The Israeli military conducted airstrikes in the southern suburb of Beirut on Sept. 28, 2024 [1].
These strikes mark a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, bringing military operations directly into a densely populated urban center of the Lebanese capital.
Israeli officials said the operations targeted Hezbollah assets within the suburb, commonly known as Dahieh [1]. Reports on the specific targets vary among sources. Reuters said the airstrike hit a Hezbollah weapons depot [1], while the BBC said Israel targeted a senior Hezbollah commander [2].
Hezbollah responded by announcing the start of military operations against Israel, which the group named "Al-Asif al-Ma'kul" [3]. The group's spokesperson said these operations were a direct reaction to the Israeli strikes [3].
Lebanese officials have condemned the attack. President Joseph Aoun said the Israeli strike on the southern suburb was denounced [4]. The strikes have also raised concerns regarding international law and civilian safety in the region.
Human Rights Watch addressed the legality of such targets in a separate statement. Ramzi Qais, representing the organization, said that civilian institutions belonging to Hezbollah are not legitimate military targets [5].
Israeli military statements reported by MSN said the strike was aimed at legitimate military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah [3]. The operation resulted in significant damage to the targeted area and prompted the displacement of local residents.
“The Israeli military conducted airstrikes in the southern suburb of Beirut on Sept. 28, 2024.”
The targeting of the Dahieh suburb represents a shift toward high-value urban targeting, increasing the risk of wide-scale civilian casualties. By striking both leadership figures and logistics depots in Beirut, Israel is attempting to degrade Hezbollah's command structure and operational capacity, while Hezbollah's formal declaration of new military operations suggests a move toward a more structured, long-term confrontation.
