Israel Claims Attack on Beirut to Destroy Hezbollah Drone Depot

TEL AVIV, Israel — On Friday, Israel's military executed an aerial attack targeting an area in the suburbs of Beirut. According to Israeli officials, the objective was a depot storing drones used by Hezbollah. This action was in response to rockets launched towards northern Israel from southern Lebanon earlier in the morning.

Prior to the operation, Israeli forces issued warnings to local residents, urging them to vacate the premises.

In the suburb of southern Beirut, clouds of smoke ascended following the airstrike. Umm Abbas, a 60-year-old resident of Hadat—a location close to where the evacuation notice was given—expressed the chaos over the phone, recounting: "People are in a frenzy. With schools filled with children nearby, there are frantic cries and general commotion."

Hezbollah, a militant faction supported by Iran, repudiated any involvement in the rocket launches aimed at Israel on Friday and another previous assault just a week prior. The group continued to state its allegiance to a ceasefire deal brokered with Israel in November 2024. Nonetheless, no other faction has stepped forward to claim these attacks.

Nevertheless, each time rockets have targeted Israel, retaliatory strikes have been launched against sites in Lebanon linked by Israel to Hezbollah activity. Lebanese authorities have documented several casualties from these retaliatory actions.

This escalation occurs as Israel has revitalized its military operations within the Gaza Strip. The renewed offensive commenced after an assault led by Hamas on October 7, 2023.