Israeli Warplanes Create Panic in Beirut Ahead of Hezbollah Leader's Speech

Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier over Beirut multiple times, causing loud booms and panic. This occurred just before Hezbollah leader Nasrallah's speech on the killing of a top military commander by Israel. The incidents have escalated tensions in the region.

In a dramatic sequence of events on Tuesday, Israeli warplanes shattered the sound barrier over Beirut thrice within 30 minutes, sparking loud booms that sent city residents scrambling for cover. The timing coincided with an anticipated speech from Hezbollah leader Nasrallah.

Witnesses reported seeing the low-flying warplanes with the naked eye, marking the loudest disturbances heard in the Lebanese capital in recent years. A Reuters journalist observed patrons at a cafe in Beirut's Badaro district fleeing in response to the sonic disturbances reverberating through the area.

Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was scheduled to address followers at 5 p.m. (1400 GMT) to commemorate the killing of the group's top military figure, Fuad Shukr, by an Israeli air raid. This high-tension setting follows the subsequent assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, further straining regional stability and pushing stakeholders to the brink of conflict.

(With inputs from agencies.)