Israel renews airstrikes on Beirut as Hezbollah vows to fight until victory

Israeli warplanes have launched eight violent airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs after days of cautious calm, media reported.

The Israeli airstrikes, targeting areas including the municipalities of Haret Hreik and Burj Barajneh, started around an hour after the first evacuation warnings issued by the Israeli army for six buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs late Wednesday noon, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the National News Agency (NNA), one of the airstrikes targeted areas near Bahman Hospital, and another targeted the vicinity of the Beirut airport.

No immediate casualties were reported.

Also on Wednesday, Hezbollah secretary-general Sheikh Naim Qassem said in a televised speech that his group "relies on the battlefield rather than negotiations" to halt the war with Israel, adding that any negotiation would be based on an end to Israel's "aggression" and violation of Lebanon's national sovereignty.

"We will remain on the ground until we defeat the enemy," Qassem said.

Since 23 September, the Israeli army has been launching an intensive air attack on Lebanon in a dangerous escalation with Hezbollah.

In early October, Israel initiated a ground operation across its northern border into Lebanon.

The ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah began on 8 October 2023, when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in support of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, prompting retaliatory fire and airstrikes by Israel in southeastern Lebanon.