BEIRUT, Lebanon – Israel launched an airstrike on Beirut on Friday, marking the first attack on the Lebanese capital since a ceasefire ended the recent conflict with Hezbollah in November.
Reporters in Beirut witnessed a powerful explosion and saw smoke rising from the city’s southern suburbs, an area Israel had previously warned it would target.
The Israeli military later confirmed the strike, stating it had hit a Hezbollah drone storage facility in Dahiyeh, a stronghold of the group. Israel accused Hezbollah of using civilians as human shields and claimed it had issued warnings for people to evacuate.
The targeted area includes residential buildings, commercial establishments, and at least two schools.
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Israel Warns Lebanon’s Government
The attack followed Israeli military warnings urging civilians to leave parts of a Beirut suburb, with officials vowing retaliation for recent strikes launched from Lebanon into northern Israel.
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, stated: “If there was no peace in Israel’s northern communities, there would be no peace in Beirut either.”
He further warned the Lebanese government: “If you do not enforce the ceasefire agreement, we will enforce it.”
Hezbollah, however, denied responsibility for the rockets fired at Israel and accused Israel of fabricating a pretext for continued attacks on Lebanon.
The Lebanese government responded by shutting down all schools and universities in Beirut’s southern suburb of Hadath for the day. Reports indicated that residents fled the area by car and on foot before the strike.
Ongoing Conflict and Rising Tensions
Hezbollah has been launching attacks on Israel since October 7, 2023, following Hamas’ assault on Israeli territory, which triggered the war in Gaza. The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalated into full-scale war in September, with Israel carrying out extensive airstrikes, eliminating several high-ranking Hezbollah figures. Over 4,000 people have been killed in Lebanon, and around 60,000 Israelis have been displaced.
Under the ceasefire deal, Israeli forces were required to withdraw from all Lebanese territory by late January. However, the deadline was extended to February 18, and Israeli troops remain in five locations near northern Israeli communities. In the meantime, Israel has continued airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah positions.
Just last week, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon resulted in the deaths of six people.
France Condemns Ceasefire Violations
Lebanon’s President, Joseph Aoun, criticized the latest strike as a “continuation of Israel’s violations of the agreement” brokered by France and the United States.
French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the attack, calling it “unacceptable.” He announced plans to speak with U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that the United States has the leverage to pressure Israel into compliance.
Macron further warned that Israel’s continued military actions and failure to uphold the ceasefire “betray a given promise, and play into Hezbollah’s hands.”
The United Nations expressed concern over the situation, with Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, calling the latest escalation “deeply concerning” and warning of its potential impact on the wider region.
Casualties in Other Parts of Lebanon
Israeli airstrikes also targeted other areas in Lebanon on Friday, with reports confirming three fatalities and 18 injuries, including women and children, in the southern village of Kfar Tibnit, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Also read: Israel launches Attacks Gaza, Killing 254, as Ceasefire Teeters on the Brink
Gaza Ceasefire Breakdown and Hostage Crisis
The escalation comes amid renewed Israeli military operations in Gaza, where hundreds have been killed following the breakdown of the ceasefire with Hamas. Earlier this month, Israel blocked the delivery of essential supplies, including food, fuel, and medicine, to Gaza’s two million residents.
Israel has vowed to continue its offensive until Hamas releases the remaining 59 hostages, of whom 24 are believed to be alive. The Israeli government is demanding Hamas’ disarmament, leadership exile, and relinquishment of control over Gaza.
Hamas, however, insists it will only release the hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack inside Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and kidnapping 251 individuals.
Israel’s retaliatory strikes in Gaza have since resulted in over 50,000 deaths and 114,000 injuries, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. However, the ministry does not differentiate between civilian and militant casualties.