Airstrike kills Hezbollah official and three others in Beirut, escalating regional tensions
Tensions in the Middle East surged on Tuesday after an Israeli airstrike targeted Hezbollah-controlled southern Beirut, killing senior operative Hassan Bdeir and his son. Lebanese sources confirmed four deaths and at least seven injuries in the attack, which has rattled an already fragile ceasefire.
Israel’s military justified the strike, claiming that Bdeir was collaborating with Iran’s Quds Force to assist Hamas in orchestrating an “imminent terror attack” against Israeli civilians. Hezbollah swiftly acknowledged his death, branding the strike as “severe aggression” and vowing retaliation.
Lebanese officials condemned the attack as a violation of U.N. Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war and established a delicate peace. The strike is Israel’s second attack on Hezbollah territory in Beirut within five days, underscoring escalating hostilities between the two foes.
Regional tensions have been high since the Gaza conflict reignited last year, with frequent cross-border clashes between Hezbollah and Israel threatening to pull Lebanon into a wider war. The latest attack may further destabilise an already volatile situation, with both sides preparing for potential escalation.
The coming days will be crucial in determining whether this airstrike marks another step toward full-scale conflict or remains a deadly skirmish in an ongoing shadow war.
