Israel Launches Airstrikes on Hezbollah Targets in Beirut Suburb

Israel launched new airstrikes on Dahieh, a southern suburb of Beirut, early Saturday, claiming to target Hezbollah’s weapons stored beneath civilian buildings. Eyewitnesses reported multiple bombings within an hour as Israeli warplanes flew over the area.

Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated that the strikes targeted “coast-to-sea missiles supplied by Iran” stored in the area. The attack followed earlier airstrikes on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Dahieh, which reportedly killed six people and injured 91, according to Lebanon’s MTV news.

Some Israeli media speculated that the strikes aimed to target Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, but his condition remains unknown. Hagari confirmed the strikes were directed at Hezbollah’s headquarters located under residential structures.

The airstrikes were approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York. After the attacks, Netanyahu warned of threats from Iran and vowed Israel would not back down from challenges posed by Tehran and its allies.

In retaliation, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for an attack on the Israeli city of Safed, saying it was in defense of Lebanon and in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli military forces responded by launching further airstrikes in southern Lebanon, targeting rocket launchers and weapons storage sites.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the Israeli airstrikes, calling them a “war crime” and accusing Israel of threatening regional peace and security. Lebanon’s health ministry reported nearly 700 deaths from the ongoing airstrikes, with over 200,000 people displaced since last October due to escalating conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.