Israel struck the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sunday, marking the second attack in the city within a week, in retaliation for what it described as Hezbollah fire aimed at northern Israel. The military also carried out broader strikes across southern Lebanon.
The escalation came amidst expectations that a U.S.-Iran agreement aimed at ending the broader Middle East conflict could be near completion; Tehran, however, insists that a ceasefire in Lebanon must be part of any settlement.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that a strike hit an apartment building in the Ghobeiry neighbourhood, a Hezbollah stronghold known as Dahiyeh.
An AFP correspondent observed smoke and dust rising near a heavily damaged apartment, with debris covering the street and residents searching for survivors. Panic spread throughout the area after the strike along a busy commercial thoroughfare.
Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have warned that Israel would retaliate against southern Beirut should Hezbollah target northern Israeli communities. Washington is said to back this stance.
Earlier Sunday, the Israeli military confirmed that three drones—believed to have been launched by Hezbollah—struck northern Israel in separate incidents, resulting in no casualties.
Hezbollah claimed several attacks on Israeli forces in south Lebanon but did not immediately confirm any strike on northern Israel.
Netanyahu’s office stated that the Israeli military had “carried out strikes in the Dahiyeh district of Beirut against terrorist targets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization, in response to Hezbollah’s firing toward Israeli territory”.
Israel’s military said it had “precisely struck” a Hezbollah infrastructure site in Dahiyeh.
Two far‑right Israeli ministers called for retaliatory strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urging decisive action and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir calling for punitive measures against Dahiyeh.
Israel’s military had also struck Beirut’s southern suburbs the previous Sunday, hitting apartments in two buildings after claiming it had intercepted rockets launched by Hezbollah into Israeli territory.
Iran launched missiles towards Israel in response to that attack, prompting preemptive Israeli strikes before both sides halted the exchange.
Iran repeatedly warned it would strike Israel if the Lebanese capital were targeted.
Sunday’s NNA report noted Israeli strikes on more than a dozen locations in southern Lebanon, with evacuation warnings issued for nearly 30 sites before and after the strikes.
In recent days, Israeli military activity has focused on the area surrounding the major south‑Lebanon city of Nabatieh, with many evacuation warnings positioned north of the city.
Military sources indicated to AFP that a small Lebanese army unit in Kfar Tibnit, adjacent to Nabatieh, had evacuated after Israeli incursions, although the Lebanese army remained present at barracks in Nabatieh city.
In April, Israel and Lebanon initiated landmark direct talks in Washington to halt hostilities, with a fifth round scheduled later this month. Neither country has formally recognized the other diplomatically.
Hezbollah rejects the direct talks and dismissed a conditional ceasefire announced earlier this month that would require it to halt attacks but did not mention Israel withdrawing troops from Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s rocket fire on March 2 aimed to avenge the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader in U.S.-Israeli strikes days earlier, drawing Lebanon into the wider Middle East conflict.
Lebanon claims that Israel’s continued airstrikes and ground campaign have caused the deaths of more than 3,700 people.
Also Read
- EU set to hold membership talks with Ukraine
- IDF Leadership Confirms Readiness for Potential Iranian Strike, Alerts Home Front Responsibility \
- Top Wall Street analysts are confident about the growth prospects of these 3 stocks
- Survivors Describe Harrowing Ordeal After Boko Haram Mass Abduction in Nigeria