Escalation in Beirut: Israeli Airstrikes Devastate Residential Area

Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut's Basta neighborhood early Saturday, destroying residential buildings and leaving a large crater without prior evacuation warnings. This marks heightened tensions following heavy bombardment in Beirut and Tyre. Ongoing violence has sparked international diplomatic attempts to broker a ceasefire amid significant casualties and displacement.

In the early hours of Saturday, a series of Israeli airstrikes targeted the Basta neighborhood in central Beirut, obliterating an eight-story residential structure and creating a massive crater. According to Lebanon's National News Agency, the attack involved five missiles.

While the extent of casualties remains unclear, there was a frantic rush of ambulances to the site. Notably, the Israeli military did not warn residents before the attack and has yet to issue a statement. These latest strikes followed a day of intense bombardment in Beirut's southern suburbs and Tyre, where prior evacuation warnings had been established.

As Israeli troops advance into southern Lebanon, intense confrontations with Hezbollah militants continue. The diplomatic sphere remains active, as U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein's recent efforts aim for a ceasefire after more than 13 months of intensified conflict, a struggle costing over 3,500 lives in Lebanon and displacing approximately 1.2 million people.

(With inputs from agencies.)