Israel carries out targeted strike in Beirut amid ceasefire tensions

Israel has carried out a targeted strike in Lebanon's capital, Beirut, in what appears to be only the second such attack there since a ceasefire began last month. The Israel Defense Forces said the strike took place at about 14:00 local time and described it as being carried out in a targeted manner. Thick smoke was seen over Dahieh, the densely populated southern suburb of Beirut that is widely regarded as Hezbollah's stronghold.

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The Israeli military did not give further details about the operation. Israeli media, citing unnamed sources, said the target may have been the head of an Iranian militia allied to Hezbollah. One report identified the target as Ali al-Husni, described as head of the missile force in the Imam Hossein Division.

The strike came after what the Israeli military said were waves of attacks on Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Residents in Dahieh were reported calling out to neighbours and relatives to check on their safety as rescue crews rushed to the area. The attack adds to a period of heightened military activity between Israel and Hezbollah, with both sides accusing the other of repeated ceasefire violations.

The latest strike also follows Israeli warnings to residents north of the Zahrani River, about 40km from the Israeli border, that it would act with extreme force. The incident matters because it brings the conflict into Beirut itself, rather than limiting it to border areas or southern Lebanon. Beirut has been spared from repeated Israeli strikes since the ceasefire, and the latest attack suggests that the restraint around the capital may be weakening.

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It also raises the risk of further escalation at a time when the ceasefire is already under strain from mutual accusations and continued cross-border attacks. The broader backdrop is a confrontation involving Israel, Hezbollah and Iranian-aligned groups in Lebanon. Hezbollah is a powerful Shia movement backed by Iran and has long held influence in Dahieh and other parts of southern Lebanon.

The current tensions have also been shaped by Israeli ground operations in southern Lebanon and by Hezbollah drone attacks on troops occupying part of that area, according to the Israeli military. There are still important gaps in what has been confirmed publicly. The Israeli military has not provided a detailed account of the target or the outcome of the strike, and the reported identity of the person targeted has not been independently confirmed in the supplied material.

It is also unclear whether there were casualties in Beirut, and what the immediate military response from Hezbollah or Lebanese authorities will be.

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