Israel strikes Beirut suburbs, Iran threatens retaliation, as ceasefire unravels

Israel struck two apartment buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs (Dahieh) on June 7, 2026, in the first attack on the Lebanese capital since a US-brokered ceasefire was announced on June 3. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported at least two people killed and 11 wounded. The strikes tore open the lower floors of a residential building, exposing apartments and scattering concrete and twisted metal across the street below.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strike targeted "terrorist headquarters in the Dahieh district of Beirut, in response to Hezbollah's firing at Israeli territory." The Israeli military said it intercepted two projectiles crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory earlier on Sunday. Hezbollah did not comment on the launches.

The US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, announced on June 3, was rejected by Hezbollah on June 4. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said in a written statement on Thursday that disarming the group would amount to fulfilling "the enemy's objectives." Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called the agreement "a trap" because it makes no mention of a parallel Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory in southern Lebanon.

Iranian officials threatened retaliation. Lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for parliament's national security committee, wrote on X: "We will deliver a decisive and painful response to the Zionist regime's attack on Dahiyeh." He added: "Look at the sky over the occupied lands tonight." Iran's parliament speaker and top negotiator, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, said US bases and assets in the region "became legitimate targets" after the Israeli strike. "They are neither committed to a ceasefire nor believe in dialogue, and through the naval blockade and violation of agreements regarding Lebanon they showed that they only understand the language of power," Ghalibaf wrote.

President Donald Trump, in an NBC "Meet the Press" interview recorded Friday and broadcast Sunday, said he was not demanding Lebanon be part of a peace deal with Iran. "No, no," Trump said. "Not at all. I'm not demanding." He also said he would not unfreeze Iranian assets before a deal: "Comes after. If they behave, if they do a good job, we start talking." Trump called for "a more surgical attack on Hezbollah."

Israel ordered residents of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre to evacuate ahead of possible strikes on June 7. The IDF's Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, issued the warning on social media, claiming Hezbollah violated the ceasefire agreement. At least 3,613 people have been killed in Lebanon since the start of the war on March 2, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry's Emergency Operations Center.

The US military said it destroyed two Iranian drones over the Strait of Hormuz on June 6. US Central Command said the drones "threatened international maritime traffic in the strait of Hormuz."

In a separate incident on June 7, a shooting attack in central Israel killed one person and wounded five. The attacker, an Israeli Arab from the city of Taybeh, was killed by police. Police identified the gunman as a resident of Taybeh; his motives were not immediately clear.