An Israeli air strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut has resulted in the deaths of at least three individuals, as reported by Lebanon’s health ministry. This incident puts additional strain on the already delicate ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. It is worth noting that this is the second attack on the area known as the Dahieh, where Hezbollah has a strong presence, within recent days despite the truce that came into effect in November.
The Israeli military claims they targeted and eliminated a Hezbollah operative who had been assisting Hamas in planning an attack on Israeli civilians. No response has been given by Hezbollah.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has condemned the strike, calling it a dangerous warning, while Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam referred to it as a clear violation of the ceasefire.
The strike occurred in the middle of the night, without any prior warning, causing significant damage to the upper floors of an apartment building. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) confirmed that they had conducted the strike in Dahieh, emphasizing their action in response to the immediate threat posed by the targeted Hezbollah operative.
This was not the first such violation of the ceasefire, as Israel had previously launched an attack on Beirut in early November, hitting a drone storage unit used by Hezbollah following a rocket attack from southern Lebanon towards northern Israel.
Hezbollah denies any involvement in the rocket attack and remains committed to the ceasefire. The dispute persists as Israel continues to carry out air strikes on individuals and targets they claim are linked to Hezbullah, asserting their actions are taken to prevent Hezbollah from rearming. Lebanon’s government views these strikes, as well as the ongoing presence of Israeli soldiers in specific locations, as violations of the truce.
The conflict escalated in October 2023 following Hamas attacks on southern Israel, with Hezbollah launching their campaign in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The ensuing conflict led to a destructive Israeli air campaign across Lebanon and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, resulting in approximately 4,000 deaths and the displacement of over 1.2 million residents. Israel’s objective in the war against Hezbollah was to enable the return of displaced individuals and to remove Hezbollah from border regions.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c77nxzl3zj8o
