Israel ups Lebanon strikes, destroys Hezbollah headquarters near Beirut

September 27, 2024

Ryan Robertson, Anchor

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The Israeli military announced it launched a “precision strike” on the central headquarters of Hezbollah, just south of Beirut, Lebanon, on Friday, Sept. 27. Israeli forces said that they took out several residential buildings near the Lebanese capital and the headquarters was underneath them.

The airstrikes came on the heels of a speech from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday at the United Nations General Assembly. Netanyahu defended his government’s handling of the wars against Hezbollah and Hamas and vowed to keep fighting despite calls for a cease-fire.

The U.S. State Department said that it was not given advance notice of the strike on Hezbollah headquarters.

Netanyahu will reportedly return tonight from New York back to Israel, his office revealed in a statement. It is apparently very uncommon for Netanyahu to travel on state flights during the Jewish Sabbath, which could reportedly indicate the urgency of the situation following the reported strike against the militant group.

Lebanon’s state-run news agency reported that multiple teams from the Lebanese Red Cross rushed to the scene of the strike. There is no immediate word on casualties. However, shortly before the explosion rocked the neighborhood, thousands were reportedly in a Beirut suburb for a funeral for three Hezbollah members, including a senior commander, killed in earlier Israel strikes.

More than 700 people have reportedly been killed in Lebanon this week amid escalating Israel airstrikes. Israel said that it is targeting Hezbollah’s military operations and senior Hezbollah commanders.