Israel strikes Lebanon in one of biggest attacks since November ceasefire
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
1 killed and 11 wounded in intense Israeli strikes on south Lebanon
NEW: Israeli military says it targeted underground assets of militant Hezbollah group. Israel has carried out almost daily airstrikes on southern Lebanon. One woman killed, 11 wounded in another strike in nearby city of Nabatieh. Lebanon’s president and prime minister condemned the Israeli strikes on south Lebanon, saying they violated the ceasefire deal. The 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November. and is not allowed to have armed presence south of the Litani River.
Shortly afterward, another strike hit an apartment building in the nearby city of Nabatieh, killing one woman, wounding 11 and knocking out the building’s top floor, according to Lebanon’s state news agency.
It was not immediately clear if that strike targeted anyone in the building.
Since the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November, Israel has carried out almost daily airstrikes on southern Lebanon. Friday’s strikes were more intense than usual.
“We are steadfast no matter how much you bomb us with your fighter jets and drones,” Hassan Ghandour, a Shiite cleric from Nabatieh, told The Associated Press at the scene of the strike outside the building.
Lebanon’s president and prime minister condemned the Israeli strikes on south Lebanon, saying they violated the ceasefire deal.
The airstrikes on the mountains overlooking Nabatieh came in two waves, and bunker buster bombs were used, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported. NNA said four people were lightly wounded in the airstrikes outside the city.
The Israeli military said in a statement that its fighter jets struck a site used by Hezbollah to manage its fire and defense array in the area and is part of a significant underground project that was completely taken out of use.
The Israeli army said it identified rehabilitation attempts by Hezbollah beforehand and struck infrastructure sites in the area.
There was no comment from Hezbollah.
Hezbollah suffered significant losses on the battlefield during the war, which left over 4,000 people dead in Lebanon and caused destruction amounting to $11 billion. In Israel, 127 people died, including 80 soldiers.
As part of the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah was pushed away from areas bordering Israel in south Lebanon and is not allowed to have an armed presence south of the Litani River.
Friday’s airstrikes were north of the river.
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Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue contributed to this report from Beirut.
Israel warns of more attacks on Lebanon if Hezbollah not disarmed
Israel warns ‘there will be no calm in Beirut’ after launching its largest attack on the Lebanese capital since the ceasefire. The Israeli military said Hezbollah was “operating to increase production of UAVs [drones] for the next war’ The Lebanese government of President Joseph Aoun has appealed to the United States and France, guarantors of the November ceasefire, to rein in Israel’s attacks. Israel has violated the ceasefire on a near-daily basis in the seven months since it was signed, according to the Lebanese government. Israel killed a military personnel and 46 civilians in a rocket fire in southern Lebanon on Thursday night, killing more than 4,000 people, including hundreds of civilians. The Lebanese army warned that such attacks are weakening its role in the ceasefire and could lead it to freeze cooperation with the U.S. and France.
The Israeli military will continue to bomb Lebanon if Hezbollah is not disarmed, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has warned, saying “there will be no calm in Beirut” and “no order or stability in Lebanon” unless Israel’s security is assured.
“Agreements must be honoured, and if you do not do what is required, we will continue to act, and with great force,” the Israeli minister said in a Friday statement.
Israel’s military launched a series of strikes targeting Beirut’s southern suburbs on Thursday night, sending huge numbers of residents fleeing their homes on the eve of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday after issuing a forced evacuation order an hour earlier.
Israel claimed, without providing evidence, that its latest attack was launched against Hezbollah “drone factories” in the Lebanese capital.
The Israeli military said Hezbollah was “operating to increase production of UAVs [drones] for the next war” with Israel in “blatant violation” of the terms of November’s ceasefire.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that Israeli fighter jets had carried out about a dozen strikes in the attack. A Hezbollah statement said a preliminary assessment showed nine buildings had been destroyed, while dozens of others were damaged.
Hezbollah also denied there were drone production facilities in the targeted locations.
The Israeli attack was the fourth, and heaviest, carried out targeting Beirut’s southern suburbs – a Hezbollah stronghold – since the ceasefire ended hostilities on November 27.
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Israel’s last attack on the Lebanese capital, in which it claimed to destroy “infrastructure where precision missiles” were being stored by Hezbollah, came in late April.
‘Flagrant violation of an international accord’
Across Lebanon, Israel has violated the ceasefire on a near-daily basis in the seven months since it was signed, according to the Lebanese government of President Joseph Aoun, Arab nations and human rights groups.
Aoun has appealed to the United States and France, guarantors of the November ceasefire, to rein in Israel’s attacks.
Speaking late on Thursday, Aoun voiced “firm condemnation of the Israeli aggression”, labelling the attacks a “flagrant violation of an international accord … on the eve of a sacred religious festival”.
On Friday, Ali Ammar, a Hezbollah lawmaker, urged “all Lebanese political forces … to translate their statements of condemnation into concrete action”, including diplomatic pressure.
