Beirut – Arab Canada News

The Israeli air force carried out an airstrike this Friday morning on a building in the Hadath neighborhood of the southern suburbs of Beirut, marking the first attack of its kind in the area since the ceasefire came into effect. The "National News Agency" in Lebanon reported that the strike completely destroyed the building with two missiles, following three warning strikes by drones.

The Israeli army confirmed in an official statement that the strike targeted what it described as **“infrastructure for storing drones belonging to Hezbollah,”** noting that the operation comes in response to the launch of two missiles from southern Lebanon towards northern Israel earlier this morning.

Advance Warning and Mass Evacuation

Before the strike, the Israeli army issued a warning encouraging residents of the building and the surrounding area to evacuate, indicating that the targeted facility belongs to Hezbollah and is located near two schools in the Hadath area. The warning caused panic and an urgent exodus of residents, with large numbers seen leaving the area on foot and in their vehicles.

In this context, the Lebanese Ministry of Education called for the evacuation of schools and universities in the area as a precautionary measure.

Hezbollah Denial and Israeli Warning

Later, Hezbollah issued a statement denying responsibility for launching the two missiles towards Israel, affirming its commitment to the ceasefire, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed a harsh response, saying:

“If the residents of Kiryat Shmona do not enjoy calm, there will be no calm in Beirut… Kiryat Shmona's rule is like Beirut's rule.”

Israeli Army: Two Missiles Launched from Lebanon

The Israeli army had announced earlier today that it intercepted one of the two missiles launched from Lebanese territory, while the second fell inside Lebanon, without mentioning any injuries.

Political and International Movements

On the political front, the Lebanese presidency reported that President Joseph Aoun, who is in Paris to participate in a five-party meeting with leaders from France, Syria, Cyprus, and Greece, briefed the attendees on recent developments and is monitoring the situation closely.

For his part, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam made a series of calls with the army commander and international officials, calling for an investigation into the source of the missile launches, the detention of those responsible, and the restriction of weapons to the state, emphasizing the need to prevent sliding into new military confrontations.

Salam affirmed Lebanon's commitment to implementing UN Resolution 1701, noting that only the state has the authority to declare war and peace, warning of the repercussions of escalation on internal stability.

United Nations Calls for Restraint

For her part, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, warned against sliding into an open war, stressing that “returning to widespread conflict in Lebanon would be devastating for civilians on both sides, and must be avoided at all costs.”