BEIRUT/JERUSALEM - The Israeli military said on Sunday it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in the Lebanese capital's southern suburbs after the Lebanese armed group fired at northern Israel, prompting fears of a new escalation in the three-month-old war.

Apart from two strikes last month, Israel halted its bombardment of Beirut's southern suburbs after a ceasefire announced by the U.S. on April 16. The truce has not halted fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

In a joint statement with his defence minister, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strike on the suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, was ordered in response to Hezbollah firing toward Israeli territory.

Lebanese state media reported two dead and 11 injured in an initial toll. Reuters could not independently confirm what was hit or whether the dead were members of Hezbollah.

Lebanese security sources said people who had returned to Dahiyeh in recent weeks were now fleeing again, fearing a new escalation would see the area hit heavily.

The Israeli military said earlier it had intercepted two projectiles that crossed into Israeli territory from Lebanon, after sirens sounded in the areas of Yiftah and Ramot Naftali.

Hezbollah announced several operations against Israeli troops in Lebanon, but did not claim responsibility for the cross-border launches.

Israel said last week it would strike Beirut's southern suburbs if Hezbollah fired at northern Israel. Hezbollah at the time said it would not abide by a "partial" ceasefire and wanted to see a full cessation of hostilities.

The group fired rockets at an Israeli position across the border on June 3, but Israel did not hit Dahiyeh.

ISRAEL ORDERS PEOPLE TO FLEE

Israel's military also issued an evacuation warning to the residents of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre and its surrounding areas on Sunday ahead of possible strikes.

Iran has made a ceasefire in Lebanon between its close ally and Israel a condition for any peace deal with the United States.

Tehran has also threatened to retaliate if Israel strikes the Lebanese capital.

The U.S., meanwhile, has said it wants to keep discussions on a ceasefire in Lebanon separate from its talks with Iran. Last week, Washington announced another ceasefire framework following talks between Israel and Lebanon, but Hezbollah has rejected the U.S. proposal.

The Iran-backed group says Israel must halt its attacks and withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah entered the war on March 2, saying it was retaliating for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader at the start of a conflict that has since killed thousands in Lebanon and displaced more than a million people.

Israel continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon even before March 2, despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that ended a 2024 war with Hezbollah. It said its attacks are aimed at Hezbollah members and infrastructure.

(Reporting by Steven Scheer and Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem, Maya Gebeily and Laila Bassam in Beirut, Nayera Abdallah and Muhammad Al Gebaly; Editing by Kirsten Donovan, William Maclean)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 7, 2026 at 12:05 PM.

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