Hezbollah official among four dead in Israeli strike on Beirut

AFP | Beirut, Lebanon
Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

An Israeli strike on Beirut yesterday killed a Hezbollah official handling Palestinian affairs, in the second such raid within days on the Lebanese group’s stronghold despite a four-month ceasefire.

Lebanon’s leaders condemned the attack, which came without warning at around 3:30 am (0030 GMT) during the Eid Al Fitr holiday.

The health ministry reported four dead, including a woman.

Israel and Hezbollah separately said the strike killed Hassan Bdair, who a source close to the Iran-backed group identified as its “deputy head for the Palestinian file.”

The source, requesting anonymity, said Bdair was “at home with his family” at the time of the strike.

A Hezbollah statement said his son was also killed, calling on supporters to join the funeral procession scheduled for today.

An AFP journalist said the raid destroyed the top floors of a multi-storey building.

Ismael Noureddine, who lives opposite, described “a very big explosion” followed by another, saying his family “couldn’t see each other because of all the dust.”

Israel previously struck the Hezbollah stronghold in the Lebanese capital’s south on Friday in response to rocket fire, after it issued an evacuation warning.