Israel is continued to carry out airstrikes against more and more areas of the Lebanese capital city of Beirut. Today, those strikes centered on the densely populated working-class quarter of Zoqaq al-Blat. The attack hit near al-Zahra Husseiniya, a Shi’ite religious site.
The attack occurred late in the afternoon in the area, and the preliminary toll is four people killed, and 18 injured, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The attack hit a residential apartment building behind the Husseiniya, causing substantial damage to the immediate area. Rescue efforts are still underway.
The Zoqaq al-Blat Quarter, which is home to multiple embassies, has taken in a large number of displaced civilians from southern and eastern Lebanon, where Israel has imposed evacuation orders across an ever-increasing part of the area since their invasion.
Israel has yet to comment on today’s attack on central Beirut, and there is no indication what or who they were actually trying to kill. In multiple cases, however, they have attacked places housing displaced civilians or refugees.
Israel did not issue any warning to civilians in the area prior to the strike, which is not in any of the evacuation zones. The US envoy was scheduled to visit Beirut for ceasefire talks, but that has been delayed. It’s not clear if that delay is related to this attack.
The US and other nations have been pushing for a ceasefire to end the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Reportedly Israel is ruling out any deal that actually requires them to stop attacking targets inside Lebanon. Despite this restriction, there are some indications that Lebanon is still viewing the proposals at least somewhat favorably.
