The Hamas leader in Lebanon, Fateh Sherif Abu al-Amin, was killed in an Israeli attack on one of the established Palestinian refugee camps in southern Lebanon. Several of his family members are also said to have been killed.
The refugee camp is located on the outskirts of the city of Tyre on the coast. The air raid was reported by state-owned Lebanese media and later confirmed by Israel's military, which accuses Hamas leader Sherif of having coordinated "terrorist activities" with Hezbollah.
"He was also responsible for Hamas' efforts to recruit operatives and acquire weapons in Lebanon," according to an Israeli statement.
During the raging Gaza War, Israel has carried out targeted attacks on Hamas leaders in the neighboring country to the north on several occasions – for example, in January when Saleh al-Aruri, vice chairman of Hamas' political bureau, was killed in an air raid on a building in Beirut.
Unusually central
A multi-family house in the central parts of Beirut has also been attacked. A drone attacked a specific apartment in the building.
In the early morning hours on Monday, a Palestinian and secular left-wing guerrilla, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), announced that three of its members were killed in the attack.
A few hours later, Israel took responsibility for the attack and announced that two named PFLP leaders were killed. The two men are also referred to as terrorists.
Israel has not targeted such a central part of Beirut in the past year, instead targeting Hezbollah targets in the southern parts of the city.
We stand with Gaza and support the Palestinian cause, but our country cannot survive if we get into a war, says a panicked resident of the area, 41-year-old Mohammed al-Hoss, to AFP.
Our country is in a dire situation. They (Israel) are finished with Gaza and have come to Lebanon.
Many attacks
The Israeli military reported on Monday morning about further air raids in other parts of Lebanon. During the night, attacks were carried out on locations in the Bekaa Valley east of Beirut, and these were said to have been targeted at military targets: dozens of launch pads and various weapons depots.
During Sunday's daylight hours, more than 100 people were killed in Israeli attacks around the country, according to Lebanese authorities.
