Hezbollah media chief Killed in Israeli Strike On Beirut

Hezbollah’s media chief, Mohammed Afif, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on November 17, 2024, in central Beirut. This strike targeted a building in the Ras al-Nabaa neighbourhood, which housed the Lebanese branch of the Syrian Baath Party.

The attack resulted in significant destruction and confirmed one fatality, with three others injured according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Afif was a prominent figure within Hezbollah and closely associated with the group’s late leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in a previous Israeli strike in September 2024. He had been responsible for managing Hezbollah’s media relations and was known for providing information to both local and international journalists.

His death marks a notable escalation in Israel’s military operations against Hezbollah, which have intensified since September amid ongoing conflict following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The airstrike that killed Afif was part of a broader campaign by Israel, which has increasingly targeted Hezbollah officials beyond military roles.

This shift suggests a potential expansion of Israeli military objectives within Lebanon. In addition to Afif’s death, another strike on the same day hit a computer shop nearby, resulting in two more fatalities and numerous injuries.

The ongoing conflict has led to significant casualties on both sides; as of now, over 3,800 individuals have died in Lebanon due to the violence related to the conflict that has escalated since late last year.