Israel strikes Beirut for first time since Lebanon ceasefire

Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs on Wednesday for the first time since the ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect on 16 April, claiming it was targeting a commander, Ahmed Ghalib Balut, of the militant group’s elite Radwan force. Subscribe to Guardian News on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/guardianwires?sub_confirmation=1 The prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his defence minister, Israel Katz, announced the action in a joint statement. The IDF said it had killed Balut, but Hezbollah has not immediately commented. Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli army has continued daily strikes in Lebanon and demolition of homes in dozens of villages, echoing its years-long devastation of Gaza. More than 2,700 people have been killed in the war in Lebanon since 2 March, the health ministry says. The Israeli military says Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel and that 17 soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon, along with two civilians in northern Israel. #lebanon #israel #hezbollah #middleeast #beirut