Israel conducted its first airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, since a ceasefire with the group took effect in November 2024. The Israeli military targeted a drone storage unit on Friday, following an evacuation warning that triggered widespread panic in the area. The strike came hours after two rockets were fired from southern Lebanon toward northern Israel, with one intercepted and the other failing to cross the border.
Hezbollah denied involvement in the rocket attack, while Israel labeled it a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun also condemned the Israeli strike as a breach of the agreement. The attack followed an evacuation order for a building in Beirut's Hadath area, with videos showing residents fleeing in panic and schools being evacuated.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on social media that the rocket fire posed a "direct threat" to Israeli civilians and accused Lebanon of failing to uphold the ceasefire terms. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Presidency, via a post on X, reported that Aoun, while in Paris for meetings, informed French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as the leaders of Cyprus and Greece, of Israel's ongoing violations. The statement urged the international community to intervene and ensure Israel's compliance with the truce, emphasizing Lebanon's commitment to the agreement brokered by France and the U.S.
The strike underscores the fragility of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia and political group. Despite the tensions, the deal is expected to hold for now. However, the incident highlights the Lebanese government's struggle to control southern regions, where Hezbollah and other militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have long been active.
Israel has continued near-daily airstrikes on targets it links to Hezbollah, claiming these actions prevent the group from rearming. Lebanon, however, views these strikes—along with the presence of Israeli troops in five southern locations—as violations of the truce. Friday's rocket fire marked the second such incident from Lebanon in a week. On March 22, 2025, Israel conducted multiple airstrikes in Lebanon after rockets were fired into its territory, targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. Lebanon's health ministry reported seven deaths, including a child, and 40 injuries in those strikes.
The November 2024 ceasefire had ended over 13 months of conflict, which began when Hezbollah launched attacks on October 8, 2023, in solidarity with Palestinians following Hamas's assault on southern Israel. The ensuing escalation saw Israel launch a major air campaign and ground invasion in southern Lebanon, resulting in approximately 4,000 deaths, many of them civilians, and displacing over 1.2 million people. Israel's stated objective was to secure the return of 60,000 displaced residents in its northern communities and to push Hezbollah away from the border.
Hezbollah denied involvement in the rocket attack, while Israel labeled it a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun also condemned the Israeli strike as a breach of the agreement. The attack followed an evacuation order for a building in Beirut's Hadath area, with videos showing residents fleeing in panic and schools being evacuated.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on social media that the rocket fire posed a "direct threat" to Israeli civilians and accused Lebanon of failing to uphold the ceasefire terms. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Presidency, via a post on X, reported that Aoun, while in Paris for meetings, informed French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as the leaders of Cyprus and Greece, of Israel's ongoing violations. The statement urged the international community to intervene and ensure Israel's compliance with the truce, emphasizing Lebanon's commitment to the agreement brokered by France and the U.S.
The strike underscores the fragility of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia and political group. Despite the tensions, the deal is expected to hold for now. However, the incident highlights the Lebanese government's struggle to control southern regions, where Hezbollah and other militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have long been active.
Israel has continued near-daily airstrikes on targets it links to Hezbollah, claiming these actions prevent the group from rearming. Lebanon, however, views these strikes—along with the presence of Israeli troops in five southern locations—as violations of the truce. Friday's rocket fire marked the second such incident from Lebanon in a week. On March 22, 2025, Israel conducted multiple airstrikes in Lebanon after rockets were fired into its territory, targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. Lebanon's health ministry reported seven deaths, including a child, and 40 injuries in those strikes.
The November 2024 ceasefire had ended over 13 months of conflict, which began when Hezbollah launched attacks on October 8, 2023, in solidarity with Palestinians following Hamas's assault on southern Israel. The ensuing escalation saw Israel launch a major air campaign and ground invasion in southern Lebanon, resulting in approximately 4,000 deaths, many of them civilians, and displacing over 1.2 million people. Israel's stated objective was to secure the return of 60,000 displaced residents in its northern communities and to push Hezbollah away from the border.
