Israel strikes Dahiyeh, Beirut airstrike escalation, Lebanon Israel conflict/ Newslooks/ BEIRUT/ LEBANON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh overnight, demolishing multiple buildings, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported. Casualty details remain unknown. Israel has recently increased its operations in Lebanon’s Baalbek region and southern areas as international mediators work to de-escalate the conflict, which has resulted in thousands of casualties in Lebanon and Gaza.
Israel Steps Up Beirut Airstrikes Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions: Quick Look
- Targeted Area: Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut’s Dahiyeh suburb overnight, destroying buildings across several neighborhoods; casualty reports are pending.
- Escalating Conflict: Israel’s strikes also targeted Baalbek and southern Lebanon as clashes with Hezbollah continue.
- Rising Casualties: Lebanon’s Health Ministry reports over 2,800 deaths and 13,000 injuries since the escalation with Hezbollah.
- Thai Worker Fatalities: In northern Israel, projectiles from Lebanon killed four Thai workers, prompting Thailand to call for safety measures.
- Regional Mediation: International mediators continue efforts to ease tensions in Lebanon and Gaza, though the conflict persists.
Israel Intensifies Strikes on Beirut Suburb, S. Lebanon Amid Rising Tensions
Deep Look
The ongoing regional conflict between Israel and Hezbollah intensified overnight as Israel’s air force launched strikes on Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh, reportedly demolishing numerous buildings across several neighborhoods. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency announced the airstrikes on Friday morning, though casualty figures have yet to be confirmed. The surge in attacks comes after a recent increase in Israeli operations against northeastern Baalbek and various southern regions in Lebanon, underscoring escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
This latest Israeli strike on Dahiyeh comes after a four-day period without reported airstrikes in the area. The assault caused fires and significant structural damage in the heavily populated suburb, which has long been considered a stronghold for Hezbollah. The Lebanese Health Ministry disclosed that over 2,800 people have died and more than 13,000 have been wounded in Lebanon since hostilities with Israel began in October 2023.
Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict in Gaza has yielded devastating casualties as well. Palestinian officials recently reported a death toll of over 43,000, though these figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. This escalation began after a deadly October 2023 incursion by Hamas-led militants into Israel, in which 1,200 civilians were killed, and another 250 were taken hostage. International mediators have been actively working to broker peace agreements for Lebanon and Gaza, circulating proposals aimed at de-escalating the regional conflict.
Additional violence spilled over into northern Israel as well, where projectiles fired from Lebanon struck the town of Metula, killing seven people, including four Thai workers. The incident marks one of the deadliest cross-border attacks since Israeli forces entered Lebanon earlier in the month. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Nikorndej Balankura, confirmed the deaths of the workers, adding that Thailand has requested that Israel suspend permissions allowing Thai nationals to work in designated military zones. Balankura called for “all conflicting parties to immediately cease retaliatory actions to prevent the situation from prolonging.”
Israel’s recent airstrikes, coupled with the cross-border exchange of fire, highlight the intensifying conflict in Lebanon, as the death toll continues to rise on both sides. Israel’s northern towns have been significantly impacted by rocket attacks, with security and essential personnel remaining as residents evacuated last October. Thai officials, coordinating with their embassy in Israel, expressed concerns about worker safety and maintained that they will continue to monitor developments to protect Thai nationals working in high-risk areas.
As the situation intensifies, global diplomatic efforts have accelerated to prevent further escalation in Lebanon and Gaza. However, the absence of a ceasefire continues to fuel hostilities in a region already reeling from prolonged violence.
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