At least three people have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. The attack, which took place in the middle of the night, targeted the Dahieh area, a stronghold of the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. The strike marks the second assault on this region in recent days, despite the fragile ceasefire that was supposed to have been in effect since November.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack, describing it as a “dangerous warning” and a clear violation of the ceasefire. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam echoed this sentiment, calling it a “flagrant violation” of the truce. The Lebanese government has long accused Israel of undermining the ceasefire with repeated airstrikes on Hezbollah-linked targets, despite the agreement’s terms.
The Israeli military, in its statement, said the strike was aimed at a Hezbollah operative who had assisted Hamas in planning attacks against Israeli civilians. According to Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF), the target had posed an “imminent threat” to Israeli civilians, justifying the operation. Despite the ongoing tension, Hezbollah has not responded publicly to the airstrike, maintaining silence since the attack.
This strike follows Israel’s recent escalation of airstrikes against Hezbollah targets, particularly after the ceasefire agreement was reached in November. The latest Israeli actions are seen as part of a broader strategy to prevent Hezbollah from rearming, a move that has been condemned by Lebanon’s government. Meanwhile, the continued Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon, including at several key locations, has raised further concerns about potential violations of the ceasefire.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has intensified since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October 2023, has already caused significant casualties in Lebanon, with nearly 4,000 people killed and over 1.2 million displaced. Despite the truce, these renewed clashes suggest that a long-lasting peace remains elusive in the region.
