OAN Staff James Meyers
2:20 PM – Friday, September 27, 2024
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) targeted Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a “precise strike” on Friday in the central headquarters of Hezbollah in Beirut, Lebanon.
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However, a Hezbollah-associated media relations official told Middle Eastern correspondents that Nasrallah is “fine and well” and was not in the area of the airstrikes.
IDF spokesperson Rear admiral Daniel Hagari stated that the headquarters were intentionally built under residential buildings “as part of Hezbollah’s strategy of using Lebanese people as human shields.”
According to Lebanon’s health ministry, at least “two people were killed” and “dozens were left wounded.”
Images and videos circulating online showed smoke rising over Beirut following the strikes by Israel. Multiple witnesses also claimed that they heard multiple strikes.
Additionally, Hezbollah’s al-Manar television affiliate reported that four buildings were left decimated and that it caused many casualties as well.
Furthermore, security sources maintained that the area where the strikes took place is where the top Hezbollah officials typically reside.
This is considered the largest attack in Beirut in almost a year of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel.
“On Oct. 8th, Hezbollah started attacking Israel after almost a year of Hezbollah firing rockets, missiles and suicide drones at Israeli civilians,” Hagari said.
“After almost a year of Israel warning the world and telling them that Hezbollah must be stopped, Israel is doing what every sovereign state in the world would do if they had a terror organization that seeks their destruction on their border, taking the necessary action to protect our people so that Israeli families can leave their homes safely and securely.”
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh announced that the U.S. was not involved in the operation whatsoever, and that U.S. officials did not receive an advance warning from Israel.
“Minister [Yoav] Gallant spoke with Secretary Austin as the operation was already underway,” Singh said. “This operation has happened within the last few hours. We are still assessing the event.”
The strikes hit Beirut shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue fighting back until the Jewish State eliminates Hamas. Bibi said so in a fiery United Nations speech made while he was visiting New York.
Meanwhile, conflict has picked up significantly between Israel and Hezbollah over the last month as the IDF has gone on the offensive and has begun targeting the terrorist organization’s “hot spots,” looking to take out the group’s most prominent leaders.
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