Hezbollah Spokesman Mohammed Afif Killed in Strike

In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, Hezbollah's media chief Mohammed Afif was killed in an Israeli airstrike on November 17 in central Beirut, marking a rare strike in that area. The attack targeted the Baath political party's headquarters in the densely populated Ras al-Nabaa neighborhood, resulting in at least four fatalities and injuries to 14 others. Afif, who played a prominent role in Hezbollah's media operations and was closely associated with the group's late leader Hassan Nasrallah, had been increasingly visible following the heightened military conflict that began in September. This airstrike forms part of a broader Israeli campaign against Hezbollah, which has intensified since the outbreak of war in Gaza on October 7. The Israeli military has been conducting strikes on various Hezbollah strongholds across Lebanon, with earlier warnings issued for evacuation from known sites. The situation remains tense as Lebanese officials weigh a U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal amidst ongoing violence.