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Israeli Airstrikes Hit Beirut, Targeting Hezbollah Command Center

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A series of Israeli airstrikes rocked the southern suburbs of Beirut early Saturday, as Israel intensified its attacks on Hezbollah. The air raids reportedly targeted the Iran-backed group’s command center, with some reports indicating an attempt to strike its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

Witnesses described hearing more than 20 airstrikes before dawn. Thousands of residents from the southern suburbs, following Israeli evacuation orders, fled to central Beirut and nearby seaside areas, seeking refuge in public spaces. “They want to destroy Dahiye, they want to destroy all of us,” said Sari, a local resident who had fled his home.

These strikes mark the most powerful attack on Beirut by Israel during the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, which has seen daily missile and rocket fire. The escalation has heightened fears of the conflict spiraling into a broader regional war, potentially drawing in Iran and the United States.

While there has been no official confirmation regarding the fate of Nasrallah, a source close to Hezbollah told Reuters that he was unreachable after the strikes. Israel has not confirmed whether it specifically targeted Nasrallah, though a senior Israeli official mentioned that top Hezbollah commanders were the intended targets.

The Israeli military confirmed it had killed the commander of Hezbollah’s missile unit, Muhammad Ali Ismail, and his deputy, Hossein Ahmed Ismail, during the strikes.

Hours earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations, stating that Israel had every right to continue its military campaign against Hezbollah as long as the group chose war. “Israel has no choice, and Israel has every right to remove this threat,” he declared. Several U.N. delegations walked out during his speech, and Netanyahu later cut short his trip to return to Israel.

Lebanese health officials reported at least six people killed and 91 wounded in the initial attacks on Friday, marking the fourth major strike on Hezbollah-controlled areas in Beirut in just one week. Authorities fear that the death toll could rise further as the conflict escalates, with reports indicating that over 700 people have been killed across Lebanon in the past week.

Following the strikes, the Israeli military issued further warnings, advising residents in parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs to evacuate, claiming it was targeting missile launchers and weapons storage sites located in civilian areas. Hezbollah, however, denied the presence of any weapons in the buildings hit by Israeli airstrikes.

The conflict has displaced around 100,000 people in Lebanon this week alone, with over 200,000 uprooted since the fighting began. Hezbollah has retaliated with hundreds of rockets aimed at Israeli targets, including the northern city of Safed, where a civilian sustained minor injuries.

Fears continue to mount that the conflict could draw in Iran, Hezbollah’s primary backer, especially after Tehran condemned Friday’s strike and accused Israel of using U.S.-made “bunker-busting” bombs. In response, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that Washington was not informed of the strike beforehand. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the need for diplomacy, warning that continued escalation could lead to disastrous consequences.

U.S. Diplomacy Falters in the Middle East as Biden’s Time Runs Out

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As President Joe Biden’s term nears its end, his administration faces mounting challenges in the Middle East. U.S. diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza have stalled after nearly a year of fighting between Israel and Hamas, and attacks on Red Sea shipping by Iran-backed Houthi rebels continue unabated. Meanwhile, a potential Israel-Hezbollah conflict looms, threatening to escalate into a regional war despite intense U.S. diplomatic efforts.

Biden’s Middle East strategy has centered on balancing Israel’s right to self-defense with efforts to prevent broader civilian casualties and regional conflict. However, this approach has repeatedly fallen short. Israel’s rejection of a U.S.-backed proposal for a 21-day truce on the Lebanon border is a stark reminder of the limits of U.S. influence in the region. As Jonathan Panikoff, a former U.S. intelligence officer, notes, Biden has struggled to leverage America’s diplomatic and military power to sway Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Despite Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s multiple trips to the region, negotiations have failed to bring about a lasting ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, with no breakthrough on the horizon. The blame is shared between Hamas and shifting demands from Netanyahu, according to U.S. officials. The strained relationship between Blinken and Israeli leaders underscores the friction in Biden’s Middle East policy.

Biden’s efforts have not gone unnoticed by his Western allies, who credit him with strengthening key alliances, particularly in NATO and with Asian partners. However, his handling of the Middle East, particularly in Gaza, has raised concerns about U.S. credibility. Some foreign diplomats argue that Biden’s unyielding support for Israel has hindered his diplomatic flexibility. A Middle Eastern diplomat remarked that while Biden dispatched military assets to warn Iran and its proxies, the threats have not fully deterred attacks, particularly by the Houthis in Yemen.

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Analysts like Michael Mulroy, a former U.S. defense official, argue that Biden could have responded more decisively to these proxy attacks. Although U.S. officials defend their diplomatic efforts, emphasizing that progress takes time, the growing discontent among regional players reflects the difficulty of Biden’s position.

The Gaza conflict has dashed Biden’s hopes for a potential breakthrough in Middle East peace – the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. That deal, once seen as a possible highlight of his foreign policy legacy, now seems elusive.

At the United Nations, frustration is mounting. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi criticized international efforts as “a year of failure,” arguing that Israel is not listening to even its closest allies, including the U.S.

With four months left in office, Biden faces deepening crises in Lebanon and the wider region. Hezbollah and Israel continue to clash, and the threat of a full-scale ground war looms. Should this occur, it could not only mar Biden’s foreign policy legacy but also impact the 2024 U.S. presidential election, where Vice President Kamala Harris might face backlash from progressive Democratic voters already critical of Biden’s unwavering support for Israel.

Analysts like Panikoff assert that Biden’s Middle East strategy requires a shift. “Plan A hasn’t worked for months. So where’s Plan B?” As the clock runs out on Biden’s administration, the question remains whether the crises in Gaza, Lebanon, and beyond will define his presidency or be passed to his successor.

Lebanon Appeals to U.S. Amid Rising Israel-Hezbollah Conflict

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Amid escalating cross-border strikes between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon has called on the United States to intervene and stop the fighting, warning that the situation could spiral into full-scale war. On Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Qubaisi, heightening tensions and sparking fears of regional destabilization. Qubaisi, a key figure in Hezbollah’s missile and rocket force, was targeted amid an ongoing Israeli offensive that has killed over 569 people, including 50 children, and injured 1,835 in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Minister.

The violence follows nearly a year of conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, with fears growing that Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, could further draw Lebanon into the conflict. The U.N. Security Council is set to meet on Wednesday to address the crisis. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that Lebanon was “at the brink,” stressing that a conflict in Lebanon could have catastrophic consequences similar to Gaza.

U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking at the U.N. General Assembly, called for restraint, noting that “full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest.” However, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib criticized Biden’s remarks, urging stronger U.S. intervention and highlighting that Washington is key to halting the violence due to its close alliance with Israel.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon is worsening. Displaced civilians from southern Lebanon are taking refuge in schools and shelters across Beirut. At a shelter in Bir Hassan, volunteers provided basic supplies for displaced families. Amid the growing toll, half a million people have been displaced, with many civilians struggling under extreme conditions.

Hezbollah and Israel continue to trade strikes. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Hezbollah had suffered significant losses, while Hezbollah claimed responsibility for attacks on Israeli military bases and launched drones at Israel’s Atlit naval base. The conflict shows no sign of abating, with diplomatic efforts from the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt failing to secure a ceasefire.

As international pressure mounts, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an end to what he described as Israeli “barbarism” in Lebanon. Israel, for its part, continues its air campaign, targeting Hezbollah and other Iranian-aligned groups in Syria. The situation remains volatile, with concerns that continued fighting could engulf the region in broader conflict.