Israel Conducts Air Strikes in Southern Beirut Following US-Brokered Truce
Israel has launched air strikes in southern Beirut, marking the first attack on the Lebanese capital since a truce brokered by the United States last week.
Two air strikes targeted two apartment buildings in Dahieh, a stronghold of the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. According to Lebanon's state news agency, the strikes resulted in the deaths of two individuals and caused injuries to at least 17 others.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel had targeted
"terrorist headquarters in the Dahieh district of Beirut, in response to Hezbollah's firing at Israeli territory". Hezbollah has not issued any comment regarding the strikes.
Under pressure from the US, Israel had previously limited its attacks in Beirut. Washington is concerned that strikes in the Lebanese capital could undermine its efforts to negotiate a broader peace agreement with Iran, which demands a complete and total ceasefire in Lebanon.
The air strikes on Sunday caused significant damage to the lower floors of a residential building, exposing apartments and scattering concrete debris and twisted metal across the street below. Videos circulating on social media depict crowds rushing to the scene to assist the wounded.
An Israeli army spokesman, communicating in Arabic via the social media platform X, stated that
"Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure"was being targeted and implied that additional strikes might follow.
The Israeli military reported intercepting two projectiles crossing into Israeli territory from Lebanon; however, Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for launching these projectiles.
Context and Diplomatic Developments
One week prior to the truce announced on 3 June, Israel had threatened a broad offensive on Dahieh, prompting a mass exodus from the suburb and triggering intense American diplomatic efforts.
Following a call with Netanyahu, then-President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that there would be
"no troops going to Beirut". The US also informed Qatar, which had been mediating de-escalation efforts, that it had instructed Israel to stand down.
In an interview with NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, Trump clarified that he was not insisting that Lebanon be included in any peace deal with Iran, effectively separating the two negotiation tracks despite the Dahieh attack threatening to destabilize both.
Lebanon became involved in the conflict on 2 March when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed Iran's supreme leader. Israel responded with an air campaign across Lebanon and a ground invasion in the south, with hostilities escalating in recent weeks.
A ceasefire has been officially in place since 17 April, but it has been repeatedly violated by both sides. Although Israel has intensified air strikes in southern Lebanon throughout the weekend, Sunday's attack represents the third strike on Beirut since the ceasefire took effect. The first two strikes targeted Hezbollah commanders.
Political Reactions and Positions
Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, leader of the Amal movement and a figure closely aligned with Hezbollah, rejected the US-brokered agreement announced after rare talks between the Israeli and Lebanese governments.
Berri described the agreement as
"a trap"because it does not mention a parallel Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah itself is not represented in these talks. Its deputy leader, Naim Qassem, stated in a written message on Thursday that disarming the group would mean fulfilling
"the enemy's objectives".
