Watch: Fresh Israeli Airstrikes Hit Beirut’s Southern Suburbs

Lebanese official media and AFPTV footage reported strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut shortly after an Israeli evacuation warning early on Friday.

According to the state-run National News Agency, Israeli warplanes conducted two raids on south Beirut, with thick smoke rising near the Lebanese University in the Hadath neighborhood.

Live AFPTV footage showed smoke plumes over the area following the Israeli military’s call for evacuations in three locations, warning of imminent attacks on social media.

The Israeli military later confirmed in a statement that its fighter jets had completed a new round of strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs.

These latest strikes come after intense Israeli attacks on south Beirut and other areas in southern and eastern Lebanon, targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.

Over 11 months of cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah due to the Gaza conflict escalated into a full-scale war in September. Israel has conducted extensive bombing campaigns, primarily targeting Hezbollah strongholds, and deployed ground troops into southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese health ministry reported that at least 52 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Thursday, including about 40 in eastern Lebanon.

On Friday, the Israeli army issued further evacuation warnings for parts of the coastal city of Tyre and the nearby Burj al-Shamali Palestinian refugee camp.

The frequency of strikes across Lebanon has increased since U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein concluded his visit to Beirut on Wednesday, aiming to mediate an end to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

The Lebanese health ministry stated that at least 3,583 people have been killed in the violence since October 2023, with most deaths occurring since September.