions are in support of Gaza and have continued to insist they will only stop once there is a ceasefire.

More 41,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian enclave with over 94,000 injured.

Reporting by: IRN

Main image: People gather near a damaged building at the scene of an Israeli missile strike in Beirut, 20-9-24. Image: Associated Press / Alamy 

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Abdallah Bou Habib Ahmed Wahbi Beirut Gaza Hamas Hezbollah Human Rights Chief Ibrahim Aqil Israel Lebannon Pagers UN Security Council Volker Türk

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