Hezbollah’s senior leadership is unreachable following Israeli Air Force’s F-16 dropped GBU-72 bunker busting bomb on Beirut’s southern suburbs, a source close to the Lebanese terror group tells Reuters.
Hours after the strikes, Hezbollah hasn’t made a statement on the fate of its head, Hassan Nasrallah.
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari warns that the military will not allow any weapon transfers to the Hezbollah terror group, including via Beirut’s international airport.
“We will not allow the transfer of weapons to the Hezbollah terror group, in any way. We know of Iranian weapon transfer to Hezbollah, and we [will] foil them,” he says.
Air Force planes are now patrolling the Beirut airport area. Until now, Lebanon, contrary to Syria, acted over the years responsibly and did not allow the transfer of weapons through the civilian airport,” Hagari continues.
“We are announcing, we will not allow enemy flights with weapons to land at the civilian airport in Beirut. This is a civilian airport, for civilian use, and it must stay that way,” he adds.
President Joe Biden has ordered US forces in the Middle East to be adjusted “as necessary,” the White House says, after Israel launched a wave of strikes in Lebanon’s capital Beirut targeting Hezbollah’s headquarters.
“He has directed the Pentagon to assess and adjust as necessary US force posture in the region to enhance deterrence, ensure force protection, and support the full range of US objectives,” the White House says in a statement.
At least six people were killed and 91 wounded in Israel’s strike on Beirut’s southern suburb that targeted Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the Lebanese health ministry says, adding that the toll isn’t final.
The IDF says it is currently striking three buildings in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut where Hezbollah has stored anti-ship missiles.
Further details on the strikes will be provided later, the military adds.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to go ahead with his trip to the UN General Assembly despite the escalating fighting with Hezbollah “was part of a diversion” to lull Hassan Nasrallah into believing Israel wouldn’t target him while the premier was in New York, a senior Israeli official tells the Telegraph.
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