Beirut: Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon in the past 24 hours have left more than 20 people dead, including several children, according to Lebanese authorities. The heavy bombardment struck southern suburbs of Beirut overnight, with Tyre, a coastal city, hit particularly hard on Friday. The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed that at least seven people, including two children, died in the attack. Rescue operations continue, and body parts retrieved from the debris are undergoing DNA testing for identification.
The strikes on Tyre followed earlier evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military for various areas of the city, though no new evacuation directives were released ahead of Friday’s assault.
On Saturday, another wave of Israeli airstrikes targeted the eastern plains near Baalbek, a historic city in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. The area’s governor reported that at least 16 people were killed in those attacks. The death toll from the ongoing conflict, which has seen Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah locked in fierce fighting since October 2023, has continued to climb.
The Lebanese Health Ministry said that, over the past year, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 3,136 people and injured 13,979, including 619 women and 194 children. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has intensified its response, carrying out multiple operations against Israel, including one targeting a military factory near Tel Aviv.
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In Beirut’s southern suburbs, once a vibrant neighborhood and a key Hezbollah stronghold, Israeli airstrikes have left widespread destruction. Reuters reporters, escorted by Hezbollah, observed buildings reduced to rubble, with Hezbollah flags still visible amidst the wreckage. Some buildings were partially damaged, causing floors to collapse and spilling belongings onto the streets below. Residents, like Hassan Hannawi, sifted through the debris, trying to salvage what little they could. “We are trying to gather as many [of our possessions] as we can, so we can manage to live off them, nothing more,” Hannawi said.
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Israeli military officials have not responded to requests for comment on the recent attacks.
