A wave of Israeli airstrikes unleashed on central Beirut on Thursday evening claimed the lives of 22 people, including a family of eight, and left 117 injured. These strikes, the deadliest since Israel ramped up its bombing campaign two weeks ago, targeted residential areas in the heart of the Lebanese capital. The apparent target of the attack was Wafiq Safa, a top security official of the Hezbollah terrorist group and the brother-in-law of assassinated leader Hassan Nasrallah. However, he managed to escape the attack.
The Israeli strikes hit two densely populated neighborhoods, Nweiri and Basta, in the Bachoura district, a predominantly Shia area. These were only the third strikes on the city center since the Israeli campaign began.
Following two relatively calm days in Beirut, the strikes brought a wave of devastation to the area. In the working-class district of Basta, where the population is largely Sunni and Shiite Muslim, two old buildings collapsed. Across the street in Nweiri, a brand-new eight-story building was damaged.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with loud explosions, thick smoke, and ambulance sirens echoing through the night. One resident, Ayman, recounted hearing three explosions that shattered his kitchen windows and sent his son into tears.
Firefighters worked to put out the blaze that engulfed a residential building in Nweiri, using ladders to evacuate residents from the upper floors. In Basta, residents collected their belongings and prepared to flee the area. One resident expressed the shared sentiment of fear, saying, “I’m not usually scared, but it was like an earthquake.”
Rescuers raced to clear the debris, searching for survivors trapped beneath the rubble. The Israeli government did not issue any evacuation warnings prior to the airstrikes, adding to the devastation and loss of life.
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group that has been a focal point of the Israeli attacks, canceled a planned press conference scheduled for Friday, citing the ongoing developments.
