On Wednesday morning, Israel launched a major attack on central Beirut, causing a multi-storey building to collapse entirely. The attack occurred only a few hundred meters away from the capital’s main square — marking another escalation of the war between Hezbollah and Israel.
Videos circulating online show how the high-rise building collapsed into debris. It is not the first time this apartment building was targeted since the onset of the war. About a week ago, the Israeli military struck the lower parts of it. At the time, an Israeli military spokesperson said the building was used by Hezbollah to store “millions of dollars intended to finance their terrorist activities.”
Firefighters were extinguishing a fire still burning on Wednesday afternoon under the rubble of the building in Bachoura. Photo: Laura Hülsemann.
According to the Lebanese health ministry, at least 12 people were killed, with 41 suffering injuries. The evacuation order was issued at around 4 in the morning, when many are sleeping and religious Muslims are enjoying their early morning Ramadan meal, Suhoor.
Two girls are looking at the destruction. Photo: Laura Hülsemann.
On Tuesday night, Hezbollah launched what it called a large rocket attack on Israel. The militia fired more than 100 rockets, according to media reports. A few hours later, Israel expanded its attacks beyond its usual target in the capital, which tend to focus on the southern suburb of Dahieh. The district has been heavily bombarded since the onset of the war, with news reports saying there are six strikes on average per day.
Another strike targeted this apartment. Photo: Laura Hülsemann.
On Wednesday, two more strikes occurred a 10-minute walk from Bachoura — in the district of Zuqaq al-Blat, where two apartments were targeted. In Basta, additional strikes destroyed two apartments.
A group of men is sitting in front of a tent next to the destroyed building. Photo: Laura Hülsemann.
As attacks increase, the fear among Lebanese is growing. “Nowhere is safe,” are words frequently echoing around the streets of Beirut. Lebanon is now facing a major displacement crisis, with more than a million people being forced to leave their homes. The displaced are living under miserable conditions in improvised and overcrowded shelters or sleeping in tents in the streets. The death toll has now risen to more than 1.000 people in the war that’s been going on for less than three weeks.
Yet another destroyed building in central Beirut. Photo: Laura Hülsemann.
A mattress and blankets outside of a tent in central Beirut. Photo: Laura Hülsemann.
