Israel Strikes Hezbollah Stronghold in Beirut After Rocket Attack

Beirut, Lebanon – Israel has conducted an airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut, marking the first such attack since a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect in November.

The Israeli military said it targeted a drone storage facility operated by Hezbollah, hours after rockets were fired from southern Lebanon into northern Israel.

The strike, which took place on Friday, followed an Israeli evacuation warning for a building in the Hadath area of Beirut. Videos circulated on social media showed residents fleeing in panic, and authorities ordered schools to be evacuated as a precaution.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) justified the attack as a response to the rocket fire earlier in the day, which Israel described as a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement brokered by France and the United States.

The IDF stated that “the State of Lebanon bears responsibility for upholding the agreement,” adding that the rocket fire posed a “direct threat to Israeli civilians.”

Lebanon’s presidential office, currently led by Joseph Aoun, condemned the Israeli airstrike as a “violation of the agreement.”

Aoun, who was in Paris for meetings, raised the issue with French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as with Cypriot and Greek leaders.

In a statement on social media, the Lebanese presidency urged the “international community to put an end to these attacks and force Israel to abide by the agreement, just as Lebanon is committed to it.”

Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant and political group, denied involvement in the rocket attack on Israel. However, tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have remained high despite the ceasefire.

Israel has continued to launch airstrikes in Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah-linked operatives and prevent the group from rearming.

Lebanon, in turn, argues that these actions – along with the continued Israeli military presence in five southern Lebanese locations – constitute violations of the ceasefire.

Fragile Ceasefire Under Pressure

The Israeli strike in Beirut underscores the ongoing volatility in the region, with the ceasefire agreement facing repeated challenges.

Friday’s rocket fire was the second attack on Israel from Lebanon in a week. On March 22, multiple rockets were fired from Lebanon, prompting Israeli airstrikes that reportedly targeted Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the south.

Lebanon’s health ministry reported that seven people, including a child, were killed in those attacks, and 40 others were injured.

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah erupted on October 8, 2023, a day after Hamas launched attacks on southern Israel. Hezbollah declared that its offensive was in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Over 13 months of fighting, Israeli airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon resulted in approximately 4,000 deaths, mostly civilians, and the displacement of more than 1.2 million people.

Israel’s stated objective in the conflict was to push Hezbollah away from the border and allow the return of 60,000 Israeli residents displaced due to the violence.

However, despite the ceasefire, hostilities have persisted, fueling concerns that the agreement could collapse if further escalations occur.

For now, diplomatic efforts remain focused on preserving the fragile truce, but Friday’s events signal that tensions between Israel and Hezbollah continue to simmer, with the potential for further confrontations.