BEIRUT, Nov 25: Israel launched multiple waves of airstrikes on Beirut and its southern suburbs, following earlier attacks that have left at least 29 people dead and 66 others injured in the Lebanese capital.
The Israeli military on Sunday confirmed that its warplanes targeted Hezbollah command centers in Beirut’s southern suburbs, focusing on areas such as Haret Hreik, Burj Barajneh, and Hadath. These airstrikes were described as “intelligence-based” by the Israeli military, with local reports citing 12 airstrikes within half an hour.
Social media footage showed massive clouds of black smoke rising above Beirut’s southern suburbs, following the Sunday airstrikes. Prior to the attacks, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee had warned residents via social media to evacuate certain buildings in the affected areas.
The latest wave of strikes comes after a deadly attack on an eight-storey residential building in Beirut’s Basta Fawka neighborhood on Saturday, which reportedly killed several people. While Israeli media claimed the attack targeted a high-ranking Hezbollah official, Lebanese lawmaker and Hezbollah member Amin Sherri denied that any military or civilian leaders were in the building at the time.
In retaliation to the Israeli strikes, Hezbollah announced on Sunday that it had destroyed five Israeli Merkava tanks in southern Lebanon using guided missiles. The militant group also claimed responsibility for launching attacks on multiple locations in northern Israel, including Kerem ben Zimra and Kfar Blum.
The ongoing escalation has been marked by intensified Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, which began in earnest on September 23, 2023, amid rising tensions with Hezbollah. In early October, Israel expanded its operations to include ground assaults across its northern border into Lebanon. According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, Israeli airstrikes have killed 3,754 people and injured 15,626 since the conflict began on October 8, 2023.
