BEIRUT — Israeli forces launched targeted airstrikes against Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut on Monday, marking the first assault on the capital’s suburbs in several days. Simultaneously, the Israeli military confirmed the capture of two Hezbollah operatives during ground operations in southern Lebanon.
The escalation began with precision strikes hitting Hazmieh, an affluent predominantly Christian neighborhood near Beirut, where Israeli officials claimed to have targeted a high-value operative from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force. Subsequent attacks focused on Beirut’s southern suburbs, a known Hezbollah bastion, with AFPTV broadcasts capturing plumes of smoke rising over the area.
Israel’s military spokesperson issued advance warnings to residents of southern Beirut suburbs before conducting what they described as systematic strikes against Hezbollah’s military infrastructure. The conflict expansion into urban centers represents a significant intensification of cross-border hostilities.
The current cycle of violence originated on March 2 when Hezbollah initiated rocket attacks against Israel, purportedly in retaliation for the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint Israeli-American operation. Since then, Israeli counterstrikes have resulted in at least 1,039 fatalities across Lebanon according to official sources.
In a detailed operational account, the Israeli army stated its forces intercepted several armed members of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force preparing to launch anti-tank missiles in southern Lebanon. “After identification, the terrorists surrendered and were apprehended for thorough interrogation in Israeli territory,” the military confirmed to AFP.
Hezbollah responded with over 50 attacks targeting Israeli positions in northern Israel and southern Lebanon, particularly concentrating on the border coastal town of Naqura. The UN Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported its Naqura headquarters sustained damage from projectile fire, attributing the attack to “non-state actors.”
The Hazmieh strike resulted in at least one casualty according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Mayor Jean Asmar revealed the attack targeted an apartment housing displaced families, prompting municipal authorities to reconsider refugee accommodation policies. The strike occurred near diplomatic missions and government offices in one of Beirut’s most secure districts.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, in coordination with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has ordered comprehensive destruction of all bridges across Lebanon’s Litani River allegedly used for “terrorist activities.” This strategic move follows earlier strikes on critical infrastructure connecting southern Lebanon with the Bekaa Valley.
Hezbollah parliamentarian Hussein al-Haj Hassan previously alleged Israel holds 20 Lebanese prisoners, claiming half were captured post-ceasefire. The conflict continues to escalate with Israeli Arabic-language spokesperson Ella Waweya declaring “the battle against Hezbollah has only just begun.”