Lebanon Thought There Was a Ceasefire – Then Israel Unleashed Deadly Blitz

After weeks of relentless bombing, a brief lull in the violence was expected to bring calm. The pause came just hours following a US-backed ceasefire agreement. But as the Middle East prepared for respite, Israeli jets launched a swift aerial assault, claiming over 200 lives and injuring hundreds in Beirut. Lebanon’s health ministry reported at least 203 deaths, marking a grim escalation in the conflict.

A Shocking Strike Amid Hope for Peace

At 14:00 local time, the skies over Lebanon darkened. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) described the attack as the largest coordinated strike since Operation Roaring Lion began. Targets included Hezbollah headquarters, military positions, and command centers in Beirut, Beqaa, and southern Lebanon. The strikes hit densely populated areas of central Beirut, a region not typically targeted, leaving civilians caught in the crossfire.

“This is new to Beirut,” said Ziad Samir Itani, leading civil defense efforts. Teams, already exhausted from six weeks of Israeli bombardment, struggled to recover bodies from the rubble.

The city center and neighborhoods like Tallet el Khayat were among the hardest hit. A ten-story residential building was reduced to debris, with no survivors. Officials called the casualties “martyrs and wounded,” while the president labeled the event a “massacre.” Search operations continue across the country, but hope for missing families remains faint.

Conflicting Claims on the Ceasefire

Iran condemned the attack as a “grave violation” of the ceasefire deal, urging the US to intervene. However, the Israeli government denied Lebanon was part of the agreement, stating the pause did not cover its actions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration claimed the ceasefire only addressed broader Middle East tensions, excluding Lebanon’s conflict.

US President Donald Trump had previously announced the ceasefire, emphasizing its scope. “Lebanon was not part of the deal because of Hezbollah,” he noted, framing the war in the country as a separate skirmish. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, acting as mediator, had brokered the two-week pause. The nation prepares for negotiations on Friday, with the US and Iran presenting competing plans as starting points.

Lebanese officials reported over 1,700 deaths since Israel’s recent campaign began. The attack followed a chain of events: US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February sparked retaliation from Tehran and its allies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon. In response, Israel expanded its military operations, even occupying key areas in the country.