(Corrects reference to political social gathering in paragraph 4. The social gathering is the Syrian Social Nationalist Celebration, not the Ba’ath Celebration)
BEIRUT (Reuters) -An Israeli strike on a constructing in a densely populated district of Beirut on Sunday killed Hezbollah’s media relations chief Mohammad Afif, two Lebanese safety sources instructed Reuters, although there was no quick affirmation from Hezbollah.
The Israeli army declined to remark in response to questions from Reuters. There was no evacuation order for the world printed on the Israeli army spokesperson’s account on social media platform X earlier than the strike.
The strike hit the Ras al-Nabaa neighborhood the place many individuals displaced from Beirut’s southern suburbs by the Israeli bombardment had been in search of refuge.
The safety sources mentioned it struck a constructing the place workplaces of the Syrian Social Nationalist Celebration are situated, and the pinnacle of the social gathering in Lebanon, Ali Hijazi, instructed Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed that Afif was within the constructing.
The broadcaster later additionally mentioned Afif had been killed. It confirmed footage of a constructing whose higher flooring had collapsed onto the primary storey, with civil defence employees on the scene.
Afif was a long-time media advisor to Hezbollah’s former secretary basic Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli air assault on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sept. 27.
He managed Hezbollah’s Al-Manar tv station for a number of years earlier than taking up the Iran-backed group’s media relations workplace.
Hezbollah and Israel have been buying and selling fireplace for greater than a yr, since Hezbollah started launching rockets at Israeli army targets on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after its Palestinian ally Hamas carried out a lethal assault on southern Israel.
In late September, Israel dramatically escalated and expanded its army marketing campaign in Lebanon, closely bombing the nation’s south, east and the southern suburbs of Beirut alongside floor incursions alongside the border.
Afif hosted a number of press conferences for journalists amid the rubble within the southern suburbs of the capital. In his most up-to-date feedback to reporters on Nov. 11, he mentioned Israeli troops had been unable to occupy any territory in Lebanon and Hezbollah had sufficient weapons and provides to combat a “long war”.
The Lebanese well being ministry mentioned the strike killed one and injured three.
Ambulances may very well be heard dashing to the scene, and bursts of gunfire rang out to stop crowds of individuals from approaching the situation.
