Israel strikes Beirut, targets Hezbollah commander in first attack since ceasefire

Israel carried out a strike in Beirut on Wednesday (May 6) evening, targeting a senior Hezbollah commander, marking the first attack in the Lebanese capital since the ceasefire agreement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that Israel had targeted the commander of the elite Radwan force. The strike was coordinated in advance with the US, an Israeli source told CNN.

Netanyahu did not identify the target but said that the Radwan force militants under his leadership were responsible for attacks on Israeli communities and soldiers. A joint statement with Defense Minister Israel Katz did not confirm whether the target had been killed. However, an Israeli official told CNN that the deputy commander of the Radwan force may have also been injured in the strike.

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This marks a shift from Israel’s recent strategy, as it had avoided striking Beirut since the US-brokered ceasefire, focusing instead on southern Lebanon, actions it claimed were within the agreement’s scope. Earlier on Wednesday (May 6), Netanyahu said he expected to speak with President Donald Trump later that night. The strike comes amid ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to arrange a direct meeting between Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. Aoun, however, has said that such talks would require Israel to halt its attacks on Lebanon.

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