Israel targets Lebanon: Airstikes in Beirut kills top Hezbollah Commander, death toll climbs over 500

The latest airstrikes by the Israeli military on Beirut killed Ibrahim Muhammad Qabisi, a top commander with Hezbollah’s missile and rocket unit, along with at least two of his aides as the world leaders meeting at the United Nations (UN) general assembly in New York called for the de-escalation of the conflict.

The recent escalation of the conflict, especially after the targeted explosion of Hezbollah's communication devices, has claimed hundreds of lives.

In its biggest aerial offensive against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 558 people, including 50 children, and over 1,700, wounded forcing thousands in the south of Lebanon to flee the escalating conflict.

The UN Security Council is set to meet on Sep 25 evening to discuss the escalation situation in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. “Qabisi was struck alongside additional central commanders of Hezbollah’s missiles and rockets force,” the Israeli military said in a statement,”

“He had joined Hezbollah in the 1980s and had held several significant military roles within the organization. He was responsible for launches towards Israel and planned an attack in 2000 in the Mount Dov region in which three Israeli soldiers were kidnapped and killed, it added.

Hezbollah, in a statement on Sep 24 also confirmed the killing of Qabisi saying the leader was “martyred on the road to Jerusalem” — a phrase used by the group to refer to their fighters killed by Israeli strikes.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sep 25 urged British nationals to leave Lebanon immediately as the UK mobilized hundreds of troops in case an evacuation was needed following days of Israeli attacks against Hezbollah.

“The most important message from me is for British nationals in Lebanon to leave immediately, and I just want to reinforce that…Yes, we are ramping up contingency plans; I think you’d expect that in light of the escalation. But it is important to be really clear: now is the time to leave,” Starmer told the media.

United States President Joe Biden in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly on Sep 24, warned against "full-scale war" in the Middle East and urged diplomatic solutions both in Lebanon and in the nearly year-old Gaza war.

Biden also underscored the need to “set conditions for a better future” for Palestinians, including a two-state solution so they can “live in security, dignity and self-determination in a state of their own.”

However, Lebanon's foreign minister expressed disappointment in Biden's remarks on the Middle East at the United Nations and hoped for greater US diplomacy.

"It was not strong, it is not promising, and it would not solve the Lebanese problem," Abdallah Bou Habib, attending the UN General Assembly said, according to Agence France Press.

Meanwhile, several people in some US cities protested against American military support for Israel. Dozens of protesters gathered in Herald Square in New York City on Sep 24 evening carrying banners that read "Hands off Lebanon now" and “no US-Israeli war on Lebanon”, according to Reuters.

Pertinently, tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have been ongoing for over 10 months now. Hezbollah has fired rockets, missiles, and drones into northern Israel in support of Palestinians in Gaza and its ally, Hamas. In response, Israel has conducted heavy airstrikes and targeted killings of Hezbollah commanders, threatening a widespread offensive.

Last week, a series of attacks in Beirut involving explosions from pagers and walkie-talkies left at least 50 people dead, and around 3,500 injured.