Israel Bombs Beirut Again, Hits Hezbollah

Israel carried out a second day of air raids on Beirut, focusing on the Haret Hreik area in the southern suburbs of Dahiyeh. The Israeli military stated its operations in southern Lebanon were part of a “forward defence” strategy along the border. Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said, “We have positioned soldiers on the border area in additional points to defend our civilians, to prevent Hezbollah from attacking them.” He clarified, “This is not a ground operation. This is a tactical measure… to ensure the safety of our people.”

The strikes targeted what Israel described as “Hezbollah command centres and weapons storage facilities in Beirut.” The ongoing attacks are part of a broader U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran and its proxies, which has widened the regional conflict.

The Israeli military issued forced displacement notices affecting 59 areas in Lebanon, including several neighborhoods in Dahiyeh, traditionally home to a Shia population aligned with Hezbollah. Civilians have historically borne the brunt of hostilities: during the 2023–24 yearlong conflict, thousands of Lebanese were killed or displaced, and near-daily ceasefire violations contributed to ongoing humanitarian strain. The current raids exacerbate these dynamics, with new displacement occurring amid repeated Israeli air operations.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for an attack on an airbase in northern Israel using drones, adding a northern front to the expanding conflict. These actions follow Iranian and Hezbollah retaliation for U.S.-Israel strikes on Tehran, which began the wider regional war. The conflict illustrates the interplay between state and proxy forces and the persistent risk to civilians in urban centers.

Israeli forces emphasize defensive objectives, while the operational scale — multiple air raids in densely populated suburbs and deployment of border troops — indicates Israel’s prioritization of rapid tactical measures over broader ground offensives. The ongoing engagement underscores Lebanon’s vulnerability as a theater in the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict.