Video: See How Israel Kills Hezbollah Spokesman Mohammed Afif in Beirut Airstrike
Israel’s ongoing campaign against Hezbollah saw the targeted killing of Mohammed Afif, the group’s head of media relations, during an airstrike on the Arab Socialist Baath Party’s office in central Beirut. According to an unnamed Hezbollah official, Afif’s death is the latest in a series of targeted strikes against senior Hezbollah figures.
The attack came amid discussions in Lebanon regarding a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, with Israel continuing its bombing campaign in southern Beirut, a stronghold of Hezbollah. The Israeli airstrikes also hit several buildings in the area, following evacuation warnings for residents.
Afif had gained visibility after the war broke out between Israel and Hezbollah in September, especially after the Israeli airstrike that killed Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. In fact, just weeks before his death, Afif was seen hastily ending a press conference in Beirut as Israeli strikes began.
At the scene of the strike, an Associated Press photographer reported seeing four bodies and four people injured, though no official death toll was confirmed. Witnesses described the chaotic aftermath, with civilians fleeing the area and the sounds of gunfire and explosions ringing out.
The latest strike follows the October 10 bombing in central Beirut, which left 22 people dead. The violence has continued to escalate since the war between Israel and Hezbollah began in September, following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7. Hezbollah has since launched daily rocket, missile, and drone attacks into Israel, killing at least 76 people and forcing over 60,000 to flee the northern region.
The conflict has devastated Lebanon, with over 3,400 people reported killed and more than 1.2 million displaced. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue to target Hezbollah positions, including a recent attack on a military center in southeastern Lebanon that killed a Lebanese soldier.
Hezbollah’s ongoing military actions against Israel have added further complexity to the regional conflict, with no clear resolution in sight.
