On September 30, 2024, an Israeli airstrike hit Beirut, killing three leaders of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a Palestinian terrorist group. The strike landed on an apartment building in Beirut’s Kola sector. This is the first documented Israeli attack within Beirut’s city limits since the region’s tensions have escalated. Israel has launched repeated airstrikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi troops in Yemen, sparking fears of a larger Middle Eastern battle involving Iran and possibly the United States.
The strike comes after a string of hostile measures by Israel, including the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah just days before. Over the last two weeks, Israel’s airstrikes have killed over 1,000 Lebanese people and injured thousands more.
The PFLP stated that the airstrike took place in Beirut’s Kola area, targeting an upper-floor apartment used by the three terrorist leaders. Israel has not formally commented on the incident, but it fits inside the broader framework of Israel’s continuing military campaign against Iranian-backed militias, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi troops in Yemen.
The strike came after a particularly violent weekend in Lebanon, during which Israeli forces carried out heavy bombardments, killing over 100 people. This persistent assault aims to weaken Hezbollah’s influence and prevent additional missile attacks on northern Israel, which has been heavily damaged by rocket fire.
This incident marks a tipping moment in the Israel-Lebanon conflict. Previously, most Israeli airstrikes targeted Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon or around the country’s borders. However, by attacking a target within Beirut’s city borders, Israel has escalated the battle in an unprecedented level, increasing concerns about a bigger war that may drag in other regional countries such as Iran and possibly the United States.
Over a million people have already been displaced in Lebanon as a result of continued bombings. Israel’s simultaneous attacks on Houthi forces in Yemen and its robust campaign against Hezbollah add to fears of a larger Middle Eastern conflict, with some thinking that it could escalate to all-out war.
