Israeli Air Strikes Flatten Residential Building In Central Beirut.
A massive Israeli air strike early Saturday morning destroyed an eight-storey residential building in the densely populated Basta district of central Beirut, Lebanon. The Lebanese health ministry has confirmed at least 11 fatalities, with more than 60 people injured.
The attack, which occurred around 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT), was carried out without warning. Five missiles struck the building, reducing it to rubble and leaving a huge crater. Emergency services are still working to remove debris and search for survivors amidst plumes of smoke.
Local resident Nemir Zarariya described the chaos: “We were deep asleep, and then the strike happened and then a second strike. There was dust and wrecked houses, people running and screaming. My wife, my daughter, and my aunt are all in hospital.”
This marks the fourth Israeli strike on central Beirut this week. The Israeli military has not issued any statement on the latest attack. Speculation suggests a senior Hezbollah figure might have been the intended target, though neither Hezbollah nor the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have confirmed this.
In addition to the Basta strike, Israeli jets later targeted sites in southern Beirut, claiming on social media platform X that one of the locations housed weapons linked to Hezbollah. Residents in southern Beirut have been advised to evacuate as tensions escalate.
Escalating Conflict
The attack is part of Israel’s broader offensive against Hezbollah, which began in September. The conflict intensified after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in support of Hamas following the 7 October 2023 assault on southern Israel.
Israel’s stated aim is to eliminate Hezbollah threats and enable the return of 60,000 displaced Israeli residents from northern border areas. In Lebanon, the ongoing conflict has reportedly claimed more than 3,500 lives and displaced over one million people, according to Lebanese authorities.
Diplomatic Efforts
Efforts to mediate a ceasefire continue. Earlier this week, US mediator Amos Hochstein held talks with both Israeli and Lebanese officials, though no breakthroughs have been announced.
The situation remains dire, with humanitarian concerns mounting as violence escalates.
