Israel kills Hezbollah commander in first Beirut strike since ceasefire
Israel carried out its first airstrike on Beirut since last month’s ceasefire, claiming it killed a commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force.
The Israeli military said the strike targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs on Wednesday. There was no immediate confirmation from Hezbollah regarding the commander’s death.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz announced the operation in a joint statement.
The attack has increased pressure on the fragile ceasefire agreement that had halted Israeli strikes on Beirut, even as Israeli troops continued operations south of the Litani River and carried out repeated attacks in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has responded to Israeli operations by launching rockets and armed drones at Israeli forces stationed near the border.
The Lebanon ceasefire has also been viewed as an important component of broader regional negotiations involving Iran and the United States. Tehran had reportedly pushed for an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon during ongoing talks with Washington.
Meanwhile, Israel also issued evacuation warnings to residents of several villages north of the Litani River, signalling a possible expansion of military operations.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said it was too early to discuss any high-level diplomatic engagement between Lebanon and Israel, despite recent ambassador-level meetings hosted in Washington.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, more than 2,700 people have been killed in Lebanon since fighting escalated in March, while Israel says Hezbollah has launched hundreds of rockets and drones into its territory during the conflict.
