Israel carried out 26 waves of heavy airstrikes overnight on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut after ordering residents to evacuate, escalating tensions in the widening regional conflict.
The Israeli military said its strikes targeted Hezbollah command centres and weapons storage facilities, with explosions and flashes lighting up the night sky over the capital, according to media reports.
Earlier, Israeli forces instructed residents of four major districts in southern Beirut — including areas near the airport — to move east and north, publishing evacuation maps as operations intensified.
In response, the Iran-backed Hezbollah warned Israelis to leave towns and villages within 5 kilometres of the Lebanese border, stating that attacks on Lebanese sovereignty and civilian infrastructure would not go unanswered.
Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 123 people have been killed and 683 wounded this week as a result of Israeli strikes, while no fatalities have been reported in Israel from Hezbollah attacks so far, as hostilities continue to escalate.
