Israel strikes Beirut in breach of Lebanon ceasefire

An Israeli airstrike struck Beirut’s southern suburbs on Wednesday, with Israel saying it targeted a Hezbollah commander, marking the first attack on the Lebanese capital since a ceasefire was brokered in mid-April.

In a post on X, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered a strike in Beirut targeting the commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force in order to “neutralize him.” The Radwan Force is one of Hezbollah’s most prominent combat units.

Agence France Presse reported that the commander killed in the strike was Malek Ballout, the operations commander of the Radwan Force.

According to initial reports in Lebanese media, the strike targeted the Haret Hreik area of Beirut’s southern suburbs of Dahiyeh.

The Israeli military did not appear to give any advance evacuation warning ahead of the strike.

As reports circulating that Iran and the U.S. inch closer to a possible framework to end the war, Israel hits Beirut’s southern suburb in a serious breach of the ceasefire. pic.twitter.com/lXuvPnXOtL

– Ali Hashem Ali Hashem (@Alihashem) May 6, 2026

Israel has continued to carry out strikes in southern Lebanon, but it had not targeted Beirut since the ceasefire took effect. Hezbollah has also continued to launch attacks on Israel and Israeli positions in southern Lebanon, including as recently as Wednesday morning, when the group launched a drone that exploded near the border.

Since March 2, when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel in solidarity with Iran, Israeli strikes across Lebanon have killed more than 2,600 people, according to Lebanese health authorities, while Hezbollah rocket fire into Israel has killed at least 14 people. Israel has also launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon as part of its wider military campaign.

The strike comes amid ongoing US-led diplomatic efforts to sustain the ceasefire and broker an agreement between Lebanon and Israel. Washington hosted two rounds of talks last month between Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh and her Israeli counterpart, Yechiel Leiter.

President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire after the first round of ambassador-level talks on April 16, later extending it by three weeks during a second meeting on April 23, which he also attended. The ceasefire is set to expire on May 17.

Lebanon’s LBCI reported on Wednesday that Lebanese and Israeli representatives are expected to meet in Washington again next week for a third round of talks aimed at laying the groundwork for direct negotiations. The Lebanese delegation is set to include Hamadeh, along with former Ambassador Simon Karam, Deputy Chief of Mission Wissam Boutros and a representative of the Lebanese military, according to the report.