Israel-Hezbollah war: 22 killed, 117 wounded; Iranian chief Esmail Qani suspected as Israeli spy | Top Updates

Israel Hezbollah war: One of the deadliest airstrikes at two neighbourhoods in Central Beirut killed 22 people, and wounded 117, according to media reports.

The latest airstrike targeted two neighbourhoods simultaneously, escalating the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The attack came the same day Israeli forces fired on United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon and wounded two of them.

A Hezbollah senior official was the target, stated Israeli media reports. The IDF, however, has not issued any statement or officially confirmed its target. In addition, Iranian military chief Esmail Qaani is suspected to have been an Israeli spy, reported The Sun.

Israel Hezbollah war: Latest updates

Israel should take “all feasible steps” to protect civilians during its military operations, a US State Department spokesperson said following the airstrikes in Beirut. While the US supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah,  “how it does so matters,” the spokesperson said, reported CNN.

Hezbollah's media outlet Al Manar TV reported that the Beirut airstrikes, an attempt to kill Wafiq Safa, a top security official with the group, had failed. In September, the IDF eliminated Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah chief, in a ‘targeted’ operation.

Iranian military chief Qaani has been missing after the deaths of top Hezbollah leaders such Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Saffiedine. He was being interrogated while under house arrest, amid suspicions of him being and Israeli spy, reported The Sun.

At the UN Security Council's briefing on October 10, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix described the escalating conflict in Southern Lebanon as “increasingly alarming”, with the lives of UN peacekeepers at stake, stated reports.

In addition, the IDF had also instructed the UN peacekeepers to remain in ‘protected areas’, said Jean-Pierre Lacroix.

Hezbollah has expanded its rocket fire to more populated areas deeper inside Israel, causing few casualties but disrupting daily life, reported AP.

Both the UN peacekeepers, who were wounded, are from Indonesia, and have been hospitalised, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said, reported CNN.

Kamala Harris calls for ‘de-escalation’

Speaking about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris said on Thursday that de-escalation was needed.

“We have got to reach a ceasefire,” "We've got to de-escalate," said Harris, at a Las Vegas event, Reuters reported.