Lebanon thought there was a ceasefire – then Israel unleashed deadly blitz
Lebanon thought there was a ceasefire – then Israel unleashed deadly blitz
Just hours after US President Donald Trump declared a two-week ceasefire to pause hostilities in the Middle East, Israeli jets struck Lebanon with a 10-minute aerial assault. The attack, which killed at least 203 people and injured over 1,000, was condemned by Lebanon’s health ministry as a severe blow to the fragile peace. Despite the damage, the US did not criticize its ally, while Iran called the strike a “grave violation” of the agreement and urged the US to stop the Israeli “aggression.”
Lebanese officials reported that more than 1,700 lives have been lost since Israel’s recent campaign in the country began last month. The Israeli military claimed its operations were targeting Hezbollah to weaken the group and fulfill remaining military goals. The conflict started with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February, leading to retaliation from Tehran against US allies in the Gulf and attacks by Iran’s proxies—Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen—on Israel.
The ceasefire was brokered by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who acted as a mediator between the warring sides. Sharif stated that the US and its allies had agreed to an immediate halt in fighting “everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere.” On Friday, Pakistan is set to host the parties for negotiations, with the US’s 15-point plan and Iran’s 10-point counter-proposal as potential starting points.
“A grave violation.”
Iran’s plan demands a complete cessation of hostilities across all fronts, including against Lebanon’s resistance. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government said the ceasefire did not cover Lebanon, citing Hezbollah as the reason. Trump also noted that Lebanon was excluded from the deal “because of Hezbollah,” calling the conflict in the country a “separate skirmish.”
At around 14:00 in Beirut (11:00 GMT), the skies darkened as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a major strike under Operation Roaring Lion. The IDF claimed it targeted “100+ Hezbollah headquarters, military arrays, and command-and-control centers” in Beirut, Bekaa, and southern Lebanon. Densely populated areas of central Beirut, including the city center, were hit, marking some of the heaviest attacks since Hezbollah joined the war in early March.
“new to Beirut.”
The attack caught many off guard, as Tallet el Khayat—a wealthy western Beirut neighborhood—was not a typical target. A 10-storey residential building in the area was destroyed. Civil defense teams are now searching for survivors, but the search has been slow due to exhaustion from over six weeks of continuous Israeli strikes.
“something like normal, but for other.”
Casualties were reported in multiple regions, including Bekaa valley, Nabatieh, Sidon, and Tyre. On Thursday, Israel continued its operations, stating it had killed “70+ terrorists” and eliminated Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem. However, these claims remain unverified by the BBC.
Beirut’s atmosphere on a sunny morning reflected the city’s grief. Streets, usually lively with traffic, were eerily quiet as the nation observed a day of mourning. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described the victims as “martyrs and wounded,” while President Joseph Aoun labeled the incident a “massacre.” Recovery efforts are ongoing, but many families still search for missing loved ones in the rubble.
