Israel targets Hezbollah leader Nasrallah in strike on group's headquarters in Beirut (WATCH)

In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli forces on Friday conducted a targeted airstrike on the group's central headquarters located in Beirut's southern suburb of Dahieh, reportedly aiming at Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

According to local media, the strike is said to have involved the use of bunker-buster and 2,000-pound bombs, leading to the destruction of at least six residential buildings and raising urgent questions regarding Nasrallah's whereabouts.

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"The IDF conducted a precise strike on the Central Headquarters of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, embedded under residential buildings in the heart of the Dahieh in Beirut," wrote IDF in a post on X.

Israeli military spokesperson, Lt. Col. Daniel Hagari, confirmed the operation during a televised address, emphasizing that the headquarters was strategically embedded under civilian structures in a known Hezbollah stronghold.

"Moments ago, the Israel Defense Forces carried out a precise strike on the Central Headquarters of the Hezbollah terror organization…taking the necessary action to protect our people so that Israeli families can live in their homes, safely and securely," he said.

Despite the intense military action, Al Arabiya has reported that the assassination attempt on Nasrallah has failed, with the Hezbollah leader reportedly not present during the attack.

Footage from the scene depicted massive clouds of orange and black smoke billowing into the sky, signifying the scale of the bombardment. The strike comes amid a backdrop of increased tensions, with Israel shifting its military focus from Gaza to the northern front with Lebanon in response to the recent cross-border skirmishes initiated by Hamas on October 7.

Earlier today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the UN, reaffirming his commitment to dismantling the Hezbollah threat, dismissing calls for a truce proposed by France and the United States. He emphasized, "As long as Hezbollah chooses the path of war, Israel has no choice, and Israel has every right to remove this threat and return our citizens to their homes safe."

"We will continue degrading Hezbollah until all our objectives are met," he added.

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Netanyahu also threatened Iran during his UN address, stating, "I have a message for the tyrants of Tehran. If you strike us, we will strike you. There is no place in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach, and that's true of the entire Middle East."

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that there are no changes to the safety guidelines for Israeli civilians following the strike. However, the attack has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, with reports indicating that over 1,500 people have died amid the ongoing violence, surpassing casualties from the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The UN has described the current period as the "deadliest" Lebanon has faced in a generation.