Beirut Rocked by Massive Israeli Airstrike Targeting Hezbollah Leadership, Nasrallah's Fate Unknown

BEIRUT – A massive Israeli airstrike shook the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Friday, targeting the central headquarters of Hezbollah in a brazen attack that has sent shockwaves through the region and raised fears of a dramatic escalation in the ongoing conflict.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the strike, claiming it targeted a meeting of high-ranking Hezbollah officials, including the group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah. While Israeli officials believe Nasrallah was present during the attack, there has been no official confirmation of his fate. Hezbollah has yet to release a statement on the incident.

The strike, described as the largest in Beirut since the 2006 Lebanon War, caused significant damage to Hezbollah's headquarters and also impacted surrounding residential buildings. The Lebanese health ministry reported at least two fatalities and 76 injuries, with the caveat that these are preliminary figures.

The IDF defended the strike as a "precise operation" against a legitimate military target, accusing Hezbollah of deliberately embedding its headquarters within civilian areas to use residents as human shields.

However, the attack has drawn international condemnation, with many expressing grave concerns about the potential for civilian casualties and the further escalation of violence.

Adding fuel to the fire, conflicting accounts have emerged regarding the level of communication between Israel and the United States prior to the strike. While Israeli officials claim to have notified their American counterparts minutes before the attack, two senior US officials have categorically denied this, stating they had no prior knowledge of the operation. The Pentagon confirmed that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was only informed by his Israeli counterpart as the strike was happening.

The strike comes just days after the United States and France unveiled a joint initiative aimed at securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The attack, seen by many as a significant escalation by Israel, casts serious doubt over the viability of the ceasefire plan and underscores the Netanyahu government's apparent resolve to pursue a forceful military solution against Hezbollah.

In a reflection of the heightened tensions, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly departed from the United Nations in New York, cutting his trip short to return to Israel following the attack.

Update

Close to 400 people remain trapped beneath the rubble following the devastating Israeli strike that targeted the main offices of Hezbollah in Beirut's Dahieh.