A loud explosion was heard shortly after midnight on Wednesday in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, according to a journalist in the city. The blast comes amid escalating hostilities between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, as both sides continue to exchange strikes and rocket fire.

Hezbollah, which is backed by Tehran, resumed rocket and drone attacks on Israel on Monday after a prolonged pause. The renewed assault was described as retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during a wave of joint strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.

The latest developments mark a sharp intensification of regional tensions, with cross-border attacks raising fears of further escalation.