Israel’s military has claimed a significant victory, announcing the alleged killing of five key commanders from Iran’s elite Quds Force, a division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in a targeted strike on a Beirut hotel in Lebanon on Sunday, March 8.
According to a statement from the Israeli military, quoted by AFP, “Overnight, the Israeli Navy, guided by precise IDF intelligence, carried out a targeted strike in Beirut, Lebanon, targeting five commanders from the IRGC’s Lebanon and Palestine Corps as they held a meeting at a Beirut hotel.”
Adding to the gravity of the announcement, Israel’s Military Chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, issued a separate statement emphasizing that no sanctuary exists for the Iranian axis anywhere in the Middle East, explicitly including Beirut.
The identities of the five Quds Force commanders, whom Israel claims to have eliminated, have not yet been publicly disclosed.
Nearly 400 Casualties in Lebanon
This alleged strike comes amidst an escalating conflict, as Israel has relentlessly pounded Hezbollah targets across Lebanon over the past week. Lebanese authorities have reported a grim toll, with nearly 400 individuals killed in these intensified Israeli attacks.
Lebanon’s entanglement in the conflict reportedly began after the Iran-backed group Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel. These actions, as stated in the original article, were in response to the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during a joint US-Israeli operation.
Despite a 2024 ceasefire agreement, Israel has continued its concentrated assaults against Hezbollah, unleashing multiple waves of attacks across Lebanese territory this week and deploying ground forces into border areas.
In retaliation, Hezbollah announced on Sunday that it had repeatedly targeted northern Israel. Their operations included striking a naval base in Haifa and deploying a significant number of drones towards the city of Nahariya.
However, the conflict has not been without cost for Israel. The Israeli military confirmed the deaths of two of its soldiers in combat in southern Lebanon, marking the first casualties among their forces since the latest offensive commenced on March 2. Furthermore, Israeli forces have reiterated urgent calls for Lebanese civilians to evacuate areas south of the Litani River, a region spanning hundreds of square kilometers, underscoring the ongoing threat.
Lebanon’s Minister of Health, Rakan Nassereddine, provided a stark update on Sunday, stating that Israeli strikes in Lebanon over the past week have tragically claimed 394 lives. This devastating figure includes 83 children and 42 women.
Earlier on the same day, the Lebanese Health Ministry also reported an Israeli airstrike hitting central Beirut, specifically targeting a hotel room. This incident resulted in four fatalities and ten injuries.
Summary
Israel’s military claimed to have killed five key commanders of Iran’s elite Quds Force in a targeted strike on a Beirut hotel in Lebanon on Sunday, March 8. This alleged victory was announced by the Israeli military, which stated the strike targeted commanders from the IRGC’s Lebanon and Palestine Corps during a meeting. Israel’s Military Chief emphasized that there is no sanctuary for the Iranian axis in the Middle East, including Beirut.
This strike occurred amidst an escalating conflict where Israel has intensified attacks on Hezbollah targets across Lebanon. Lebanese authorities reported nearly 400 fatalities, including 83 children and 42 women, from these Israeli assaults. In retaliation, Hezbollah targeted northern Israel, while Israel confirmed the deaths of two of its soldiers and urged Lebanese civilians to evacuate southern areas.