BEIRUT: An Israeli airstrike on Monday hit the southern suburbs of Beirut, where Israel’s army said it was targeting Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, as Lebanon reported more attacks in the country’s south.
AFPTV footage showed smoke billowing across the skyline after the strike on the southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold which has largely emptied of residents following repeated Israeli attacks and evacuation warnings.
Israel’s army said it was “striking Hezbollah terror targets in Beirut,” after previously warning it would hit the area.
Israel has launched strikes across Lebanon and a ground invasion in the south since March 2, when Hezbollah entered the Middle East war on the side of its backer Iran.
Shortly before the warning, an AFP journalist in the southern suburbs had seen just a few shops open, as well as a gas station belonging to the Al-Amana fuel company that was destroyed in a previous raid. The Israeli army had announced targeting Al-Amana stations recently that were “controlled by Hezbollah.”
