Israel has launched its first major airstrike on Beirut since a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah was established in November. The strike targeted a drone storage facility in the Dahiyeh suburb on March 28, a key stronghold for the Iran-backed militant group.
This action follows reports of rocket fire from Lebanon into northern Israel, which Israel claims poses a direct threat to its civilians.
The ceasefire agreement, signed on November 26, 2024 and effective from November 27, 2024, was brokered by the United States and France. It aimed to bring a lasting end to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, following over a year of conflict that began on October 8, 2023. Under the terms of the deal, Israel was to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon within 60 days, while Hezbollah was required to relocate its forces north of the Litani River. The Lebanese Armed Forces were tasked with securing the border and dismantling Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the area.
Despite the agreement, tensions have remained high. Israel has continued to conduct airstrikes in southern Lebanon, citing threats from Hezbollah. The ceasefire does not preclude either side from acting in self-defense, but disagreements over what constitutes self-defense have led to ongoing tensions.
Prior to the strike, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued an evacuation warning before the strike, urging residents to leave the area due to the presence of Hezbollah facilities. The warning reportedly led to widespread panic, with schools and universities in the southern suburb of Hadath ordered to close for the day, per the ABC. Residents were seen fleeing in cars and on foot ahead of the strike.
“This morning, projectiles were fired from Lebanon towards northern Israel, posing a direct threat to Israeli civilians,” the IDF said in a statement posted to X.
“This attack constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. The State of Lebanon bears responsibility for upholding the agreement.”
Israel’s Minister of Defence, Israel Katz, emphasised that if there is no peace in Israel’s northern communities, there will be no peace in Beirut either.
“I am sending a clear message to the Lebanese government: If you do not enforce the ceasefire agreement, we will enforce it,” he said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X after the strikes, “The equation has changed — what happened before the October 7 attacks will not be repeated. We will not allow shooting at our communities, not even a drizzle. We will continue to vigorously enforce the ceasefire, attack anywhere in Lebanon against any threat to the State of Israel, and ensure that all our residents in the north return to their homes safely.”
Hezbollah has denied all involvement in the rocket fire, with the group accusing Israel of seeking a pretext to continue its attacks. This denial has heightened tensions, as both sides accuse each other of violating the ceasefire agreement. The Lebanese government has condemned the strike as a breach of the agreement and called for international intervention to prevent further escalation.
French President Emmanuel Macron has also weighed in, describing the Israeli strikes as “unacceptable” and a violation of the ceasefire. Macron plans to discuss the situation with US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in the coming days.
“The framework agreed upon by Lebanon and Israel was not respected today by Israel unilaterally and without us having either information or proof of the triggering event,” Mr Macron said in Paris alongside President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun.
The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert has also expressed concern about the exchange of fire across the southern border on March 28.
“Any exchange of fire is one too many. A return to wider conflict in Lebanon would be devastating for civilians on both sides of the Blue Line and must be avoided at all costs,” she said in a statement, per Reuters.
Lead image: AP News
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