Israel strikes Beirut suburb days after US-brokered truce

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. Israel strikes Beirut suburb days after US-brokered truce17 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleJohn Sudworth and Samantha GranvilleBeirutReutersEmergency services at the scene of the Israeli strikes on SundayIsrael has hit southern Beirut in the first attack on the Lebanese capital since a truce brokered by the US last week. Two air strikes on two apartment buildings in a stronghold of Iran-backed Hezbollah killed two people and injured at least 17 others, Lebanon's state news agency said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had struck "terrorist headquarters in the Dahieh district of Beirut, in response to Hezbollah's firing at Israeli territory".

Hezbollah has not commented. Israel had limited its attacks in Beirut under US pressure. Washington is concerned that strikes there would jeopardise its efforts to reach a wider peace deal with Iran, which insists on a complete and total ceasefire in Lebanon.

The Details

US and Iran exchange strikes in Gulf in latest test of ceasefireLebanese general among three soldiers killed in Israeli attack on carWatch: Lebanon-Israel ceasefire deal made in 'hope rather than expectation'Sunday's strike tore open the lower floors of a residential building, exposing apartments and scattering concrete and twisted metal across the street below. Social media videos show crowds of people rushing to the scene to assist the wounded. A statement from an Israeli army Arabic-language spokesman posted on X saying "Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure" was being targeted- and suggested further strikes were coming.

"To be continued," he wrote. The Israeli military said it had intercepted two projectiles crossing into Israeli territory from Lebanon. Hezbollah has not admitted launching them.

A week before the 3 June truce, Israel had threatened a broad offensive on Dahieh, prompting mass flight from the suburb and a frantic round of American diplomacy. President Trump later went on Truth Social to announce there would be "no troops going to Beirut" after a call with Netanyahu, and the US informed Qatar, which had been working to broker de-escalation, that it had instructed the Israelis to stand down. But in an interview with NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, Trump said he was not demanding that Lebanon be part of any peace deal with Iran, separating the two tracks even as the Dahieh attack threatened to destabilise both.

Lebanon was drawn into the war on 2 March, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed Iran's supreme leader. Israel responded with an air campaign across Lebanon and a ground invasion in the south, which has been escalating in recent weeks. A ceasefire has been in force since 17 April - in name only - as it has been violated repeatedly by both sides.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.