Fragile Ceasefire? Beirut Airstrike Killing Hezbollah Commander Sparks Israel-Lebanon Fears

Last Updated:May 07, 2026, 15:58 IST

Israel says it killed a Hezbollah elite commander in a Beirut airstrike, the first since last months ceasefire, raising pressure on the fragile US-brokered truce.

Israel on Thursday said it has killed a commander of Hezbollah’s elite force in an airstrike on Beirut. The attack on Wednesday was the first Israeli attack on the Lebanese capital since last month’s ceasefire.

The announcement of commander’s death was only announced by the Israeli military as Hezbollah is yet confirm the killing.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz announced the attack in Beirut. According to Reuters, the strike has raised pressure on the ceasefire that had halted Israeli attacks on Beirut, even as Israeli forces have remained deployed in areas south of the Litani River and continued to carry out strikes in southern Lebanon.

Responding to the attack, Hezbollah launched strikes and armed drones towards Israeli soldiers.

A Shaky Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Deal

On April 16, a US-brokered 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon was announced aimed to halt weeks of intense fighting and open door for broader peace negotiations.

Under the terms of the agreement, both sides were to halt offensive operations, while Israel retained the right to act in self-defence. Lebanon, in turn, was expected to prevent armed groups like Hezbollah from launching attacks, with the Lebanese state recognised as the sole authority over national defence.

However, the truce has remained shaky from the outset. Hezbollah is not a formal signatory to the agreement, and Israel has continued to maintain a military presence in parts of southern Lebanon as a “buffer zone" to deter attacks.

The ceasefire followed weeks of heavy cross-border violence that left over 2,000 people dead in Lebanon and displaced more than a million, making it one of the most intense escalations in recent years.

Repeated allegations of violations from both sides have raised doubts about whether the ceasefire will hold, with tensions continuing to simmer along the border.

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