Tensions Escalate as Israel Conducts Targeted Airstrike in Beirut

The Israeli military conducted a sudden airstrike on a Hezbollah target in Beirut, accusing the group of aiding Hamas attacks. The attack, following earlier tensions, prompted warnings from Hezbollah leaders and heightened uncertainty in the already volatile region.

An unexpected Israeli airstrike raged through Beirut's southern suburbs early Tuesday, targeting a Hezbollah-associated building. The strike is a fresh episode in the escalating Israel-Hezbollah hostilities that have rattled the Lebanese capital since last Friday.

The Israel Defense Forces asserted that the attack aimed at a Hezbollah operative linked with Hamas operations in Gaza, propelled by directives from Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service. Hezbollah, for its part, has remained silent on the strike.

As plumes of smoke rose over Beirut's skyline, reaction poured in from Lebanon's political factions. Hezbollah's Sheikh Naim Kassem issued a stark warning, suggesting that sustained assaults by Israel would likely lead his group to 'other alternatives.'

(With inputs from agencies.)