Tensions Escalate: Israeli Jets Target Hezbollah Stronghold in Beirut

Israeli jets launched strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, targeting Hezbollah positions as tensions escalate. This attack follows recent assurances from the U.S. to Lebanon about potential strike easements. The conflict has intensified, with Hezbollah firing rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas, displacing over a million people.

Israeli jets struck the southern suburbs of Beirut early Wednesday, marking the first attack in six days, according to Lebanese state media. The casualty count remains unclear.

The strike occurred just a day after caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati mentioned that the U.S. government assured him of Israel potentially reducing its strikes in Beirut. Israel claims the strikes target Hezbollah assets in the suburbs, an area known for both residential and commercial activities, as well as a strong Hezbollah presence. The Israeli military stated the Wednesday assault hit a weapons warehouse beneath a residential building.

The Israeli military issued an evacuation warning on social media, specifying a target in the Haret Hreik neighborhood. An Associated Press photographer noted three strikes in the vicinity, the first occurring within an hour of the alert. Previously, Hezbollah had launched rockets into Israel in support of Hamas, following their sudden attack on southern Israel. What was once low-level conflict has erupted into full-scale war, displacing approximately 1.2 million people in Lebanon. In another incident, Israeli strikes late Tuesday in the southern town of Qana resulted in 10 deaths and 15 injuries, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.

(With inputs from agencies.)