Israeli army launches ‘precise’ strike in Beirut suburb

JERUSALEM

The Israeli army said Sunday it carried out a “precise” strike in the southern suburb of Beirut, marking a 7th day of military escalation against Lebanon.

A military statement did not provide any details about the target of the attack.

“We are now conducting precise attacks in the southern suburbs of Beirut, with more details to follow,” the statement said.

Lebanon’s state news agency NNA said an Israeli strike hit the town of Jeb Jannine in western Bekaa Valley, marking the first such attack since the onset of Israel's intensified attacks on Sept. 23.

Three other Israeli strikes targeted the town of Halabta in Bekaa Valley, killing four people and injuring several others, the broadcaster said.

Israeli airstrikes also hit the towns of Al-Qarya, Hermel, Abbasiyeh, and several areas in Baalbek in the eastern part of the country, according to Lebanese media.

In a related development, sirens were activated in numerous towns across northern Israel in response to a barrage of rockets from Lebanon.

Israeli Channel 12 said the alarms sounded in Nahariya, Lower Galilee, and throughout Western Galilee.

The Israeli army said around 10 rockets were launched from Lebanon towards Western Galilee with some of the projectiles intercepted.

The Israeli army has pounded Lebanon against what it called Hezbollah targets since Sept. 23, killing at least 816 people and injuring over 2,500, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.

Several Hezbollah commanders were killed in the Israeli onslaught, including its leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 41,600 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas last Oct. 7.

The international community has warned that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could escalate the ongoing Gaza conflict into a wider regional war.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara