Deadly Israeli Airstrike Rocks Beirut! Tensions Escalate

An Israeli airstrike slammed into Beirut’s southern suburbs early Tuesday, April 1, 2025, killing at least three people and wounding seven others, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted a Hezbollah operative accused of aiding Hamas in attacks against Israel, marking a bold escalation just days after another assault on the Lebanese capital—the first since a November ceasefire collapsed.

The strike hit without warning, shattering a fragile calm in Beirut’s Hezbollah-controlled Dahiyeh district. Local reports described chaos as rescue teams sifted through rubble, with no immediate Hezbollah response.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said the operation, guided by Shin Bet intelligence, aimed at a figure allegedly directing Hamas operations from Lebanon.

This comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reels from domestic fallout. Hours after the airstrike, he withdrew Vice Adm. Eli Sharvit’s nomination as Shin Bet chief amid a firestorm of criticism. Sharvit’s past protests against Netanyahu’s 2023 judicial reforms and an op-ed slamming Trump’s climate stance drew ire from allies like Sen.

Lindsey Graham, who called it “beyond problematic.” Netanyahu’s office cited a need to “examine other candidates,” but the move fuels speculation of deeper political motives, especially with his aides under scrutiny in the “Qatargate” probe and the Supreme Court stalling Shin Bet head Ronen Bar’s dismissal.

Meanwhile, the IDF intercepted a projectile from Gaza Tuesday, underscoring persistent threats. Israel’s ongoing offensive there has killed over 50,000 Palestinians since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack, which left 1,200 dead and sparked the war. As tensions flare across fronts, Beirut’s latest scars signal a region teetering on the edge.