BEIRUT/JERUSALEM. On Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes pummeled the southern suburbs of Beirut, marking one of the most intense attacks yet on Hezbollah-controlled areas as Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reaffirmed there would be no ceasefire until Israel’s military objectives were met.
Heavy smoke filled Beirut’s skyline as at least 10 explosions rocked the city. The strikes followed a social media warning from the Israeli military that identified 12 target sites in the area, which it claimed were linked to Hezbollah. The warning advised residents to evacuate, stating that the sites were “near Hezbollah facilities.”
In northern Israel, citizens scrambled for shelter as attack drones launched from Lebanon targeted Israeli towns. One drone hit a kindergarten yard in a suburb of Haifa, although no injuries were reported as children had been moved to a shelter. Footage aired by Israeli television revealed visible damage to the facility.
There were no immediate casualty reports from Beirut, as much of the population has evacuated the area following intensified Israeli bombings that began in September. Videos circulating on social media captured two missiles hitting a 10-story building, demolishing it and leaving a massive cloud of debris in the aftermath.
The conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, which ignited due to the ongoing Gaza war, has seen significant escalation. Since going on the offensive in September, Israel has conducted extensive airstrikes across Lebanon and deployed ground forces in the south. Major blows have been dealt to Hezbollah, including the reported deaths of prominent leaders and the destruction of large areas in southern Beirut and border villages.
In his first meeting with Israel’s general staff, newly appointed Defense Minister Katz emphasized that Israel would not accept any ceasefire unless its objectives were achieved. “Israel will not agree to any arrangement that does not guarantee Israel’s right to enforce and prevent terrorism on its own, and meet the goals of the war in Lebanon – disarming Hezbollah and its withdrawal beyond the Litani River and returning the residents of the north safely to their homes,” he asserted.
While Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar noted “certain progress” in ongoing ceasefire discussions, he stressed that the conflict was far from over, with enforcement being a central challenge to any ceasefire arrangement.
Hezbollah, despite facing significant losses, has indicated its readiness for a prolonged conflict with Israel.
The Lebanese government, which includes Hezbollah, has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and urged the full implementation of U.N. Resolution 1701, which had previously ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. The resolution mandates that the area south of the Litani River be free of any weapons except those held by the Lebanese state, but both Lebanon and Israel have accused each other of non-compliance.
Israel’s military operations have displaced more than 1 million Lebanese citizens, sparking an escalating humanitarian crisis. Hezbollah’s continuous rocket attacks into northern Israel have also forced tens of thousands of Israelis to evacuate.
In a statement, Imran Riza, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, highlighted the severe impact on civilians. According to Riza, airstrikes reportedly killed 23 individuals, including seven children, in a Mount Lebanon village on Monday. “On the same day, an airstrike in the city of Tyre killed five siblings from the same family, all of whom had special needs,” he shared.
The Lebanese Health Ministry reports that, since the hostilities began a year ago, Israeli strikes have resulted in 3,243 deaths and 14,134 injuries, with no distinctions made between civilian and combatant casualties. Meanwhile, Hezbollah attacks have claimed approximately 100 lives, including civilians and soldiers, across northern Israel, the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and southern Lebanon.
