(MENAFN- Live Mint) Israel carried out an airstrike in Beirut on Sunday (November 23) targeting what it described as a senior Hezbollah militant, marking the first Israeli attack on the Lebanese capital since June.

“A short while ago, the IDF conducted a precise strike targeting a key Hezbollah terrorist in Beirut,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a brief statement, adding that more details would be released.

Reuters stated that residents in Beirut's southern suburbs, a stronghold of the Iran-backed group, reported hearing the roar of warplanes before a powerful blast shook the area. The strike hit a main road in the densely populated Haret Hreik neighbourhood.

A Reuters reporter on the scene said people rushed out of their apartment buildings fearing further strikes. The news outlet citing medical sources said at least two dozen people were wounded and taken to nearby hospitals.

Hezbollah and Lebanon's health ministry have not yet issued any statements.

Netanyahu says Hezbollah 'Chief of Staff' targeted

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's office said he personally ordered the strike, claiming it targeted Hezbollah's“chief of staff.”

“In the heart of Beirut, the IDF attacked the Hezbollah chief of staff, who had been leading the terrorist organisation's buildup and rearmament,” his office said.

“Israel is determined to act to achieve its objectives everywhere and at all times.”

Earlier on Sunday, Netanyahu told his cabinet that Israel would continue fighting“terrorism” on multiple fronts.

“We will continue to do whatever is necessary to prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing its ability to threaten us,” he said.

Escalation amid intensifying strikes on Lebanon

The strike follows weeks of intensified Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon as part of what Israel says is an effort to block Hezbollah from rebuilding its military capabilities.

Israel claims Hezbollah has been attempting to rearm in the south since a US-backed ceasefire last year. Hezbollah, however, insists it has complied with requirements to pull back forces and allow the Lebanese army to deploy in the border region.

No advance warning to Washington, US officials say

A senior US official, according to an Axios reporter, Reuters stated, that Israel did not notify Washington in advance about Sunday's strike, but the Biden administration was informed only immediately after the attack.

Another senior US official reportedly said the United States had known“for days” that Israel planned to escalate strikes in Lebanon, though the exact timing was not disclosed.

Washington and Israel have increased pressure on Lebanon to implement a plan-approved by the Lebanese government in September-to disarm Hezbollah nationwide by the end of the year.

Regional tensions continue to rise

Sunday's strike underscores the growing volatility across the Israel–Lebanon frontier. In November, Israel stepped up near-daily airstrikes in southern Lebanon, saying it was preventing a“military revival” by Hezbollah.

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