Death toll from Israeli strike on Beirut rises to 37

Lebanese health minister says three children and seven women among those killed

Rescuers clear the rubble as they look for survivors at the site of Friday's Israeli strike in Beirut's southern suburbs. AP

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The death toll from an Israeli strike on the south Beirut suburb of Dahieh rose to 37, the Lebanese Health Ministry said on Saturday, adding that efforts to clear the rubble are still under way.

Earlier in the day, Lebanon's Health Minister Firass Abiad put the death toll at 31, including three children and seven women. He said that 68 people were injured.

Mr Abiad said he expected the death toll to rise. Transport Minister Ali Hamieh later told a press conference that 23 people were missing under the rubble.

Friday's strike razed a building in the densely populated suburb in the Lebanese capital. Israel claimed the targets of the attack were senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil and other leaders of the group.

Hezbollah confirmed the death of Mr Aqil, the head of the elite Radwan Force. It also acknowledged that a meeting had been taking place underneath the building. On Saturday morning, it announced that a second senior commander, Ahmed Wahbi, was among at least 14 fighters killed in the attack.

Mr Wahbi commanded military operations for the Radwan Force on the Lebanese support front since Hamas's October 7 attack until early 2024, before returning to his role in the Central Training Unit after the death of commander Hajj Wissam Al Tawil, according to a biography published by the group.

He also took the responsibility of training in the Radwan Force until 2012, before leading the Central Training Unit until 2014, playing a leading role in developing capabilities across formations of the Islamic Resistance, Hezbollah said.

The strike follows a series of attacks targeting communications devices earlier this week that killed at least 37 people, a severe setback to the Iran-backed group.

Israel and Hezbollah have traded fire regularly since Hamas’ October 7 assault on southern Israel ignited the Israeli military’s offensive in Gaza. But previous cross-border attacks have largely struck areas in northern Israel that had been evacuated and less-populated parts of southern Lebanon. But fears of a wider war have been at their highest following Tuesday's pager attacks.

Stephane Dujarric, representative for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, urged “maximum restraint” and said the world was “very concerned about the heightened escalation”.

It was the second such strike since the start of the war in Gaza. In July, an Israeli strike on Beirut killed senior Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr.