Israel bombs central Beirut with 100+ strikes, 254 killed after Iran truce
Last updated: 18:31 UTC, April 08 2026 | Started: 2026-04-08 13:10 | 5 update(s) | Avg confidence: 91/100
The story so far: Israel and Hezbollah's latest war erupted on March 2, 2026, after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in response to a US-Israeli operation against Iran. Israel launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon on March 16 and has conducted daily airstrikes since, killing over 1,530 people and displacing more than 1.2 million. The April 8 strikes — the war's largest single-day bombardment — came hours after a separate US-Iran ceasefire was announced, which Israel says does not cover Lebanon.
Latest Updates
2026-04-08 18:31 — Israel bombs central Beirut with 100+ strikes, 254 killed after Iran truce
Israeli airstrikes struck at least five central and coastal Beirut neighbourhoods without warning on the afternoon of April 8, hours after a US-Iran two-week ceasefire was announced, killing at least 254 people and wounding over 1,165, according to Lebanese health authorities cited by Al Jazeera.
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2026-04-08 18:16 — Israel pounds central Beirut with 100 strikes, kills 112, rejects Iran truce
Israel struck more than 100 Hezbollah-linked targets across central Beirut, southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley within 10 minutes on Wednesday afternoon, in what the Israeli military called the largest coordinated strike of the current war, according to the IDF and confirmed by AP and Al Jazeera.
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2026-04-08 17:16 — Israel bombs central Beirut, killing 112, hours after Iran ceasefire
Israel struck more than 100 Hezbollah targets within 10 minutes across Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley on April 8 — what the Israeli military called its largest coordinated strike of the current war — killing at least 112 people and wounding over 837, according to Lebanese authorities cited by Al Jazeera.
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2026-04-08 16:31 — Israel bombs central Beirut after declaring Iran ceasefire excludes Lebanon
Israeli aircraft struck at least five neighbourhoods in central and coastal Beirut on April 8 without prior warning, hours after the US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire — an area rarely targeted since the current Israel-Hezbollah war began on March 2, according to AP and Al Jazeera.
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2026-04-08 13:10 — IDF hits 100+ Beirut targets as Lebanon excluded from Iran ceasefire
On April 8, 2026, the IDF announced it had completed its 'largest coordinated strike across Lebanon' since operations began on March 2, hitting approximately 100 Hezbollah command centres, military arrays and communications sites across Beirut, the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon — all within a 10-minute simultaneous wave, the IDF stated.
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What We Know
- On April 8, 2026, the IDF announced it had completed its 'largest coordinated strike across Lebanon' since operations began on March 2, hitting approximately 100 Hezbollah command centres, military arrays and communications sites across Beirut, the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon — all within a 10-minute simultaneous wave, the IDF stated.
- The strikes came hours after the US and Iran agreed a conditional two-week ceasefire; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated in English that the truce applies only to Iran and that Israel 'continues combat operations and ground activity against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation' in Lebanon, according to an IDF statement cited by the Jerusalem Post.
- An Israeli airstrike in the Sidon area of southern Lebanon on Wednesday morning killed eight people and wounded 22 others, Lebanon's health ministry said; separately, Lebanese military warned displaced residents not to attempt to return south due to 'ongoing Israeli attacks', according to AFP.
- The IDF issued evacuation orders for seven neighbourhoods in Beirut's southern suburbs and for buildings in Tyre ahead of the strikes; IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, overseeing strikes in Lebanon, stated Israel would 'continue to strike with determination' against Hezbollah, per an IDF statement released Wednesday.
- Pakistan, France and Egypt, which co-mediated the Iran ceasefire, have all publicly asserted that Lebanon is included in the deal; Hezbollah legislator Ibrahim Al-Moussawi warned of a response from Iran and its allies if Israel does not adhere to the ceasefire — a direct contradiction of Netanyahu's position, according to CNN.
- Israeli aircraft struck at least five neighbourhoods in central and coastal Beirut on April 8 without prior warning, hours after the US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire — an area rarely targeted since the current Israel-Hezbollah war began on March 2, according to AP and Al Jazeera.
- The Israeli military described the operation as the largest coordinated strike of the current war, hitting more than 100 Hezbollah-linked targets within 10 minutes across Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley, IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee said.
- Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health reported dozens killed and hundreds wounded in a preliminary estimate, with the Lebanese Red Cross separately reporting several hundred casualties in and around Beirut; the Israeli military said it targeted missile launchers, command centres and intelligence infrastructure.
