Israeli airstrike hits central Beirut for 1st time in nearly a year of conflict

Palestinian militant group Hamas said an Israeli strike killed itsLebanon leaderon Monday, while another Palestinian militant group said three of its leaders were killed in a strike on Beirut, the first attack within the city limits.

Hamas said its leader inLebanon, Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin was killed, along with his wife, sonand daughter, in a strike that targeted their house in a Palestinian refugee camp in the southern city of Tyre in the early hours of Monday.

As Israel escalates hostilities against Iran's allies in the region, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said three of its leaders were killed in a strike that targeted Beirut's Kola district.

The strike hit the upper floor of an apartment building, Reuters witnesses said.

There was no immediate comment from Israel's military.

Israel's increasing frequency of attacks against the Hezbollah militia inLebanonand the Houthi militia in Yemen have prompted fears that Middle East fighting could spin out of control and draw ire in Iran and the United States, Israel's main ally.

The PFLP is another militant group currently taking part in the fight against Israel but in the months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon,the smallleftist faction has notbeen meaningfully involved.

Israel strikes Houthis in Yemen

Israel on Sunday launched airstrikes against the Houthi militia in Yemen and dozens of Hezbollah targets throughoutLebanonafter earlier killing the Hezbollah leader.

The Houthi-run Health Ministry said at leastfour people were killedand 29 wounded in airstrikes on Yemen's port of Hodeidah, which Israel said were a response to Houthi missile attacks. InLebanon, authorities said at least105 people had been killedby Israeli air strikes on Sunday.

WATCH |Hezbollah deputy chief gives 1st speech since leader's killing:

Hezbollah deputy chief vows 'victory will be ours' in 1st speech since leader's killing

13 days ago

Duration 5:02

Hezbollah fighters are ready to confront any Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon, the group's deputy leader Naim Qassem said in his first public address since Israel killed its chief Hassan Nasrallah last week.

Lebanon's Health Ministry has said more than 1,000 Lebanese have been killed and 6,000 wounded in the past two weeks, without saying how many were civilians. The government said a million people a fifth of the population have fled their homes,although the UNestimate is around 200,000.

Hezbollah began firing rockets, drones and missiles into northern Israel after Hamas's Oct. 7 attack from Gaza into Israel sparked the war there. Hezbollah and Hamas are allies and both supported by Iran, and Hezbollah said it would continue the attacks in solidarity with the Palestinians until there was a ceasefire in Gaza.

Hezbollah has significantly increased its rocket attacks in the past week to several hundred daily, but most have been intercepted or fallen in open areas. Several people have been wounded in Israel.

WATCH | Hezbollah is weakened and reeling:

How Hezbollah could rebuild and respond after Israels attacks

13 days ago

Duration 5:54

Following Israels attacks on Hezbollahs arsenal and its assassination of leader Hassan Nasrallah, The Nationals Ellen Mauro breaks down how the militant group could rebuild and what its potential responses could be.

The intensifying Israeli bombardment over two weeks has killed a string of topHezbollahofficials, including its leaderSayyed Hassan Nasrallah in a Hezbollah-controlled southern suburb of Beirut.

Israeli strikes have also killed six of his top commanders in the last 10 daysand have hit what the military says are thousands of militant targets across large parts of Lebanon.

Hezbollah's deputy leader has vowed to continue fighting Israel and said the group was prepared for a long war.

In his first speech since Nasrallah was killed, Naim Kassem said in a televised statement Monday that if Israel decides to launch a ground offensive, Hezbollah fighters are ready to fight and defend Lebanon, where the group is based.

Israel has vowed to keep up its assault and says it wants to make its northern areas secure again for residents who have been forced to flee Hezbollah rocket attacks.

Israeli drones hovered over Beirut for much of Sunday, with the loud blasts of new airstrikes echoing around the Lebanese capital. Displaced families spent the night on benches at Zaitunay Bay, a string of restaurants and cafes on Beirut's waterfront.

Firststrike within Beirut

Many of Israel's attacks have been carried out in the south ofLebanon, where the Iran-backed Hezbollah has most of its operations, or Beirut's southern suburbs.

Monday's attack in the Kola district appeared to be the first strike within Beirut's city limits. Syrians living in southernLebanonwho had fled Israeli bombardment had been sleeping under a bridge in the neighborhood for days, residents of the area said.

The United States has urged adiplomatic resolutionto the conflict inLebanonbut has also authorized its militaryto reinforcein the region.

U.S. President Joe Biden, asked if an all-out war in the Middle East could be avoided, said "it has to be." He said he will be talking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.