Israel says it killed Hezbollah commander in Beirut blamed for Golan Heights strike : NPR

BEIRUT, Lebanon, and TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel says its forces killed a high Hezbollah commander in a focused strike within the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital of Beirut, in retaliation for a lethal weekend rocket assault within the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.

In an announcement late Tuesday, Israel’s army mentioned “Israeli Air Drive fighter jets eradicated the Hezbollah terrorist group’s most senior army commander and the top of its Strategic Unit, Fuad Shukr ‘Sayyid Muhsan,’ within the space of Beirut.”

Calling him a “right-hand man” to Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, the assertion mentioned Fuad Shukr was accountable for operations together with the assault that killed 12 kids and youngsters and wounded a number of folks on Saturday in Majdal Shams, within the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.

Hezbollah, a Lebanese militia and political motion supported by Iran, has denied involvement in Saturday’s Majdal Shams assault.

Israel didn’t say the way it decided the Hezbollah commander was killed or present proof of his loss of life. Hezbollah has not commented on Tuesday’s strike in Beirut or whether or not Shukr died.

A big explosion ripped by the streets of southern Beirut Tuesday night after Israeli forces struck an condo constructing, leaving it partially collapsed. Police closed off the roads and an ambulance wailed its solution to the realm. Folks had been shouting, “My household was inside, my household is inside!” as they ran towards the explosion.

Israel had made it clear that it could retaliate for Saturday’s rocket assault it blamed on Hezbollah. “Hezbollah crossed the pink line,” Israeli Protection Minister Yoav Gallant wrote on X Tuesday.

The strike got here because the worldwide group has been urging restraint from either side, fearing that an escalation on the Israel-Lebanon border may spark an all-out struggle.

Israeli army spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari mentioned: “Our goal shouldn’t be for struggle, however we’re well-prepared for it.”

He added that Israel is “in steady dialogue” with the US and its army, “particularly tonight.”

America says Israel has a proper to defend itself towards threats from Hezbollah, whereas diplomacy can be wanted to resolve conflicts within the area.

“Israel has a proper to defend itself and I unequivocally assist Israel’s proper to stay safe and to defend the safety of Israel,” Vice President Harris mentioned after touchdown in Atlanta for an election marketing campaign journey.

“What we all know specifically is it has a proper to defend itself towards a terrorist group, which is precisely what Hezbollah is. However all of that being mentioned, we nonetheless should work on a diplomatic resolution to finish these assaults and we’ll proceed to try this work,” she mentioned.

On Monday, White Home nationwide safety spokesperson John Kirby instructed reporters, “We do not wish to see the struggle escalate” and “to see a second entrance” open up between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. “What we wish to do and what we’re nonetheless targeted on is discovering a diplomatic resolution right here to scale back the tensions,” he mentioned.

U.S. diplomats consider the easiest way to defuse the Israeli-Hezbollah battle is to achieve a cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza.

Israel and Hezbollah have been buying and selling hearth for the reason that struggle in Gaza started on Oct. 7 of final yr, after the Hamas-led assault on Israel. The Israel-Hezbollah combating has largely remained confined to targets close to the border.

In January, Hamas chief Saleh al-Arouri was killed in a strike in Beirut that was extensively blamed on Israel, however that the Israeli army didn’t verify or deny.

Kat Lonsdorf and Hadeel Al-Shalchi reported from Tel Aviv, Israel; Jane Arraf and Jawad Rizkallah reported from Beirut.