Dozens Wounded, At Least 22 Killed in Airstrikes in Beirut as Tensions Escalate in Israel Conflict with Iran
Israeli airstrikes on central Beirut on Thursday left two neighborhoods smoldering, killing at least 22 people and wounding dozens, Lebanon’s health ministry said. The air raid, the deadliest in over a year of war, apparently targeted two residential buildings in separate neighborhoods simultaneously, according to an AP photographer at the scene. It brought down one eight-story building and wiped out the lower floors of the other.
The Israeli military said it was looking into the reported strikes. Israeli airstrikes have been far more common in Beirut’s tightly packed southern suburbs, where Hezbollah bases many of its operations.
The attack came the same day Israeli forces fired on United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon and wounded two of them, drawing widespread condemnation and prompting Italy’s Defense Ministry to summon Israel’s ambassador in protest.
Hezbollah has expanded its rocket fire to more populated areas deeper inside Israel, causing few casualties but disrupting daily life. The conflict has resulted in over 1,500 fatalities, more than 8,000 injuries, and has displaced upwards of 1 million individuals in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
The United States has expressed its support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah but emphasized the importance of protecting civilians throughout its operations, especially in densely populated areas of Beirut.
