Firefighters were seen battling the flames after a building was struck by an Israeli airstrike in the Hadath neighborhood of Beirut's southern suburbs on November 23, 2024. — AFP
Lebanon reported that Israeli air strikes on Saturday resulted in the deaths of over 55 individuals, with many fatalities occurring in central Beirut. In a call with his US counterpart, Israel's defense minister pledged decisive action against Hezbollah.
On Israel's second front, the ongoing 13-month conflict with Hamas militants in Gaza, rescuers confirmed that pre-dawn Israeli air strikes and tank fire led to the deaths of 19 people and injured more than 40. Hamas's armed wing announced the death of an Israeli hostage, captured during the group's attack in October last year, which initiated the war. The Israeli military neither confirmed nor denied this claim.
After nearly a year of limited cross-border exchanges of fire, where Lebanon's Hezbollah supported Hamas, Israel intensified air strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on September 23. A week later, ground troops were deployed to southern Lebanon.
A strike in central Beirut on Saturday caused a residential building to collapse, affecting residents across the city. The attack in the working-class Basta neighborhood resulted in at least 20 deaths and 66 injuries, according to Lebanon's health ministry.
Israel has not commented on the strike in central Beirut but confirmed targeting Hezbollah in the city's southern suburbs. A military statement revealed that over the past week, the air force had struck numerous Hezbollah command centers, weapons storage facilities, and terrorist infrastructure in the Dahieh area.
Lebanese security sources informed AFP that the central Beirut strike targeted a prominent Hezbollah figure, but a Hezbollah lawmaker denied any officials were present during the attack.
Israeli air strikes also impacted eastern Lebanon, resulting in 24 deaths, including 13 in the town of Shmostar overlooking the Bekaa Valley. In Lebanon's south, at least 14 were killed, including five in the coastal city of Tyre.
During a phone call with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated the US commitment to a diplomatic resolution in Lebanon, ensuring the safe return of civilians on both sides of the border.
US envoy Amos Hochstein visited Lebanon and Israel this week, engaging with senior officials from both countries to negotiate an end to the conflict. Despite initial optimism, both sides' statements dampened hopes for rapid progress.
Lebanon reports over 3,670 deaths since October 2023, with most occurring this year. Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel resulted in 1,206 deaths, primarily civilians. Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has claimed at least 44,176 lives, mostly civilians, according to Hamas-run health ministry data.
In Gaza, a pre-dawn strike killed seven people, including children, in the Zeitun area of Gaza City. In southern Gaza, another strike resulted in six deaths, three of whom were children.
The United Nations and other organizations have repeatedly condemned the humanitarian conditions in northern Gaza. The limited aid entering Gaza was cited by the International Criminal Court in arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.
During their attack on Israel, Hamas militants captured 251 hostages, 97 of whom remain, including 34 reported dead by the Israeli military. Hamas's armed wing announced the death of a female hostage in northern Gaza but provided no further details.
Protesters in Tel Aviv continued their regular Saturday rallies, demanding the government secure the release of remaining hostages.
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