At least 11 people were killed and 63 injured in an Israeli airstrike on central Beirut, according to Lebanese authorities. The Lebanese health ministry warned the death toll could rise as rescue workers search for survivors in the rubble. DNA testing is being used to identify victims.
The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that the strike “completely destroyed” an eight-storey residential building in the Basta neighborhood early Saturday morning. Footage aired by Al Jadeed, a Lebanese news channel, showed extensive damage to the area, including one destroyed building and several others heavily damaged.
The Israeli military reportedly dropped at least four bombs in the attack, which occurred around 4 a.m. local time (2 a.m. UK time). Security sources noted that no evacuation warning was given prior to the strike, marking the fourth such attack on central Beirut this week.
In a separate incident, a drone strike in the southern port city of Tyre killed one person and injured another, the NNA said. This followed a day of heavy bombardment on Beirut’s southern suburbs and Tyre, where prior evacuation notices had been issued.
Israel has also targeted Hezbollah leaders in airstrikes on southern Beirut. Intense fighting continues in southern Lebanon as Israeli forces advance deeper into the country, following the launch of a major offensive in September.
The conflict, which began over 13 months ago amid the war in Gaza, has displaced approximately 1.2 million people in Lebanon—about a quarter of the population. According to Lebanon’s health ministry, Israeli actions have killed more than 3,500 people and injured over 15,000, while Israel reports losing 90 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians in northern regions.
U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein recently visited the region, holding discussions in Beirut and Israel aimed at ending the prolonged conflict. Hochstein expressed cautious optimism after meetings with Lebanese officials and Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.