In the months since the ceasefire, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed at least 190 people and wounded nearly 500 more, the Lebanese government said in April.
Under the ceasefire agreement, the Lebanese military has been tasked with disarming Hezbollah – a political party and paramilitary group once believed to be more heavily armed than the state.
But following Thursday’s attack, Lebanon’s army warned that such attacks are weakening its role in the ceasefire. It added that Israel rejected its proposal to inspect the alleged drone production sites in southern Beirut in order to prevent an air strike.
“The Israeli enemy violations of the deal and its refusal to respond to the committee is weakening the role of the committee and the army,” the military said in a statement.
It added that continued Israeli attacks could lead the army to freeze its cooperation with the monitoring committee “when it comes to searching posts” and dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure near the Israeli border in southern Lebanon.
The war between Israel and Hezbollah re-erupted in the wake of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023, as the Lebanese group launched cross-border attacks on northern Israel in solidarity with Hamas.
Subsequent Israeli attacks on Lebanon killed more than 4,000 people, including hundreds of civilians, before the ceasefire was signed. Hezbollah rocket fire in Israel killed a reported 87 Israeli military personnel and 46 civilians.
Israel attacks suburbs of Beirut, targeting alleged Hezbollah ‘drone factories’
The Israeli military carried out strikes on Hezbollah “drone factories” in southern Lebanon and suburbs of Beirut on Thursday. The Israeli attack marked its biggest escalation in Lebanon since the US-brokered a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in November. There were no initial reports of casualties related to the strikes, the spokesperson for Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health told CNN early on Friday morning. The Lebanese army warned that it could suspend its cooperation with a committee led by the United States and France to monitor the ceasefire provisions that include disarming Hezbollah. The strikes were carried out as Muslims in Lebanon prepared to celebrate Eid al-Adha, known as the Feast of Sacrifice, on Friday. Most Muslims usually celebrate the eve of Eid which fell on Thursday evening local time.
The Israeli military carried out strikes on Hezbollah “drone factories” in southern Lebanon and suburbs of Beirut on Thursday, as large plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the Lebanese capital.
The Israeli attack marked its biggest escalation in Lebanon since the US-brokered a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in November.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was striking “terror targets of the Hezbollah Aerial Unit (127)” in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahieh.
NNA news reported strikes from Israeli drones, saying that a “series of warning strikes, numbering more than seven” had targeted the city’s southern suburbs. The news outlet also said that Israeli drones carried out an airstrike on the town of Ain Qana in Lebanon’s Iklim Tuffah region.
There were no initial reports of casualties related to the strikes, the spokesperson for Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health told CNN early on Friday morning.
The Israeli military had previously warned of a coming strike in the area, intended to target alleged “underground UAV production facilities” controlled by Hezbollah.
The aftermath of Israeli strikes in the Dahieh suburb of the Lebanese capital on Friday. Hassan Ammar/AP
IDF Arabic Spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued an “urgent warning” via social media earlier on Thursday, urging residents of “Al-Hadath, Haret Hreik, and Burj Al-Barajneh,” neighborhoods to immediately evacuate buildings marked in red on attached maps and adjacent structures, and to stay at least “300 meters (328 yards) away” for safety.
A second “urgent warning” was issued by the Israeli military via a post on X accompanied by a satellite photo of Lebanon with highlighted zones they said showed the locations of Hezbollah sites. The warning urged residents to evacuate nearby buildings “immediately and stay at least 500 meters away from them.”
The announcement prompted widespread panic and evacuations, according to NNA. Social media video captured Thursday night showed dozens of cars leaving neighborhoods in the city’s south.
The strikes were carried out as Muslims in Lebanon prepared to celebrate Eid al-Adha, known as the Feast of Sacrifice, on Friday. Most Muslims in Lebanon usually celebrate the eve of Eid which fell on Thursday evening local time.
The Lebanese army warned that it could suspend its cooperation with a committee led by the United States and France to monitor the ceasefire provisions that include disarming Hezbollah.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam both condemned the Israeli strikes, with Aoun saying that they were a “blatant violation of an international agreement, as well as the basic tenets of international and humanitarian laws and resolutions” on the eve of an important religious occasion.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz responded to Aoun, saying: “Mr. President – there will be no calm in Beirut, no order and stability in Lebanon without security for the State of Israel. Agreements must be respected. If you do not do what is required – we will continue to act, and with great force.”
Lebanon’s new government has vowed to disarm paramilitary groups in the country such as Hezbollah and Palestinian factions. Last week, Salam said that his government had dismantled 500 pieces of weaponry north of the Litani river in southern Lebanon.
Israel previously struck the same neighborhood, a Hezbollah stronghold, in late March. A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon had been brokered in November 2024, but strikes on southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah militants and facilities have continued.
