BEIRUT, June 1: Israel ordered airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh on Monday, accusing Hezbollah of repeatedly violating the ceasefire signed in mid-April and launching attacks against Israeli territory.
The decision came a day after Israeli ground forces advanced deeper into southern Lebanon than at any point in the past 26 years.
Following Israel’s warning, thousands of residents fled Dahiyeh, a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs, causing heavy traffic on roads leading out of the area.
Overnight Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed six people, including a Syrian national, according to Lebanese media reports.
The Israeli military also said it intercepted two projectiles and a suspected aerial target launched from Lebanon.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for rocket and missile attacks on northern Israel, while Israel reported that one of its soldiers was killed in a Hezbollah drone strike.
The group’s use of fibre-optic drones has posed a growing challenge for Israeli forces.
The escalation comes just before a new round of direct talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington, the first such negotiations in more than three decades.
A US-backed proposal reportedly seeks a halt to Hezbollah attacks and Israeli restraint in Beirut. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed support for efforts to end the violence, while parliament speaker Nabih Berri insisted Israel must first stop its military operations.
The latest conflict has killed more than 3,400 people and displaced over one million across Lebanon, despite the fragile ceasefire remaining technically in place. (AP)
