Israel strikes Beirut suburb days after US-brokered truce

BBC:

Israel has hit southern Beirut in the first attack on the Lebanese capital since a truce brokered by the US last week.

Two air strikes on two apartment buildings in a stronghold of Iran-backed Hezbollah killed two people and injured at least 20, including women and children, Lebanon’s health ministry said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had struck “terrorist headquarters in the Dahieh district of Beirut, in response to Hezbollah’s firing at Israeli territory”.

Israel had limited its Beirut attacks under US pressure over concerns strikes there could put a wider peace deal in jeopardy. But on Sunday night, Iran fired missiles at Israel, which it said was a response to Israel’s increasing attacks in southern Lebanon and Beirut’s suburbs.

Sunday’s strike tore open the lower floors of a residential building, exposing apartments and scattering concrete and twisted metal across the street below.

Social media videos show crowds of people rushing to the scene to assist the wounded. Lebanese health officials said four women and four children were among the injured.

A statement from an Israeli army Arabic-language spokesman posted on X saying “Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure” was being targeted – and suggested further strikes were coming.

“To be continued,” he wrote.

The Israeli military said it had intercepted two projectiles crossing into Israeli territory from Lebanon.

In a statement later on Sunday, Hezbollah said it had fired rockets at Isreali artillery positions at Yiftah Barracks and at troops near al-Marj Pond.

Hezbollah said the barrages were in response to Israel’s “violation of the ceasefire and the attacks on villages in southern Lebanon”.