Explosions were heard across the capital and large plumes of smoke rose over the area known as Dahiyeh, where Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.

Shortly before the strikes on Thursday, the Israeli army ordered residents across the southern suburbs to evacuate immediately. The warning covered one of the most densely populated parts of the capital and triggered a rapid exodus toward central Beirut, the coast and nearby mountains.

Streets, public squares and seafront areas were filled with people who had fled overnight. Many families slept in their cars or set up improvised camps on pavements and open spaces.

Lebanese authorities say more than 95,000 people are now displaced from Beirut and other regions.

The escalation follows missile and drone attacks launched by Hezbollah toward Israel earlier this week, part of a wider regional confrontation involving Iran and its allies.