- Israel declared the US-Iran ceasefire does not extend to its conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon; US President Trump publicly supported that position, saying Lebanon was 'a separate skirmish' and Israel's strikes were 'part of the deal'; mediator Pakistan contested this, stating the ceasefire covered Lebanon as well.
- Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Haneed Sayed condemned the strikes as 'a very dangerous turning point,' telling AP that half of Lebanon's 1.2 million internally displaced persons were sheltering in the areas struck, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed the military would press on in Lebanon.
- Israel struck more than 100 Hezbollah targets within 10 minutes across Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley on April 8 — what the Israeli military called its largest coordinated strike of the current war — killing at least 112 people and wounding over 837, according to Lebanese authorities cited by Al Jazeera.
- The airstrikes hit at least five central and coastal Beirut neighbourhoods without prior warning during afternoon rush hour, including the dense commercial Corniche al Mazraa district, hours after the US and Iran announced a Pakistani-mediated two-week ceasefire, according to the Associated Press and Lebanon's National News Agency.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated explicitly that the two-week ceasefire 'does not include Lebanon,' and Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called the strikes the largest blow to Hezbollah since the September 2024 pager-bomb operation — while IDF Chief of Staff Lt Gen. Eyal Zamir said the military would continue to 'utilize every operational opportunity' to strike Hezbollah, per AP and PBS NewsHour.
- Mediator Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the Iran-US ceasefire applied 'everywhere including Lebanon,' directly contradicting Israel's position; Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi raised what he called 'ceasefire violations' by Israel in a call with Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to the Iranian foreign ministry and The New Arab.
- Lebanon's Minister of Social Affairs Haneed Sayed told the AP the strikes represented 'a very dangerous turning point,' noting that half of Lebanon's internally displaced persons had sheltered in central Beirut — the very areas now being bombed — and said Beirut was ready to negotiate but Israel had not responded.
- Israel struck more than 100 Hezbollah-linked targets across central Beirut, southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley within 10 minutes on Wednesday afternoon, in what the Israeli military called the largest coordinated strike of the current war, according to the IDF and confirmed by AP and Al Jazeera.
- At least 112 people were killed and hundreds wounded in Beirut alone — one of the deadliest single days of the conflict — with Lebanon's health ministry describing the figures as preliminary and likely to rise, according to Lebanese authorities cited by AP.
- The strikes came without warning and hit at least five neighbourhoods in central and coastal Beirut — areas rarely targeted since fighting resumed on March 2 — with Associated Press journalists witnessing charred bodies in vehicles at the central Corniche al Mazraa intersection.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the US-Iran two-week ceasefire did not extend to Lebanon; IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Israel would 'utilize every operational opportunity' to strike Hezbollah, and Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem 'his turn will come.'
- Italian UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) came under Israeli warning shots during the strikes, prompting Rome to summon Israel's ambassador; Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni demanded Israel 'immediately cease' attacks in Lebanon, according to Defence Minister Guido Crosetto.
- Israeli airstrikes struck at least five central and coastal Beirut neighbourhoods without warning on the afternoon of April 8, hours after a US-Iran two-week ceasefire was announced, killing at least 254 people and wounding over 1,165, according to Lebanese health authorities cited by Al Jazeera.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed the military would press on in Lebanon; Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem that 'his turn will come,' calling the strikes the largest blow against Hezbollah since the September 2024 pager attacks, per AP.
- Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Haneed Sayed told the AP the strikes were a 'very dangerous turning point,' noting that half of Lebanon's internally displaced population — over one million people — had sheltered in the areas now being bombed; AP journalists saw charred bodies at Corniche al-Mazraa, one of Beirut's busiest intersections.
- In response to the Lebanon strikes, Iran threatened to halt oil tanker movement in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posting that Washington 'must choose — ceasefire or continued war via Israel,' per Haaretz and Times of Israel.
Still Unclear
- Israeli Prime Minister's Office and IDF (statement cited by Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel, April 8, 2026): The US–Iran ceasefire does not include Lebanon; Israel will continue all military operations against Hezbollah without interruption.
Hezbollah MP Ibrahim Al-Moussawi (Al-Jadeed TV), Pakistan Prime Minister's office, France and Egypt — cited by CNN and Times of Israel, April 8, 2026: The ceasefire agreement includes Lebanon, and Iran insisted on this inclusion; Pakistan's Prime Minister also stated the deal covers Lebanon and elsewhere.
