Israeli jets caused panic by breaking sound barrier over Beirut ahead of Nasrallah's speech
Low-flying Israeli military aircraft broke the sound barrier three times over Beirut on Tuesday evening, shortly before a speech by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, amid escalating tensions in the region and growing fears of a wider military confrontation.
File photo: Israeli army f-15 fighter. The latest Israeli provocation sent civilians scrambling for cover just before Nasrallah’s speech. AFP
Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported that "Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier... over the capital and in several areas."
Tensions between Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel, who have exchanged cross-border attacks since the start of the Gaza war on October 7, escalated further after Israel assassinated a senior Hezbollah military commander last week.
Hezbollah has vowed to carry out a reprisal attack against Tel Aviv, while Israel has threatened a damaging response against all of Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Iran, which backs Hezbollah, has pledged retaliation against Israel following the assassination of Hamas' Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran also last week.
Israel's US and Western allies have mobilized to address any potential attacks.
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