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Israel launched an airstrike on the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Friday, marking the first such attack since a ceasefire ended the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah in November, the Associated Press reported.
According to the report, a loud explosion was heard in Beirut’s southern suburbs, followed by plumes of smoke rising from the area. The strike targetted Dahiyeh, a Hezbollah stronghold, where Israel claimed it destroyed a drone storage facility used by the militant group.
The attack comes amid escalating tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border. Israel’s military warned residents to evacuate parts of Beirut ahead of the strike, claiming that Hezbollah uses civilians as human shields, the report stated.
Hezbollah has denied launching rocket attacks on northern Israel and accused the country of seeking a pretext for continued strikes on the Lebanese territory. Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, speaking from Paris, condemned the attack as a violation of the ceasefire agreement brokered by France and the US.
Lebanon’s government, the report said, ordered the closure of all schools and universities in Beirut’s Hadath district for the day.
Elsewhere in Lebanon, Israeli strikes killed three people and wounded 18, including women and children, in the southern village of Kfar Tibnit, AP quoted Lebanon’s Health Ministry as saying.
Rising Tensions in the Region
The strike on Beirut follows Israel’s decision to end its ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza earlier this month, launching a wave of airstrikes that have killed hundreds. The Israeli government has vowed to continue its military campaign until Hamas returns the remaining hostages, disarms, and relinquishes power. Hamas, in turn, insists it will only release captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, and Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into full-scale war in September, has killed over 4,000 people in Lebanon and displaced about 60,000 Israelis, reports suggest.
According to the report, the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, expressed deep concern over the latest escalation, warning that the situation is critical for both Lebanon and the wider region.
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