A strong Israeli air strike hit the center of Beirut this Saturday (23), security sources said. The offensive shook Lebanon’s capital as Israel presses attacks in the conflict against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
At least four people were killed and 23 injured in the attack in Beirut’s Basta neighborhood, Hezbollah’s al-Manar broadcaster reported, citing the Health Ministry.
Lebanon’s National News Agency said early Saturday that the attack resulted in a large number of deaths and injuries and destroyed an eight-story building.
Images broadcast by Al Jadeed station showed at least one building destroyed and several others badly damaged around it.
The explosions rocked the capital around 4 a.m. local time, Reuters witnesses said. Security sources said at least four bombs were dropped in the attack.
The episode marked the fourth Israeli air strike this week targeting a central area of Beirut. Most of Israel’s strikes target Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs.
On Sunday (17), an Israeli air strike in the Ras al-Nabaa district, in the center of Beirut.
Israel killed several Hezbollah leaders in airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut. The country launched a major offensive against the armed group in Lebanon in September, after almost a year of cross-border hostilities triggered by the Gaza war.
The conflict began when Hezbollah opened fire in solidarity with its Palestinian ally Hamas following the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel.
A US mediator traveled to Lebanon and Israel this week on a
The envoy, , indicated that progress had been made after meetings in Beirut on Tuesday (19) and Wednesday (20), before going to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz.
