Israel bombs Beirut suburbs as fighting breaks out in southern Lebanon | Israel attacks Lebanon News

Israeli forces bombed southern Lebanon and the suburbs of Beirut, killing at least five doctors and flattening a multi-story building, as ground troops clashed with Hezbollah fighters in the south.

Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli warplanes launched strikes on two buildings in the very southern suburbs of Beirut on Friday.

A missile struck the middle of an 11-story building housing shops, a gym and apartments on a usually busy street in the heavily populated area.

The impact sparked a fireball and caused the structure to collapse on top of itself, littering the road with debris.

NNA reported that people fled from an adjacent neighborhood after Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee warned in a post on social media platform X that the army would hit “Hezbollah facilities and interests” in Chiyah.

The evacuation orders also included the areas of Haret Hreik and Ghobeiry.

On Friday, NNA reported several more Israeli strikes in southern Beirut, adding: “Thick smoke was seen rising from the vicinity of the Lebanese University” in the Hadath neighborhood.

The Israeli military said in a statement that “its fighter jets have completed a new round of strikes” in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

Israel presses ground, air strikes

In southern Lebanon, Israeli troops entered the village of Deir Mimas for the first time on Friday, about 2.5 km (1.5 miles) from the border with Israel, NNA reported.

“Enemy reconnaissance planes” were flying over Deir Mimas, which was largely emptied of residents, warning people “not to leave their homes,” NNA reported.

Hezbollah said its fighters targeted Israeli soldiers in the area with rockets and artillery.

The Israeli army tried to advance at several points along the border, most prominently in the town of Khiam, where Hezbollah said it repeatedly attacked troops on Friday.

The Israeli military issued warnings for part of the coastal city of Tire and nearby areas, as well as several other locations in the south of the country.

Israeli warplanes launched a series of strikes on alleged Hezbollah targets in Tyre, including command headquarters, intelligence infrastructure, weapons depots, observation posts and military buildings, Adraee said.

At least five health workers from the Islamic Health Organization were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

Three were killed in Qatrani in Jezzine district, while two other doctors from the same organization were killed in Deir Qanoun Ras al-Ain.

The ministry condemned the killings as “war crimes”.

Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, said the war appeared to be escalating.

“The trajectory of this conflict is one of escalation at a time when it is becoming clear that the US administration’s latest attempt at a ceasefire has failed,” she said, referring to the latest push led by the United States United to ensure a conflict. ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

US envoy Amos Hochstein, who is seeking to end the war, visited the region this week.

UN peacekeepers under fire

Also on Friday, four Italian soldiers from the United Nations peacekeeping mission were injured when two rockets hit a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) base in the village of Chamaa.

Italy’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that the two 122 mm rockets hit a bunker and a room near the headquarters of the International Military Police, causing damage to surrounding infrastructure.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the incident and expressed “deep indignation and concern” at “the new attacks suffered by the Italian UNIFIL headquarters in southern Lebanon”.

Since Israel launched its ground offensive in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL soldiers have suffered several attacks.

“These attacks are unacceptable,” Meloni said in a statement, calling on “parties on the ground to guarantee, at all times, the safety of UNIFIL soldiers and to cooperate in quickly identifying those responsible.”

Months of cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah over the Gaza war escalated into full-scale conflict in September, with Israel carrying out an extensive bombing campaign across the country and sending ground troops into southern Lebanon.

More than 3,580 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon since last October, and more than 15,000 have been injured.