In brief
Israel launched a series of extensive airstrikes in southern Beirut on Thursday, targeting alleged drone manufacturing facilities operated by militant group Hezbollah in the Dahiya area.
Israel’s aerial assault on the densely populated Dahiya neighborhoods of Beirut marks a significant escalation since a cease-fire agreement, brokered by the U.S., was established in November, following one of Lebanon's most destructive conflicts in years. The Israeli military claimed that Hezbollah constructed these drone production facilities in civilian areas, asserting that this action violated the cease-fire terms. The cease-fire stipulated Hezbollah's disarmament and required Israel to withdraw from the southern region of Lebanon. However, both nations have accused each other of failing to adhere to the agreement fully. Prior to the airstrikes, the Israeli military ordered evacuations in three areas within Dahiya, urging residents to leave locations it had marked on a social media map. In a bid to avert the strikes, the Lebanese military attempted to assess the flagged sites and communicated with the U.S.-led monitoring committee overseeing the cease-fire agreement, according to a senior Lebanese security official who requested anonymity for discussing sensitive issues.
