BEIRUT: The Israeli military struck several sites in Beirut鈥檚 southern suburbs on Thursday that it said housed underground facilities being used by the Iran-backed Hezbollah for the production of drones.

The devastating wave of airstrikes 鈥� on the eve of the Eid Al-Adha holiday 鈥� resulted in widespread destruction and hundreds of civilians being displaced.

The coordinated assault targeted eight buildings across four neighborhoods in the southern suburbs, completely demolishing targeted structures while damaging about 122 surrounding residential units.

Families were made homeless and forced to seek shelter on Beirut鈥檚 streets and the surrounding areas as their homes were made uninhabitable.

The Israeli military expanded its operations beyond the capital, issuing warnings to residents of Ain Qana in the Nabatieh district, located north of the Litani River.

Sites were struck following evacuation procedures, with Lebanon鈥檚 Health Ministry confirming injuries to three civilians on Friday.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz delivered a stark warning in the aftermath, directly linking regional stability to Israeli security concerns.

Lebanon鈥檚 President Joseph Aoun described Thursday鈥檚 strikes as a 鈥渇lagrant violation of international agreements and fundamental principles of international law, UN resolutions, and humanitarian standards, occurring on the eve of sacred religious observances and providing conclusive evidence of the perpetrator鈥檚 rejection of regional stability, settlement, and just peace.鈥�

Aoun interpreted the attacks as 鈥渁 message from those committing these atrocities directed primarily at the US and its policies and initiatives, delivered through Beirut鈥檚 suffering and the blood of innocent civilians 鈥� submission Lebanon will never accept.鈥�

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also condemned the strikes, describing them as a 鈥渟ystematic and deliberate assault on Lebanon鈥檚 security, stability and economy, and a flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty and UN Resolution 1701.鈥�

Parliament speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah, echoed the condemnation, saying that the 鈥淚sraeli aggression targets all Lebanese people, including Muslims, even on the eve of Eid Al-Adha.鈥� He called the strikes 鈥渁n affront to national and sovereign values.鈥�

Katz said: 鈥淐alm in Beirut is directly connected to Israel鈥檚 security.鈥� He threatened an intensified military campaign unless Israeli demands regarding Hezbollah鈥檚 arsenal were met.

He added: 鈥淭here will be no tranquility in Beirut, no governance, and no stability in Lebanon without Israeli security.

鈥淟ebanon must honor existing agreements, and failure to meet requirements will result in continued forceful military action.鈥�

Katz specifically demanded Lebanese government action to 鈥渄isarm Hezbollah and halt drone production threatening Israeli citizens.鈥� He rejected any return to the conditions prior to Oct. 7, 2023, and vowed to 鈥減revent such developments through all available means.鈥�

Meanwhile, a video of Lebanese actor Nadine Al-Rassi has been circulating on social media in which she expresses frustration over the targeting of Lebanese territory on the eve of Eid Al-Adha and at the start of the summer season. What angered her most was the warning of Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee to 鈥渁ll鈥� Lebanese people.

Adraee later responded to Al-Rassi鈥檚 video on X, clarifying that his warning 鈥渨as not directed at the Lebanese people, as you believe. Let me be clear: We do differentiate and we do distinguish.鈥�

He added: 鈥淲e have never had a problem with the Lebanese state or its people. We have no interest in harming Lebanon鈥檚 tourism sector. However, when clear terrorist operations are launched against us, and Lebanese territory and actors are used to conspire against us, we are forced to respond.

鈥淭he Lebanese people鈥檚 true problem lies with a terrorist group that has failed to learn from the past and has instead dragged them into unnecessary crises. Let us be rational and recognize that the people鈥檚 interest must come first, and that dignity is non-negotiable.鈥�

The Lebanese army condemned the 鈥渁ggressions, which came on the eve of Eid Al-Adha, (and were) a clear attempt by the enemy to hinder the revival and recovery of our homeland and its ability to benefit from the positive circumstances available.鈥�

A source close to the Lebanese Presidency told Arab News: 鈥淧resident Joseph Aoun has intensified his contacts with the American side, which chairs the committee monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire. The committee is headed by an American military officer, along with a French military representative and representatives from Lebanon, Israel, and UNIFIL (UN Interim Force in Lebanon). He is awaiting how the issue will be addressed in light of the Lebanese army鈥檚 statement.鈥�

The source added: 鈥淎ll pillars of the state stand united with the military institution. The question that arises is: Is it Israel that sets the agenda?

鈥淭he army has fulfilled its responsibilities under the ceasefire agreement regarding the confiscation of Hezbollah鈥檚 weapons south of the Litani River. However, the issue of disarming north of this line is a Lebanese matter, and the steps for its implementation are determined by the Lebanese authorities, which do not operate following the Israeli agenda.鈥�

The Lebanese army had sent patrols to inspect two of the buildings targeted by the Israeli military on Thursday after the warning of an attack had been received, informing the authorities that nothing had been found associated with the manufacture of drones.

However, according to a Lebanese security source, 鈥渢he Israeli army fired a warning missile above the targeted building, which led to the withdrawal of the Lebanese army from the site.鈥�

The strikes were the first of their kind in over a month and the fourth since the ceasefire agreement that ended the most recent fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

ths after a ceasefire agreement was sealed in a bid to end hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.

鈥淭here will be no calm in Beirut, and no order or stability in Lebanon, without security for the State of Israel,鈥� Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.

鈥淎greements must be honored and if you do not do what is required, we will continue to act, and with great force.鈥�

Under the ceasefire brokered by the United States and France, Lebanon committed to disarming Hezbollah, which was once reputed to be more heavily armed than the state itself.

Hezbollah sparked months of deadly hostilities by launching cross-border attacks on northern Israel in what it described as an act of solidarity with its Palestinian ally Hamas following its October 7, 2023 attack.

The war left Hezbollah massively weakened, with a string of top commanders including its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah killed and weapons caches dotted around Lebanon incinerated.

Israel has carried out repeated strikes on south Lebanon since the truce, but strikes targeting Beirut鈥檚 southern suburbs have been rare.

鈥淔ollowing Hezbollah鈥檚 extensive use of UAVs as a central component of its terrorist attacks on the State of Israel, the terrorist organization is operating to increase production of UAVs for the next war,鈥� the military said, calling the activities 鈥渁 blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.鈥�

Under the truce, Hezbollah fighters were to withdraw north of the Litani river, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure to its south.

Israel was to withdraw all its troops from Lebanon but it has kept some in five areas it deems 鈥渟trategic.鈥�

The Lebanese army has been deploying in the south and removing Hezbollah infrastructure, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam saying Thursday that it had dismantled 鈥渕ore than 500 military positions and arms depots鈥� in the area.

Following the strike on Thursday, Lebanon鈥檚 leaders accused Israel of a 鈥渇lagrant鈥� ceasefire violation by launching strikes ahead of the Eid Al-Adha holiday.

President Joseph Aoun voiced 鈥渇irm condemnation of the Israeli aggression鈥� and 鈥渇lagrant violation of an international accord... on the eve of a sacred religious festival.鈥�

The prime minister too issued a statement condemning the strikes as a violation of Lebanese sovereignty.

One resident of southern Beirut described grabbing her children and fleeing her home after receiving an ominous warning before the strikes.

鈥淚 got a phone call from a stranger who said he was from the Israeli army,鈥� said the woman, Violette, who declined to give her last name.

Israel also issued an evacuation warning for the Lebanese village of Ain Qana, around 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the border.

The Israeli military then launched a strike on a building there that it alleged was a Hezbollah base, according to Lebanon鈥檚 official National News Agency.