Israel strikes Beirut despite ceasefire, 2 killed at least 11 injured

Israel on Sunday (June 7) carried out strikes in the southern suburbs of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut. The attack comes days after a ceasefire agreement was reached between the two countries in Washington. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the strike has killed two and injured at least 11 others.

In a statement released by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office the attack was in retaliation for the Hezbollah militant group firing toward northern Israel earlier. It also said that only “command centers” were the target of the attacks.

"The Israeli military has struck on Sunday "terrorist" headquarters in the Lebanese capital Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold known as Dahiyeh, in response to the group's fire toward Israeli territory, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement."

According to some media reports, Israel had informed US ahead of its airstrikes on Hezbollah in Beirut.

350 Hezbollah militants killed?

Netanyahu claims that Israeli military has killed 350 Hezbollah militants in the past week. Speaking to reporters on Sunday he said, "In Lebanon, our forces eliminated 350 militants in the past week alone. They captured the Beaufort Ridge and found there a vast underground infrastructure."

"We are completing the dismantling of the terror villages along our border. We are striking them very hard, and we know that Hezbollah is on the run. We will not allow fire towards our territory or our communities, and we will act accordingly," he further said.

The strikes come after the Lebanese and Israeli governments renewed a ceasefire agreement in ongoing talks in Washington.