On September 27, 2024, Israeli fighter jets launched a series of intense airstrikes on the southern suburb of Beirut, a stronghold of Hezbollah, with the explosions reverberating throughout the capital and its surroundings.

According to reports from Al-Hurra, initial information indicates that at least six buildings were flattened in the strikes, resulting in numerous casualties.

Axios cited an Israeli source stating that the airstrikes were aimed directly at Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Israeli television channels confirmed that Nasrallah was the intended target of the attack on the southern suburb.

The Israeli military stated that it "attacked the central command post of the terrorist organization Hezbollah, located beneath residential buildings in the heart of Beirut's southern suburb." While Israeli media claimed that Nasrallah was fortified on the 14th floor underground, Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that security sources claimed the Hezbollah leader was "in a safe location" and that the media narratives from Israel were incorrect.

The Israeli military announced further airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, stating in a press release that it is "currently striking... Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon."

These strikes came shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed in a speech before the United Nations that military operations against Hezbollah would continue, dampening hopes for the implementation of a 21-day ceasefire proposed by France and the United States earlier this week.

"As long as Hezbollah chooses the path of war, Israel has no choice," Netanyahu declared before the UN General Assembly, asserting that Israel has every right to eliminate the threat and ensure the safety of its citizens. He added that operations against Hezbollah "will continue until we achieve our objectives." In a separate statement, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also pledged to defeat Israel's "near and distant enemies."

Since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas following the latter's attack on October 7, 2023, Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has opened a "support" front for the Palestinian group, exchanging fire with Israeli forces almost daily along the Lebanese-Israeli border.

In mid-September, Israel announced a shift in its operational focus northward toward the Lebanese border to allow the return of tens of thousands of displaced individuals to areas targeted by Hezbollah.