Israel attacked central Beirut early on Thursday, killing at least six people. This followed its forces’ worst day on the Lebanese front in a year of fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Israel claimed to have carried out a targeted airstrike on Beirut. Witnesses for Reuters reported hearing a massive explosion. A security source said the blast targeted a building near the parliament in the Bachoura neighborhood of central Beirut. These are the closest Israeli strikes to the country’s capital.
Lebanese health officials said that at least six individuals had died and seven had been injured. According to a picture that was making the rounds on Lebanese WhatsApp groups, a severely damaged building with its first level on fire was visible. Reuters was unable to confirm this immediately.
Lebanese security officials reported that three missiles struck the southern suburb of Dahiyeh. The area, where Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed last week, was shaken by massive explosions that could be heard clearly. The southern suburbs came under more than a dozen Israeli attacks on Wednesday.
Israel announced on Wednesday that eight of its troops had died in ground combat in southern Lebanon. This came as its forces advanced into Lebanon, a day after Iran launched more than 180 missiles into Israel.
As concerns grew about the Middle East’s oil-producing region becoming involved in a larger conflict following Iran’s missile attack and Israel’s threat of retaliation, the Israeli military took action. On Wednesday, they announced that regular infantry and armored units had joined their ground operations in Lebanon.
Hezbollah said that Israeli forces were engaged by its militants inside Lebanon. For the first time since Israeli forces crossed the border on Monday, the movement reported on ground combat. In the vicinity of the border village of Maroun El Ras, Hezbollah claimed to have destroyed three Israeli Merkava tanks with missiles.
“We are at the height of a difficult war against Iran’s Axis of Evil, which wants to destroy us,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a condolence video. “This will not happen because we will stand together and with God’s help, we will win together,” he added.
According to Lebanon’s health ministry, within the previous 24 hours, Israeli airstrikes in the country’s south and center claimed the lives of at least 46 individuals.
Iran announced on Wednesday that its missile barrage, the largest attack it has ever launched on Israel, had been halted. The country emphasized that the strikes would cease unless further provocation occurred. However, Israel and the US vowed to retaliate severely.
President of the United States Joe Biden urged Israel to respond “proportionally” to its arch-enemy in the region by saying he would not support any Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear sites in retaliation for its ballistic missile attack.
According to the White House, Biden participated in a call on Wednesday with the major players in the Group of Seven to plan a response that would include more penalties against Tehran.
The G7 leaders expressed “strong concern” over the Middle East crisis, according to a statement. They also stated that a diplomatic solution was still possible and that a regional conflict would not serve anyone’s best interests.
Hezbollah claimed to have fired rockets at Israeli military sites and repelled Israeli forces close to a number of border towns.
Mohammad Afif, the paramilitary group’s commander of propaganda, stated that the fights were just “the first round.” He added that Hezbollah had enough troops, arms, and ammunition to push Israel back.
Israel signaled that the operation would extend beyond small-scale commando raids. It did so by deploying infantry and armored forces from the 36th Division, including the Golani Brigade, the 188th Armoured Brigade, and the 6th Infantry Brigade.
According to the military, there are no preparations for a larger operation that would target major cities in the south or the capital of Lebanon, Beirut, to the north. Instead, the incursion is primarily intended to destroy tunnels and other infrastructure near the border.
1.2 MILLION DISPLACED LEBANESES
It sent out fresh evacuation orders for approximately twenty towns near the southern border. Residents were instructed to move north of the Awali River, which flows westward for about 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of the Israeli border.
According to Lebanese government data, cross-border combat in Lebanon has continued for nearly a year, leading to over 1,900 deaths and more than 9,000 injuries. The majority of these deaths occurred in the last two weeks.
Israeli attacks have resulted in the displacement of around 1.2 million Lebanese, according to Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
Malika Joumaa, a Sudanese woman, and her husband, along with their two children, were forcibly removed from their home in Sidon, a coastal city in south Lebanon. They sought sanctuary in Saint Joseph’s Church in Beirut.
“It’s good that the church offered its help. We were going to stay in the streets; where would we have gone?”
Iran said that Tuesday’s missile attack was in retaliation for Israel’s battle against Palestinian Hamas terrorists in Gaza, as well as Israeli murders of militant commanders, including Nasrallah, in Lebanon.
The missile assault did not result in any injuries inside Israel, but it did result in one death in the occupied West Bank.
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