Agencies
Beirut
Israel’s military has pounded Beirut’s southern suburbs with air strikes, mounting one of its heaviest daytime attacks yet on the area after the defence minister ruled out a ceasefire until Israeli war goals were met.
Israel launched at least 10 air strikes on southern Beirut on Tuesday morning, Lebanese state media reported, shortly after Israel’s army urged residents of several neighbourhoods to evacuate.
“Israeli warplanes launched a very violent 10th strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs,” the official National News Agency reported. Footage from the AFP news agency showed grey smoke covering the area, with big plumes rising after each strike. The strikes hit the areas of Haret Hreik, Ghobeiri, al Hadath, Beir al Abed and Lailaki.
Earlier, the Israeli army told residents of four south Beirut neighbourhoods to leave immediately, warning it would strike Hezbollah targets there.
“You are located near facilities and interests affiliated with Hezbollah, against which the [Israeli military] will act in the near future,” military spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a post on X.
The post included a map showing the buildings it would target in the Lebanese capital’s south. The airstrikes caused panic among the population, as many people usually go in the morning to check on their houses in the southern suburbs. People in the area were seen jumping on motorbikes and speeding away by car when the warnings came in.
Witnesses told AFP they heard gunfire in the area before the strikes – warning shots by residents for people to leave following the evacuation call.
The strikes also caused panic at nearby schools, as parents rushed to collect their children. Videos circulating on social media showed pupils screaming in a classroom while filming the black smoke on their phones.
The sound of the airstrikes echoed throughout the Lebanese capital and the overlooking areas of Mount Lebanon.
The southern suburbs had been cautiously calm for the past two days.
Security sources said Tuesday’s attack was the heaviest daytime airstrike on the area this month.NNA also reported Israeli strikes across Lebanon’s south that destroyed a building in the main southern city of Nabatieh and also targeted the eastern city of Hermel.
It came after the Shiite militant Hezbollah organization claimed two attacks in northern Israel and Haifa.
The Israeli military said the drone attack had triggered air raid sirens in Haifa, Acre and other areas. One drone that crossed from Lebanon was identified as falling in the area of Nesher, the Israeli military said, adding that no casualties had been reported.
Last month, Israeli strikes razed Nabatieh’s historic marketplace, with another wave of attacks also hitting its municipality building and killing several people, including the city’s mayor. Since September 23, Israel has intensified its air campaign, mainly targeting areas in Lebanon’s east and south and in southern Beirut. A week later, it sent in ground troops.
In Lebanon, at least 3,243 people have been killed and 14,134 wounded in Israeli attacks since October 2023.
