The Israel Defense Forces launched airstrikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday, according to military statements. The attack came as efforts to negotiate an end to the U.S.-Iran conflict appeared close to success, threatening to derail the fragile diplomatic momentum.
The Israeli military stated it conducted “a precise strike on a Hezbollah infrastructure site” in the Dahiyeh district, responding to what it described as Hezbollah firing toward Israeli territory earlier that day.
Lebanon’s civil defense agency reported three people were killed and six others wounded in the attack. The strikes targeted an area that includes residential buildings with shops on the ground floor, according to an Associated Press photographer at the scene.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement saying the military “carried out strikes in the Dahiyeh district of Beirut against terrorist targets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization, in response to Hezbollah’s firing toward Israeli territory.” The statement added: “Israel will not tolerate attacks on its territory.”
The attack drew immediate criticism from both Iran and the United States, highlighting a rare public rift between Washington and its closest Middle Eastern ally. Iranian officials warned that “the finger is on the trigger” ready to respond. A spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that the United States bore responsibility for the attack.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who had just announced progress toward a peace agreement with Iran, issued a stark rebuke on social media: “This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran.”
The strike severely complicated efforts to finalize the U.S.-Iran agreement. Iranian chief negotiator and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said there was “no point” in continuing peace talks with Washington after the attack, though both sides ultimately proceeded with the framework agreement announcement later in the day.
Israel has previously warned that it would strike Beirut’s southern suburbs if Hezbollah targeted northern Israeli communities—a position Israel says has Washington’s backing. Hezbollah and Israel have been in conflict since early March when the Iran-backed group fired rockets at Israel.