The Israeli army launched a series of airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, an area known as a stronghold of Hezbollah. Among the strikes, one at midnight stood out due to its intensity, allegedly targeting Hashem Safieddine, the head of Hezbollah's Executive Council and a key figure seen as a potential successor to the group's slain leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

The midnight strike reportedly targeted an underground bunker where Safieddine was attending a meeting with other senior Hezbollah leaders, according to a report from The New York Times, which cited three unnamed Israeli officials. The Israeli sources did not confirm whether Safieddine or any other Hezbollah leaders were injured or killed in the attack, and Hezbollah has not yet issued an official statement on the matter.

The Israeli army said that the overnight heavy airstrike in Beirut had targeted Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters, without disclosing who was at the underground bunker. 

This strike is said to be one of the most powerful in recent times, highlighting the escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Over the past year, Israel has intensified its military operations in Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah assets as part of its broader efforts to limit Iranian influence in the region.

LBCI reported that the Civil Defense Center in Hadath received an Israeli threatening call following the airstrikes, requesting that no vehicles be moved towards the targeted site.