Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has been killed after airstrikes in Beirut, the Israeli army has said.
Recent weeks have seen Israel unleash a barrage of strikes against Lebanon after it turned its attention to the conflict at its northern border.
On Saturday, Israel targeted the capital Beirut with a series of attacks claiming to have struck the central headquarters of Hezbollah.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it carried out a “precise strike” on Hezbollah’s “central headquarters”, which it claimed was “embedded under residential buildings in the heart of the Dahieh in Beirut”.
The first wave of attacks shook windows across the city and sent thick clouds of smoke billowing into the air.
While Israel stressed it had been a “precise” strike, preliminary figures from Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed at least six other people were killed and 91 were wounded.
Israel-Hezbollah latest: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has been killed, Israel says
Who is Hassan Nasrallah – the Hezbollah leader killed by Israel?
Confusion around Hassan Nasrallah’s condition – and it could force Iran into a decision
Israel said Nasrallah was the intended target and initially, there were reports that he was fine and claims he had survived.
However, after several hours of confusion, his death was confirmed by Israel.
“Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorise the world,” it said, while Hezbollah itself is yet to issue a clarifying statement on its leader’s fate.
Alongside claiming to have killed Nasrallah, the IDF said it had killed a number of other commanders, including Ali Karaki, the commander of the southern front.
This continues a recent trend in which Israel has repeatedly targeted Hezbollah’s leadership structure.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Israel launched another wave of attacks on Beirut and the Bekaa Valley, a day after massive strikes shook the capital and targeted Bhamdoun.
Smoke rose from Beirut’s southern suburbs on Saturday morning and the streets were empty after the area was pummelled by the Israeli attacks that it claimed killed Nasrallah.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
