Israeli warplanes rattled the Lebanese capital Beirut on Tuesday, breaking the sound barrier three times in less than 30 minutes, causing a series of loud booms that sent people scrambling for cover. The dramatic aerial display unfolded just ahead of a scheduled speech by Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
Witnesses reported seeing the Israeli jets flying low over the city, their presence visible to the naked eye. The sonic booms reverberated through Beirut, with one Reuters reporter witnessing people at a cafe in the Badaro district scattering as the deafening sound echoed through the streets. These were the loudest booms heard in Beirut in recent years, underscoring the heightened tension gripping the region.
Nasrallah’s address was planned for 5 p.m. (1400 GMT) to mark one week since the killing of Fuad Shukr, a top Hezbollah military commander, in an Israeli strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate for the killing, which came just hours before the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, an operation widely blamed on Israel. While Israel has not confirmed or denied involvement in Haniyeh’s death, the twin killings have pushed the region to the brink of war, with Iran also vowing a painful response. The Israeli jets’ display over Beirut, a clear show of force, further heightens the already precarious situation, leaving the world on edge as tensions between Israel and its regional adversaries reach a boiling point.
