Israeli Airstrikes Target 100+ Hezbollah Sites in Beirut
Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple neighborhoods in central Beirut and other parts of Lebanon on Wednesday afternoon, striking more than 100 sites affiliated with the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in what the Israeli military described as its largest coordinated operation of the current conflict. The attacks, which came without warning just hours after a ceasefire was announced in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, killed dozens of people and wounded hundreds more, according to Lebanon's health ministry.
The strikes hit dense commercial and residential areas across at least five neighborhoods in Beirut's central and coastal districts, as well as locations in southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley. Black smoke rose over the seaside capital as explosions disrupted traffic on a clear afternoon. Ambulances rushed to scenes of open flames, where emergency responders searched charred vehicles and rubble from damaged apartment buildings. Witnesses reported panic in busy streets, with several blasts occurring in commercial zones.
Israel's military stated that the operation, completed in under 10 minutes, focused on missile launchers, command centers and intelligence...