Tehran, IRNA – Israel has struck the Lebanese capital Beirut, claiming that it has killed a senior Hezbollah commander. The Lebanese resistance movement has denied the claim.

The Israeli regime claimed in a statement that it carried out “a targeted strike” on Tuesday against the Hezbollah commander the regime accuses of being behind a rocket explosion in Majdal Shams at the weekend.

Lebanese media said the strike targeted an area in the Haret Hreik neighborhood of the capital Beirut. They also said that the attack hit a residential building, razing it to the ground and causing damage to an adjacent hospital.

The targeted area is said to be crowded, with a number of people getting injured.

Israeli media reports named the slain commander as Fouad Shukr, also known as Al-Hajj Mohsen, saying he was Hezbollah Chief of Staff and the number 2 man in the movement.

A source from Hezbollah denied that, telling Russia’s Sputnik that the Israeli attack targeting Fouad Shukr has failed.

Earlier, some Lebanese sources also said that the commander’s assassination was unsuccessful and he had left the building before it was targeted.

Hezbollah has categorically denied responsibility for an incident on Saturday in Majdal Shams town in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Israel said had left 12 people dead.

Hezbollah has said that the incident took place after a projectile from Israel’s Iron Dome hit the town.

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