Israel bombs Beirut as Netanyahu threatens Lebanon with destruction 'like Gaza'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Lebanon Tuesday it could face destruction "like Gaza" as Israel ramps up its ground offensive against Hezbollah along the southern section of the Lebanese coast.

Netanyahu's stark warning came as the Israeli military deployed more troops and urged civilians in coastal areas to evacuate.

"You have an opportunity to save Lebanon before it falls into the abyss of a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza," Netanyahu said in a video address directed to the people of Lebanon.

"I say to you, the people of Lebanon: Free your country from Hezbollah so that this war can end."

Lebanese state-run media reported a series of strikes on Hezbollah's south Beirut stronghold Tuesday, after the Israeli army issued a warning to residents to evacuate the area ahead of expected attacks.

"Beirut's southern suburbs are still being subjected to a series of strikes, the latest of which hit the main road at Al-Kafaat, and caused massive destruction," in several south Beirut neighbourhoods, the National News Agency said.

The NNA said "four adjacent residential buildings collapsed in the Burj al-Barajneh area after the recent Israeli strike," and had earlier reported several "enemy" strikes in the area.

Hezbollah earlier said it fired rockets at the Israeli port city of Haifa, after the Israeli military reported 85 projectiles crossing from Lebanon.

It threatened more rocket fire on Israeli towns and cities if the bombing of Lebanese population centres continues.

Israel expanded operations in Lebanon nearly a year after Hezbollah began exchanging fire in support of its ally, Hamas, after the Oct. 7 attacks in 2023.

While battling Hamas in...