At least 22 people have been killed and 117 injured in Israeli air strikes on central Beirut, Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed on Thursday evening.
The strikes targeted the densely populated Shia neighborhoods of Nweiri and Basta in the Bachoura district, causing loud explosions and widespread damage.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of devastation as rescuers scrambled to dig survivors out from the rubble, while ambulances rushed the wounded to the American University Hospital.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that the strike may have targeted Wafiq Safa, a high-ranking Hezbollah security official and brother-in-law of assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
However, Hezbollah’s media office has not commented on the incident.
This latest attack marks the third time Israel has carried out air strikes on the Lebanese capital outside of the southern suburb of Dahieh, where previous operations targeted Hezbollah commanders and munitions sites.
The strikes followed two days of relative calm in Beirut, and came without warning. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have not issued a statement regarding the attack.
Meanwhile, tensions in southern Lebanon remain high. Earlier in the day, two Indonesian peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon were injured when an Israeli tank fired at a watchtower in Naqoura.
The UN expressed concern, accusing Israeli forces of repeatedly targeting UN positions over the past 24 hours.
Hostilities have intensified since Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel in support of its ally Hamas.
The Lebanese government has reported that 1.2 million people have been displaced due to the escalating conflict.
As of October 7, nearly 42,000 people have been killed during Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
