Israel conducted airstrikes in Beirut targeting militant “infrastructure,” as the U.S. cautioned about potential Iranian threats to universities in Lebanon amidst ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The Israeli military has advanced into southern Lebanon, vowing to destroy Lebanese villages near the border in a campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, marking a severe escalation in the U.S.-Israeli-Iranian conflict.
Frequent strikes by Israel have also been reported in the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut. Prior to the airstrikes, Israeli military advised residents in seven neighborhoods to evacuate, citing imminent attacks. Reuters journalists heard three loud explosions in the city during sunset on Friday, coinciding with Good Friday observances in the predominantly Muslim and Christian nation, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damages.
Israel stated it was targeting “terror infrastructure” in Beirut without disclosing specifics, emphasizing its intention to establish a security zone up to the Litani River in southern Lebanon to safeguard its northern population. Over a million people have fled the region and other parts of the country due to the conflict, expressing exhaustion from repeated rounds of violence.
The conflict intensified following Hezbollah’s support for Iran by firing into Israel on March 2, in response to joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Subsequently, Iranian attacks targeted Israel, U.S. bases, and Gulf states, leading to widespread casualties and displacement in Lebanon.
Iran issued warnings of retaliatory actions against U.S. universities in the region after its own educational institutions were targeted. As a precautionary measure, the American University of Beirut shifted classes online. The U.S. embassy in Beirut cautioned of potential threats to Lebanese universities by Iran and its affiliated groups, reiterating advisories for American citizens to leave Lebanon.
Amid the escalating hostilities, more than 1,300 individuals have lost their lives in Israeli airstrikes, with around one-fifth of Lebanon’s population displaced. Despite evacuation orders covering a significant portion of Lebanese territory, many residents, including approximately 9,000 Christians in border towns, have chosen to remain in their homes amidst the advancing military operations.
Additionally, three peacekeepers from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were injured, two severely, in an explosion within a UN position in southern Lebanon near the border. The cause of the blast remains unknown, with no immediate response from Israel’s military on the incident. Earlier in the week, three UNIFIL peacekeepers had tragically lost their lives in a separate incident.