Overview

• Israel conducted its first airstrike on Beirut since the November 2024 ceasefire, targeting a Hezbollah drone storage facility in the Dahiyeh area.
• The airstrike followed rocket fire into northern Israel, which Hezbollah denied responsibility for, accusing Israel of seeking a pretext for aggression.
• Evacuation warnings issued by the Israeli military caused panic in Beirut’s southern suburbs, with residents fleeing the area before the strike.
• Lebanon’s government condemned the attack as a violation of the ceasefire, while France and the UN called for restraint to avoid further escalation.
• The ceasefire agreement, brokered by the US and France, has been under strain due to ongoing violations, including Israeli airstrikes and unresolved territorial disputes.