'No quiet in Beirut!': Israel orders strikes
Key Takeaways
- Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel struck Hezbollah targets in Beirut following rocket fire on northern communities.
- Katz warned that "if there is no quiet in the north, there will be no quiet" in Beirut.
- The strikes come amid escalating clashes between Israel and Hezbollah despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
Defence minister links attacks on Dahiyeh to rocket fire on northern Israel as ceasefire comes under strain
Israel's government has signalled a tougher response to Hezbollah attacks, ordering strikes on targets in Beirut's southern suburb of Dahiyeh after accusing the group of violating the ceasefire.
Defence Minister Israel Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorised the attacks following rocket fire towards northern Israeli communities.
"In response to the ceasefire violation by the Hezbollah terrorist organisation and the firing toward northern communities. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I ordered the IDF to attack terrorist targets in the Dahieh neighbourhood in Beirut," Katz said in an address.
Katz warned that attacks on northern Israel would bring consequences beyond the border area.
"The fate of Dahiyeh in Beirut is the same as the fate of the northern communities in Israel. If there is no quiet in the north, there will be no quiet at all. In Beirut as well, we will not allow a reality where our civilian communities are harmed while quiet is maintained in Beirut," he added.
The latest strikes come as the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has weakened in recent weeks. Israeli ground operations have moved further into Lebanon while Hezbollah has increased rocket and drone attacks into northern Israel.
Israeli forces recently took control of Beaufort Castle and the surrounding ridge in southern Lebanon, marking Israel's deepest advance into Lebanon in more than 20 years. Israel said the area had been used by Hezbollah to launch attacks, while Lebanon's government accused Israel of pursuing a "scorched-earth policy".
The Israeli military has also issued evacuation warnings in parts of southern Lebanon, including areas around the Zahrani River, as operations continue to expand.
According to reports, more than 1.2 million people have been displaced in Lebanon since Hezbollah began launching rockets and drones into Israel on March 2 in support of Iran. Lebanese authorities say more than 3,370 people have been killed, while Israel says 24 soldiers and four civilians have died during the same period.
The escalation comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to announce a new ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel following political negotiations in Washington.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
