Middle East crisis live: three dead and others injured after Israeli airstrike on Beirut, says Lebanon

Why did Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu swiftly retract his nomination of former navy commander Vice Admiral Eli Sharvit to lead the Shin Bet security agency? The abrupt reversal followed the initial announcement of Sharvit’s selection as the next Shin Bet head.

Reports emerged on Monday, just hours after Sharvit’s designation was made public, indicating his participation in the widespread Israeli demonstrations of 2023. These protests were mounted in opposition to the Netanyahu administration’s contentious judicial reforms.

Despite significant public dissent, the right-wing, religiously conservative government of Israel successfully enacted a crucial component of its judicialRestructuring initiative that year. This legislation curtailed the Supreme Court’s authority to overturn governmental decrees.

Furthermore, local news outlets reported Sharvit’s endorsement of a 2022 water accord with Lebanon, a pact previously opposed by Netanyahu, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.

Adding to the scrutiny, revelations surfaced regarding an opinion piece authored by the former high-ranking naval officer. In this piece, he voiced criticism of Donald Trump’s climate change policies.

“Trump’s shortsightedness conveys a startling message to the global community, demonstrating a lack of regard for scientific evidence, human welfare, and accountability to upcoming generations,” Sharvit purportedly stated in his capacity as CEO of Elgry Eco Energy.

This critique prompted Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent ally of Trump, to publicly denounce Sharvit’s prospective appointment via a post on X.

“While the steadfast alliance between America and Israel remains unquestionable, the selection of Eli Sharvit to helm the Shin Bet presents a significant concern,” Senator Graham, a leading figure in the South Carolina delegation and a senior member of both the Judiciary and Budget Committees, conveyed on Monday.

“President Trump’s commitment to the State of Israel is unparalleled. Mr. Sharvit’s pronouncements concerning President Trump and his policies are poised to generate needless tension during a delicate period. My counsel to our Israeli counterparts is to reconsider and enhance their vetting procedures.”

Netanyahu and Trump maintain a close collaborative relationship. The ongoing conflict in Gaza receives substantial backing from the United States, Israel’s primary arms provider and a crucial source of diplomatic support.

As previously reported, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reversed his decision to appoint Vice Admiral Eli Sharvit as the next director of the Shin Bet. This revision comes approximately 24 hours after the initial unexpected announcement.

Netanyahu’s office released a statement indicating that, following “further deliberation,” he informed Sharvit of his intent to evaluate alternative candidates for the leadership of Israel’s internal security agency. This agency is currently headed by Ronen Bar, whose dismissal remains subject to judicial review.

The Israeli cabinet formally sanctioned Bar’s early removal from his position late last month. This action followed the agency’s acknowledged failure to foresee the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7th, an event that resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages.

Bar assumed leadership of the Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence service analogous to the UK’s MI5, in October 2021, with a five-year term.

As noted by correspondent Lorenzo Tondo, Bar’s rapport with Netanyahu had been precarious even before the October 7th, 2023 incident, particularly due to disagreements over the proposed judicial overhaul that triggered national divisions.

Relations deteriorated further following the March 4th release of the Shin Bet’s internal assessment of the attack. While the report recognized the agency’s shortcomings, it also highlighted broader systemic issues in the lead-up to the event.

Netanyahu has refuted claims that Bar’s dismissal, which ignited widespread demonstrations, was intended to impede a Shin Bet inquiry into alleged financial connections between Qatar and figures within the prime minister’s office.

Emerging reports indicate the death of Palestinian journalist Mohammed Saleh al-Bardawil, along with his wife and three children, in an Israeli airstrike. The incident reportedly occurred at dawn on Tuesday targeting their residence in Khan Younis, located in southern Gaza.

These accounts, currently undergoing independent verification, originate from Al Jazeera and a correspondent affiliated with the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

International law designates journalists as protected civilians, explicitly prohibiting them from becoming targets of warring factions.

However, data from the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate suggests that over 200 journalists and media professionals have perished due to actions by Israeli forces since October 2023.

The Lebanese health ministry reported that at least three individuals were killed and seven sustained injuries in an Israeli airstrike early Tuesday. The strike targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs and is seen as a critical strain on the fragile four-month ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

In a released statement, the Israeli military asserted that the operation targeted a Hezbollah operative. This individual was accused of recently coordinating Hamas activities and providing assistance to its members.

According to Reuters, this recent attack follows another Israeli strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs just days prior, suggesting an escalation in tensions.

Hezbollah has not yet issued an official statement regarding the identity of the targeted individual. However, sources close to the Iran-backed Lebanese faction informed AFP that the strike was aimed at Hassan Bdair, a Hezbollah official responsible for overseeing Palestinian matters.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has publicly condemned Tuesday’s assault, characterizing it as a “grave warning” indicative of calculated hostile intentions against Lebanon.

Prime Minister of Lebanon, Nawaf Salam, described the event as an “unequivocal violation” of the ceasefire. This agreement had largely brought an end to over a year of conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah.

Further reactions are anticipated and will be reported as they emerge. In other developments:

• Palestinian communities conducted funerals on Monday for 15 paramedics and emergency personnel. These individuals were killed by Israeli forces in southern Gaza, and their remains, along with damaged ambulances, were discovered in a mass burial site. The Palestinian Red Crescent stated that the deceased and their vehicles were clearly identified as medical and humanitarian. They have accused Israeli forces of deliberate killings “in cold blood.”

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Tuesday his reversal of a prior decision to appoint Vice Admiral Eli Sharvit as the new head of the Shin Bet security agency. This decision, initially made the previous day, faced controversy particularly as the Supreme Court had placed a hold on actions to remove the current chief, Ronen Bar.

• A 17-year-old from the West Bank, detained in an Israeli prison for six months without formal charges, died after collapsing in circumstances that remain unclear. Officials have confirmed this as the first instance of a Palestinian teenager’s death while in Israeli detention. Walid Ahmad, described by his family as a healthy high school student before his September arrest for alleged stone-throwing at soldiers, is the teen in question.

• Yemen’s Houthi insurgents claimed on Tuesday to have downed another US MQ-9 Reaper drone. This claim comes amidst ongoing intensive US airstrikes targeting the group. The reported downing allegedly occurred over Yemen’s contested Marib governate, coinciding with airstrikes in and around Sanaa, the rebel-controlled capital, and Saada, a Houthi stronghold. US President Donald Trump issued a renewed warning directed at both the Houthis and Iran, their primary supporter, asserting that the group has been “decimated” by the ongoing strike campaign initiated on March 15.