On September 28, 2024, Israel conducted a series of airstrikes in the Dahieh district of Beirut, claiming to target weapons stored by Hezbollah beneath civilian structures. Eyewitnesses reported Israeli jets actively bombarding the area, following prior strikes on Hezbollah’s main headquarters that resulted in six fatalities and over 90 injuries, according to reports from Lebanon's MTV TV channel.

Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari asserted that the operations were aimed at destroying Iranian-originated missiles concealed in residential buildings, a claim which Hezbollah denied. Speculation emerged regarding whether the airstrikes were intended to target Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, although his current condition remains unknown.

The airstrikes were initiated shortly after Prime Minister Netanyahu's address to the United Nations, where he ruled out any immediate ceasefire in the escalating hostilities with Lebanon. Netanyahu, who authorized the attacks while attending the assembly, emphasized the necessity of these actions for Israel's national security against threats from Iran and its affiliates.

In retaliation, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for an attack on the Israeli city of Safed, which the group announced was a direct response to the Israeli military actions against Lebanese civilians. Reports from Israeli state media indicated that they sustained drone strikes on Safed without resulting in casualties, while subsequent airstrikes were carried out by Israel targeting Hezbollah’s operations deeper within Lebanon.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Israel's actions as egregious war crimes, labeling them as a threat to regional peace. The intensified Israeli airstrikes mark a significant escalation in military operations within Lebanon, reminiscent of the extensive conflicts seen in 2006, with Lebanon’s health ministry reporting around 700 deaths and significant displacement among its populace since the recent hostilities began.