Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut suburb for first time since ceasefire

BEIRUT - Israeli airstrikes struck a building in Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday, the first such attack since a ceasefire was agreed last November.

Shortly after the airstrikes, the Israel Defense Forces said it had targeted "a drone storage facility" belonging to Hezbollah near the Lebanese capital.

Before the airstrikes, the IDF issued an evacuation alert on social media, advising Lebanese civilians to leave a 300-meter area around the site. IDF Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee shared a map marking the location and urged residents to evacuate immediately.

Witnesses reported scenes of panic as families fled their homes, with some evacuating schools in haste. Children were seen leaving in pajamas, fearing further strikes.

The Lebanese Ministry of Education also ordered the closure of all public and private schools, secondary institutions, vocational centers, and the Rafik Hariri University Complex near the target area.

Earlier in the day, rockets were fired from southern Lebanon toward northern Israel, including the town of Kiryat Shmona. The IDF said one was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system and the other landed in Lebanese territory.

A senior Hezbollah official told the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen channel that the organization was not involved in the firing of the two rockets into northern Israel.