Israel hit Beirut on Wednesday for the first time since a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect in April, targeting the city’s southern suburbs in a strike that has raised fresh concerns about the stability of the truce. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz announced the action jointly, saying the strike targeted a commander from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force.
Agence France-Presse reported the commander killed was Malek Ballout, the Radwan Force’s operations chief. Hezbollah did not immediately confirm his death. The strike hit the Haret Hreik area of Dahiyeh, a neighborhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Rescue workers were seen searching through rubble following the blast.
The ceasefire has been in effect since April 17. Beirut had not been targeted since April 8, when strikes across Lebanon killed more than 350 people.
Israel Targets Hezbollah Radwan Force Commander in Beirut Strike
The Radwan Force is one of Hezbollah’s most prominent combat units. Israel said it carried out the strike in response to a Hezbollah drone attack that wounded four Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon earlier that day. Israel has said the ceasefire terms permit action against imminent or ongoing attacks.
According to Lebanese health authorities, Israeli strikes across Lebanon have killed more than 2,700 people since fighting escalated on March 2. Hezbollah rocket and drone fire into Israel has killed at least 14 people. Israel has reported 17 soldiers killed in southern Lebanon since the conflict intensified.
Israel has also called for residents to evacuate several villages north of the Litani River. Israeli troops remain deployed in areas south of the river despite the ceasefire agreement.
Lebanon Ceasefire Stability at Risk Amid Escalating Tensions
The strike carries diplomatic consequences beyond Lebanon. The ceasefire has underpinned a broader US-Iran truce, with a halt to Israeli attacks on Beirut being a key condition Iran had sought. Washington and Tehran have separately reported progress toward a potential framework to end their conflict.
Donald Trump announced a three-week ceasefire extension on April 23. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said stabilizing the ceasefire would form the basis for any further negotiations between Lebanese and Israeli envoys in Washington. Hezbollah has opposed those contacts.
The World Health Organization said this week it had verified 152 attacks on healthcare facilities in Lebanon since March, resulting in 103 deaths and the closure of three hospitals and 41 primary health centers.
