Israeli airstrikes struck southern Lebanon and south Beirut on Tuesday, killing at least 22 people, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Eight of the dead are children.
The strikes targeted densely populated residential areas in Beirut's southern suburbs, a stronghold of Hezbollah. The attacks came as Israel continues its military campaign against the militant group following months of cross-border rocket fire.
Lebanon's health ministry reported the casualties without specifying the exact locations hit or whether any military targets were struck. Rescue workers searched through rubble in the aftermath of the bombardment. The southern suburbs of Beirut have faced repeated Israeli strikes since October, when tensions escalated across the Israel-Lebanon border.
This latest attack marks a continuation of the intensifying conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The Lebanese militant organization has fired thousands of rockets into northern Israel in response to Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon and Gaza. The escalation has displaced tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of the border and raised fears of a broader regional conflict.
The strikes underscores the humanitarian toll of the conflict. The presence of child casualties adds pressure on international mediators attempting to broker a ceasefire. The U.S., France, and other nations have pushed for diplomatic solutions to halt the escalating violence.
Israel's military has stated that Hezbollah embeds itself in civilian areas to shield operations from airstrikes. The group denies using human shields and accuses Israel of indiscriminate bombing. Both sides have rejected multiple ceasefire proposals in recent weeks.
The conflict threatens to destabilize the broader Middle East region as tensions remain high across multiple fronts involving Israel, Palestinian armed groups, Iran, and its regional allies.