The Israeli army carried out an airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburb on Sunday, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, describing it as retaliation for Hezbollah rocket fire toward northern Israel. In a joint statement, Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said the strike targeted militant headquarters in the area. Katz added that the army was focusing on command centers in the southern suburb.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that the strike hit two apartments in buildings located in the Tahouita al-Ghadir area near Mrayjeh. This marks the first Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburb, Hezbollah’s stronghold, since the April 16 ceasefire agreement, which failed to halt fighting in southern Lebanon. Israel maintains it is dismantling Hezbollah’s infrastructure along its border.

Earlier Sunday, the Israeli army said it intercepted projectiles launched from Lebanon after sirens sounded in Yiftah and Ramot Naftali. Hezbollah did not claim responsibility. Reports also indicated that Israeli forces began implementing a military plan targeting the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon. According to Israel’s Walla news site, operations included deploying specialized robots to detect explosives and armed cells.

Israeli military assessments described the targeting of Nabatieh as a potential “military earthquake,” delivering a significant psychological blow to Hezbollah and affecting the entire area between the Litani and Zahrani rivers. Nabatieh is considered a key economic and urban center, hosting logistical hubs, command facilities, and weapons depots, as well as serving as a transit point for supply routes to the Israeli border. Senior officers told Walla that Hezbollah had long exploited the city’s distance from the border, dense population, and terrain to establish command centers and weapons storage for its Badr Unit.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army issued urgent warnings to residents of Tyre and surrounding camps and neighborhoods to evacuate north of the Zahrani River. The statement stressed: “Due to Hezbollah’s violation of the ceasefire, the IDF is forced to act strongly against it. The IDF does not intend to harm you. For your safety, evacuate immediately.” It specifically warned residents of Tyre and camps including al-Bass and Zoqaq al-Mafdi that proximity to Hezbollah fighters and facilities puts lives at risk.

Heavy Israeli bombardment continued across southern Lebanon Sunday. On Saturday, two Israeli soldiers—one from the Golani Brigade and another from the Givati Brigade—were killed in southern Lebanon. On Sunday, Israel’s public broadcaster reported four reserve soldiers wounded by a Hezbollah drone strike inside Lebanese territory. Since the ceasefire announcement, Israel has acknowledged the deaths of 18 officers and soldiers in ongoing operations.