Conflicting Reports About Targeting Islamic Group Center in Central Beirut
Information discrepancy about target identity points to complexities of Lebanese scene and overlap of civilian and political sites in the capital
November 17, 2024, 10:28 pm

Conflicting Reports About Targeting Islamic Group Center in Central Beirut

قصف إسرائيلي على لبنان

Two people were killed and 13 others injured, including two in critical condition, in an Israeli airstrike carried out with two missiles on the Mar Elias area in central Beirut, in the second targeting of the capital's heart on Sunday.

Local media circulated news about targeting a center belonging to the Islamic Group in the area, where the sound of explosion echoed throughout the capital without prior warning.

MP Imad Al-Hout, the Islamic Group's representative in the Lebanese parliament, quickly denied the existence of any headquarters or institution belonging to the group in the targeted area, confirming to AFP that the strike did not target any of the organization's cadres.

Al Arabiya/Al Hadath sources reported that the real target of the strike was a Hezbollah military leader named Mahmoud Madi, while a Lebanese security source indicated that an electronics store was targeted.

This strike comes hours after targeting the Ras al-Nabaa area in the first strike on the capital's heart since the escalation began, which resulted in the death of Hezbollah media official Mohammad Afif and three others.

The two strikes in central Beirut coincided with a series of Israeli strikes on other areas in the capital and its suburbs, including Chiyah, Ain el-Remmaneh, Burj al-Barajneh, Hadath, and Haret Hreik.

The ongoing escalation between Hezbollah and Israel since October 8, 2023, has resulted in 3,452 casualties, according to Lebanese Ministry of Health statistics, and the displacement of more than 1.2 million Lebanese.

The Islamic Group's denial comes amid fears of expanding Israeli targeting to include other Lebanese political and civilian forces, in a development that could further complicate the crisis-ridden Lebanese scene.

Levant-Agencies

Washington Authorizes Kyiv to Use ATACMS Missiles Inside Russian Territory ds and Trump: Ambiguity of the Future Landscape

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”