At least 37 people, including three children and seven women, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut, Lebanon. The strike targeted Ibrahim Aqil, a high-ranking Hezbollah leader, and occurred in a densely populated neighborhood, leaving widespread devastation.
Israel’s northern airspace was closed on Saturday as the nation awaited possible retaliation from Hezbollah for the assassination of Aqil. The strike also claimed the lives of more than a dozen militants and destroyed an underground bunker.
In response to the escalating violence, major airlines such as Air France, Turkish Airlines, and Aegean canceled flights to Beirut. Concerns over a full-blown war have grown, particularly after the recent barrage of rockets from Lebanon into Israel.
Simultaneously, Israeli forces continued their operations in Gaza, where a school-turned-shelter was bombed, killing at least 22 people, including women and children. Israel claims the target was a Hamas base inside the school.
While both Israel and Hezbollah have indicated they do not seek total war, experts warn that the margin for avoiding escalation is narrow. Israeli officials have vowed to continue their strikes on Hezbollah until northern Israeli residents can safely return to their homes.
UN and US officials have expressed growing alarm over the potential for broader conflict. The UN’s Rosemary DiCarlo warned of a “conflagration” that could surpass the devastation seen so far, calling for urgent diplomatic efforts to prevent further violence.
