Israeli airstrikes on Beirut intensified on Wednesday, with seven separate strikes until now reported across the capital’s southern suburbs, the latest targeting Bir al-Abed in the Dahieh district.
The Israeli military said it has struck more than 500 targets in Lebanon since the start of the current campaign, which it says is aimed at Hezbollah infrastructure. Israeli officials also announced the mobilization of around 100,000 soldiers during the first week of the war, while noting that approximately 50 Israeli fighter jets took part in strikes on Iran earlier in the day.
As the military escalation continues, Israel has renewed calls for the Lebanese government to distance itself from Hezbollah, while the frequency of strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs underscores the widening scope of the conflict.
Israeli airstrikes overnight
The southern suburbs of Beirut witnessed a tense night from Thursday to Friday as Israeli warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes, with the Israeli army saying the total number of raids reached 26.
Israeli aircraft targeted several areas across the southern suburbs, including Jamous near Hashem Station, Musharrafieh, Haret Hreik, Maamoura, Kafaat, and Burj al-Barajneh.
Following the overnight strikes, Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army, said on the platform X that the Israeli Air Force had carried out a large wave of airstrikes in Beirut, targeting command headquarters and high-rise buildings housing military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in the southern suburbs.
Adraee said the strikes were conducted based on intelligence from the Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate and targeted “terrorist infrastructure.” According to him, the raids struck the headquarters of Hezbollah’s Executive Council as well as a warehouse where drones used by the group to launch attacks toward Israel were stored.
Beyond Beirut, Israeli strikes were also reported in other regions of Lebanon.
In the Bekaa Valley, several raids hit the towns of Douris, Brital, and Taybeh, with Israeli aircraft reportedly carrying out a second strike on Douris later on Friday.
In southern Lebanon, Israeli warplanes conducted overnight raids on the towns of Srifa, Aita al-Shaab, Touline, Sawaneh, and Majdal Selm.
In the Zahrani area, the Israeli army targeted and destroyed the office of the “Saksakiyeh Electronic Website.”
On Friday morning, additional strikes hit the towns of Habboush, Kfarreman, Kfartebnit, Aankoun, and Qlaileh in the Nabatieh district.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah issued a warning to residents of northern Israeli settlements, calling for the evacuation of all settlements located within five kilometers of the border. The group said that what it described as Israeli attacks on Lebanese sovereignty, the targeting of civilians, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and a campaign of displacement would not go unanswered.
Comments