Middle East: Beirut remains in ruins after Israeli jet attack

Heavy shelling destroys residential buildings in crowded southern suburbs, killing at least two, according to preliminary death toll

Israeli fighters carried out a series of intense airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut this Friday morning (27), in what appears to be the most violent bombing of the Lebanese capital since the 2006 war. At least two people died and 76 others were injured, according to preliminary information released by the Lebanese Ministry of Health. The explosions hit the densely populated area of Dahiyehknown as a Hezbollah stronghold, destroying several residential buildings and leaving a large crater at the site.

Images and videos shared on social media by Lebanese residents show the chaos at the time of the attack. Rescue teams and ambulances were seen rushing to the sites of the explosions, as several fires consumed the affected areas. “We saw several explosions in a row. People were terrified, running for cover,” said a local resident. The footage shows destroyed buildings and significant damage to nearby structures.

O Israeli army claimed that the target of the attacks was Hezbollah headquarters, allegedly located beneath residential buildings. Israeli media also reported that the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallahwas the objective of the attack. However, the Iranian news agency Tasnimlinked to the Revolutionary Guard, cited security sources who stated that Nasrallah was “in a safe place” and that “what is being published in the Hebrew media is not true.” Claims about Nasrallah’s location could not be independently verified to date.

The explosions occurred less than two hours after the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahuspeaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, where he defended his country’s recent military actions in both Gaza and Lebanon. “Israel has every right to remove this threat and return our citizens to their homes safely. And that’s exactly what we’re doing,” said Netanyahu, referring to this week’s attacks in Lebanon, which have so far left more than 700 people dead, including dozens of women and children. He also reiterated: “We will not rest until the remaining hostages are brought home.”

According to information released by the Lebanese government, Hezbollah’s response to the Israeli attacks was rapid, with rockets and missiles being launched against several locations in Israel. The conflict, which has lasted several days, intensified earlier this week when Israel began a series of airstrikes that resulted in the deaths of more than 700 people in Lebanon, including at least 50 children. More than 118,000 people were displaced, according to International Organization for Migration (IOM)but the Lebanese minister responsible for responding to the crisis believes the real number of displaced people is more than 250,000.

Friday’s bombing came at a time of escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. In recent weeks, Lebanon has been the target of repeated Israeli airstrikes in response to missile and rocket attacks launched by Hezbollah against Israeli cities. The situation has attracted international attention, especially as world leaders gather for the annual summit at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Lebanon’s interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who is also in New York for the UN General Assembly, condemned the Israeli strikes, saying they show that “Israel does not care about efforts to establish a ceasefire.” Mikati highlighted that bombings continue to seriously affect the civilian population and reiterated the urgent need for a truce. On Thursday, Israel rejected a proposal from the United States and France for a temporary 21-day truce between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, although a US official said the plan had been communicated to Israel.

Sources close to the Israeli government say that Netanyahu has decided to interrupt his visit to New York and return to Israel on Friday night, a sign that events in Lebanon are being treated as extremely urgent by the Israeli government.

The attacks in Dahiyeh are part of a broader scenario of violence in the region, with Lebanon being one of the focuses of the Israeli war against Hezbollah. In recent weeks, Israel has intensified its military operations in both Lebanon and Gaza as part of a campaign to weaken Hezbollah and other armed factions that pose a threat to the country. “We will not rest until security is restored and our citizens can live without fear,” Netanyahu said in a statement released after the bombings.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian impacts of the escalating conflict continue to worsen. In addition to mass displacements, aid agencies have struggled to provide adequate assistance to the hundreds of thousands of civilians affected by the bombings. According to the IOM, the number of homeless people in Lebanon is increasing daily, placing increasing pressure on the country’s already overburdened health and social care infrastructure.