Israel Launches Massive Airstrikes on Lebanon as US-Iran Ceasefire Begins

Israel launched its largest coordinated airstrike campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, killing at least 89 people and injuring 700, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health — striking hours after a two-week US-Iran ceasefire brokered by Pakistan took effect.

Fifty jets, 100 targets, ten minutes Around 50 Israeli fighter jets struck more than 100 Hezbollah bases within ten minutes on Wednesday afternoon, hitting headquarters, launch platforms, and command and control centers in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley, and southern Lebanon, the Israeli military announced. Lebanese security circles reported more than 150 separate strikes, many concentrated in the capital. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the operation as a "surprise attack" that hit hundreds of Hezbollah members, calling it the heaviest blow against the militia since the so-called Operation Beepers in 2024. The Israeli army stated it had already killed more than 1,100 Hezbollah members before Wednesday's strikes and had been preparing the current operation for weeks. Israeli Army Chief Eyal Zamir announced that operations against Hezbollah would continue and that the military would "strike resolutely." The army said a large part of the attacked infrastructure was located within civilian residential areas, and claimed it had taken steps before the strikes to spare uninvolved persons. Observers cited by local media described the shelling of Beirut as the heaviest since the Israeli invasion during the 1982 Lebanon War.

89 (people killed) — Lebanese Ministry of Health death toll from Wednesday strikes

The war between Israel and Hezbollah began in early March 2026, according to Lebanese security sources cited by Reuters. The conflict followed the broader US-Israel military campaign against Iran, designated Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28, 2026, and resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Hezbollah, which has fought several wars with Israel, most recently in 2024, has long operated as a proxy force aligned with Tehran. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced by Israel's renewed military offensive in Lebanon, according to reporting cited in web search results.

Trump says Lebanon exclusion was "part of the agreement" US President Donald Trump confirmed that the ceasefire in the Iran war does not apply to Lebanon, telling broadcaster PBS that Israeli operations there were "part of the agreement" and would be settled later, according to PBS reporter Liz Landers as cited by Stern. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the Israeli government fundamentally supports the truce with Iran but insisted on "distinguishing between the Iranian and Lebanese theaters." Pakistan, which mediated the ceasefire agreement, took the opposite position: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on all sides via social media to "exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks," stating that Lebanon was included in the agreement. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of attacking "densely populated residential areas" and killing "innocent civilians all over Lebanon, especially in Beirut," writing on X that Israel was violating international law and disregarding all efforts to end the fighting. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun declared his readiness to join an agreement on a permanent peace order in the region. Lebanese Foreign Minister Yossef Rajji said his country was ready for negotiations with Israel, according to Zeit Online. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, according to a spokesperson, asked his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar for restraint.

„Israel is attacking densely populated residential areas and killing innocent civilians all over Lebanon, especially in Beirut.” — Nawaf Salam via ZEIT ONLINE

Iran closes Strait of Hormuz, threatens to exit ceasefire Iran responded to the Israeli strikes by reportedly closing the Strait of Hormuz, with Iranian news agency Fars reporting the closure and Bloomberg data showing that since Tuesday morning only 7 ships had left the region while 3 entered, against a normal daily volume of around 135 passages. More than 800 cargo ships were stuck in the Persian Gulf, including 426 oil and fuel tankers, 34 liquid gas tankers, and 19 LNG ships, according to data provider Kpler as cited by Berliner Zeitung. Iran levied transit fees of up to 2,000,000 US dollars per passage, and the crew of one vessel reported receiving a warning that passage still required authorization from Tehran. Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that Tehran was considering withdrawing from the ceasefire agreement, while an "informed security and military-political source" told Fars that Iran was preparing a "deterrent operation against Israeli military targets." Sources close to Hezbollah warned, according to the newspaper Naharnet, of a resumption of Hezbollah attacks on Israel if the ceasefire was not respected.

Departing: 7, Entering: 3, Normal daily volume: 135

Oil and fuel tankers: 426, Liquid gas tankers: 34, LNG ships: 19

European leaders demand ceasefire extend to Lebanon A joint statement signed by the heads of government of Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Spain, as well as EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President António Costa, called on all sides to implement the ceasefire "also in Lebanon," according to reporting by Der Tagesspiegel and Stern. The declaration was published in Berlin among other locations. Lebanese Health Minister Rakan Nasreddine reportedly stated that hospitals were overcrowded given the number of injured, and the Lebanese Red Cross announced that more than 100 ambulances were deployed to transport victims. The Lebanese Ministry of Health called on citizens to clear paths for ambulances amid widespread traffic jams in Beirut. Eyewitnesses cited by Reuters described injured people leaving their cars in traffic and walking to the nearest hospital. Israel accused Hezbollah of using civilians as human shields, with military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani stating that Hezbollah had moved into areas of Lebanon not previously considered its strongholds, calling it "part of their strategy." US President Trump said separately that negotiations between the US and Iran were taking place behind closed doors, writing on Truth Social that there was "only one list of points that is relevant for the USA," without providing further details.