Israel strikes Beirut suburbs as ceasefire collapses ahead of Washington talks
Israel launches airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, marking its first attack near the Lebanese capital in weeks as tensions with Hezbollah escalate despite a fragile ceasefire. The Israeli military confirmed the precision strike on Thursday, targeting an apartment building in a Hezbollah stronghold, though it provided no further details on casualties or the intended objective. The attack comes hours before high-level negotiations in Washington aimed at de-escalating the eight-month conflict .
The strike follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent pledge to expand military operations in Lebanon, directly contradicting the April ceasefire agreement. Israel has since designated new areas of southern Lebanon as active combat zones, ordering civilian evacuations and intensifying bombardment—including a strike on the 12th-century Beaufort Castle, a historic site repeatedly targeted in recent weeks .
In parallel, Israel severs ties with UN Secretary-General António Guterres after the United Nations added the Israeli Prison Service to its 2026 "blacklist" of entities accused of sexual violence in conflict zones. The list, which also includes Hamas and ISIS, has drawn sharp condemnation from Israeli officials, who accuse Guterres of bias. Israel’s UN ambassador declared an end to all cooperation with the Secretary-General, calling his leadership unacceptable .
The latest escalation underscores the collapse of the April ceasefire, with Hezbollah and Israeli forces exchanging near-daily fire across the Lebanon-Israel border. Analysts warn the Beirut strike risks further destabilizing the region ahead of critical U.S.-mediated talks, where Washington is pushing for a renewed truce to prevent a full-scale war.
Israel strikes Beirut suburbs as ceasefire collapses ahead of Washington talks


