The Israeli military announced the launch of Operation “Eternal Darkness”, describing it as its largest wave of strikes across Lebanon since the start of what it calls Operation “Roaring Lion”. According to the IDF, dozens of fighter jets struck more than 100 targets across Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon within approximately 10 minutes. The military said the strikes targeted Hezbollah positions, stating that the group is “embedded in the heart of civilian areas.”

Lebanese media and emergency officials reported heavy casualties, with hospitals said to be overwhelmed and operating at full capacity. The head of the Red Cross in Lebanon told Al-Araby that at least 300 people had been killed or injured in the strikes on Beirut, where air raids caused widespread destruction. According to reports, homes, vehicles, and public spaces were among the sites hit.

In a written statement, the head of Lebanon’s syndicate of doctors, Elias Chlela, urgently called for “all physicians from all specialities” to head to any hospital they could to offer help, with one of Beirut’s biggest hospitals saying it needed donations of all blood types.

Separate Israeli strikes also killed Ghada Dayekh, a presenter with Sawt Al-Farah in Tyre, and Suzan Khalil, a reporter and presenter with Al-Manar TV and Al-Nour Radio.

The timing of the strikes, coming shortly after the announcement of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement overnight, has prompted intense reactions and speculation among observers about their broader regional implications. While Hezbollah had reportedly paused its attacks, U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview with PBS that Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire arrangement because of Hezbollah.

Israeli statements:

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said that the northern campaign was far from over, adding: “This is not a closing blow. We will continue until we are stopped.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz referred to the surprise blow and called it "the biggest concentrated blow that Hezbollah has suffered since Operation Beeper". Katz also said that "Naim Kasem did not understand what Nasrallah understood in his last moments". We warned that Hezbollah would pay a heavy price for its mission for Iran - and today we fulfilled another step in the promise. The personal turn of the arch-terrorist Naim Kasem will also come".

The IDF emphasizes that despite the ceasefire, intelligence gathering and surveillance of Iran will continue unabated. "The working assumption is that we will have to return to the war in Iran in a short time", added the senior officer, "this is necessary for removing the threat to Israel. We will present the achievements to the public, and he will judge".

Summary of Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory on 8/4/2026:

🟠 Airstrikes:

South:

Bint Jbeil Kfarsir Kfour Dbeine Nabatieh al-Fawqa Jmeijmeh Rihan Srifa Nabatieh Harouf Jbaa Ain Qana Zebdine Sharqiyah Mansouri Shabriha Dweir Kfarjouz Kfar Remman Jebchit Haboush Qasiba Louaizeh Sir al-Gharbiyah Sidon Sarafand Deir Zahrani Tyre Kherbet Selm Arab Salim Ansar Sharqiyah Zefta Sidon Houmine al-Tahta Jouaya Bisariyeh Deir Qanoun al-Nahr Sawaneh Qalila Haniyeh Sahl Qalila Kounine Between Haris and Hadatha Al-Bazouriyeh Arkay Al-Sultaniyeh Ansariyeh Adloun Batoulieh Arnoun Safad al-Batikh Deir Antar Briqaa Between Ansar and Abba Kafra Zawtar al-Sharqiyeh Yahmar Qaqaiyat al-Jisr Toul Maaroub Siddiqin Qlawieh Shaqra Al-Abbasiya Between Barashit and Beit Yahoun Jisr al-Qasmiyeh Al-Ghandouriyeh

Baalbek and the Bekaa:

Douris Shamshtar Al-Hermel Al-Karak Sahl Tariya Sahmar Mashghara Al-Qatrani Yahmar Al-Ahmadiyeh

Southern Suburbs and Beirut:

Al-Awza'i Bir Hassan - Al-Rahab Tallat al-Khayyat Hay al-Salloum Al-Shiyah - Maroun Misk Burj al-Barajneh - Al-Raml al-Aali Al-Manara Ain al-Mreisseh Corniche Al Mazraa Musaitbeh Al Basta Ain El Tineh

Mount Lebanon:

Shuwayfat (Al Umaraa District) Kayfoun Qmatiyeh Ain El Saydeh Aitat Souq El Gharb Aramoun (Al Bayader) Bshamoun (Al Madaris)

Drone strikes:

Sidon Al Qalila Qana Al Sma'iya Siddiqin Kfardounin Al Qasmiya Blat Al Shahabiya Zamriya-Marj Al Zuhour Kfar Melki Burj Qalawiya Al Kharayeb Deir Al Zahrani

Artillery shelling:

Kfar Aita El Jabal Haris Tibnin Zawtar Al Gharbiya Zawtar Al Sharqiya Majdal Selm Al Khiam Wadi Al Hujair Barashit Toulin Beit Yahoun Qabrikha Al Jmaijmeh Sahl Al Khiam Shaqra Dabbin Al-Mansouri