Tensions in the Middle East escalated further on Tuesday as Lebanon’s Hezbollah announced it had launched missiles at the Nirit area in the suburbs of Tel Aviv, prompting air raid sirens to sound throughout the city. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of casualties from the attack. In response, all arriving and departing flights at Ben Gurion International Airport were reportedly halted.
This missile strike follows a significant Israeli military offensive over the previous 24 hours, during which Israel targeted approximately 300 Hezbollah sites in Lebanon. The Israeli strikes aimed to disrupt Hezbollah’s financial networks amid ongoing conflict in the region. The U.S. has urged for a swift end to hostilities, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken set to tour the Middle East in a bid to secure a ceasefire, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
In Lebanon, the health ministry reported that four people were killed and 24 injured due to Israeli airstrikes near a major public hospital in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday evening. The ministry also indicated that six individuals were killed in Baalbek, and four Hezbollah-linked rescuers lost their lives in southern Lebanon during the Israeli bombardments.
Israel’s military confirmed that among the targets hit was an underground vault containing tens of millions of dollars in cash and gold, which they stated was being used to fund Hezbollah’s operations against Israel. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesman, mentioned that this action was part of a broader strategy to undermine Hezbollah’s financial capabilities. He further noted that another bunker, yet to be struck, was estimated to hold at least half a billion dollars in cash and gold.
Additionally, the Israeli military claimed to have eliminated the commander responsible for financial transfers to Hezbollah during a strike in Syria on Monday. The Syrian defense ministry reported two fatalities from an Israeli strike targeting a vehicle in Damascus, coinciding with a memorial for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, killed by Israel the previous week.
Sources By Agencies
