politics
Israel Strikes Beirut Suburb Killing Hezbollah Commander in First Attack Since Cease-fire
Israeli forces conducted an airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs on May 6, 2026, killing a senior Hezbollah commander identified as Ahmed Ali Balout. Israeli officials said the strike targeted the head of the group’s elite Radwan force who was directing attacks from the area. The strike is the first in the Lebanese capital since a U.S.-brokered cease-fire took effect in April.
May 7, 1:36 PM·2m read3 sources
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Israeli forces carried out an airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs on May 6, killing the commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force. The Israeli military identified the commander as Ahmed Ali Balout and said he had been directing attacks against Israeli troops and communities from a site in the area.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated there was no immunity for Israel’s enemies. The strike marks the first Israeli attack on Beirut since a cease-fire was declared in April. Hezbollah, which controls the southern suburbs, has not issued a statement on the strike or the commander’s status.
The incident comes as both sides continue to exchange fire in southern Lebanon despite the truce. ” He added that no terrorist has immunity. The Israeli military said the strike was carried out after intelligence indicated the commander remained active.
Hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah reignited on March 2 when the group opened fire at Israel. More than 2,700 people have been killed in the war in Lebanon since then, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Some 1.2 million people have been displaced, many fleeing southern Lebanon.
Israel has reported 17 soldiers killed in southern Lebanon and two civilians in northern Israel. At least 11 people were killed in Israeli strikes across three areas of southern Lebanon on May 6, Lebanese health officials said. Hezbollah reported carrying out 17 operations against Israeli forces that same day.
The Israeli military said it struck more than 15 militant infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon on May 6. Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel since March, according to the Israeli military. The group says it has the right to resist Israeli forces in a self-declared security zone that extends up to 10 kilometers into southern Lebanon.
