Residents of Beirut were forced to flee their homes late on Sunday following a warning from Israel of impending attacks on Hezbollah-linked sites related to financial operations in Lebanon. The Israeli military instructed people to evacuate these areas immediately.
Shortly after the warning, several explosions were heard and a large fire was seen in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The cause of the blasts and any potential casualties remained unknown.
Panic spread through the streets as crowds tried to navigate their way to what they believed to be safer neighborhoods, causing traffic congestion in parts of Beirut.
“Residents of Lebanon, the IDF (Israeli military) will begin attacking infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association – get away from it immediately,” stated the Israeli military’s spokesperson.
Al-Qard al-Hassan, which the U.S. has identified as a financial management entity used by Iran-backed Hezbollah, has numerous branches across Lebanon, including densely populated areas of central Beirut and its suburbs.
There was no immediate response from Al-Qard al-Hassan, Hezbollah, or the Lebanese government.
When asked if the branches could be considered military targets, a senior Israeli intelligence official explained, “The aim of this strike is to disrupt Hezbollah’s economic functions both during and after the war, impeding their ability to rebuild and rearm.”
Israel and Hezbollah engaged in cross-border conflict a year ago, triggered by Hezbollah’s rocket attacks in support of Hamas in Gaza.
In early October, Israel launched a ground incursion into Lebanon to stabilize the border region for Israeli citizens who had fled rocket attacks in northern Israel.
Following the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, Israel escalated its military operations in both Gaza and Lebanon, seeking to prevent its rivals from regrouping.
Concerns over an Iranian missile barrage prompted Israel to prepare retaliatory measures, despite U.S. appeals to avoid targeting Iranian energy facilities or nuclear sites.
Earlier on Sunday, Israel announced strikes on Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters and an underground weapons workshop in Beirut, resulting in the deaths of three Hezbollah commanders.
Hezbollah retaliated by firing missiles at Israeli forces in Lebanon and at a base in northern Israel.
An Israeli colonel was killed, and another officer was wounded during combat in northern Gaza on Sunday. Reports indicated that an explosive device detonated under a tank.
Rescue efforts were ongoing after an Israeli attack on Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza left 87 people dead or missing, according to the health ministry.
Israeli officials disputed the initial death toll released by Hamas and maintained that the strike targeted a Hamas objective.
The conflict in Gaza, which began with an attack by Hamas militants on Israel in October last year, has resulted in over 42,500 deaths and displaced most of Gaza’s population.
In Lebanon, more than 2,400 individuals have been killed, and over 1.2 million displaced over the past year. Israeli authorities reported 59 deaths in northern Israel and the Golan Heights during the same period.