At least five people have been killed and eight others wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a building in central Beirut, Lebanese officials confirmed.
The multi-storey building in Bachoura, which housed a Hezbollah-affiliated health centre, was targeted in what Israel’s military described as a “precision” attack.
This marks the first Israeli strike near Beirut’s city centre, just meters away from Lebanon’s parliament.
In addition to the Bachoura strike, five other airstrikes were carried out overnight in the southern suburb of Dahieh, a known Hezbollah stronghold.
The attacks come in response to intensified ground operations by the Israel Defence Forces in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah fighters have been engaged in combat with Israeli forces.
The IDF stated that eight of its soldiers were killed in clashes in southern Lebanon, marking its first reported losses since launching operations aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s “terrorist infrastructure” near the Lebanese border.
The military has since deployed additional infantry and armoured units to bolster its operations.
The overnight strikes in Dahieh resulted in three explosions in the southern suburbs and two more airstrikes closer to central Beirut.
The IDF had warned residents in the area of its planned strikes, stating that it was targeting Hezbollah facilities.
Lebanon’s health ministry reported that 46 people had been killed and 85 wounded in Israeli bombings over the past 24 hours, though it did not specify how many of the casualties were civilians or combatants.
Among the dead is Kamel Ahmad Jawad, a 56-year-old U.S. permanent resident from Michigan, who was in Lebanon caring for his elderly mother.
His death was confirmed by a White House official, who described it as “a tragedy, as are the deaths of many civilians in Lebanon.”
The conflict, which has escalated over the past two weeks, has weakened Hezbollah following repeated Israeli strikes.
Lebanese authorities report that over 1,200 people have been killed and around 1.2 million displaced across the country as a result of the violence.
Israel has intensified its offensive, aiming to ensure the safe return of its citizens displaced by Hezbollah’s cross-border attacks.
Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist political and military organization, holds significant influence in Lebanon.
It is considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the U.S., the UK, and other countries.
