Israeli strike near Beirut targets Hezbollah-linked figure

Beirut [Lebanon], March 24: An Israeli airstrike hit an apartment in a predominantly Christian neighbourhood south-east of Beirut on Monday, targeting a figure linked to the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
A witness said a loud explosion was heard in Hazmieh, causing panic in the area. Ambulances were seen outside the targeted building.
The Israeli military said it had struck a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force in Beirut.
Lebanon's Health Ministry said one person was killed in the strike.
Hazmieh lies near the Defence Ministry and the Baabda palace, where President Joseph Aoun resides.
Hezbollah said earlier it had carried out 63 operations against Israeli military positions over the past 24 hours, describing the attacks as defensive measures in response to Israeli aggression.
The group said the operations included rocket fire, drone attacks and artillery strikes targeting bases, armoured vehicles and troop concentrations along the border and in northern Israel.
The escalation comes amid growing infrastructure damage in southern Lebanon. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said peacekeepers had recorded intense gunfire and explosions around its headquarters in Naqoura over the past 48 hours, with shrapnel and debris hitting buildings and forcing personnel to remain in shelters for safety.
It added that a projectile struck a building inside the compound around midday on Monday, which it believed had been fired by a non-state actor.
Meanwhile, shortly after midday, an Israeli military spokesman said the army would strike the Dallafa Bridge, which spans the Litani river, to prevent the transfer of reinforcements and military equipment to Hezbollah.
Earlier, Lebanese security sources said Israeli airstrikes at dawn on Monday destroyed the Qaqaiyat Bridge, another of the main crossings over the Litani.
The bridge connects the market town of Nabatieh with surrounding areas and Wadi al-Hujair. Wadi al-Hujair is considered a strategic Hezbollah stronghold, where the group is believed to use the rugged terrain and dense vegetation to conceal military infrastructure, including potential rocket launch sites.
Source: Qatar Tribune