- (Unverified — single source; Al Jazeera stated it could not independently verify the claim and Israel offered no comment) Hezbollah fired a cruise missile at an Israeli warship 126 km off the Lebanese coast on April 5. [Hezbollah statement]
- (Unverified — not independently corroborated; Israel stated the Ain Saadeh victims were not intended targets) Israeli strikes on Christian communities in Lebanon are aimed at inflaming sectarian tensions. [Speculation noted by Wikipedia citing unnamed analysts]
- Israeli military; US President Donald Trump (as quoted by PBS/AP, April 8, 2026): The US-Iran ceasefire does not extend to Israel's war with Hezbollah in Lebanon; Israel's strikes there are a separate conflict unaffected by the truce.
Mediator Pakistan (as reported by Haaretz/Reuters, April 8, 2026): Stopping the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, was part of the two-week ceasefire deal.
- Israeli Defense Forces statement, April 8, 2026: The buildings struck in central Beirut housed Hezbollah missile launchers, command centres and intelligence infrastructure, and Hezbollah uses civilians as human shields.
Mohammed Balouza, Beirut municipal council member, at strike site (AP, April 8, 2026); Lebanese residents and local officials: The buildings hit were residential and commercial sites with no military presence.
- (Unverified — single source | not independently corroborated; Israeli military offered no immediate comment) Hezbollah fired a cruise missile at an Israeli warship 126km off the Lebanese coast on April 5. [Hezbollah statement]
- (Unverified — state media only | single source) Iran's armed forces began identifying targets to respond to Israel's strikes on Lebanon following the April 8 bombardment. [Iran's Tasnim News Agency]
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; US President Donald Trump via PBS NewsHour: The US-Iran two-week ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon or Israel's campaign against Hezbollah. Netanyahu stated this explicitly after the truce was announced, and US President Trump told PBS that Lebanon was excluded 'because of Hezbollah,' calling it 'a separate skirmish.'
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif; Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi via Iranian foreign ministry statement: The ceasefire applies 'everywhere including Lebanon.' Iran's foreign minister separately accused Israel of violating the truce by attacking Lebanon.
- Israeli Defense Forces statement: Israel's military said it targeted missile launchers, command centres and intelligence infrastructure, accusing Hezbollah of using civilians as human shields.
Mohammed Balouza, Beirut municipal council member, via Associated Press: Residents and local officials, including Beirut municipal council member Mohammed Balouza at the Corniche al Mazraa strike site, denied the buildings hit were military sites, calling them residential and commercial areas.
- (Unverified — single source; anonymous source; state-adjacent media) Iran warned it could resume hostilities if Israel continues to violate the truce by attacking Lebanon. [Iranian Tasnim news agency, citing a 'knowledgeable source']
- (Unverified — single source; not independently corroborated) One of the Beirut strikes targeted a building close to the official residence of House Speaker Nabih Berri. [UPI]
- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (statement); Iranian Tasnim news agency citing 'knowledgeable source': Pakistani mediator PM Shehbaz Sharif said the two-week US-Iran ceasefire applies 'everywhere including Lebanon,' and Iran's Supreme National Security Council endorsed that interpretation, with Tehran threatening to withdraw from the truce if Israel continues striking Lebanon.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (statement); White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (Axios); US President Donald Trump (PBS NewsHour): Israeli PM Netanyahu and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt both stated Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire deal; US President Trump called Israel's Lebanon campaign 'a separate skirmish.'
- (Unverified — anonymous source — official spoke on condition of anonymity and was not authorised to comment publicly) A Hezbollah official told AP the group was giving mediators a chance to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon but had not formally adhered to the Iran truce, and would not accept a return to pre-March 2 conditions of near-daily Israeli strikes. [Anonymous Hezbollah official (AP)]
- (Unverified — single source — state/party media only; Al Jazeera could not independently verify; no Israeli military comment) Hezbollah claimed its fighters launched a cruise missile at an Israeli warship 126 km off the Lebanese coast on April 5. [Hezbollah statement]
- Israeli Prime Minister's office, via AP/PBS: Israel says the US-Iran ceasefire agreement does not extend to its war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, cited by AP/NBC News: Mediator Pakistan says the ceasefire deal explicitly includes Lebanon.
- Israel Defense Forces statement, via AP: The Israeli military says it struck missile launchers, command centres and intelligence infrastructure, and accuses Hezbollah of using civilians as human shields.
Beirut municipal council member Mohammed Balouza; Dr. Tania Baban, MedGlobal — via AP/NBC News: Residents, local officials and aid workers deny the buildings hit were military sites, describing the targeted areas as purely civilian residential and commercial zones.
