A loud explosion was heard in the area shortly after residents were warned to leave, according to the witness. The strike formed part of a broader wave of Israeli attacks across Lebanon, including additional raids on the Lebanese capital as well as southern and eastern regions.

Lebanon’s health ministry said earlier strikes on Beirut killed at least six people and wounded 24 others. Separate airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon killed at least 14 people, the state news agency reported, citing the ministry.

The Israeli military said it had begun targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, indicating a widening scope of operations beyond isolated strikes. Wednesday’s attacks suggest a sustained escalation, with multiple regions coming under fire within a single day.

The latest strikes add to a growing toll from the conflict. More than 800 people have been killed in Lebanon since the escalation began, while over 800,000 have been displaced from their homes, according to available figures.

The escalation follows Hezbollah’s March 2 attack on Israel, which the group said was carried out in response to the killing of Iran’s supreme leader. Israel has since launched an expanded offensive, drawing Lebanon deeper into a broader Middle East conflict.

In an interview, Herzog said “Europe should support any effort… to eradicate Hezbollah,” while also welcoming diplomatic initiatives, including an offer by Emmanuel Macron to host direct talks between Israel and Lebanon.

The Israeli military said its troops had begun “limited and targeted ground operations” against Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, describing the campaign as part of broader defensive efforts to dismantle infrastructure and neutralize threats to northern Israel.

The operations followed intensified air and artillery strikes in border areas. Military chief Eyal Zamir said more than 400 Hezbollah fighters had been killed in the latest phase of fighting.

Lebanon’s government said more than one million people had been displaced within two weeks of fighting. Authorities reported that Israeli strikes since March 2 had killed 886 people, including 111 children, according to state figures.

The conflict widened after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel on March 2, citing retaliation for the killing of Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli strikes. Israel has since responded with extensive air raids and troop incursions.

Hezbollah said it fired rockets and drones at northern Israel, including the city of Nahariya, where emergency services reported injuries and property damage.

Regional and international concern has grown over the potential for further escalation. Turkey condemned Israel’s ground operations, warning of worsening instability and the risk of a humanitarian crisis.Leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom said a large-scale Israeli offensive could have severe humanitarian consequences and lead to a prolonged conflict.

Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said displaced Lebanese civilians should not return to areas south of the Litani River until security conditions for northern Israel residents improve, as the military signalled operations would continue as needed.

The U.N. refugee agency said the estimate was based on preliminary assessments of the number of households forced to leave their homes during the fighting. The conflict has triggered large-scale internal displacement across affected areas as residents move to safer locations within the country.

“This figure is likely to continue rising as hostilities persist, marking a worrying escalation in humanitarian needs,” UNHCR said in a statement.

The agency said the 3.2 million figure reflects early data gathered from humanitarian monitoring and may change as more information becomes available from affected regions.

UNHCR noted that displacement inside Iran has intensified since the outbreak of the conflict at the end of February, with families relocating from areas affected by military activity.

The agency warned that the growing number of displaced people is increasing pressure on humanitarian services and assistance networks.

UNHCR said the continuing hostilities could further expand the scale of internal displacement and humanitarian needs in the coming weeks as assessments continue.