Israel Kills Hezbollah Leader's Nephew in Beirut Strike

The Israeli military announced on Thursday that it had killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, in an airstrike in Beirut the previous night. The strike targeted a neighborhood outside Hezbollah's main stronghold and came hours after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect between the United States, Israel, and Iran, raising immediate concerns about the truce's fragility.

The Israel Defense Forces described Harshi as a key figure in managing and securing Qassem's office. While the IDF confirmed the operation, some initial reports suggested Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem himself may have been targeted, though Hezbollah has not verified any leadership losses. The attack formed part of a broader wave of Israeli strikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, which hit residential and commercial areas in central Beirut and military sites in the south. Lebanon's Civil Defense reported at least 254 people killed and 1,165 injured in the bombardment, with hospitals overwhelmed and rescue teams searching rubble for survivors. The Lebanese health ministry cited a preliminary toll of 182 deaths and 890 injuries, noting the figures could rise as...