The attack was the second in less than a week, raising fears that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah could break down.
Israel carried out airstrikes on the southern outskirts of Beirut on Tuesday for the second time in less than a week, killing three people and raising fears that a fragile ceasefire could break down.
The Israeli military said the strike in the Dahiya area south of Beirut targeted a Hezbollah member who was directing and helping Hamas plan a “significant and imminent” attack on Israel. It did not provide details.
The airstrikes, which came without warning to evacuate, killed three people and wounded at least seven, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry, which makes no distinction between civilians and combatants.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the attack was a “clear violation” of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah agreed in November. The truce halted Lebanon's deadliest war in decades, but a recent surge in violence and tensions has raised fears of a creeping escalation.
Despite the truce, Israel has repeatedly attacked perceived Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, while the militant group has so far refrained from retaliating. Battered by a 14-month war with Israel, Hezbollah has little incentive to risk sparking a new conflict as it tries to rebuild, experts say.
Hezbollah has not yet commented on the overnight strike.
On Friday, the Israeli military also launched airstrikes in Dahiya, ordering residents of the densely populated area to evacuate. It was the first time since the ceasefire that the Lebanese capital had been attacked. The attack came hours after rockets were fired from Lebanese territory into northern Israel.
Hezbollah denied any involvement in the attack on Israel and said it remained committed to the cease-fire. The Israeli military said it struck a facility storing Hezbollah drones and also attacked targets in southern Lebanon in response to the rocket fire, killing three people, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry.
Hezbollah began firing rockets and drones at Israeli positions in solidarity with its Palestinian ally Hamas after the group led an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. After nearly a year of low-level fighting, the violence escalated into a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah, leaving nearly 4,000 people dead and entire areas of Lebanon in ruins.
Ewen Ward is a Beirut-based reporter for The Times. More about Ewan Ward
Yan Zhuang is a Times reporter in Seoul covering breaking news. More about Yan Zhuang
For more information, see: Hezbollah, Israel-Hamas War
