20 killed, 66 injured in Israeli airstrike in Lebanon’s Beirut
At least 20 people were killed and 66 others injured in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the Lebanese capital Beirut, Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health reported.
Amid fears of a multi-front war, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) Wednesday launched air strikes in Lebanon in response to a Hezbollah attack on its military post in the contested border area in northern Israel.
Hezbollah claimed it militants fired anti-tank missiles on an Israeli post in solidarity with Hamas militants even as Israel warned the Lebanese military outfit not to be involved in the battle.
“An anti-tank missile was launched from Lebanon toward a military post adjacent to the community of Arab Al-Aramshe on the #BlueLine,” the IDF said in a post on Twitter.
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In response, Israel launched air strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The IDF shelled 3 Hezbollah posts killing at least 2 militants. No injury was reported on Israeli side in today’s attack in the contested northern border area.
Mortars were also fired at an Israeli post from Syrian side of the border and Israeli military retaliated with artillery strikes.
On Sunday, a similar attack was carried out by Hezbollah in “solidarity” with Hamas militants, who had launched a massive air and ground assault on Israel a day earlier.
Responding to the incident, IDF had said that it was ready for a multi-front war and already started taking preparational measures for such a possibility.
“The IDF has taken preparational measures for this type of possibility. We will continue to operate in all regions and at any time necessary to ensure the safety of the Israeli civilians,” it said.
Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political and military organisation in Lebanon. Israel and Hezbollah had fought a month-long war in 2006. Like Hamas, the Lebanon based group is also backed by Iran.
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