New Areas of South Beirut Hit in Israeli Strikes, Many Casualties Reported
New areas in Beirut's southern suburb were targeted by Israeli air strikes, including Ouzaï and Jnah. ©This is Beirut

New areas in Beirut's southern suburb were targeted by Israeli air strikes, including Ouzaï and Jnah.

Following evacuation orders issued to residents of the Laylaké and Ouzaï neighborhoods, several Israeli air strikes targeted these neighborhoods, as well as the towns of Hadath, Jnah and Sainte Thérèse.

A large number of injuries were reported following the Israeli strike targeting the area around the Rafic Hariri government hospital in Jnah.

Rescue teams worked to extract the injured from under the rubble. At least three people were killed and dozens wounded in an evening Israeli airstrike Monday that hit the Jnah-Ouzai area near Rafik Hariri governmental Hospital.

It is the first time that this zone of south Beirut has been targeted.

"An Israeli air strike targeted the Ouzai area. This is the first targeting of the Ouzai district since the start of the Israeli aggression on Lebanon," the National News Agency said.

Israel launched more strikes on Hezbollah's south Beirut bastion Monday including for the first time the Ouzai district, Lebanese state media reported, shortly after the Israeli army warned residents of several areas to evacuate.

While most districts of Beirut's southern suburbs had been emptied for almost a month, the densely-packed residential area of Ouzai was still filled with people because it had never been targeted before.

The NNA also reported strikes on the Haret Hreik neighbourhood, just south of Ouzai, and near Lebanon's largest public hospital.

Hezbollah-affiliated rescuers told AFP they were looking for survivors amid the devastation in Ouzai, adding that the evacuation order, then the strike, caused "panic among residents" who "started to run in the streets".

"They did not leave any room for people to escape. The strike came closely after the warning," one said.

Just prior to the strikes, the Israeli military called on residents to leave parts of southern Beirut, in their latest such appeal.

Military spokesman Avichay Adraee posted the new call on social media pointing out several locations to be evacuated, including an area close to Beirut airport.

"You are located near facilities and interests affiliated with Hezbollah that the IDF will work against in the near future," he wrote.

 

Comments
  • No comment yet