Lebanon says 8 die in Israeli airstrike in Beirut suburb

An Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, where Iran-backed Hezbollah has a strong presence, killed eight people and wounded at least 59 others, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

The attack raises the stakes in a long-running conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and adds to the risk that they could be dragged into a full-blown war. Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil, a member of the group’s top military council, was targeted in Friday’s strike, Lebanese MTV channel said.

If the report proves accurate, Akil would be the second high-ranking Hezbollah commander to be targeted by Israel in a matter of months. A suspected Israeli strike killed the group’s chief of staff, Fouad Shukr, in July, hours before Iran said Israel killed Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh. Israel hasn’t commented on Haniyeh’s killing.

Television footage showed debris covering a narrow street in a residential area of Beirut, lined with several charred vehicles and motorcycles. Lebanon’s civil defense unit said two buildings in the Jamous neighborhood collapsed and medics were searching for survivors under the rubble.

The strike came days after pagers and walkie talkies used mainly by Hezbollah members exploded, killing at least 37 people and injuring thousands of others. The group said that operation was a severe and unprecedented security blow, blamed Israel and vowed to retaliate. Israel hasn’t commented on those events.

Earlier Friday, Israel struck hundreds of targets in Lebanon and Hezbollah fired at several positions in northern Israel in one of the heaviest exchange of fire between the two since war between Israel and Hamas erupted in Gaza almost a year ago.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant this week said the war had entered a “new phase,” and deterring attacks by Hezbollah was becoming more of a priority.

The Israeli army has diverted some soldiers from the Gaza Strip to the Israel-Lebanon border. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are considered terrorist entities by the U.S.