Beirut [Lebanon], September 21 : At least 37 people, including three children and seven women, have lost their lives in an Israeli air attack in Beirut's southern suburbs, with the death toll continuing to rise, AL Jazeera reported citing Lebanon's health minister's statement
The strike, which occurred during Friday's rush hour, targeted two buildings in the Lebanese capital's Dahiya district, also leaving over 60 people injured and 17 others still trapped under the rubble, according to Health Minister Firass Abiad.
Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamieh told Al Jazeera Arabic that the bombing of a residential building constituted a "war crime" and that Israel was "dragging the region into a war".
Israel's military said it carried out a "targeted strike" against senior members of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Forces in the Beirut suburb. An Israeli military spokesperson said on Saturday that "at least 16 Hezbollah militants" were killed in the attack.
Hezbollah confirmed that two of its top commanders, Ibrahim Aqil and Ahmad Mahmoud Wahabi, along with 12 other members, were killed.
In July, an Israeli air strike killed Fuad Shukr, the group's top military commander.
Further, the Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said Lebanon had entered a "decisive" phase after the attack on the residential suburb, telling a news conference on Saturday that everything must be done to prevent further violations of Lebanese territory and avoid further deterioration of the security situation.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel was committing "shameless crimes" against children, not fighters. He also called for "inner strength" among Muslims to eliminate the "malignant cancerous tumour" from Palestine.
A series of deadly incidents has escalated tensions in Lebanon, leaving dozens dead and thousands injured. On Tuesday and Wednesday, explosions from thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies killed at least 39 people and wounded nearly 3,000 others. The Lebanese government has blamed Israel for these incidents.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army reported on Saturday it was "striking targets" of Hezbollah in northern Lebanon, with Israeli media reporting the army was launching dozens of strikes on Saturday afternoon.
"Israeli officials say they have launched at least 80 raids on weapons installations belonging to Hezbollah and in turn, Hezbollah launched at least 45 rockets on northern Israel," Al Jazeera reporter said from Beirut.
"This exchange is the most intense since the two sides started engaging in cross-border fire on October 8, a day after Israel began its latest war on Gaza," she added.
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