Heavy Israeli airstrikes hit southern suburbs of Beirut

A series of heavy Israeli airstrikes struck the southern suburbs of Beirut early on Friday, including one that completely destroyed a building in the Tayouneh area.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, and the Israeli military had issued a warning ahead of the attack. They claimed to have targeted “Hezbollah facilities and interests.”

Over the past eight weeks, Israeli airstrikes have demolished hundreds of buildings and homes across Lebanon, displacing thousands of residents.

The World Bank estimated that the ongoing 13-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has caused over €8 billion in physical damage and economic losses.

The damage to infrastructure alone was valued at €3.2 billion, while economic losses reached €4.8 billion, according to a statement released on Thursday.

An Associated Press photographer captured images of the 11-story residential building in Tayouneh moments before it was hit by a bomb, showing it engulfed in flames just a few kilometres from central Beirut.

At least 13 killed in Israeli strike near Baalbek

Rescue teams continued searching on Friday for missing people trapped under rubble near Baalbek in eastern Lebanon, following an Israeli airstrike on a civil defence centre on Thursday night. The attack killed at least 13 people.

According to the Lebanese Civil Defence, all those who died in the strike on Douris, a town near Baalbek, were employees and volunteers from their emergency services. Some other remains were also recovered and will require DNA testing, it said in a statement.

The General Directorate of Civil Defense expressed “deep regret over the direct attack on its members.” Staffers “will continue to respond to relief calls and continue with its humanitarian mission, no matter how great the challenges and sacrifices are,” it said.

Israel has accused Hezbollah of using ambulances and medical facilities to transport and store weapons. The Israeli military has not commented on the strike on the civil defense center in Baalbek.

Israel has been striking deeper inside Lebanon since September as it escalates the war against Hezbollah. After 13 months of fighting, over 3,300 people have been killed and more than 14,400 have been injured, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.