Israel Strikes Beirut Suburbs, Killing Three, Threatening US-Iran Peace Talks
Israel launched strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday, killing three people and wounding six, in what it described as retaliation for Hezbollah fire on northern Israel, as its military also carried out wider strikes across southern Lebanon.
Strike Hits Hezbollah Stronghold
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), the strike hit an apartment in the Ghobeiry neighbourhood of Dahiyeh, a Hezbollah stronghold. An AFP correspondent reported seeing smoke and debris near a heavily damaged building as residents searched for survivors along a busy commercial street.
Netanyahu’s office said the military “carried out strikes in the Dahiyeh district of Beirut against terrorist targets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organisation, in response to Hezbollah’s firing toward Israeli territory.”
The Israeli military added that it had conducted “a precise strike on a Hezbollah command centre” in the area.
Earlier, the military said three suspected Hezbollah drones had struck northern Israel without causing casualties, though Hezbollah claimed attacks only on Israeli troops inside Lebanon.
Two far-right ministers had urged action beforehand, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calling for Netanyahu to “bring down buildings in Dahiyeh,” while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir wrote that for “every drone… a missile” should follow.
Iran Warns of Consequences Amid Stalled Talks
The escalation comes as hopes grow for a US-Iran deal to end the wider Middle East war. However, Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said there was “no point” continuing talks following the strike, since Tehran insists any agreement must include a Lebanon ceasefire.
Separately, a senior Iranian commander, Brigadier General Mohammad Jafar Asadi, warned that the strike would not go “unanswered” by Tehran.
Additionally, Lebanon’s NNA reported Israeli strikes on more than 20 locations across the south, including Nabatieh, alongside evacuation warnings for nearly 30 villages. A military source confirmed that Lebanese army units had withdrawn from Kfar Tibnit following an Israeli incursion, though forces remained at the Nabatieh barracks.
Despite ongoing US-brokered talks in Washington, with a fifth round expected this month, Hezbollah has rejected direct negotiations and dismissed a conditional ceasefire that does not address Israeli withdrawal. Lebanon says the conflict, ongoing since 2 March, has killed more than 3,700 people.
