Israel strikes multiple Hezbollah, Hamas sites in Lebanon, including its third-largest city

TEL AVIV — Israel has carried out airstrikes on multiple Hezbollah and Hamas sites in Lebanon, including the country's third-largest city, Israeli and Lebanese sources said.

Video footage circulating on social media showed heavy destruction and a large cloud of smoke rising over the coastal city of Sidon following an Israeli strike at around 1 a.m. on Monday (local time). The strikes also continued till early Tuesday.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said the strike destroyed a commercial building in an industrial area of Sidon. Israel's state-owned Kan TV reported that several people were injured, with no immediate reports of fatalities.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a statement on Tuesday morning, saying it had targeted Hezbollah and Hamas sites in several areas of Lebanon in a wave of strikes that began on Monday, reports Xinhua news agency.

"The strikes targeted several weapons storage facilities and military structures, both above and below ground, that were used by Hezbollah to advance attacks against IDF soldiers and against the State of Israel, as well as to rebuild its military capabilities," the military said.

The army added that the strikes also hit Hamas weapons production sites in southern Lebanon.

In strikes on Monday night, the Israeli military targeted buildings in four villages in southern Lebanon and near the country's eastern border. Lebanon's National News Agency said four houses were destroyed and vehicles and shops were severely damaged, while an unexploded missile cut off a road. A Lebanese security source said Israeli warplanes carried out about 10 airstrikes across the areas.

The attacks came days before the Lebanese government was due for a meeting to discuss its mission to disarm Hezbollah in areas near the border with Israel.