Israeli Airstrike in Southern Beirut; 'A Hezbollah Official Killed'

The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced that the Israeli airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut early Tuesday, April 1, resulted in at least three deaths and seven injuries. The Israeli army stated in a statement that this attack targeted 'one of Hezbollah's operatives' who had recently assisted the extremist group Hamas 'in planning an imminent attack.' According to a Reuters reporter at the scene, the airstrike targeted a building in the southern suburbs of Beirut, hitting only the top three floors and their balconies, while the lower floors' windows remained intact. Reuters also reported, citing witnesses, that no evacuation warning was issued before the attack, and after the strike, families residing there fled to other areas of Beirut. A source close to Hezbollah, who wished to remain anonymous, told AFP that in this attack, Hassan Badir, Hezbollah's deputy for Palestinian affairs, who 'was at home with his family,' was killed. The Israeli army, in a joint statement with the internal security agency Shin Bet, confirmed the death of this Hezbollah official. The statement noted that Badir 'recently collaborated with the terrorist organization Hamas, and by directing Hamas terrorists, assisted them in designing and advancing a significant and imminent terrorist attack against Israeli civilians.' Hezbollah has not officially responded to this attack, but Ibrahim Mousavi, a representative affiliated with the group in parliament, called on the Lebanese government to take action. He told reporters near the attack site that Lebanese officials should 'act with the highest level of effectiveness, remind the international community of its responsibilities, and take the highest level of actions to ensure the security of the Lebanese.' Mr. Mousavi added: 'What happened was a very significant attack.' Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the Israeli airstrike on Tuesday, calling it a 'dangerous warning' indicative of premeditated objectives against Lebanon. Mr. Aoun stated that Israel's increasing 'aggression' necessitates accelerating diplomatic efforts and mobilizing international allies to support Lebanon's full sovereignty. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also condemned the attack, stating that this act is a clear violation of UN Resolution 1701 and ceasefire arrangements. He added that he is closely monitoring the consequences of this attack in coordination with the ministers of defense and interior. This is the second Israeli airstrike on southern Beirut since the beginning of the current fragile ceasefire, occurring just a few days after the first attack. Israel attacked Beirut for the first time since the ceasefire with Hezbollah. On April 1, the Israeli army announced an attack on 'Hezbollah's drone storage facilities' following an immediate evacuation warning for areas in southern Beirut. The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, which ended a year-long conflict between the two sides, was implemented on November 28, but has been fragile during this time, with both sides accusing each other of violating the ceasefire terms.