In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, Israeli airstrikes hit several districts in Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh on Tuesday evening. The strikes targeted areas known to be strongholds of Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group, including Haret Hreik, Laylaki, and Burj Al-Barajneh. These districts, while linked to Hezbollah’s operations, are also home to densely populated civilian neighborhoods. The Israeli military had warned residents in advance to evacuate, claiming that the strikes were aimed at Hezbollah’s military facilities, including underground weapons storage and command centers. However, the intensifying bombardments caught many civilians in the crossfire, forcing thousands to flee for their lives.
As the humanitarian toll continues to rise, the cumulative impact has been devastating. Since mid-September, Lebanon has seen at least 1,952 deaths and 1.2 million displacements. As Israeli airstrikes continue, the Israeli military has accused Hezbollah of embedding military assets within civilian infrastructure. Monday night’s strike in the Jnah neighborhood, near Rafik Hariri University Hospital, exemplified the growing civilian cost. The attack killed 18 people, including four children, and injured 60 others as three buildings collapsed just 50 meters from the hospital. While the Israeli military claimed they were targeting Hezbollah assets, the collateral damage has been severe, with civilians increasingly caught between the warring sides.
Additionally, Israel’s air campaign has extended beyond military infrastructure to Hezbollah’s financial networks, where on Sunday night, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched airstrikes against Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association (AQAH), a financial institution linked to Hezbollah, with strikes targeting AQAH branches in southern and eastern Lebanon.
As airstrikes intensify, humanitarian rescue operations have faced increasing danger. In Nabatiyeh, located in southern Lebanon, three Lebanese Red Cross paramedics were injured during a rescue mission after an Israeli airstrike targeted the area when the site was bombed a second time while rescuers were still working, causing injuries to the paramedics. Despite these challenges, rescue operations continue as responders search for survivors beneath the rubble of bombed out buildings across Beirut’s southern suburbs.
As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continues, more than 2,400 people have been killed in Lebanon, including 1,800 in just the past five weeks, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, with around 59 people in northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights being casualties to Hezbollah rocket fire.
