A Palestinian militant group announced on Monday that three of its leaders were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, marking the first such attack within the city’s boundaries as Israel intensifies its campaign against Iran’s allies in the region. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) stated that the strike targeted an apartment building in the Kola district of Lebanon’s capital.
No immediate comment was made by Israel’s military. The rising frequency of Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi militia in Yemen has raised concerns about a potential escalation that could involve Iran and the United States, Israel’s primary ally. The PFLP is also involved in the conflict against Israel.
On Sunday, Israel conducted airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen and numerous Hezbollah targets throughout Lebanon, following the earlier killing of a Hezbollah leader. According to the Houthi-run health ministry, at least four individuals were killed and 29 injured in airstrikes targeting Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah, which Israel claimed was in retaliation for Houthi missile attacks. In Lebanon, authorities reported at least 105 fatalities due to Israeli airstrikes on the same day.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry has reported that more than 1,000 Lebanese people have died and 6,000 have been injured over the past two weeks, although it did not specify how many of these were civilians. The government also indicated that approximately one million people, representing about one-fifth of the population, have been displaced from their homes.
The ongoing Israeli bombardment has resulted in the deaths of several senior Hezbollah officials, including the group’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Israel has vowed to continue its military actions, stating that it aims to secure its northern regions, which have been affected by Hezbollah rocket attacks.
Throughout Sunday, Israeli drones were seen over Beirut, with the sounds of fresh airstrikes resonating across the capital. Displaced families were reported to have spent the night on benches at Zaitunay Bay, a popular waterfront area filled with restaurants and cafes. Most of Israel’s attacks have been concentrated in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah has a significant presence, or in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The attack on Monday in the Kola district appears to be the first airstrike conducted within the city limits of Beirut. Residents noted that Syrians who had fled the Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon had been sleeping under a bridge in the neighborhood for several days.
The United States has called for a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict in Lebanon while also authorizing its military to bolster forces in the region. U.S. President Joe Biden, when asked about the possibility of avoiding an all-out war in the Middle East, responded, “It has to be,” adding that he would be discussing the situation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
