Beirut, Lebanon – An Israeli airstrike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs early Tuesday, killing three people and wounding seven, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. The attack, the second of its kind in days, has drawn sharp condemnation from Lebanese officials, who called it a violation of sovereignty and a breach of international agreements.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam denounced the strike as a “clear violation” of the November ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. “This attack is a blatant breach of U.N. Resolution 1701 and threatens regional stability,” Salam said in a statement from his office.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun also condemned the airstrike, calling it “a serious escalation and a threat to Lebanon’s security.” He urged the international community to intervene, warning that continued Israeli aggression could destabilize the region further.
Israel’s military said in a statement that the strike targeted a Hezbollah operative “involved in coordinating attacks with Hamas militants.” The statement did not provide details on the individual’s identity or the nature of the alleged operations.
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Rising Tensions
The latest strike comes days after Israel carried out its first aerial attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs since the end of the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. The recent escalation has raised fears of renewed hostilities between the two longtime adversaries.
Lebanon has experienced a wave of Israeli strikes in recent months, with high-profile assassinations targeting Hezbollah and Hamas leaders. In September 2024, Israel launched “Operation New Order,” which killed Hezbollah’s secretary-general and other senior officials in a high-precision strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Among those killed in that operation was Ali Karki, a senior Hezbollah commander, and later, in an October strike, Ibrahim Aqil, a key operative in Hezbollah’s military wing. In November, another Israeli strike killed Fouad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah military strategist.
