Israel launches air strike on Beirut suburbs
What happened
The Israeli military launched strikes on a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut Sunday, targeting what it said was a store of "precision-guided missiles". The attack, which was preceded by an evacuation warning, was Israel's third on the Lebanese capital since a ceasefire took effect in late November.
Who said what
"Israel will not allow Hezbollah to grow stronger and pose any threat to it — anywhere in Lebanon," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Israel was undermining his country's stability and escalating tensions, posing "real dangers to the security" of the region.
The attack "raised concerns that the ceasefire that ended a war between Israel and Lebanese militants might be in jeopardy," The New York Times said. The U.S. has pushed Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, but Aoun has cautioned that the "delicate" issue must be handled carefully to maintain peace. Hezbollah has insisted it will not give up its weapons.
What next?
The Lebanese presidency urged the U.S. and France — the brokers of November's ceasefire — to pressure Israel to halt its attacks on Lebanon.