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Israeli Strikes Hit Central Beirut as IDF Launches Limited Ground Operations in Southern Lebanon

Western leaders warn a wider offensive would bring devastating humanitarian consequences.

Firefighters and rescue workers work on the rubble of a building that was destroyed by an Israeli strike in central Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
A person walks past debris at the site of an Israeli strike, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Zuqaq al-Blat district in central Beirut, Lebanon, March 18, 2026. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Rescue workers search through the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Explosions erupt from a building following an Israeli strike in central Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Overview

  • Israeli bombardment leveled a residential building in central Beirut after Hezbollah fired dozens of missiles into Israel the previous night, as troops massed near the border.
  • UNIFIL reported clear IDF force buildups and incursions up to about 5 kilometers into Lebanon, while the Israeli military confirmed “limited and targeted” operations against Hezbollah strongholds.
  • Lebanon’s health ministry said 968 people have been killed and more than 1 million displaced since March 2, with thousands wounded and widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure.
  • The U.N. human rights office warned expanded evacuation orders across southern Lebanon may amount to forced displacement and noted strikes that damaged health facilities and killed medical staff.
  • Leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the UK urged immediate de-escalation, opposed a large-scale ground invasion, and backed negotiations, as France advanced a three-month mediation plan and said Beirut cannot disarm Hezbollah under bombardment.