Israel has launched an attack on Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on Tuesday targeting a senior Hezbollah commander – Fouad Shukr, also known as Al-Hajj Mohsen – who tensions along Israel’s northern border continue to escalate.
Shukr is a senior adviser on military affairs to Hasan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s secretary general.
“The IDF targeted the commander responsible for the killing of the children in Majdal Shams in Beirut, killing many Israeli civilians,” the Israel Defense Forces told ABC News in a statement.
“Hezbollah crossed the red line,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on social media.
Debris covers damaged vehicles after an Israeli military attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs on July 30, 2024.
Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images
A general view shows a damaged building hit by an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, on July 30, 2024.
Hussein Malla/AP
In recent days, Hezbollah has said that any strike in Beirut would be met with a strong response of its own.
Deputy US spokesman Vedant Pate said he has “no updates on any specific activity that we’re seeing” and did not say whether Israel had given the US a heads-up about a potential retaliatory strike.
People gather near a site hit by what security sources said was a strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon on July 30, 2024.
Mohamed Azakir/Reuters
“We have been in continuous discussions with Israeli and Lebanese counterparts since the incident over the weekend, and the United States will continue to support efforts to reach a diplomatic solution along the Blue Line,” Pate said.
“Our support for Israel’s security is ironclad, and it is unwavering, especially as it defends against Iran-backed threats, including threats from Hezbollah,” Pate told reporters.
ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston contributed to this report.
This is a development story. Check back for updates.