Israel has for the first time launched an attack on the Lebanese capital, Beirut, since a ceasefire ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war in November. AP reports that its reporters heard a large boom as they witnessed smoke rising from the area that Israel's military had vowed to strike. The development comes after the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that it had eliminated Ahmed Adnan Bajija, a battalion commander in Hezbollah's elite Radwan force. In a post on X, the IDF said, "The IDF will continue to operate in order to remove any threat posed to the State of Israel."
Israel launches retaliatory stikes on Lebanon
Earlier, Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes on several locations in Lebanon for a rocket attack, killing six people in the heaviest exchange of fire since its ceasefire with the militant group Hezbollah began nearly four months ago. In a statement, Hezbollah denied being responsible for the attack, saying it was committed to the truce.
After the strike, Israel's army said it attacked a Hezbollah drone storage facility in the area of Dahiyeh, which it called a key Hezbollah stronghold. Israel said Hezbollah uses civilians as human shields and said it issued advanced warning for people to leave.
The area struck is a residential and commercial area and is in close proximity to at least two schools. The strike came after Israel's army urgently warned people to evacuate parts of a Beirut suburb, vowing to retaliate against strikes which it said were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel.
Israel's defence minister warns Beirut
Israel's defence minister said Friday that if there was no peace in Israel's northern communities there would be no peace in Beirut either.
Hezbollah denied firing the rockets at northern Israel, and accused Israel of seeking a pretext to continue attacking Lebanon. Lebanon's government ordered all schools and universities in Beirut's southern suburb of Hadath to close for the day. Residents were seen fleeing the area in cars and on foot ahead of the strike.
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