Summary

  • Israel launches an air strike on Beirut that it says targeted a senior commander in the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah

  • Footage from the scene in the southern suburb of Dahiyeh shows damage to a block of flats, with crowds gathered outside

  • It is not yet clear what casualties resulted from the attack

  • News agencies are quoting sources as saying Fuad Shukr was the target, but that he survived; Israel's Defense Forces say it killed Shukr in the strike

  • Israel's army says the commander was behind a rocket attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday that killed 12 children and young people. Hezbollah denied involvement in that attack

Live Reporting

  1. All-out war between Israel and Hezbollah not inevitable, says White House

    The US government says it believes an "all-out war" between Hezbollah and Israel is not inevitable.

    Speaking a few moments ago, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tells reporters President Joe Biden "believes it can be avoided".

    She says the White House believes a diplomatic solution to the conflict is achievable, which would allow Lebanese and Israeli civilians to "return to their homes" and live in security.

    Pushed on why the Biden administration believes this is possible, Jean-Pierre says: "Because we have to continue to be optimistic here, I think it's important to have a diplomatic solution. We do not want to see an escalation, we do not want to see an all-out war."

    Map showing proximity of Israel and Lebanon.

  2. Israel hits a suburb of Beirut - watch and follow live

    Sam Hancock
    Live page editor

    We're continuing to learn the facts of what has happened in Beirut, the Lebanese capital, where Israel's military says it carried out a "targeted strike" against the Hezbollah commander it says was responsible for a deadly attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday.

    As we've said already, Hezbollah has denied involvement in that strike.

    Stay with us for live updates - including from colleagues on the ground - and remember you can also hit the Watch live button at the top of the page for continuing video coverage.

  3. Latest photos from the scene

    We've just had these photos from Getty showing the scene at the site of the explosion in Beirut.

    Take a look:

    Crowds of people gather round an emergency van on a street in BeirutGetty Images
    A view of a destroyed corner of a high-rise buildingGetty Images
    PEople stand around cars covered in dust and debrisGetty Images
    A partially destroyed building with masonry and wires hanging downGetty Images

  4. What is Hezbollah?

    Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, gestures during a TV appearanceReuters

    Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah is a Shia cleric who has led Hezbollah since 1992

    Hezbollah is a heavily armed militant and political movement based in Lebanon - Israel's northern neighbour.

    Its military wing is one of the most powerful forces in the region, equipped with up to 200,000 missiles and rockets, as well as attack drones. It is separate to the Lebanese army, and is much stronger.

    Hezbollah, also politically influential in the Lebanese government, has tens of thousands of well-equipped fighters

    The movement follows the Shia branch of Islam and is financed, equipped and trained by Iran, the dominant Shia power in the Middle East.

    Hezbollah and its supporters consider it a legitimate resistance movement against Israel, which it claims still occupies part of Lebanese territory. Hezbollah is a strong supporter of Hamas and the Palestinians and rejects Israel's right to exist.

    The movement is banned as a terrorist organisation by Western states, Israel, Gulf Arab countries and the Arab League.

  5. 'Hezbollah crossed the red line' - Israeli defence minister

    Yoav Gallant, the defence minister, did not say anything else in his brief social media post.

    As a reminder, this blast in Beirut today comes after Israel blamed Hezbollah (based in Lebanon) for killing a dozen children and young people in an attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights over the weekend.

    Hezbollah has firmly denied responsibility for this.

  6. BBC reporter films smoke rising above southern Beirut

    Our colleague Nafiseh Kohnavard has posted footage she filmed from her balcony in the Lebanese capital.

    She said smoke was rising from Dahieh, a suburb in southern Beirut.

    Smoke rising from Beirut after Israeli claims strike

  7. We're working hard to establish the facts

    Sam Hancock
    Live page editor

    Just to flag, this is a breaking news scenario and we're working to establish all the facts as fast as we can.

    We'll bring you more on the blast in Beirut as soon as we've got it, stick with us.

  8. First pictures of Beirut blast site

    We've just received these two photos from the Reuters news agency showing the area of southern Beirut reportedly hit by the strike:

    A high-rise building with significant damage to some flats and scorch marks on the wallsReuters
    A large crowd of people surround an ambulance on a street, a damaged multi-story building is in the backgroundReuters

    People have gathered at the scene

  9. What happened in the Golan Heights attack?

    On Saturday evening, a blast hit a playing field in the town of Majdal Shams, killing 12 children and young people from the minority Druze community.

    It was the deadliest incident in or around Israel's border with Lebanon since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah escalated in October.

    The strike, with its young victims, caused outrage and shock in Israel and around the world.

    Israel says Hezbollah carried out the attack with an Iranian-made rocket, fired from a short distance away in Lebanon. The US also says Hezbollah was to blame. Hezbollah has strongly denied involvement.

  10. Israel confirms it has carried out a 'targeted' strike
    Breaking

    Israel's army says it has carried out a strike in Beirut, targeting the Hezbollah commander it says was responsible for the attack on the Golan Heights.

    Some 12 children and young adults were killed in a rocket strike while playing football in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday.

    The country's air force has blamed the Iran-backed militant group for Saturday's strike on the Druze town of Majdal Shams, but Hezbollah has strongly denied any involvement.

  11. Explosion heard in Beirut
    Breaking

    Hugo Bachega
    Middle East correspondent, in Beirut

    At least one explosion has hit the southern suburb of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, which is a base for the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah.

    This comes amid the expectation of an Israeli reaction following a deadly attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday.

    Israel has blamed Hezbollah for strike, which has denied involvement.