LAST UPDATE | 10 mins ago
A NUMBER OF airstrikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs today, sending plumes of grey smoke into the sky after the Israeli military called for people to evacuate.
A building in Beirut’s southern suburbs collapsed in a gigantic cloud of smoke and dust following a strike attributed to Israel.
A series of images from the strike captures a falling projectile slamming into the lower floors of the building, which erupted in a huge fireball, causing the structure to collapse.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency earlier reported that a “heavy raid carried out by aircraft of the Israeli enemy” in the area of Ghobeiri, near Horsh Beirut, the capital’s largest park.
NAA also reported that a “heavy strike” was carried out with two missiles fired by an “enemy aircraft” in the area of Bourj al-Barajneh.
The evacuation order posted on X by Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee told residents to leave, warning of imminent strikes.
“All residents in the southern suburbs, specifically … in the Ghobeiry area, you are located near facilities and interests affiliated with Hezbollah,” Adraee said in his post.
“For your safety and the safety of your family members, you must evacuate these buildings and those adjacent to them immediately.”
His post included maps identifying buildings in the area near Bustan High School.
#عاجل إلى جميع السكان المتواجدين في منطقة الضاحية الجنوبية وتحديدًا في المباني المحددة في الخرائط المرفقة والمباني المجاورة لها في منطقة الغبيري
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) November 15, 2024
⭕️أنتم تتواجدون بالقرب من منشآت ومصالح تابعة لحزب الله حيث سيعمل ضدها جيش الدفاع بقوة على المدى الزمني القريب
⭕️من أجل سلامتكم… pic.twitter.com/hgTdxTczGw
Repeated Israeli airstrikes on south Beirut have led to a mass exodus of civilians from the Hezbollah stronghold, although some return during the day to check on their homes and businesses.
NNA also reported pre-dawn strikes on the southern city of Nabatieh.
The Israeli military said it had struck “command centres” of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force and launchers used to fire rockets at Israel on Thursday.
It said that over the past day, the air force had struck more than 120 targets across Lebanon, including weapons storage facilities, command centres and a large number of rocket launchers.
Since 23 September, Israel has ramped up its air campaign in Lebanon, later sending in ground troops, following almost a year of limited cross-border exchanges started by Hezbollah over the Gaza war.
Lebanese authorities say that more than 3,380 people have been killed since October last year, when Hezbollah and Israel began trading fire.
The conflict has cost Lebanon more than $5 billion (about €4.7 billion) in economic losses, with actual structural damage amounting to billions more, the World Bank said on Thursday.
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