Israel strikes Beirut and Gaza amid U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks

Israel conducted airstrikes on the southern outskirts of Beirut and the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, just as reports emerged of a U.S.-Iran agreement on a ceasefire. The strikes in Lebanon, the first on Beirut in about three weeks, hit an apartment building in the southern suburbs shortly after Israel announced the killing of a Hamas leader.

Lebanese military sources reported that the Beirut airstrikes killed at least 12 people, including two children, and wounded 21. The Israeli military stated it had successfully eliminated Mohammed Odeh, a leader in Hamas's military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, and described him as one of the last high-ranking military commanders involved in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Israel's actions have fueled concerns about a potential full occupation of Gaza and an expanded war with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also ordered an expansion of Israeli control over Gaza to 70%. Meanwhile, in Gaza, Palestinians observed the Eid al-Adha holiday amidst the ongoing conflict. Images showed residents attending funeral prayers for Imad Aslim, a commander in the Al-Qassam Brigades' Gaza Brigade, who was killed along with nine others in an Israeli airstrike. Other photos depicted residents receiving aid and children celebrating the holiday near destroyed mosques, highlighting the stark contrast between religious observance and the devastation of war.

The intensified Israeli operations come as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is reportedly nearing a final approval of a memorandum of understanding for a ceasefire with Iran. Israel's actions suggest a continued escalation of hostilities despite potential diplomatic breakthroughs.