Beirut: Israeli attacks continued in the Lebanese capital early Thursday, with a massive explosion heard after an Israeli airstrike targeted a southern suburb of Beirut. Lebanon’s state news agency reported that the strike hit a residential building in the Shiyyah area in the southern suburb of Dahyeh. No casualties were immediately reported.

According to Anadolu Agency, late Wednesday, Israeli warplanes struck the Lailaki-Kafaat area in southern Beirut, with the blast heard across the capital. Earlier in the day, at least 254 people were killed and 1,165 others injured in Israeli attacks across Lebanon, including Beirut, as per the Lebanese Civil Defense.

The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that the overall death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 has risen to 1,739, with 5,873 others injured. The Israeli army stated that around 50 fighter jets participated in a large-scale operation targeting Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon under what it referred to as Operation Eternal Darkness. It mentioned that nearly 100 targets were struck with around 160 munitions within 10 minutes.

Israeli Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir emphasized that the military would continue striking Lebanon “without pause,” vowing to keep targeting the Hezbollah group and using every opportunity to strengthen what he described as security in northern Israel. The attacks occurred despite a US-Iran ceasefire agreement announced on Wednesday. While Iranian and Pakistani officials claimed the agreement also covered Lebanon, Israel maintained that Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire.

Israel has been conducting airstrikes and a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2, despite a ceasefire that took effect in November 2024.