Israel has launched a significant air strike on Beirut, marking the first such attack since a fragile ceasefire with Hezbollah was established last November. The strike targeted a residential building in the Hadath neighborhood of Beirut’s southern suburbs, resulting in widespread destruction and prompting many residents to flee.
On Friday, Israeli warplanes executed four strikes, reminiscent of the intense bombing campaign from the previous year. Al Jazeera’s reporter on the scene described the aftermath as "total destruction," highlighting that the building was home to numerous families, many of whom witnessed the attack unfold. Surrounding apartments and shops also sustained damage.
The Israeli military stated that the target was a Hezbollah military storage facility for drones. This attack followed recent rocket fire from Lebanon into Israeli territory, marking the second such incident in just a week. Hezbollah has denied any involvement in the rocket launches, and no other group has claimed responsibility.
In response to the rocket fire, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam urged the army to quickly identify and apprehend those responsible, emphasizing the threat to Lebanon’s stability. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz asserted that the Lebanese government is directly accountable for the rocket attacks and warned that peace in Beirut is contingent on peace in northern Israel.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has been ongoing since October 2023, when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas amid the war in Gaza. The situation escalated dramatically last September, leading to significant casualties on both sides before the ceasefire was brokered in November.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun condemned the Israeli strike as a violation of the ceasefire agreement. French President Emmanuel Macron, during a joint press conference with Aoun, labeled the attack "unacceptable" and pledged to discuss the matter with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, warned that the current escalation poses a critical threat to Lebanon and the wider region. Israel has vowed to respond strongly to any threats against its security, raising fears of a resurgence of the conflict that previously displaced over 1.3 million people in Lebanon.
Political analyst Yossi Beilin noted the significance of Israel’s decision to strike Beirut for the first time since the ceasefire, suggesting that it highlights the urgent need for intervention from the U.S. and France to address the ongoing tensions. He emphasized that Hezbollah operates independently of the Lebanese state, complicating the situation further.
In addition to the strikes in Beirut, Israeli forces also targeted the town of Kafr Tibnit in southern Lebanon, resulting in three deaths and injuring 18 others, including women and children, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health. The situation remains tense as both sides brace for potential further escalations.