Mohammad Afif, Hezbollah’s media relations chief, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a multi-storey building in central Beirut on Sunday, according to Lebanese security sources and the group’s confirmation.
A Lebanese broadcaster reported that the targeted building, located in the Ras al-Nabaa neighbourhood, housed offices of the Ba’ath Party. Ali Hijazi, the head of the party in Lebanon, confirmed Afif’s presence in the building at the time of the strike. Ambulances rushed to the scene as civil defence teams worked amidst collapsed upper floors. Gunshots were fired to keep crowds away from the area.
The Israeli military issued a statement late Sunday, declaring that it had “eliminated” Afif, marking a rare instance of targeting senior Hezbollah personnel with non-military roles. The Lebanese health ministry reported that the strike killed one person and injured three.
In a separate incident, another strike hit Mar Elias Street, another central Beirut area seldom targeted. This attack resulted in two deaths and 22 injuries, according to the health ministry.
Prolonged Conflict and Rising Death Toll
This escalation is part of the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, which have intensified over the past year. Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israeli military targets on October 8, 2023, following an attack by its ally Hamas on southern Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel’s military response has involved extensive air and ground operations across Lebanon, with heavy bombardments targeting the south, eastern regions, and Beirut’s southern suburbs. The Lebanese health ministry reports that Israeli strikes over the past year have killed 3,841 people and injured nearly 15,000, with casualties including both civilians and combatants.
In return, Hezbollah’s rocket attacks across the border have claimed the lives of dozens of Israelis, both soldiers and civilians.
Meanwhile, a separate Israeli campaign in Gaza has killed over 43,000 people, most of whom are civilians, according to Palestinian health officials.
Lebanese Army Also Suffers Casualties
Sunday’s escalation extended to the Lebanese military, with two soldiers killed and two injured in an Israeli strike on an army post in the southern town of Al-Mari, the Lebanese army confirmed via X (formerly Twitter).
The Ras al-Nabaa neighborhood, where Afif was killed, has become a refuge for those displaced by relentless Israeli bombardments of Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Mohammad Afif’s Legacy in Hezbollah
Mohammad Afif, a long-time media adviser to the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, played a crucial role in shaping the group’s media strategy. He previously managed Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television station and hosted several press briefings in war-torn areas, often amidst rubble in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
In his last press conference on November 11, Afif declared, “Israeli troops had been unable to hold any territory in Lebanon,” and affirmed Hezbollah’s preparedness for an extended conflict with sufficient weapons and supplies.
Afif’s death follows the killing of Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on September 27.
Increasing Strikes on Unusual Targets
The strike on Ras al-Nabaa and the subsequent attack on Mar Elias Street mark a shift in Israel’s targeting strategy. While previous operations predominantly focused on Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs, these strikes suggest a widening scope of engagement.
Lebanon continues to grapple with the toll of this protracted conflict, as airstrikes, rocket attacks, and civilian displacement escalate tensions across the region.