Israel says an airstrike on May 6 killed a commander from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit in southern Beirut — the first strike on the capital since a ceasefire was agreed last month. The claim, announced by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Katz, has heightened pressure on the fragile truce even as Israeli forces remain south of the Litani River. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported four civilians killed in Zelaya and says the conflict has killed more than 2,700 people since March 2. Diplomatic talks continue largely at ambassadorial level while high-level meetings remain premature.
Israel Says It Killed Hezbollah Radwan Commander in Beirut — First Strike on Capital Since Ceasefire
A man watches as rescuers work at the site of an Israeli strike that took place yesterday, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, May 7, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamad Azakir
BEIRUT, May 7 – Israel said an airstrike on May 6 killed a commander from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit in the southern suburbs of Beirut, marking the first Israeli strike on the Lebanese capital since a ceasefire was agreed last month.
The Israeli military said the commander was killed when forces struck the southern suburbs of Beirut. Hezbollah had not immediately confirmed the death. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz jointly announced the operation on Wednesday.
Ceasefire Tensions
The strike has increased pressure on a fragile ceasefire that had paused Israeli strikes on Beirut, even as Israeli forces remain deployed south of the Litani River and continue operations elsewhere in southern Lebanon. Israel earlier called for residents to evacuate several villages north of the Litani River, a move officials said could signal an expansion of its operational zone.
Hezbollah, an ally of Iran, has responded to Israeli operations by firing rockets and launching armed drones toward Israeli soldiers. The Lebanon ceasefire has been a key component of a broader regional truce tied to negotiations between Tehran and Washington, with Iran insisting on a halt to strikes in Lebanon.
Casualties, Military Exchanges And Diplomacy
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said an Israeli airstrike killed four people, including two women and an elderly man, in the southern town of Zelaya. The ministry also says more than 2,700 people have been killed in the conflict since March 2. The Israeli military reported that Hezbollah fired rockets and explosive drones toward Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, injuring two soldiers, and said its air force intercepted a hostile aircraft before it entered Israeli airspace.
Diplomatic contacts between Israel and Lebanon have continued but largely at the ambassador level. Washington recently hosted ambassador-level talks between the two sides; Beirut’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said it was premature to expect high-level meetings until the ceasefire is more securely reinforced. Earlier, U.S. officials announced an extension of the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire and expressed hopes for further diplomatic progress.
Reporting: Laila Bassam in Beirut, Yomna Ehab and Menna Alaa El Din in Cairo; Writing by Tom Perry and Keith Weir; Editing by William Maclean.
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