Israeli jets strike Beirut (VIDEOS)

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted an airstrike in Beirut’s southern Dahieh suburb on Tuesday. The operation constitutes the largest escalation between Israel and Hezbollah since a truce was signed in November. 

In a statement on X on Tuesday, the IDF said Israeli jets targeted “a Hezbollah terrorist” who has “recently been directing Hamas operatives and assisting them in an attempt to carry out a serious attack” against Israeli civilians. 

“The terrorist posed a real and immediate threat, and therefore the IDF and Shin Bet have acted to eliminate the threat,” the IDF stated.

The Lebanese TV channel Al Mayadeen reported that the strike “flattened” a multistory residential building, killing at least three people and injuring seven others. It cited sources as saying that “a regular member” of Hezbollah was killed. 

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem condemned the renewed Israeli strikes on Saturday. “This aggression must end. We cannot allow this to continue,” he said, as quoted by AFP.

On Friday, the IDF carried out its first major airstrikes in Beirut since November 2023. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack was in retaliation for rockets fired by Hezbollah from Lebanon.

“We will not allow any firing on our communities, not even a drizzle,” he warned. “We will attack anywhere in Lebanon against any threat to Israel, and we will ensure that all of us in the north return to their homes safely.”

Hezbollah has been firing rockets and mortars at Israel in response to the IDF’s operation against Hamas in Gaza. In September 2024, Israel stepped up its airstrikes in the Lebanese capital, killing senior Hezbollah officials, including the group’s longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah.