Israel Confirms Death of Hezbollah Commander Kobeissi in South Beirut Airstrikes

A top Hezbollah commander, Ibrahim Mohammed Kobeissi, was killed in an Israeli strike on South Beirut, the Iran-backed group confirmed on Wednesday. Six people died and fifteen were injured in the earlier-in-the-day walkout, according to Lebanon's health ministry. Kobeissi was "martyred on the road to Jerusalem," according to a statement released by Hezbollah, which characterized him as a prominent missile specialist with deep contacts to high military authorities. The Israeli military declared that it had "eliminated" Kobeissi, who was recognized as the head of Hezbollah's missile and rocket network, hours before the confirmation.Hezbollah's stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut, the Ghobeiri region, was the focus of the Israeli assault. An Israeli military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said that "at least two" other leaders from Kobeissi's battalion also perished in the attack. Later, Hezbollah said that Ali Karake, its third-in-command, had moved to safety after surviving a strike on Monday. Since the Gaza conflict started in October of last year, there has been a greater escalation in the gunfights between Israel and Hezbollah, which includes this most recent operation. Israel said that on Monday, its airplanes destroyed 1,600 Hezbollah locations, including those that were hidden in civilian areas and used for missile and drone operations.Cross-border clashes have been common throughout the conflict; most recently, Hezbollah launched over 150 rockets, missiles, and drones into northern Israel. Fears of a bigger battle between the two foes have increased due to the hostilities. The violence also comes after a string of bombings in Lebanon last week that targeted mostly Hezbollah-owned communication equipment. The bombings caused around 3,000 injuries, the majority of them to civilians, and 39 fatalities. Israeli officials have not addressed their role in the blasts, despite Lebanon attributing the explosions to Israeli activity.