Israeli military says it struck Hezbollah militant in Beirut’s southern suburbs

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BEIRUT (Reuters) -The Israeli military said on Sunday that it struck a militant from the Lebanese Iran-aligned Hezbollah group in the capital Beirut’s southern suburbs.

The strike hit a main road in Beirut’s southern suburbs, where residents told Reuters they heard the roar of warplanes before the blast.

People rushed out of their apartment buildings out of fear there would be further strikes, a Reuters reporter in the area said.

At least two dozen were wounded and have been taken to hospitals in the area, medical sources said.

There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah or from Lebanon’s health ministry.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet on Sunday morning before the strike that Israel would continue to fight “terrorism” on several fronts.

“We will continue to do whatever is necessary to prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing its ability to threaten us,” he said.

In November, Israel stepped up airstrikes in south Lebanon as it pressed a campaign of near-daily attacks which it says is designed to block a military revival by Hezbollah in the border area.

Israel has accused Hezbollah of trying to rearm since a U.S.-backed ceasefire last year. The group says it has abided by requirements for it to end its military presence in the border region near Israel, and for the Lebanese army to deploy there.

(Reporting by Laila Bassam, Maya Gebeily, Jaidaa Taha, Ahmed Tolba and Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Alexandra Hudson)