Lebanese officials say a strong Israeli airstrike in central Beirut early Saturday killed at least 20 people and injured more than 60.
Rescue crews were scrambling to recover bodies from the wreckage of an eight-story residential structure in the congested Basta sector after the predawn bombing, which was intended to target a top Hezbollah commander.
Witnesses have called the hit “horrific,” and it has caused widespread ire in Lebanon, where people blame Israel for indiscriminate strikes.
A 55-year-old who survived the explosion, Ali Nassar, questioned the need for such precautions. “Even if there is just one person lurking here… Should structures that house people sleeping be demolished? Does killing everyone for one person make sense? He questioned, “Or are we not human?”
According to Israeli media, Mohammed Haydar, a prominent Hezbollah official, was the target of the attack. Haydar’s fate is still unknown, though, as Hezbollah MP Amin Sherri disputed that any of the organization’s officials were inside the structure.
The strike, which Lebanese media reported involved a “bunker buster” bomb—which has been used to target Hezbollah leadership in the past—has not been addressed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The attack was one of several airstrikes that were carried out on Saturday in Lebanon. According to the Lebanese health ministry, strikes in Baalbek killed at least 15 people, including four children, while Dahieh, a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut, was also struck.
The attacks coincide with increased Israeli military operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah, which Israel claims is responsible for the escalation of border conflicts.
International diplomats, including U.S. ambassador Amos Hochstein, are trying to mediate a settlement as the fighting has intensified calls for a truce.
A 60-day truce, the evacuation of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, and the deployment of more Lebanese troops are all part of the planned ceasefire.
Disagreements still exist, nevertheless, regarding the schedule and oversight procedures. Iran and Hezbollah have both expressed interest in holding talks, but Hezbollah commander Naim Qassem has cautioned that his organization is ready for a protracted war if needed.
According to Lebanese authorities, the violence has primarily affected Lebanon, where more than 3,670 people have been murdered and over a million have been displaced since October 2023.
The Basta attack exacerbates the already precarious political and economic situation in Lebanon by adding to the growing number of civilian casualties.
Thousands of people have also been displaced in Israel’s north due to the conflict, as Hezbollah’s rocket assaults persist despite increased Israeli activity.
