Israel Bombs Beirut, Claims Hezbollah Weapons Store Targeted

Israeli jets launched strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut early Wednesday, marking the first such attack in nearly a week. The number of casualties was not immediately clear, according to Lebanese state media.

The strikes came just one day after Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati indicated that the United States had assured him that Israel would reduce its strikes on Beirut.

Despite this, Israel targeted Hezbollah assets in the Dahiyeh suburb, where the group is believed to have a strong presence. This area is also known to be heavily populated.

According to the Israeli military, Wednesday’s strike hit a weapons warehouse located beneath a residential building.

The Israeli military issued an evacuation warning on X (formerly Twitter), notifying residents in the southern suburbs of Beirut of the imminent strike.

An Associated Press photographer at the scene reported three strikes in the area, with the first hitting less than an hour after the warning was posted.

One year ago the Palestinian militant group Hamas killed over 1,200 people, taking roughly 250 hostages. Nearly 100 people remain in captivity, less than 70 of whom are believed to be alive. Israel subsequently launched its military operation in Gaza, killing some 42,000 Palestinians so far, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

Iran-backed Hezbollah began launching rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas, which is also backed by Iran. What started as low-level clashes escalated into full-blown war after Israel’s ground invasion of Lebanon began on Oct. 1, displacing an estimated 1.2 million people.

Israeli Strikes in Qana Kill 15 as Rescue Efforts Continue

In addition to the Beirut strike, Israeli air raids hit the southern Lebanese town of Qana late Tuesday, killing 10 people and injuring 15 others, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency. Nuhad Bustanji, a spokesperson for the Lebanese Civil Defense, reported that one person had died and 34 others were wounded, adding that the toll could increase as rescue operations continued. Conflicting casualty figures from different authorities could not immediately be confirmed.

Videos circulated on social media show the smoking wreckage of a building believed to have been hit in the Qana strike, with nearby structures also showing damage. Local reports indicated multiple strikes in the town on Tuesday night.

Qana is historically significant, as it was the site of a 1996 Israeli artillery strike on a United Nations compound, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians.

U.S. Warns Israel to Boost Humanitarian Aid into Gaza or Risk Losing Military Support

The Biden administration has issued a warning to Israel, stating that it must significantly increase the amount of humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza or risk losing access to critical U.S. weapons funding.

In a letter from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Israel was given 30 days to ensure at least 350 aid trucks enter Gaza daily, implement more humanitarian pauses, and enhance security for aid sites.

The letter says Israel “must, starting now and within 30 days” act to boost aid supplies, adding that failure may “have implications for U.S. policy.”

It reminds Israel of U.S. laws designed to block military support to countries that impede the delivery of humanitarian aid.

White House spokesman John Kirby clarified that the letter conveyed a sense of urgency, not a direct threat, but underscored U.S. concerns about the ongoing crisis. Aid groups and the United Nations have also warned of severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies in Gaza, making the issue even more pressing.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press