Israel strikes Hezbollah command centre in Beirut after rockets hit northern communities

The exchange marked the most serious escalation since the fragile truce took hold, with both sides trading fire across the Lebanon-Israel frontier.

The Beirut strike

Joint statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the IDF had targeted a Hezbollah command centre in the Dahiya district, the group's stronghold in southern Beirut. The military described the operation as precise, striking a flat that served as a coordination hub for the organisation.

“The IDF just struck Hezbollah terrorist targets in the Dahiya area of Beirut, in response to Hezbollah fire against Israeli territory.”

That statement also warned that Israel would not tolerate attacks on its soil.

Rocket fire from Lebanon

Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli army said Hezbollah launched three projectiles towards communities in northern Israel, landing near Somera and Shlomi. Those projectiles followed two launched over the weekend and three drones that exploded on Israeli territory that morning, according to IDF reports. The army called the volley a flagrant violation of the ceasefire that halted weeks of fighting.

Ceasefire under strain

The latest violence puts the truce under severe pressure. The ceasefire, which had largely quietened the border, was designed to allow negotiations on a more permanent arrangement. Both sides now accuse the other of breaking its terms.

“Israel will not tolerate fire directed at its territory.”

Broader diplomatic context

The flare-up comes as Iran and the United States are reported to be close to an agreement that would end the wider war. That potential deal, mentioned by the Greek outlet NewsIT, could shift the regional calculus, though it remains unclear how the latest cross-border exchange will affect the talks.