Israel launched fresh strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday, retaliating against Hezbollah attacks earlier in the day, even as a U.S.-backed ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon remained in limbo after Hezbollah rejected it last Thursday.
The attack, described by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz as targeting “terrorist command centers,” killed at least two people and wounded a further 11, according to Lebanese media. It followed the interception of two projectiles fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel earlier on Sunday. The Israel Defense Forces also warned residents of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre to evacuate ahead of possible further strikes.
“Israel strikes Beirut suburbs despite US-backed ceasefire as Hezbollah attacks persist, killing at least two.”
The violence underscores the failure of diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict. The U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon was rejected by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah last Thursday, and clashes have continued over the weekend. Hezbollah is conducting its attacks from Lebanese territory.
The escalation comes as the human toll mounts. Since March 2, 3,613 people have been killed and 11,072 wounded in Lebanon as a result of the conflict, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry’s Emergency Operations Center.
Channel 4 News international editor Lindsey Hilsum reported from Lebanon, where she travelled close to the Israeli border, describing a situation with “no deal in sight.” Israel continues to strike southern Lebanon, with no sign of a ceasefire being accepted by Hezbollah, leaving the region braced for further violence.