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Israeli Strike Kills Hezbollah Spokesman in Central Beirut Amid Escalating Conflict.
An Israeli airstrike in central Beirut killed Hezbollah’s chief spokesman, Mohammed Afif, amid escalating regional conflict and growing casualties in Lebanon and Gaza.
Lebanon Israel text on truck Photo By: (@Hobi Industri) (Unsplash)
A rare Israeli airstrike on central Beirut killed Hezbollah’s chief spokesman, Mohammed Afif, on Sunday, according to an official from the militant group. The strike targeted the Arab Socialist Baath party’s office in a busy area of the Lebanese capital. This marks the latest escalation as Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah continues to intensify.
The attack occurred without prior warning near a bustling intersection. Witnesses described chaos, with people fleeing and screams filling the air. An Associated Press photographer reported four bodies and several injured at the scene, but no official death toll was immediately available. Israeli authorities have not commented on the strike.
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Afif, head of media relations for Hezbollah, was a prominent figure in the group’s operations and had been especially visible since the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah erupted into war in September. His death follows the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike earlier in the conflict. Afif previously wrapped up a press conference last month as Israeli strikes loomed over Beirut.
Israel also carried out strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, a longtime Hezbollah stronghold, after issuing evacuation warnings. The strikes are part of a broader escalation as Hezbollah continues firing rockets, missiles, and drones into Israel. Daily attacks have killed 76 people in Israel, including 31 soldiers, and displaced approximately 60,000 people. A rocket barrage on Haifa on Saturday damaged a synagogue and injured two civilians.
In Lebanon, the Health Ministry reports over 3,400 fatalities and more than 1.2 million people displaced since the conflict began. The toll includes both civilians and combatants, though specific numbers of Hezbollah fighters remain unclear. Lebanese officials are currently weighing a U.S.-led ceasefire proposal as the conflict continues to devastate the region. In southeastern Al-Mari, an Israeli strike killed two Lebanese soldiers and injured two others, further inflaming tensions.
Meanwhile, overnight Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza killed 12 people, including six in Nuseirat and four in Bureij refugee camps. Two others were killed on Gaza’s main north-south highway. The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which began last October, has claimed the lives of around 43,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. More than 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced as large parts of the territory are flattened by Israeli bombardments and ground operations.
In Israel, authorities arrested three suspects after flares were fired at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea. Netanyahu and his family were not home during the incident. While the suspects’ identities remain undisclosed, officials suspect domestic political opponents of Netanyahu may be involved. President Isaac Herzog warned against escalating public violence as tensions grow over Netanyahu’s handling of the war and his controversial judiciary overhaul plans.
Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin used the flare attack to call for a revival of his judiciary overhaul proposals, claiming it is necessary to restore law and order. Opponents argue the plan undermines democracy, while supporters claim it strengthens elected officials’ authority. Critics continue to blame internal divisions from the judiciary overhaul for weakening Israel ahead of Hamas’ October 7 attack, which initially ignited the current war.
