Lebanon latest: Death toll rises from strike that killed Hezbollah commanders

The airstrike was Israel’s third on the Lebanese capital this year and has been seen as a major escalation in the region that has added to fears of an all-out war. A senior UN official, Rosemary Di Carlo, warned that the Middle East was at risk of a conflict that could “dwarf” the devastation witnessed in the region so far.

Hezbollah, the powerful Iranian-backed militia and political group, confirmed the death of Ibrahim Aqil, a senior commander in the group’s elite Radwan forces. The group also confirmed that Ahmed Wahbi, himself a top Radwan figure, died in the attack.

Reacting to the attack, the Lebanese health minister, Dr Firass Abiad, said it was a “violation of international humanitarian law”.

“The fact is that those children and those women who were killed were not members of Hezbollah,” he said. “Those were civilians that happened to be nearby”.