BEIRUT: An air strike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday, Lebanese state media reported, after Israel warned it would target branches of a firm linked to Hezbollah.

Footage on AFPTV’s live broadcast showed large plumes of smoke rising from the area, a stronghold of the Iran-backed armed group.

Earlier on Monday, the Israeli military warned it would strike branches of Al-Qard Al-Hassan, a Hezbollah-linked financial firm mainly operating in the group’s strongholds.