The Israeli military conducted an airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday, killing Malek Balou, a top commander in Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force. The attack marked the first on the Lebanese capital's Hezbollah stronghold of Dahiyeh since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect on April 16.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement confirming the strike. They said the operation targeted Balou because his Radwan operatives had fired on Israeli communities and harmed the Israel Defense Forces soldiers. The military also claimed to have eliminated Balou's deputy and several other Hezbollah members in the raid.

Smoke rose from the Haret Hreik neighborhood following the blast, with images showing crowds gathering at the site. Lebanese authorities and Hezbollah have not yet confirmed the deaths or released casualty figures from the strike, which occurred earlier today.

The Radwan Force is Hezbollah's premier commando unit, designed for cross-border operations into northern Israel. Israel has repeatedly targeted its leaders amid the ongoing conflict. The group has launched rockets and drones into Israel since hostilities escalated in late February 2026, following a U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran that drew in Hezbollah.

The April 16 ceasefire paused large-scale Israeli operations in Beirut but failed to end clashes in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah continued rocket fire from the border area, prompting Israeli responses. Over 1,300 people have died in Lebanon from the fighting, according to Lebanese officials.

Netanyahu's office emphasized that Israel would not tolerate violations of the ceasefire terms. The strike underscores Israel's determination to dismantle Hezbollah's command structure despite diplomatic pauses.

Hezbollah vowed retaliation in past incidents but has faced significant losses, including senior figures like Hajj Youssef Ismail Hashem in an April 1 strike. No immediate response came from the group or the Lebanese government as of this evening.