Israeli airstrikes rock southern suburbs of Beirut and cut off a key crossing into Syria

Israeli airstrikes devastate Beirut suburbs, cutting off key Lebanon-Syria border crossing amid escalating conflict with Hezbollah

Escalating Violence: Israeli Airstrikes Rock Suburban Beirut

 

BEIRUT — Israel intensified its military operations in Lebanon on Friday, unleashing a series of airstrikes that devastated suburban areas of Beirut, particularly in the Dahiyeh neighborhood. The strikes, which occurred overnight, resulted in significant destruction, sending massive plumes of smoke and flames into the night sky and shaking buildings miles away.

 

Witnesses reported running for cover as at least one building was completely leveled, and vehicles were left charred amidst the debris. The Israeli military stated it targeted Hezbollah’s central intelligence headquarters in these operations but did not confirm whether any militants were killed during the strikes. However, they claimed to have eliminated approximately 100 Hezbollah fighters in the previous 24 hours, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.

 

According to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency, more than ten consecutive airstrikes were reported in the area, leading to a grim toll: around 1,400 Lebanese, including both Hezbollah militants and civilians, have lost their lives since Israel intensified its strikes in late September. In addition, around 1.2 million individuals have been displaced, forced from their homes due to the relentless bombardment aimed at crippling Hezbollah and its influence along the border.

 

As the airstrikes continued, a hospital in southern Lebanon, the Salah Ghandour Hospital in Bint Jbeil, came under shelling, resulting in injuries to nine medical staff members, several of whom sustained severe wounds. This incident follows a troubling report from the World Health Organization indicating that 28 health workers in Lebanon had been killed in just the past 24 hours, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation exacerbated by the ongoing conflict.

 

Hezbollah retaliated on Friday, launching approximately 100 rockets into Israeli territory. This exchange marks another chapter in a series of escalating tensions that have characterized the region for nearly a year, following Hezbollah's response to Hamas' attacks on southern Israel last October.