&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Israel confirms killing of Hezbollah intelligence chief, Hussein Moukalled, in Beirut strike")
The Israel Defense Forces on Monday (March 2) said it carried out targeted operations against senior Hezbollah figures in Beirut, alongside strikes on dozens of Hezbollah and Iranian command centres. The Israeli military announced that it killed Hussein Moukalled, the head of Hezbollah's intelligence services, during a strike in Beirut on Sunday, amid ongoing exchanges of fire with the Lebanese group. "The IDF now confirms that in a precise strike in Beirut last night (Sunday), the terrorist Hussein Moukalled, who served as the head of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters, has been eliminated," the army said in a statement on Monday.
The military also reported hitting a weapons storage facility near the southern Lebanese city of Tyre. "In response to the rockets fired from Lebanon to Israel, the IDF precisely struck senior Hezbollah terrorists in Beirut, dozens of Hezbollah & Iranian terrorist regime command centers, and a site that was used by Hezbollah to store weapons in the Tyre," IDF Said.
"The IDF is prepared for a multiple-front scenario and to combat any threat posed to Israel and Israeli civilians," IDF added. The developments come amid renewed hostilities following missile launches from Lebanon toward Israel. Israeli officials signalled readiness for escalation across multiple fronts if required.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned Hezbollah’s armed operations, describing them as “illegal acts,” and urged the group to surrender its weapons to the state. According to Al Jazeera, Salam stressed that any military action originating from Lebanese territory outside state authority is unacceptable. He said Hezbollah’s activities should be restricted to political engagement and called on Lebanon’s official security institutions to enforce the decision.
Salam also indicated that Beirut is open to restarting negotiations with Israel, with support from international partners and civilian specialists. He reaffirmed Lebanon’s adherence to the 2024 ceasefire agreement between the two sides.
Separately, the Israeli military issued an evacuation alert for residents in the southern Beirut suburb of Burj al-Barajneh ahead of an anticipated strike.
In a message posted on X, Lieutenant Colonel Ella Waweya warned civilians to distance themselves from buildings allegedly linked to Hezbollah. "You are located near facilities and assets belonging to Hezbollah, where the (Israeli military) will act against them forcefully in the near term," she said. "For your safety and the safety of your family members, you must evacuate this building and those adjacent to it immediately and stay away from them by a distance of at least 300 metres," the post stated, accompanied by a map marking the location.
