Key occasions
William Christou studies for the Guardian from Beirut on the strike by Israeli forces on a Ba’ath occasion middle in Ras al-Nabaa, central Beirut, on Sunday afternoon, the primary strike on central Beirut in over a month:
The assault on the busy residential neighbourhood got here with out warning, and appeared to trigger injury to neighbouring buildings.
The strike comes as Israel intensifies its airstrikes throughout Lebanon as Lebanese officers put together to offer their response to an Israeli ceasefire proposal on Monday. The Israeli army issued a sequence of evacuation warnings on Saturday and Sunday for Dahiyeh, the southern suburbs of Beirut, putting over a dozen targets in bombings heard throughout the capital metropolis.
Israeli troopers proceed to advance on the bottom in south Lebanon, with Israeli troopers reaching the village of Chamaa – about three miles from the Lebanese-Israel border. Hezbollah stepped up its assaults in northern Israel in tandem, saying the focusing on of 5 army targets in Haifa on Saturday evening.
Lebanese officers famous optimistic steps within the ceasefire negotiations, although they mentioned that an Israeli request for a western-led mediation physique in Lebanon was a stumbling block. Israeli calls for reportedly contain pushing Hezbollah previous the Litani river, some 18 miles from the border.
The Israeli army intensification is reportedly meant to place strain on Lebanese negotiators, who accused their Israeli counterparts of conducting negotiations “beneath fireplace”.
Hezbollah spokesperson killed in Israeli strike
The primary Israeli airstrike on central Beirut in over a month has killed Mohammed Afif, the principle spokesperson for Hezbollah, an official from the group has confirmed to the Guardian and Related Press.
AP studies:
Afif had been particularly seen after Israel’s army escalation in September and following the assassination of longtime Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who was additionally killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Israeli warplanes had earlier pounded the southern suburbs of Beirut after the army warned individuals to evacuate from a number of buildings. The Hezbollah militant group has a powerful presence within the space, referred to as the Dahiyeh, and the strikes got here as Lebanese officers are contemplating a U.S.-brokered cease-fire proposal.
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