Deadly Israeli strike hits central Beirut

AFP | Beirut, Lebanon

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A powerful Israeli airstrike has destroyed an eight-storey residential building in central Beirut, Lebanon, killing at least four people and injuring more than 20, according to Lebanon's health ministry. The attack occurred early on Saturday morning at around 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT) in the densely populated Basta district.

The strike involved five missiles, which caused massive explosions and completely flattened the building. The Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported that plumes of smoke billowed from the site, and emergency teams rushed to search for survivors and remove rubble.

The Israeli military has not yet issued a statement regarding the attack. This marks Israel’s fourth assault on central Beirut this week. On Monday, an Israeli airstrike killed a spokesman for the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, Mohammed Afif. In recent months, Israeli strikes have targeted high-ranking members of Hezbollah, including the group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

Following the Beirut attack, Israel's military issued an evacuation order for residents in southern Beirut, warning them of potential threats near Hezbollah facilities. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later carried out additional airstrikes on sites they claimed were associated with Hezbollah, including a weapons warehouse.

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which began in September, has resulted in significant casualties and displacement. Israel's offensive aims to clear Hezbollah forces from southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah has launched multiple rocket attacks on Israel in retaliation for Israel's military actions and in support of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group behind the October 7th attacks in southern Israel.

More than 3,500 people have been killed in Lebanon as a result of the conflict, with over one million people displaced, according to Lebanese authorities. In a bid to reduce tensions, a U.S. mediator, Amos Hochstein, visited both Israel and Lebanon earlier this week, indicating some progress toward a potential ceasefire, although no concrete details have been released.

The situation in Lebanon remains dire as emergency teams continue to search through the rubble and Israel steps up its offensive in the region.