Israel says it killed top Hezbollah official as toll in Lebanon reaches nearly 560

Beirut: Israel announced Tuesday that it killed a top commander in Hezbollah’s missile and rocket unit as tensions with the militant group continue to escalate. The Israeli military said Ibrahim Kobeisi, a senior Hezbollah leader, was targeted in an airstrike in Beirut. Kobeisi was responsible for multiple rockets launched into Israel and had been involved in the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli soldiers in 2000.

This comes as the death toll from Israel’s extensive bombing campaign in Lebanon reaches nearly 560 people, with thousands more displaced. In southern Lebanon, families are fleeing to cities like Beirut and Sidon, where shelters in schools have been overwhelmed. Many are forced to sleep in cars, parks, or along the seaside as hotels and other accommodations are full or unaffordable.