- (Unverified — state media only — not independently corroborated at time of reporting) Iran has halted the movement of oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israel's strikes on Lebanon. [Iran state-run media, cited by ABC Columbia/Times of Israel]
- (Unverified — anonymous source / not independently corroborated) Internal Hezbollah sources say over 400 Hezbollah fighters have been killed in the war; the IDF claims approximately 1,000. [Wikipedia citing unspecified internal Hezbollah sources]
Key Figures
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Total killed in Lebanon since March 2, 2026 | More than 1,530 (including 100+ women, 130+ children) | AP / PBS NewsHour citing Israeli military and Lebanese health data |
| People displaced inside Lebanon | More than 1.2 million (approx. 22% of Lebanon's population) | UN data, late March 2026, cited by Al Jazeera |
| Hezbollah targets struck by IDF on April 8 | Approximately 100 command centres and military sites in 10 minutes | IDF statement, cited by CNN and i24 News (April 8, 2026) |
| Total IDF airstrikes on Lebanon since March 2 | More than 1,840 attacks | ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data), cited by Al Jazeera (April 7, 2026) |
| IDF-estimated Hezbollah operatives killed since March 2 | Approximately 900 | IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, cited by Times of Israel (April 1, 2026) |
| Hezbollah rockets fired into Israel since March 2 | As many as 1,800 | Wikipedia citing IDF figures |
| People killed in Lebanon since March 2, 2026 | 1,530+ | Lebanese Ministry of Public Health / PBS-AP, April 8, 2026 |
| People wounded in Lebanon since March 2, 2026 | 4,400+ | Lebanon Ministry of Public Health / Al Jazeera, April 6, 2026 |
| People displaced in Lebanon since March 2, 2026 | More than 1.2 million (approx. 22% of population) | UN data and Lebanese authorities, cited by Al Jazeera and UPI |
| Children killed in Lebanon since March 2, 2026 | 130+ | Lebanese Ministry of Public Health / PBS-AP, April 8, 2026 |
| Hezbollah-linked targets struck on April 8 alone | 100+ within 10 minutes | Israeli Defense Forces statement, Al Jazeera / AP, April 8, 2026 |
| Total Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 | 1,840+ | ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data), Al Jazeera, April 7, 2026 |
| People killed across Lebanon in April 8 Israeli strikes | At least 112 | Lebanese authorities, via Al Jazeera liveblog, April 8 2026 |
| People wounded across Lebanon in April 8 Israeli strikes | Over 837 | Lebanese authorities, via Al Jazeera liveblog, April 8 2026 |
| Hezbollah targets struck within 10 minutes in April 8 operation | More than 100 | Israeli Defense Forces statement, confirmed by AP, PBS, UPI |
| Total killed in Lebanon since Israeli campaign began March 2, 2026 | More than 1,530, including 130+ children | Lebanon Ministry of Public Health, cited by AP/PBS/Al Jazeera |
| Total Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon since March 2, 2026 | More than 1,840 | Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), cited by Al Jazeera |
| People killed in April 8 Beirut strikes | At least 112 | Lebanese authorities cited by AP |
| People wounded in Beirut on April 8 (early estimate) | Hundreds (32 killed, 243 wounded in Beirut per Lebanese Red Cross early count) | Lebanese Red Cross / UPI |
| IDF targets struck in single 10-minute salvo on April 8 | More than 100 | Israel Defense Forces (statement) |
| Displaced persons in Lebanon since March 2 | More than 1.2 million (approx. 22% of population), including 350,000 children | UN data cited by Al Jazeera; Lebanese authorities |
| Total IDF attacks on Lebanon since March 2 (ACLED count) | More than 1,840 | Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) |
| Killed in April 8 strikes across Lebanon | At least 254 | Lebanese Health Ministry, via Al Jazeera |
| Wounded in April 8 strikes | Over 1,165 | Lebanese Health Ministry, via Al Jazeera |
| Total killed in Lebanon since March 2 war began | More than 1,530 (including 100+ women, 130+ children) | AP/PBS News |
| Targets struck within 10 minutes on April 8 | More than 100 | Israel Defense Forces, via AP/Bloomberg |
| People displaced in Lebanon since war began | Over 1.2 million (one-sixth of the population) | Lebanese authorities, via NBC News/AP |
| Israeli territory under IDF evacuation orders | ~15% of Lebanese territory | Reuters, cited by NBC News |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Iran–US ceasefire apply to Lebanon and Hezbollah?
