IDF Expands Strikes in Central and Western Beirut

IDF Expands Strikes in Central and Western Beirut, Targeting Hamas and Hezbollah Assets

Israeli forces conducted multiple strikes across central and western Beirut early on March 9, 2026, marking an expansion of operations outside the traditional Hezbollah stronghold of Dahieh. The attacks, involving naval missiles and UAVs, resulted in at least 13 reported fatalities amid the broader regional escalation.

The pro-Israel channel Abu Ali Express reported that around 5:00 AM, Israeli Navy ships fired missiles at a building housing a pharmacy in the Aisha Bakkar neighborhood in western Beirut. According to the pro-Israel channel Hadashot MeHaShetach, Lebanese reports indicated the strike was a targeted assassination aimed at a Hamas operative identified as Ahmed Abdullah. Both channels noted the strike left four to five people dead, and video footage confirmed the Lebanese Army clearing an unexploded naval missile from the scene.

In a separate incident at the "Ramlet al-Baida" (White Sands) beach promenade, an Israeli drone strike killed eight people and wounded 31. Abu Ali Express relayed Lebanese reports stating that the attack hit "tents on the beach housing displaced Lebanese who had left their homes."

Further demonstrating the operational expansion in the Lebanese capital, the IDF targeted the lower section of a building in the central Al-Bashoura neighborhood. Citing the IDF Spokesperson in Arabic, Abu Ali Express reported that Hezbollah "hid millions of dollars to fund terror" beneath the structure. The channel emphasized the precision of the strike, noting that only the bottom portion of the building was attacked rather than the entire structure.

Cross-Narrative Dynamics While the reporting originates from pro-Israel, Hebrew-language channels, a distinct dual narrative emerges through their reliance on Arab and Lebanese sources. The Israeli framing heavily emphasizes military precision and justification—highlighting strikes that exclusively hit the "lower part" of buildings to destroy terror funds, or specifically naming Hamas operatives as targets. Conversely, the "Lebanese sources" directly quoted by these same Israeli channels center on the civilian impact, detailing unexploded ordnance in urban centers and fatal strikes on beach encampments sheltering displaced residents. This illustrates how Hebrew media integrates adversarial reporting to relay ground realities while maintaining an editorial focus on counter-terrorism objectives.