Israel's military conducted airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut and southern Lebanon overnight. Lebanon's state news agency reported that Israeli warplanes carried out intense airstrikes in southern Beirut, resulting in massive destruction with dozens of buildings leveled to the ground.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that precautions were taken to minimize risks to civilians, including issuing advance warnings to residents in affected areas. The IDF expressed concerns about Hezbollah embedding weapons and military facilities within civilian-populated areas, which they claim has been used by the militant group to launch recent attacks against Israel.
Israel has been engaged in a widespread bombing campaign in Lebanon for the past month as part of its conflict with Hezbollah. The violence has resulted in over 2,500 deaths and more than 12,000 injuries in Lebanon over the past year, with a significant escalation in casualties since Israel intensified its attacks in September.
Following Hezbollah's attacks on Israel, the IDF has vowed to retaliate and advised residents to evacuate several buildings in southern Beirut, a known Hezbollah stronghold.