Israel says no. Netanyahu's office stated the ceasefire covers only Iran and Israel will keep striking Hezbollah in Lebanon. But Pakistan, France, Egypt and Hezbollah itself insist Lebanon is included. The contradiction is the deal's central unresolved dispute as of April 8, 2026.
How many people have been killed and displaced in the 2026 Lebanon war?
Lebanon's Health Ministry reported more than 1,497 killed — including over 126 children and 57 health workers — and more than 4,600 wounded since March 2. The UN recorded over 1.2 million people displaced, roughly 22 percent of Lebanon's entire population.
Is Israel planning to permanently occupy southern Lebanon?
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has stated Israel will demolish border villages and bar 600,000 displaced Shia residents from returning until Hezbollah is disarmed. Israeli far-right ministers have called for annexation. Lebanon, France, and the UK have condemned any such occupation, and Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the UK issued a joint statement calling it unacceptable.
Why is Israel still bombing Lebanon if there is a ceasefire with Iran?
Israel declared the US-Iran ceasefire applies only to direct Iran-US hostilities and not to its separate war with Hezbollah. US President Trump publicly backed that position on April 8. Mediator Pakistan disputes this, saying Lebanon was included in the deal, leaving the question legally and diplomatically unresolved.
How many people have been killed and displaced in Lebanon in 2026?
Israel's strikes have killed more than 1,530 people in Lebanon, including over 130 children, and wounded more than 4,400 since March 2, according to Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health. Over 1.2 million people — approximately one in five Lebanese — have been displaced, per UN data.
What did Hezbollah say about the ceasefire and will it stop fighting?
A Hezbollah official told the AP on April 8 that the group was allowing time for mediators to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon but had not declared adherence to any truce because Israel was not adhering to one. Hezbollah said it would not accept a return to pre-March 2 conditions when Israel struck Lebanon near-daily.
Why is Israel bombing Lebanon if a ceasefire was announced with Iran?
Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that the two-week US-Iran ceasefire 'does not include Lebanon.' Israel views its war against Hezbollah as a separate conflict. Mediator Pakistan disputes this, saying the truce covers all fronts. The US sided with Israel, with Trump calling the Lebanon fighting 'a separate skirmish.'
How many people have been killed and displaced in Lebanon since Israel's campaign began?
Since March 2, 2026, Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,530 people in Lebanon — including over 130 children — and wounded more than 4,400. More than 1.2 million people, roughly one in five Lebanese, have been displaced, according to Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health and UN data.
What is Hezbollah's position on a ceasefire in Lebanon?
A Hezbollah official told the AP before the April 8 strikes that the group was allowing time for mediators to secure a ceasefire but had not committed to one. The official said Hezbollah 'will not accept' a return to the pre-March 2 status quo of near-daily Israeli strikes under a nominal ceasefire. The group refused to disarm.
Why did Israel strike Beirut after the Iran ceasefire was announced?
Israel's PM Netanyahu declared the US-Iran two-week ceasefire does not include Lebanon, and the IDF proceeded with what it called its largest coordinated strike of the war. The US backed Israel's position, with President Trump calling it 'a separate skirmish,' while mediator Pakistan and Iran insisted the truce was meant to cover Lebanon.
How many people have been killed and displaced in Lebanon since the war restarted?
Since Hezbollah opened fire on Israel on March 2 — triggering Israel's air campaign and ground invasion — Lebanese authorities say more than 1,530 people have been killed and over 1.2 million displaced, about one-fifth of Lebanon's entire population, according to UN and Lebanese health ministry data.
Could Israel's strikes on Lebanon collapse the US-Iran ceasefire?
Iran has explicitly threatened to withdraw from the truce if Israel 'continues to violate it by attacking Lebanon,' according to a source cited by Iran's Tasnim agency. That threat puts the US in a difficult position: Washington endorsed Israel's exclusion of Lebanon but needs the ceasefire to hold to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
How many people have been killed in Lebanon since the Israel-Hezbollah war began?
More than 1,530 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli strikes since March 2, 2026, including over 100 women and 130 children, according to AP. Lebanon's health ministry reported at least 254 additional deaths on April 8 alone, with over 1,165 wounded in that single day.
Could Israel's strikes on Lebanon collapse the Iran-US ceasefire?
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi directly linked the two, stating the US must 'choose — ceasefire or continued war via Israel.' Tehran has threatened to halt Strait of Hormuz oil shipments in retaliation. The US has not publicly pressured Israel to stop, with President Trump calling Lebanon 'a separate skirmish,' per ABC Columbia.
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