Beirut: An Israeli airstrike early Saturday morning on a central Beirut residential building has left 11 people dead and 63 wounded, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. The death toll is expected to rise as emergency workers continue to search through the rubble in the city’s Basta neighborhood.
The eight-story residential building was completely destroyed, with several surrounding structures severely damaged in the 4 a.m. strike. DNA testing is underway to identify victims as the rescue operation unfolds.
This marks the fourth airstrike targeting central Beirut this week, adding to escalating violence. The Israeli military did not issue prior evacuation warnings for the area and has yet to comment on the casualties.
Drone Strike in Tyre
In a separate incident, a drone strike in the southern port city of Tyre killed one person and injured another, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported. The victims were reportedly young fishermen.
Ongoing Conflict Escalates
The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings today to residents in parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs, urging them to move at least 500 meters away from suspected Hezbollah facilities. The army stated it had conducted strikes on Hezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities in Dahiyeh, a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut. Several Hezbollah leaders have reportedly been killed in recent airstrikes on the area.
Heavy fighting continues in southern Lebanon as Israeli forces advance deeper into the region following their major offensive launched in September.
Regional Impact
Lebanon’s health ministry reports over 3,500 deaths and more than 15,000 injuries since the escalation began, with 1.2 million people displaced — roughly a quarter of the country’s population. In northern Israel, approximately 90 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians have been killed.
Gaza Conflict Parallels
Meanwhile, in Gaza, six people, including three children, were killed in Khan Younis on Saturday. Gaza’s health ministry states that 44,176 Palestinians have died since Israel began its military campaign, with more than half of the casualties being women and children.
The violence in Gaza erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250.
Diplomatic Efforts
U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein visited the region this week in an effort to de-escalate more than 13 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, a conflict exacerbated by the ongoing war in Gaza. Hochstein expressed cautious optimism following meetings with Lebanese and Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
