Israeli air strikes on Saturday have resulted in the deaths of more than 55 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities. The most devastating strike occurred in central Beirut, where a residential building in the working-class Basta neighborhood was destroyed.
The attack in Basta alone killed at least 20 individuals and injured 66 others, as reported by Lebanon's Health Ministry. Samir, a 60-year-old resident living near the destroyed building, recounted, \"We saw two dead people on the ground… The children started crying and their mother cried even more.\"
Following this, additional strikes were carried out in the city's southern suburbs after the Israeli military issued calls to evacuate areas. While Israel has not commented on the central Beirut strike, it confirmed that it targeted Hezbollah positions in the southern regions.
A military statement highlighted that over the past week, the Israeli air force has struck dozens of Hezbollah command centers, weapons storage facilities, and terrorist infrastructure in the Dahieh area. However, a Lebanese security source indicated that the central Beirut strike aimed at a leading Hezbollah figure. This was denied by Hezbollah politician Amin Sherri, who stated that no official was present during the attack.
The Health Ministry also reported that Israeli air strikes hit eastern Lebanon, resulting in 24 deaths, including 13 in the town of Shmostar overlooking the Bekaa Valley. In southern Lebanon, at least 14 people lost their lives, including five in the coastal city of Tyre.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
