ISRAELI forces have bombed Beirut’s southern suburbs and claim to have assassinated Malek Balou, a commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force.
“Israeli warplanes launched an attack, targeting Ghobeiri” in the southern suburbs, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported, as a loud explosion and extensive damage were reported from the area.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the attack, saying he and Defence Minister Israel Katz had instructed the army to carry out the attack.
“Radwan terrorists are responsible for shooting at Israeli settlements and harming [Israeli army] soldiers. No terrorist has immunity – Israel’s long hand will catch every enemy and murderer,” Netanyahu said in a post on Telegram.
“We promised to bring security to the residents of the north – this is how we do it and this is how we will continue to do it!” he added.
Hezbollah has not yet responded to the Israeli claim.
It was the first attack on Beirut’s southern, predominantly Shia area since a truce in the Israel-Hezbollah war went into force on April 17.
Since then, Israel and Hezbollah have been trading accusations of violating the ceasefire agreement.
Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto, reporting from Tyre, said the evening attack took place at a time of calm in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital.
“There has been cautious calm since the start of the ceasefire, and this is the first strike on the capital’s southern suburbs since April 9,” he said.
“There was an unspoken agreement that Beirut would not be targeted during this ceasefire, while Israel reserved the right to target any other places that they said were posing a threat to national security,” he said.
Hitto said there were many people who returned to the southern suburbs after the beginning of the ceasefire, and videos showed streets have been filled with people.
Israeli forces have continued to strike Lebanon’s south and east despite the truce, killing at least 13 people on Wednesday.
An Israeli strike in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley killed four people, while the Israeli army said it struck Hezbollah targets in the south, after warning residents of a dozen towns to evacuate.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for several operations targeting Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, as well as attacks on northern Israel.
Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed more than 2,700 people since March 2, including dozens since the April 17 ceasefire brokered by Washington between Israeli and Lebanese representatives.
The Israeli military says it has also lost 17 soldiers and a civilian contractor in the fighting.