Israel’s military has confirmed it struck Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in Beirut, as its forces engaged militants near the Lebanese border and conducted airstrikes targeting Hezbollah strongholds across the country.
This escalation follows Israel’s announcement of “ground raids” in southern Lebanon, a region heavily influenced by Hezbollah, after days of extensive bombardment.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in over 1,000 fatalities, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, and has displaced hundreds of thousands in a nation already grappling with severe economic and political turmoil. With the war in Gaza ongoing since Hamas’s attack on October 7, Israel has shifted its focus to securing its northern border and ensuring the safety of more than 60,000 individuals displaced by Hezbollah’s assaults over the past year.
On the Gaza front, Israeli military operations have reportedly eliminated three senior Hamas leaders, including Rahwi Mushtaha, who headed the militant group’s administration in the Palestinian territory.
In Lebanon, the Israeli military reported targeting Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency documented four airstrikes on southern suburbs of Beirut, with sources close to Hezbollah indicating that one strike hit an evacuated building housing the group’s media relations offices and a warehouse near the airport.
Israel has urged residents of over 20 villages and the city of Nabatiyeh to evacuate for their safety. Army spokesman Avichay Adraee stated, “For your own safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and head north of the Awali River. Save your lives.” Hezbollah, meanwhile, claims to have repelled Israeli attempts to advance at Fatima’s Gate along the border.
In a related diplomatic move, Iran summoned the ambassadors of Germany and Austria following their governments’ rebukes of Tehran over its missile attack on Israel. According to Iranian state media, this response was triggered by what was described as “unacceptable measures” taken by the two countries after summoning Iran’s envoys regarding the missile strikes.
Iran’s foreign ministry characterized the missile attack as a “legitimate, responsible and effective response in punishing the aggressor Zionist regime (Israel).” The attack, which involved the launch of approximately 200 missiles, was Iran’s second direct assault on Israel, following a missile and drone strike in April.
France condemned Israel’s decision to declare United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “persona non grata,” calling it “unjustified.” The French foreign ministry expressed its full support for Guterres, emphasizing the UN’s vital role in regional stability. Israel’s declaration was based on Guterres’ initial failure to specifically condemn Iran’s attack, though he later did so.
The United States and the European Union have criticized Israel’s decision, with EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell defending Guterres and rejecting any attacks on him.
Following the missile attack, Iran resumed domestic and international flights, which had been temporarily suspended due to security concerns. Operations restarted early Thursday morning, with Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation confirming that airlines could resume flights after ensuring safe conditions.
In the meantime, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has advised European carriers to avoid Iranian airspace until at least October 31, pending further assessments of the situation.
