Israel launches 'very violent' attack on Lebanon, strikes mosque in Gaza killing nearly two dozen people

Israel carried out a series of heavy strikes against Iran-backed Hezbollah attacking southern suburbs of Lebanon's Beirut that started from late Oct 5 and continued on Oct 6, while also attacking a mosque in Gaza that claimed at least 21 lives and wounded over 90 others, said Gaza’s civil defense agency.

Israeli military targeted command centers, weapons caches, tunnels, and other infrastructure in the capital city of Lebanon.

In one of the most violent attacks so far, explosions were heard in southern Beirut and nearby areas for over two hours. The IDF warned residents to evacuate areas in Dahiyeh, a predominantly Shiite suburb of Beirut.

"We must continue exerting pressure on Hezbollah and creating additional and lasting damage to the enemy. Without relief and without allowing a respite for the organization," said Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the strikes were "very violent" as a series of eight strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs, including areas close to the country’s main airport.

The arch-enemy of Palestine — Israel — has intensified its ground invasion of Lebanon. However, Hezbollah said they stopped Israelis from entering into a border village. The group claims to have fired artillery shells forcing the Israeli military to withdraw.

Israel continued to expand its military actions in Lebanon as it made its first strike in the northern city of Tripoli.

The IDF claimed that on Oct 6 morning, approximately 30 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory, of which some were intercepted. A day earlier, about 130 projectiles were launched into Israel.

Israel's military operations have so far killed "some 440 Hezbollah members and leaders, including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and his potential successor, Hashem Safieddine" since the beginning of ground Lebanon's ground invasion, it claimed.

According to a Lebanese security source cited by media, Safieddine is presumably dead as he had been out of contact since Oct 4 following an Israeli airstrike near the city’s international airport that was reported to have targeted him.

Meanwhile, Israel attacked the mosque, near the Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah, which was being used to house displaced people.

The attack came as Israel's assault on Palestinian territory approaches its first anniversary following the attack by the Hamas fighter group on October 7 last year.

The Israeli military has since then launched an air and ground offensive, killing nearly 42,000 Palestinians, including women and children, in the guise of eliminating Hamas "terrorists."