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Israeli Airstrike Kills Hezbollah Media Chief Mohammed Afif at Syrian Baath Party HQ in Beirut

Nov 17, 2024, 03:53 PM

An Israeli airstrike on central Beirut on Sunday killed Mohammed Afif, the media relations chief and chief spokesperson for Hezbollah, along with five others, according to multiple sources including Hezbollah officials and Lebanese media. The strike targeted the Syrian Baath Party headquarters in the Ras al-Nabaa district, a densely populated area linked to Assad's regime that had previously been spared from direct attacks. This was the first strike on central Beirut in over a month, marking a significant escalation in Israel-Hezbollah hostilities. Afif, a key figure within Hezbollah since the 1980s and a close adviser to the group's late leader Hassan Nasrallah, played a significant role in the organization's communication and propaganda efforts and was known among local and foreign journalists. He had reportedly claimed responsibility for targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's home in October. The Israeli military confirmed the operation, stating that Afif was directly involved in advancing and executing Hezbollah's terrorist activities against Israel.