UPDATES WITH MORE STRIKES, NEW WARNING FROM ISRAEL, ADDS BACKGROUND
By Jomaa Younis and Rania Abu Shamala
ISTANBUL (AA) - Israeli warplanes on Thursday evening carried out airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, Lebanon’s state-run news agency reported.
According to the National News Agency, Israeli aircraft targeted one of the buildings near Al-Qaem Mosque in Beirut’s southern suburbs after issuing a warning.
Israeli warplanes launched five additional airstrikes, one of which was extremely intense, with plumes of smoke rising, the agency added, though the targeted location was not specified.
Later, the Israeli army issued new warnings to residents in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh region to evacuate areas ahead of airstrikes.
A statement instructed residents to remain at least 500 meters (1,640 feet) away from several buildings in the village of Ain Qana.
It included a map of the targeted buildings and stated that it would act against what it called Hezbollah assets in the area.
Earlier, the army ordered residents of Hadath, Haret Hreik and Borj al-Barajneh neighborhoods in Beirut’s southern suburbs to leave the areas ahead of airstrikes.
The latest attack marks the fourth Israeli strike on the area since the ceasefire agreement came into effect on Nov. 27, 2024.
Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah’s activities despite a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that was reached last November. The truce ended months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.
Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of at least 208 people and injuries to more than 500 since the agreement.
Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.