Hezbollah-Israel Tensions: One day after the Israeli military warned residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate the area, Israel intensified its military operations on Thursday, launching airstrikes across southern Lebanon and the outskirts of Beirut; reports indicate that 14 people were killed in these attacks.
According to an AFP report, Israeli strikes have intensified in recent days despite a fragile ceasefire currently in effect between the two sides. This strike—carried out near the capital, Beirut—is considered the largest military action in the region in several weeks, further escalating regional tensions.
Israel Targets Beirut
Citing a Lebanese military source, the report stated that during the attack, an apartment located south of Beirut was targeted. This marks the second such strike since a ceasefire took effect on April 17 between Israel and the militant organization Hezbollah.
These tensions flared just as talks were scheduled to take place on Friday between Israeli and Lebanese military delegations at the Pentagon. Additionally, a fourth round of U.S.-mediated talks was scheduled for early next week—marking the fourth such meeting since the recent conflict began.
According to officials, at least 14 people were killed in these intense strikes, including three children. The Israeli military stated that it carried out a “precision strike in Beirut,” though it did not specify the exact target.
A Lebanese military source told AFP that the strike “targeted an apartment located in the Choueifat area.”
Hezbollah Calls on Lebanon to Withdraw from Talks
On Thursday, Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc appealed to Lebanese officials to withdraw from the ongoing negotiations. He accused Israel of “attempting to impose security coordination to leverage its aggression” during military talks.
Israel and Hezbollah Accuse Each Other of Violating Rules
Both sides accuse one another of violating the ceasefire, justifying their own attacks by citing alleged violations committed by the opposing side.
On Thursday, Hezbollah stated that it had carried out approximately 20 attacks against Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, including rocket and drone strikes.
An Israeli military official reported on Thursday that since the ceasefire went into effect in April, approximately 400 explosive drones have been launched at Israeli positions. Earlier on Wednesday, Tel Aviv’s military declared all areas south of Lebanon’s Zahrani River to be a “war zone.” These areas are located approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the border and include cities such as Tyre and Nabatieh.
Israel had vowed earlier this week to intensify its operations in Lebanon, subsequently calling upon residents in these areas to evacuate. Lebanon’s state-run news agency, the National News Agency, has reported Israeli attacks on several areas across southern Lebanon. Some of these attacks were fatal, including a series of strikes targeting the city of Nabatieh.
Tyre and Sidon—both southern cities—were struck by Israeli attacks on Thursday.
Lebanese PM and UN Official Condemn Attacks
In a post on X, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated, “There can be no justification for the relentless attacks on the Tyre and Nabatieh regions, nor for the destruction of their historical sites.” He strongly condemned Israel’s relentless attacks and its orders for the evacuation of civilians, terming them “collective punishment.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, expressed concern over the situation and appealed to both sides to observe a ceasefire.
Death Toll in the Israel-Hezbollah Conflict
Beirut’s Ministry of Health reported that more than 3,324 people have been killed in Israeli attacks so far. This figure represents an increase of 55 deaths compared to the previous day. In a statement, the Israeli military claimed that “approximately 2,500 Hezbollah terrorists have been killed” since March. Of these, 800 terrorists were killed following the declaration of the ceasefire.
The Israel-Hezbollah Conflict
Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant organization, has vowed to continue fighting until the war in Lebanon ends and Tel Aviv agrees to withdraw its troops from a large section of the country’s southern region. Hezbollah has also rejected direct negotiations between Tel Aviv and Beirut, instead favoring talks between Tehran and Washington regarding the conflict.
Lebanon was drawn into the wider Middle East conflict when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader during attacks carried out by the U.S. and Israel. In response, Israel launched counterattacks and deployed ground troops.
Iran has emphasized that any agreement reached to resolve this major conflict must also apply to Lebanon.
(With agency inputs)