In a significant escalation of hostilities, nine people were killed, and 14 others injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting a multi-storey building in central Beirut. Lebanese officials confirmed that the strike hit a Hezbollah-affiliated health center located in the Bachoura district, just meters away from Lebanon’s parliament. This marks the first Israeli strike close to Beirut’s center amid a series of intense confrontations with Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist group.
Airstrikes Target Hezbollah Strongholds
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the attack was part of a precision strike aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s infrastructure, which Israel deems a major threat due to its affiliations with Iran. In addition to the Bachoura strike, five other airstrikes were carried out overnight in the southern suburb of Dahieh, a well-known Hezbollah stronghold.
Explosions rocked the suburb, and civilians fled as IDF targeted facilities it described as being tied to Hezbollah’s military operations. Prior warnings had been issued to residents of Dahieh, signaling that Hezbollah-affiliated sites would be the focus of the Israeli bombardment.
IDF Reports Losses in Lebanon
This escalation follows the deaths of eight Israeli soldiers during combat operations in southern Lebanon earlier this week. These soldiers were part of Israel’s ground offensive, which aims to dismantle Hezbollah’s stronghold along the border. The troops were met with heavy resistance, and Hezbollah claimed it destroyed Israeli tanks in the region, further complicating the military situation.
Despite Hezbollah’s claim that it has enough manpower and weapons to repel Israeli forces, Israel remains committed to its offensive, which is now in its second week.
Rising Civilian Casualties
Lebanon’s health ministry reported that 46 people have died, and 85 have been injured in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours, though it did not specify how many of the casualties were civilians or Hezbollah fighters. A number of those killed in the Bachoura strike were reported to be rescue workers and paramedics attempting to aid the injured. The devastation has continued to mount as Israeli forces press deeper into Lebanese territory.
Among those killed in the recent airstrikes was Kamel Ahmad Jawad, a 56-year-old U.S. permanent resident from Michigan, who had traveled to Lebanon to care for his elderly mother. His death was confirmed by the White House, with a spokesperson calling it “a tragedy,” representative of the toll the conflict has taken on civilians.
Hezbollah’s Strength Tested
Despite heavy losses, including more than 1,200 casualties across Lebanon, Hezbollah claims it remains capable of defending its positions. The organization has built up extensive networks of underground tunnels and stocked large reserves of weaponry in southern Lebanon, allowing its fighters to conduct guerrilla warfare and launch precision strikes against Israeli forces.
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Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike last week, a blow to the organization that has escalated tensions even further. However, Hezbollah continues to launch retaliatory strikes, including the destruction of Israeli tanks and repeated missile attacks across the border.
International Response
The ongoing violence has displaced around 1.2 million people in Lebanon, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region. Meanwhile, Israel remains committed to its military goals, which it says include pushing Hezbollah away from the border and ensuring the safe return of Israeli civilians displaced by the conflict.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the fallen Israeli soldiers, stating that they had died fighting “Iran’s axis of evil,” vowing that Israel would continue its battle against Hezbollah and its Iranian backers.
Global Implications
The conflict also threatens to draw in global powers. Iran responded to Israel’s aggressive airstrikes with over 180 ballistic missiles targeting Israel on Tuesday night, though Israeli air defenses managed to repel the vast majority. The exchange of missile fire between Hezbollah and Israel continues to escalate tensions in the Middle East, raising concerns of a wider regional war.
U.S. President Joe Biden, while reaffirming America’s commitment to Israel’s security, warned against retaliatory strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, signaling the delicate balance that global leaders must maintain to avoid further escalation.
