ISTANBUL

The Israeli army said Friday that it launched new airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs, after warning thousands of residents to evacuate the area.

“The army is now striking Hezbollah infrastructure in the Dahiyeh area in Beirut,” the army said on Telegram.

Earlier Thursday, the Israeli army ordered residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs to evacuate their homes immediately ahead of new airstrikes.

The Israeli army has mounted a series of airstrikes across Lebanon since Monday, killing more than 120 people and injuring nearly 700 others following cross-border attacks by the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

The escalation comes amid an ongoing Israeli-US offensive on Iran, which has killed around 1,000 people since Saturday, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top military officials.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Gulf countries which are home to US assets.

Israel has repeatedly violated a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon signed in November 2024, carrying out near-daily strikes that have left hundreds dead and wounded.

Israel began its offensive against Lebanon in October 2023 and escalated it into a full-scale war in September 2024, killing more than 4,000 people and wounding around 17,000.