Israel’s recent airstrikes in Lebanon hit this week near the country’s Parliament building, as well as the United Nations (UN) headquarters.
Israeli airstrikes
An Israeli airstrike hit a densely populated residential area in central Beirut on Monday evening, near important landmarks such as the UN headquarters in Lebanon, the parliament building, the prime minister’s office and several embassies, including the delegation of the European Union.
The Lebanese National News Agency reported that two missiles hit the Zoqaq al-Blat neighborhood. The attack comes amid reports that the US envoy has postponed a planned visit that was to focus on ceasefire negotiations.
Ambulance sirens rang out across the area, although authorities have not yet released the number of casualties. An Associated Press reporter on the scene described seeing numerous victims in the street. The intended target of the airstrike remains unknown and the Israeli military issued no advance warning.
KAWNAT HAJU/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images
On Sunday, a strike in Beirut’s Ras el-Nabaa neighborhood killed Mohammed Afif, Hezbollah’s media spokesperson, and six others, including a woman. Hours later, another strike in the Mar Elias commercial district claimed the lives of four more people. The intended target of this attack remains unknown.
These two days of strike break a month-long pause in attacks in this district of the Lebanese capital.
Tensions in the Middle East
The latest wave of violence in the Middle East began on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack from Gaza towards Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping around 250 others. The next day, Hezbollah began firing into Israel from Lebanon in support of Hamas.
The ongoing war in Gaza has claimed the lives of more than 43,800 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. Although authorities do not differentiate between civilians and militants, they report that the majority of the dead are women and children. In Israel, the conflict left 76 dead, including 31 soldiers.
War negotiations
Last week, Ali Larijani, a top advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, visited Beirut for possible war negotiations, amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the United States is also working to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Recent Lebanese media reports indicate that US Ambassador Lisa Johnson presented a draft proposal aimed at ending the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah to the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, who acted as the chief negotiator of the Hezbollah in talks.
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.
