Israeli Air Strikes Hit Beirut Amid Tensions with Hezbollah

BEIRUT, Lebanon – Israel launched air strikes in southern Beirut late Thursday night, targeting what it called drone production facilities linked to Hezbollah, escalating tensions in the region. The strikes reportedly occurred around 10 PM local time, shortly after Israeli military drones conducted warning flights over the area.

The Israeli military ordered residents to evacuate four neighborhoods known to be near Hezbollah’s operational sites, marking the first time evacuation orders have been issued since April. Social media posts from the Israeli army cautioned civilians to leave immediately, referring to those areas as ‘terror targets.’

Hezbollah has been accused by Israel of maintaining underground facilities intended for the production of drones, city officials reported smoke rising from the impacted areas after the strikes. While Israel stated these acts were necessary to prevent future threats, the Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attacks as an act of aggression against Lebanon.

According to reports from Lebanon’s National News Agency, the air raids were described as particularly violent, with extensive damage observed in the suburbs. No immediate casualty figures were available as of late Thursday night.

The Israeli military indicated that air strikes would continue until Hezbollah ends its military buildup, emphasizing that such activities violate existing ceasefire agreements between Israel and Lebanon.

Israeli forces have regularly targeted Hezbollah in southern Lebanon since a ceasefire in November, although attacks on Beirut itself have been uncommon. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced steps to dismantle over 500 military positions of Hezbollah located in southern Lebanon as tensions continue to escalate.