The Israeli Air Force carried out its largest coordinated strike against Hezbollah in Lebanon since the outbreak of hostilities, targeting roughly 100 sites across Beirut, the Beqaa Valley, and southern Lebanon in a span of ten minutes, the Israeli army said.

The military said the operation, dubbed as "Eternal Darkness," involved around 50 fighter jets dropping approximately 160 bombs on Hezbollah positions.

The Israeli Air Force said the strikes targeted Hezbollah command centers, intelligence facilities, and military infrastructure in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon. Among the sites hit were headquarters and control centers used to plan attacks on Israeli forces and civilians, as well as infrastructure linked to the group’s rocket and naval units. Assets belonging to Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force and its aerial Unit 127 were also targeted.

In a statement, army spokesman Avichay Adraee described the operation as the largest attack on Hezbollah infrastructure since the launch of “Operation Roaring Lion,” saying it was based on precise intelligence and had been planned over several weeks by the military’s operations and intelligence directorates, the air force, and the northern command.

The military said many of the targets were embedded within civilian areas, accusing Hezbollah of using Lebanese civilians as human shields. It added that measures were taken ahead of the strikes to minimize harm to non-combatants, including issuing evacuation warnings in some areas.

Adraee also criticized Hezbollah for joining the conflict under Iranian backing, saying the group’s actions harm Lebanon and its population, and urged both the Lebanese state and citizens to oppose its military presence in civilian areas. He stressed that Israel would continue to act forcefully against Hezbollah and would not allow harm to Israeli civilians.

The strikes triggered a wave of powerful, near-simultaneous explosions around 2:15 p.m. in Beirut, plunging the capital into shock, panic, and widespread confusion. Multiple neighborhoods were hit, including Bir Hassan–Rihab, Hayy al-Sellom, Manara, Ain el-Mreisseh, Corniche al-Mazraa, Msaytbeh, Basta, Choueifat, Aramoun, Kfou, Ain el-Tineh, and Beshmoun, as well as areas such as Talaat al-Rifai and Barbour.

The Lebanese Red Cross reported a preliminary toll of more than 100 people killed and over 800 wounded in the Beirut strikes alone. Emergency responders, including civil defense and Red Cross teams, deployed heavily across the capital to evacuate casualties from affected areas, as urgent calls were issued for blood donations at hospitals.

Red Cross Secretary General Georges Kettaneh said the number of casualties was high and the situation remained extremely difficult, adding that rescue teams were doing everything possible to save lives.

Beyond Beirut, Israeli airstrikes extended across wide areas of the country. In southern Lebanon, towns and villages hit included Bint Jbeil, Kfar Sir, Kfour, Harouf, Jbaa, Ain Qana, Zibdine, Doueir, Kfar Jouz, Kfarraman, Jibsheet, Habboush, Qsaybeh, Sir al-Gharbiyeh, Haret Saida, Sarafand, Deir al-Zahrani, Tyre, Khirbet Selm, Arabsalim, Ansar, Zefta, Humin al-Tahta, Jouaya, Bissariyeh, and Deir Qanoun al-Nahr.

In the Bekaa and Baalbek regions, strikes targeted areas including Douris, Shamshtar, Hermel, al-Karak, and the plains around Tareya. Additional raids were reported in the Aley district, including Kfou, Qmatiyeh, Ain al-Sayyedeh, Aitat, Souk al-Gharb, Beshmoun, and Aramoun–Choueifat.

Israeli warplanes also struck the al-Zahraa complex south of Sidon, as well as areas in Anqoun and Adloun.

Lebanese media reported that more than 20 Israeli fighter jets were flying over the country during the operation, as authorities urged residents to remain cautious amid fears of further strikes.

In a separate statement, Adraee said Hezbollah fighters have evacuated their stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut, known as the Dahiyeh, and are repositioning to northern Beirut and mixed-population areas.

“Following Israeli army operations in the Dahiyeh, Hezbollah realized its established terror stronghold is no longer safe, and therefore began relocating,” he noted.

Adraee also warned Lebanese civilians that “the destruction that Hezbollah brought upon the Dahiyeh will move with it,” emphasizing that the military will continue to target Hezbollah wherever it relocates.

"To the people of Lebanon: Do not be mistaken. The destruction Hezbollah brought to the Dahiyeh will move with it. The group, which dragged you and your country into war in service of Iran, continues to spread devastation across Lebanon at your expense. Do not allow it! Do not let Hezbollah bring destruction and chaos to you!"

"To Hezbollah operatives: There is no safe haven for you. The Israeli army will continue to pursue you and act with overwhelming force wherever you are," Adraee concluded. 

The strikes triggered a series of powerful explosions in Beirut around 2:15 p.m., hitting neighborhoods including Bir Hassan, Hay Al-Sellom, Al-Manara, Ain El-Mreisseh, Corniche Al-Mazraa, Musaytbeh, Basta, Choueifat, Aramoun, Al-Bayader, Kayfoun, Ain El-Tineh, and Bshamoun. Residents reported widespread panic, prompting urgent appeals for blood donations across all Beirut hospitals.

Later, Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, said the large-scale airstrikes across Lebanon targeted “hundreds of Hezbollah operatives,” marking the most concentrated blow the group has suffered since the 2024 exploding pager attack.

“Hundreds of Hezbollah operatives were struck in surprise attacks on headquarters across Lebanon, representing the largest concentrated operation against the group since the pager operation,” Katz said, referring to the 2024 attack on Hezbollah members.

Katz also warned Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, that the group would pay a “very heavy price” for conducting attacks against Israel on Iran’s behalf, adding that Qassem himself would not be exempt.

مشاهد من الغارات المتتالية التس استهدفت بيروت والضاحية pic.twitter.com/0L28Swf0ow

— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) April 8, 2026

بالقرب من عين التينة pic.twitter.com/NvwrQpcNUT

— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) April 8, 2026

من عين المريسة pic.twitter.com/VXpjooAmxf

— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) April 8, 2026

من سلسلة الغارات التي استهدفت العاصمة وبشامون pic.twitter.com/RaBGss6GBT

— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) April 8, 2026

Additional airstrikes targeted areas in Douris, Al-Karak, Tareya, Shmastar, Housh Al-Rafiqa, and the surroundings of Hermel. The Israeli army also hit the Zahraa complex south of Sidon, as well as sites in Aanqoun and Adloun.