Israel hits Beirut with new strikes as weekend death toll reaches 29

BEIRUT - Israel launched multiple waves of airstrikes on Beirut and its southern suburbs on Sunday night, following earlier strikes that killed at least 29 people and wounded 66 others in the Lebanese capital.

The Israeli military said its warplanes conducted "intelligence-based strikes on Hezbollah command centers" in Beirut's southern suburbs, targeting areas including Haret Hreik, Burj Barajneh, and Hadath. Local television station al-Jadeed reported 12 airstrikes within half an hour.

Footage shared on social media showed massive black smoke clouds rising above Beirut's southern suburbs following Sunday's strikes, which came after Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee warned residents on social media to evacuate several buildings in the area.

The strikes followed Saturday's deadly attack on an eight-story residential building in Beirut's Basta Fawka neighborhood. While Israeli media reported the strike targeted a prominent Hezbollah official, Lebanese lawmaker and Hezbollah member Amin Sherri denied any military or civilian party figures were in the building.

In response to the airstrikes, Hezbollah announced it had destroyed five Israeli Merkava tanks in southern Lebanon on Sunday, using guided missiles. The group also claimed to have launched attacks on multiple locations in northern Israel, including Kerem ben Zimra and Kfar Blum.

Since Sept 23, the Israeli army has intensified its air attack on Lebanon in an escalation of conflict with Hezbollah. Israel further initiated a ground operation across its northern border into Lebanon in early October.

Lebanon's Health Ministry said on Sunday that Israeli airstrikes have killed 3,754 people and injured 15,626 since the conflict began on Oct 8, 2023.