Israel strikes southern Beirut for the first time since November ceasefire

The Israeli military struck southern Beirut on Friday for the first time since November, after Israel said that two projectiles had been fired from Lebanon.

The Israeli military struck southern Beirut on Friday for the first time since November, after Israel said that two projectiles had been fired from Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it “struck a terrorist infrastructure site used to store UAVs by Hezbollah’s Aerial Unit (127) in the area of Dahieh, a key Hezbollah terrorist stronghold in Beirut.” The IDF said Hezbollah “systematically embeds its terrorist infrastructure amidst the Lebanese civilian population, a clear example of Hezbollah’s cynical exploitation of Lebanese civilians as human shields.” Shortly before the strikes, the IDF issued evacuation orders to Lebanese residents in a neighborhood in southern Beirut. “To everyone located in the building marked in red on the map, as well as the surrounding buildings: you are in close proximity to Hezbollah-affiliated facilities,” the IDF said. “For your safety and the safety of your families, you must evacuate these buildings immediately and move at least 300 meters away, as indicated on the map.” The area is home to a number of schools. The Lebanese government suspended classes on Friday after Israel’s evacuation order, telling “all students, teachers, and administrative staff” to leave the area, according to Lebanon’s state news agency NNA.