Smoke and debris fill Beirut’s southern suburbs after Israel targets a senior Hezbollah figure (Photo: X | @WarMonitors)
The southern suburbs of Beirut awoke in a scene of shock and rubble yesterday after an Israeli airstrike tore through a residential quarter.
The attack killed 1 person and injured more than 20, breaking a fragile calm that had held since last year's ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah. It hit Haret Hreik, a neighborhood tightly linked with Hezbollah, blowing out a gaping hole in one apartment block and sending wreckage scattering across the street.
Israel later confirmed it had targeted what it called Hezbollah's chief of staff in Lebanon, blaming the leader for overseeing the group's military build-up. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the operation and defended the timing, saying Israel would act "whenever and wherever necessary" to block Hezbollah from rebuilding.
For Tel Aviv, this attack was not an isolated move but part of a wider campaign targeting senior operatives and infrastructure of the group.
The November 2024 ceasefire, which was supposed to end more than a year of fighting along the border is now looking increasingly fragile. Israel has carried out near-regular operations in Lebanon in recent months, but Sunday's strike marked the first to hit southern Beirut since June.
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Lebanon's health ministry called the casualty numbers preliminary as rescue workers were still clearing the scene. A broader fear is that such incidents can easily reignite the wider conflict which consumed the region in 2023 and 2024.
Opening a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Netanyahu reiterated that the Israeli military would continue to keep pressure on Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, accusing both of violating the ceasefire.
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He insisted Israel would not let either rebuild or reorganise. His remarks have made clear Israel's belief that deterrence must be constantly reinforced, even at the risk of heightening regional instability.
For Lebanon, already mired in economic crisis and political paralysis, renewed hostilities carry heavy consequences. Sunday's strike reignited fears of another prolonged confrontation.
The country's health ministry and local authorities warned that densely populated districts like Haret Hreik remain vulnerable. As both sides trade warnings, civilians once again find themselves bracing for uncertainty.
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Disclaimer: This article presents available information for news and analysis purposes and should not be taken as strategic, legal or military advice.
