Residents and rescuers collect close to a broken constructing on the web site of an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut’s Ras el-Nabaa neighborhood, Lebanon, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024.
Hassan Ammar/AP/AP
disguise caption
toggle caption
Hassan Ammar/AP/AP
BEIRUT — A uncommon Israeli airstrike on central Beirut killed Hezbollah’s chief spokesman on Sunday, an official with the militant group mentioned. Earlier, officers mentioned Israeli strikes killed at the very least 12 folks within the Gaza Strip, the place Israel has been at battle with the Palestinian Hamas for over a yr.
The newest in focused killings of senior Hezbollah officers got here as Lebanese officers thought-about a United States-led cease-fire proposal. Israel additionally bombed a number of buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the place Hezbollah has lengthy been headquartered, after warning folks to evacuate.
Mohammed Afif, the top of media relations for Hezbollah, was killed in a strike on the Arab socialist Baath get together’s workplace in central Beirut, in keeping with a Hezbollah official who was not approved to transient reporters and spoke on situation of anonymity.
Afif had been particularly seen after all-out battle erupted between Israel and Hezbollah in September and the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike. Final month, Afif swiftly wrapped up a press convention in Beirut forward of Israeli strikes.
Screams in central Beirut
Smoke rises between buildings hit in a Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, within the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024.
Hussein Malla/AP/AP
disguise caption
toggle caption
Hussein Malla/AP/AP
There was no Israeli evacuation warning earlier than the strike in central Beirut. An Related Press photographer on the scene noticed 4 our bodies and 4 wounded folks, however there was no official phrase on the toll. Individuals may very well be seen fleeing. There was no remark from the Israeli navy.
“I used to be asleep and awoke from the sound of the strike, and other people screaming, and automobiles and gunfire,” mentioned Suheil Halabi, a witness. “I used to be startled, truthfully. That is the primary time I expertise it so shut.”
The final Israeli strike in central Beirut was on Oct. 10, when 22 folks had been killed in two places.
Hezbollah started firing rockets, missiles and drones into Israel the day after Hamas’ October 7, 2023 assault ignited the battle in Gaza. Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes in Lebanon and the battle steadily escalated, erupting into battle in September. Israeli forces invaded Lebanon on Oct. 1.
Hezbollah has continued to fireside dozens of projectiles into Israel each day and has expanded their vary to central Israel. The assaults have killed at the very least 76 folks, together with 31 troopers, and precipitated some 60,000 folks to flee within the north. A rocket barrage on the northern metropolis of Haifa on Saturday broken a synagogue and wounded two civilians.
Greater than 3,400 folks have been killed in Lebanon, in keeping with the nation’s Well being Ministry, and over 1.2 million pushed from their properties. It’s not recognized how most of the lifeless are Hezbollah fighters.
Lebanon’s military, largely on the sidelines, mentioned an Israeli strike on Sunday hit a navy middle in southeastern Al-Mari, killing a soldier and wounding three others. There was no rapid Israeli remark.
In a single day strikes in central Gaza kill 12
A lady mourns over the our bodies of victims from an Israeli airstrike outdoors a hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, Sunday Nov. 17, 2024. Palestinian medical officers reported Sunday that Israeli strikes in a single day killed 12 folks in Central Gaza. One baby and 5 ladies had been counted amongst them.
Abdel Kareem Hana/AP/AP
disguise caption
toggle caption
Abdel Kareem Hana/AP/AP
Israeli strikes killed six folks in Nuseirat and 4 in Bureij, two built-up refugee camps in central Gaza relationship again to the 1948 battle surrounding Israel’s creation.
Two folks had been killed in a strike on Gaza’s primary north-south freeway, in keeping with Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital within the central metropolis of Deir al-Balah, which obtained all 12 our bodies.
The battle between Israel and Hamas started after Palestinian militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7. final yr, killing about 1,200 folks — principally civilians — and abducting round 250 others. Round 100 hostages stay in Gaza, a couple of third believed to be lifeless.
The Well being Ministry in Gaza says round 43,800 Palestinians have been killed within the battle. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants however has mentioned ladies and kids make up greater than half the fatalities.
Round 90% of Gaza’s inhabitants of two.3 million Palestinians have been displaced, and huge areas of the territory have been flattened by Israeli bombardment and floor operations.
Pope Francis has referred to as for an investigation to find out if Israel’s assaults in Gaza represent genocide, in keeping with excerpts launched Sunday from an upcoming guide.
3 arrested after flares fired at Netanyahu’s dwelling
Individuals collect to protest towards Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s authorities and name for the discharge of hostages held within the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024.
Francisco Seco/AP/AP
disguise caption
toggle caption
Francisco Seco/AP/AP
Israeli police arrested three suspects after two flares had been fired in a single day at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s non-public residence within the coastal metropolis of Caesarea.
Netanyahu and his household weren’t there, authorities mentioned. A drone launched by Hezbollah struck the residence final month, additionally when Netanyahu and his household had been away.
The police didn’t present particulars concerning the suspects, however officers pointed to home political critics of Netanyahu. Israel’s largely ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, warned towards “an escalation of the violence within the public sphere.”
Netanyahu has confronted months of mass protests. Critics blame him for the safety and intelligence failures that allowed the Oct. 7 assault to occur and for not reaching a take care of Hamas to launch hostages.
Israeli minister seems to revive judiciary overhaul
Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin seized on the flare assault to name for a revival of his plans to overtake the judiciary, which had sparked months of mass protests earlier than the battle.
“The time has come to offer full assist for the restoration of the justice system and the regulation enforcement techniques, and to place an finish to anarchy, rampage, refusal and makes an attempt to hurt the prime minister,” he mentioned in a press release.
Supporters mentioned the judiciary modifications goal to strengthen democracy by circumscribing the authority of unelected judges and turning over extra powers to elected officers. Opponents see the overhaul as an influence seize by Netanyahu, who’s on trial on corruption expenses and for an assault on a key watchdog.
Many Israelis consider the inner divisions attributable to the tried overhaul had weakened the nation forward of the Hamas assault.
Opposition Chief Yair Lapid mentioned on X that he strongly condemns the firing of flares whereas blasting Levin’s proposal.
“We is not going to let him flip Israel into an undemocratic state,” Lapid wrote.
