Israel Launches Airstrikes in Southern Beirut Suburbs for the First Time in Days
Early Wednesday, Israeli jets launched airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, marking their first attack in six days, according to Lebanese state media. The exact number of casualties from the strikes has not yet been confirmed.
This attack comes shortly after Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati mentioned that the United States had provided some assurances regarding a reduction in Israeli strikes on the Lebanese capital.
Witnesses reported seeing black smoke rising over the suburbs due to the airstrikes. The Israeli military claims these strikes are aimed at Hezbollah targets in the area, which is known for its mix of residential and commercial buildings. They stated that one of the strikes hit a weapons warehouse located beneath a residential building.
Prior to the attack, the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning on social media, indicating they were targeting a specific building in the Haret Hreik neighborhood. An Associated Press photographer on the scene documented at least three strikes in the area, with the first occurring less than an hour after the evacuation notice.
Hezbollah had intensified its rocket fire into Israel beginning October 8, showing solidarity with the Palestinian group Hamas following their unexpected attack on southern Israel. What started as low-level fighting has escalated into a full-scale war, displacing approximately 1.2 million people in Lebanon.
In another incident on Tuesday night, Israeli strikes in the southern town of Qana resulted in at least 15 deaths, according to Lebanon’s Civil Defense. Nuhad Bustanji, a spokesperson for first responders, noted that rescue operations were still ongoing, and the death toll might increase.
Videos shared on social media captured the destruction in Qana, showing smoking ruins and damaged nearby buildings. This town was previously the site of a tragic Israeli artillery strike on a United Nations compound in 1996, which claimed the lives of many civilians.
