Israel strikes central Beirut, killing at least 182 people after Iran ceasefire

Israeli airstrikes devastated central Beirut on Wednesday, killing at least 182 people and wounding nearly 900 others in what Lebanese officials described as the deadliest day in the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict. The attacks struck busy commercial and residential areas without warning, just hours after a ceasefire was announced in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump clarified that Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire agreement because of Hezbollah, describing the situation as “a separate skirmish.” While Israel had previously stated that the agreement does not extend to its conflict with the Iran-backed militant group, both Iran and mediator Pakistan had indicated it would.

The Israeli military described the operation as its “largest coordinated strike” in the current war, targeting more than 100 Hezbollah positions across Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the eastern Bekaa Valley within just 10 minutes. The attacks shattered a brief moment of optimism among Lebanese civilians who had begun preparing to return home after the ceasefire announcement.

Black smoke billowed over the seaside capital, where thousands of war-displaced people have sought refuge. Associated Press journalists reported seeing charred bodies in vehicles and on the ground at one of Beirut’s busiest intersections in the central Corniche al Mazraa neighborhood, a mixed commercial and residential district. Rescue workers used forklifts to remove smoldering debris while searching for survivors.

“These hits are now at the heart of Beirut… Half of the sheltered internally displaced people are in Beirut in this area,” Lebanon’s Minister of Social Affairs Haneed Sayed told the AP, calling the strikes “a very dangerous turning point.” She indicated that the Lebanese government remains ready to negotiate with Israel to end hostilities, an offer previously extended by Lebanon’s president that Israel has not addressed.

Central Beirut has rarely been targeted so intensively since the current Israel-Hezbollah war began on March 2. Israeli military officials claimed they targeted missile launchers, command centers, and intelligence infrastructure, accusing Hezbollah of attempting to “blend into” non-Shiite Muslim areas beyond their traditional strongholds. However, residents and local officials vehemently denied that the buildings hit were military sites.

“Look at these crimes,” said Mohammed Balouza, a member of Beirut’s municipal council, at the scene of a strike where an apartment building behind a popular shop selling nuts and dried fruit had been hit. “This is a residential area. There is nothing [military] here.”

In the aftermath of the strikes, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a warning to Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem that “his turn will come,” referencing Israel’s killing of Hezbollah’s previous leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike earlier in 2024. Katz described Wednesday’s operation as the most significant blow against Hezbollah since the September 2024 attack that caused hundreds of pagers used by Hezbollah members to explode simultaneously.

The conflict has taken a devastating toll on Lebanon. According to the health ministry, 1,739 people have been killed and 5,873 wounded in just over five weeks. More than one million people have been displaced, with many sleeping in tents on the streets of Beirut and Sidon.

In response to the attacks on Lebanon, Iran announced it was again halting the movement of oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, potentially threatening global oil supply routes.

The escalating violence underscores the fragility of regional diplomacy efforts. Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of escalating at precisely the moment when Lebanese officials were seeking a negotiated solution, and of striking civilian areas “in utter disregard for the principles of international law.”

For displaced families who had briefly hoped to return home after the ceasefire announcement, Wednesday’s attacks brought renewed despair. “We can’t take this anymore, sleeping in a tent, not showering, the uncertainty,” said Fadi Zaydan, 35, who had prepared to return to the southern city of Nabatieh with his parents but instead decided to wait in Sidon.