Israel conducts first strike on Beirut since Hezbollah ceasefire

Israel launched an airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, marking the first such action since the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah last November. This area is a significant stronghold for Hezbollah. The airstrike occurred against a backdrop of heightened tensions, prompting widespread concern from the international community.

The Israeli military stated that it struck a drone storage facility used by Hezbollah on Friday, issuing evacuation warnings beforehand, which caused panic among local residents. Hours earlier, two rockets were fired from southern Lebanon towards northern Israel. Israel claimed to have intercepted one rocket, while the other did not cross the border. Hezbollah has denied any involvement in the rocket attack.

The Israeli side believes that the attack constitutes a "violation" of the ceasefire agreement. Lebanese President Aoun's office also issued a statement, saying that the Israeli attack "violates the agreement." The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on social media that the earlier rocket attack was a "blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon and posed a direct threat to Israeli citizens." The IDF added: "The state of Lebanon bears responsibility for upholding the agreement."

The Lebanese Presidential Palace posted on X that President Aoun, who is attending meetings in Paris, has informed French President Macron, as well as the Presidents of Cyprus and the Prime Minister of Greece, that "the Israeli attack and threats against the southern suburbs are a continuation of Israel's constant violations of the agreement guaranteed by France and the United States." The statement also emphasized that "the international community must stop these attacks and force Israel to abide by the agreement, just as Lebanon is committed to abiding by it."

Despite numerous challenges, the current ceasefire agreement is expected to hold. However, this attack is yet another reminder of the significant challenges faced by Lebanese authorities in attempting to control the country's southern region. Hezbollah is the most powerful armed group in the area, but Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are also active there. Since the ceasefire agreement took effect last November, Israel has conducted near-daily airstrikes against targets allegedly linked to Hezbollah, claiming it is to prevent Hezbollah from rearming. The Lebanese government, however, believes that these attacks, as well as the permanent presence of Israeli soldiers in five locations in southern Lebanon, constitute violations of the ceasefire agreement.