The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Israel carried out airstrikes on Beirut on Wednesday for the first time since reaching a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah last month, according to a report by Reuters.
Israeli officials said the strike targeted a commander from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the operation in a joint statement.
Israeli media reported that the targeted commander was killed, though there was no immediate confirmation from the Israeli military or Hezbollah.
The ceasefire in Lebanon has been viewed as a key component of a broader truce between the United States and Iran, with Tehran demanding an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
The latest strikes have raised concerns over the stability of the ceasefire as Washington and Tehran continue talks aimed at reducing tensions. Despite the truce, Israeli troops have remained in areas south of the Litani River, while airstrikes have continued in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah has responded by launching rockets and armed drones toward Israeli forces, according to Israeli military statements.
Earlier Wednesday, Israel urged residents to evacuate several villages north of the Litani River, signaling a possible expansion of its military operations in southern Lebanon.
Talks between Israel and Lebanon have continued mainly through diplomatic channels at the ambassadorial level. Nawaf Salam said it was too early to discuss high-level meetings between the two countries.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, Salam said strengthening the ceasefire would be the basis for any future negotiations involving Lebanese and Israeli envoys in Washington.
Last month, Washington hosted two meetings between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States, contacts strongly opposed by Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the timing was not appropriate for a meeting with Netanyahu, stressing that a security agreement and a halt to Israeli attacks must come first.
U.S. President Donald Trump previously announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire on April 23 and expressed hope that Israel and Lebanon could reach a peace agreement this year.
Salam said Lebanon was not seeking normalization with Israel but wanted peace and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory. He also said the government was working on plans to ensure that weapons remain under state control, a move seen as part of efforts to disarm Hezbollah.
Israel says it has established a security zone extending up to 10 kilometers into southern Lebanon to protect northern Israeli communities from Hezbollah fighters.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said an Israeli airstrike in the southern town of Zelaya killed four people, including two women and an elderly man.
The Israeli military said Hezbollah attacks wounded two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. It also announced strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in several parts of Lebanon.
According to Lebanese authorities, more than 2,700 people have been killed in Lebanon since March 2. Israel says Hezbollah has launched hundreds of rockets and drones during the conflict, while 17 Israeli soldiers and two civilians have been killed.
