Explosions rock Beirut as Israel carries out airstrike targeting Hezbollah commander

Israel has claimed responsibility for hitting a building in Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, with an airstrike that has reportedly killed one woman and injured others.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the strike was a reprisal attack for the rocket ambush that killed 12 children and additional Israelis in Majdal Shams over the weekend.

After the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the town and promised a “severe response”.

Israel and the United States blamed Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group, for the rocket strike, but the sect denied being behind the attack.

Israel’s renewed tension with Lebanon has sparked fears of an escalation of a full-blown regional conflict as the war with Hamas, a Palestinian militant group and Hezbollah allies, rages in Gaza.

In January, the Jewish nation killed Saleh al-Arouri, deputy head of the political bureau of Hamas in Beirut, with a drone strike.

Two other Hamas leaders were among the casualties, while several others were injured.

Arouri was considered one of the founding members of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, and was based in Beirut.

The attack was the first time Israel hit Beirut since the 34-day war between the Jewish nation and Hezbollah in 2006.

Abdallah Habib, Lebanese foreign minister, condemned Tuesday’s attack and said the government planned to file a complaint to the United Nations (UN).