On Thursday night, Israeli air strikes hit central Beirut, resulting in the deaths of at least 22 people and injuring 117 others, according to Lebanon‘s Ministry of Public Health. The airstrikes targeted densely populated residential areas, including the Ras el-Nabaa and Burj Abi Haidar neighborhoods, which are far from the southern suburbs of Beirut where Hezbollah‘s headquarters are located.
The strikes caused significant destruction, with footage showing flames and smoke billowing from apartment blocks. Many residents were forced to evacuate their homes and gather in courtyards as emergency responders rushed to the scene. This area has recently seen an influx of displaced families seeking refuge from the southern regions of Lebanon.
Reports indicate that the intended target of the airstrikes may have been Wafiq Safa, a senior Hezbollah official, but he managed to survive the attack. Israel has not issued an immediate response regarding the incident but did release a new evacuation advisory for specific buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs later that night.
The conflict has escalated significantly in recent weeks, with Israel conducting extensive airstrikes and ground operations against Hezbollah targets across Lebanon. The situation has led to a broadening humanitarian crisis, with the United Nations reporting that a quarter of Lebanon’s territory is under Israeli military displacement orders. Over 1.5 million people in Lebanon are in urgent need of humanitarian aid, and food prices continue to rise due to disruptions in the supply chain.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has also been affected, with two peacekeepers injured when an Israeli tank shell struck a UNIFIL watchtower. The UN has condemned these attacks as serious breaches of international humanitarian law and has expressed deep concern over the safety of its peacekeepers.
The international community has reacted strongly to the incident, with countries like France, Ireland, Italy, and Spain condemning the attacks. The White House has urged Israel for more information and emphasized the need to protect civilians in densely populated areas.
