An Israeli airstrike leveled an eight-story residential building in Beirut’s Basta district early Saturday, killing 11 and injuring 60. The attack, carried out at 4:00 a.m. local time, struck the densely populated area without prior warning. Eyewitnesses described chaos as explosions rocked the city and emergency teams scrambled to rescue survivors trapped under the rubble. “We were deep asleep and then the strike happened and then a second strike,” said Nemir Zarariya, a resident. His wife, daughter, and aunt were hospitalized after the Beirut residential building airstrike.
Rescue workers continued to search through the debris as plumes of smoke rose from a massive crater. The death toll is expected to climb as authorities use DNA testing to identify victims.
The Israeli military has not commented on the Beirut residential building airstrike, which marks its fourth attack on central Beirut this week. Analysts speculate the attack may have targeted a senior Hezbollah figure, though neither Hezbollah nor Israel has confirmed this.
Additional strikes on Hezbollah-linked sites across the city followed Saturday’s attack. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later issued evacuation orders for residents in southern Beirut near Hezbollah facilities. Fighter jets reportedly targeted command centers, weapons storage sites, and other Hezbollah infrastructure.
This Beirut residential building airstrike is part of a broader Israeli campaign against Hezbollah, which escalated after the group launched rockets into Israel following Hamas’ October 7 assault. Israeli strikes have killed several top Hezbollah members in recent months, including its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Lebanese authorities report that over 3,500 people have died, and one million have been displaced in the ongoing conflict. Meanwhile, U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein visited the region to push for a ceasefire, though no breakthrough has been announced.
