Israel strikes Lebanese capital in 1st attack since April ceasefire

Israel carried out an airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday evening, marking the first attack on the Lebanese capital since a temporary ceasefire took effect on April 17.

According to the state-run National News Agency, Israeli warplanes struck the Ghobeiry area near Haret Hreik, close to the Allameh gas station in southern Beirut.

Three missiles hit a residential apartment in southern Beirut, in the vicinity of Haret Hreik, the agency added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed the attack targeted the commander of Hezbollah's Radwan Force.

"The IDF (army) has just struck in Beirut the commander of the Radwan Force in the Hezbollah organization to eliminate him," they said in a statement carried by The Times of Israel news website.

Israeli media outlets, including Channels 14 and 15, said the strike targeted Radwan Force commander Malek Ballout and his deputy.

The public broadcaster KAN, citing an Israeli source, said Ballout's assassination had been coordinated with the United States.

There was no comment from Hezbollah on the strike.

Meanwhile, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported that Israeli security officials had recently indicated Israel was planning "decisive steps" against Hezbollah, including in Beirut, "if operational opportunities emerged."

"Strikes in Beirut had paused in recent weeks at Iran's request as a condition for entering negotiations with the United States," the newspaper said, adding that the latest attack came "at a sensitive moment amid reports of progress in US-Iran talks."

The strike came hours after a Lebanese official source told Anadolu that a third round of talks between Beirut and Tel Aviv would be held next week.

Lebanese and Israeli officials previously held two rounds of talks in Washington on April 14 and April 23 as part of preparations for possible peace negotiations.

Despite a ceasefire announced April 17 and extended until May 17, the Israeli army continues daily strikes in Lebanon and widespread demolition of homes in dozens of villages, echoing its years-long devastation of Gaza.

Since March 2, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed at least 2,704 people and wounded 8,311 and displaced more than 1.6 million, about one-fifth of the population, according to the latest official figures.