Israel has carried out airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, marking what officials described as the most serious escalation in its war with Hezbollah since a ceasefire was established in mid-April.

The strike hit two apartments in separate buildings, according to Lebanon’s state news agency, killing two people and wounding 11 in an initial toll. The attacks left rubble on the streets and triggered displacement as residents fled the area.

The Israeli prime minister’s office said the military targeted “terrorist headquarters” in response to rocket fire it attributed to Hezbollah. Israel said it intercepted rockets fired at northern Israel on Sunday morning, though Hezbollah did not claim responsibility.

Displacement and regional tensions

The bombardment caused panic in Beirut’s southern suburbs, with residents fleeing amid fears of further strikes. Israel had earlier issued evacuation orders for most of Tyre in southern Lebanon ahead of planned strikes on what it said were Hezbollah infrastructure sites.

Airstrikes were also reported across southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah claimed rocket and artillery attacks against Israeli troops in the Nabatieh area. Fighting has been concentrated around Zawtar al-Sharqiya following Israeli advances along key routes toward Nabatieh.

The Lebanese army, which is not party to the conflict, said two soldiers and a captain were killed in a separate strike on Saturday.

Ceasefire negotiations and diplomatic tensions

The latest strikes came days after a ceasefire proposal involving Lebanon and Israel was rejected by Hezbollah. Washington had reportedly urged Israel not to strike Beirut, although Israeli media said the US had been informed in advance.

Iran has previously warned that any attack on Beirut would trigger a response against northern Israel, though it had not commented on the latest developments.

The government of Lebanon and Israel are currently engaged in indirect negotiations in Washington to reach a broader ceasefire agreement, though Hezbollah is not part of the talks and insists on Israeli withdrawal and an end to strikes across Lebanon.

Wider regional conflict and political context

The renewed violence comes amid ongoing cross-border exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah, including rocket fire into northern Israel and continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon since the conflict intensified earlier this year.

Tensions are further complicated by regional diplomacy efforts, with Iran-US negotiations affected by the wider Lebanon conflict. Former US President Donald Trump said a potential agreement was “very close,” while warning of consequences if talks fail.

It remains unclear how the latest escalation in Beirut will impact ongoing ceasefire negotiations or broader regional stability.