Israeli strikes on Beirut kill at least seven; Hezbollah clashes intensify in southern Lebanon

At least seven civilians were killed and dozens wounded in Israeli airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs and the nearby town of Khaldeh early April 1, Lebanon’s health ministry and official sources said, marking a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The Lebanese health ministry reported that a strike in the Jnah area of southern Beirut killed five people and wounded more than 20, while a separate strike on a vehicle in Khaldeh, just south of the capital, killed two and injured several others. Lebanese state media said the strikes hit parked cars and other targets in residential districts.

Israel’s military said it carried out two separate strikes aimed at a “senior Hezbollah commander” and another senior member of the Iran‑aligned group in the Beirut area, but it did not provide independent confirmation of the commanders’ deaths.

The strikes come amid an ongoing Israeli air and ground offensive in southern Lebanon, which has unfolded since Hezbollah launched rocket barrages at Israeli territory in solidarity with Tehran after Iran was attacked earlier this month.

Lebanese authorities say the hostilities have killed well over 1,200 people and displaced more than a million civilians.

In southern Lebanon near the Israel border, clashes continued between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops, with both sides reporting casualties.

Lebanese and international media reported air raid sirens sounded across northern Israel, signalling continued rocket exchanges and heightened tensions along the frontier.

The humanitarian impact of the conflict remains severe, with communities in southern Beirut and across southern Lebanon bearing the brunt of bombardment and displacements.

Aid agencies have repeatedly warned of worsening conditions for civilians as infrastructure damage mounts and access to essential services declines.

There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah on the latest Beirut strikes, and international efforts to de‑escalate the situation have so far failed to produce a ceasefire amid the wider regional crisis.