CNN’s Charbel Mallo and Lauren Izso contributed to this report
Israel Strikes Lebanon in One of Largest Attacks Since Cease-Fire
Israel’s military said it was targeting an underground drone facility in southern Beirut. It was one of its largest strikes on Hezbollah assets since a cease-fire was agreed to in November.
TEL AVIV—Israel’s military said it was targeting an underground drone facility in southern Beirut on Thursday, in one of its largest strikes on Hezbollah assets since a cease-fire was agreed to in November.
The military said Hezbollah’s aerial unit was producing thousands of drones with help and funding from Iran. It said Hezbollah was working to increase its production of drones in preparation for its next war with Israel, characterizing it as a “blatant violation” of the agreement between Israel and Lebanon that brought more than a year of fighting to an end.
Israel warns of more Lebanon strikes if Hezbollah not disarmed
Lebanese president: “There will be no calm in Beirut, and no order or stability in Lebanon, without security for the State of Israel” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz: “If you do not do what is required, we will continue to act, and with great force” Israeli military: “Agreements must be honoured, and if you don’t do what’s required, you won’t be able to do it” Israel’s prime minister: “Lebanon should disarm Hezbollah, once reputed to be more heavily armed than the U.S.” Israeli army: “We are not going to give up, we are not giving up, and we won’t give up.” Israeli military says it will “continue to do what it takes” to keep the country safe and secure. Israel’s military: We are “not giving up” and “we will keep doing what we are doing”
Thursday’s attacks on what the Israeli military said were underground Hezbollah drone factories came after an Israeli evacuation call on the eve of Eid al-Adha, a key Muslim religious festival, and sent huge numbers of residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs fleeing.
It was the fourth and heaviest Israeli bombardment of the heavily populated area, known as a bastion of support for Hezbollah, in the six months since a ceasefire deal aimed at ending hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. The last attack was in late April.
“There will be no calm in Beirut, and no order or stability in Lebanon, without security for the State of Israel,” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
“Agreements must be honoured and if you do not do what is required, we will continue to act, and with great force.”
The state-run National News Agency reported around a dozen strikes, while Health Minister Rakan Nassereldine said several people were wounded by flying glass.
AFP photographers on Friday saw huge destruction as residents, some wearing masks, inspected the debris and damage to their homes.
‘Blatant act’
A Hezbollah statement said a preliminary assessment showed nine buildings were completely destroyed and dozens of others damaged.
A woman in her 40s who lives near one of the strike sites said she fled on foot with her young children including a three-month-old baby.
“Thank God” the building was not destroyed, she told AFP after returning Friday morning to find the windows of her flat shattered.
South Beirut resident Fatima, 40, said “life goes on”, adding that she and her two children were following the usual Eid traditions after fleeing the previous night.
Hezbollah sparked months of deadly hostilities by launching cross-border attacks on northern Israel in stated solidarity with Palestinian ally Hamas following its October 7, 2023 attack.
France, part of a committee overseeing the ceasefire, condemned the strikes and urged all parties to respect the truce, noting that the monitoring mechanism “is there to help the parties deal with threats and prevent any escalation”.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun late on Thursday voiced “firm condemnation of the Israeli aggression” and “flagrant violation of an international accord… on the eve of a sacred religious festival”.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the strikes as a violation of Lebanese sovereignty.
Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Ammar on Friday urged “all Lebanese political forces… to translate their statements of condemnation into concrete action”, including diplomatic pressure.
Hezbollah backer Iran called the strikes “a blatant act of aggression against Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty”, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said.
The war left Hezbollah massively weakened, with top commanders including longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah killed and weapons caches incinerated.
‘Refusal to cooperate’
Under the ceasefire, Lebanon should disarm Hezbollah, once reputed to be more heavily armed than the state.
A Lebanese military official told AFP the committee received no warning before the Israeli evacuation order.
The Lebanese army “attempted to go to one of the sites… but Israeli warning shots prevented it from carrying out its mission”, the official said, requesting anonymity.
Lebanon’s army, which has been dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure under the truce, said the Israeli military’s ongoing violations and “refusal to cooperate” with the ceasefire monitoring mechanism “could prompt the (Lebanese) military to freeze cooperation” on site inspections.
The French foreign ministry statement noted that “dismantling unauthorised military sites… falls as a priority to the Lebanese” army with the support of United Nations peacekeepers.
The Israeli military had said Hezbollah was “operating to increase production of UAVs (drones) for the next war” in “blatant violation” of the truce understandings.
Under the ceasefire, Hezbollah fighters were to withdraw north of the Litani river, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the Israeli border.
Israel was to withdraw troops from Lebanon but has kept them in five areas it deems “strategic” and still launches regular strikes on south Lebanon.
Israel’s military also issued an evacuation warning for the southern village of Ain Qana. It then struck a building there that it alleged was a Hezbollah base, according to the NNA.
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