Israel launched an attack on Lebanon’s capital for the first time since a ceasefire ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war in November as Associated Press reporters heard a loud boom and saw smoke rising from a southern suburb targeted by Israel’s military. Israel’s first strike on Beirut since the ceasefire targeted a Hezbollah drone storage facility in Dahiyeh, which it called a militant stronghold, after Israel accused Hezbollah of using civilians as human shields. The strike targeted a residential and commercial area close to schools in retaliation for rockets reportedly fired from Lebanon into northern Israel.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalated after an attack by Hamas allies in southern Israel ignited the war in Gaza. Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah led to waves of airstrikes, killing most of the militant group’s senior leaders and killing thousands in Lebanon while displacing thousands of Israelis. The ceasefire agreement was supposed to have Israeli forces withdraw by late January, but Israel remained in border locations while continuing to carry out strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern and eastern Lebanon. Recent Israeli airstrikes killed six people, leading Lebanon’s President and the French President to criticize the attacks and call for Israel to comply with the ceasefire agreement.
Three people were killed and 18 others, including children and women, were wounded in Israeli strikes in Kfar Tibnit, a southern village in Lebanon. The escalation in violence has caused concern among international leaders, with the U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon stating that it is a critical period for Lebanon and the region. The U.S. State Department called on Lebanon to disarm terrorists responsible for attacks on Israel, while France and the U.S. vowed to address the situation with Israeli leaders. The attacks in Lebanon come shortly after Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza and halted deliveries of food, fuel, and humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
The conflict in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people, with over 900 killed since the ceasefire ended in mid-March. Hamas continues to hold Israeli hostages, with Israel demanding their return along with the group’s disarmament, while Hamas seeks the release of Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza as conditions for the release of captives. The ongoing violence in the region has led to high casualties, displacement of populations, and criticism from international leaders calling for a de-escalation of conflict and adherence to ceasefire agreements to avoid further bloodshed.
