Fresh Israeli Airstrikes Hit Beirut Suburbs as Airport Operates Amid Chaos,
The sound of explosions rocked Beirut’s southern suburbs as Israeli warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes targeting what the military described as Hezbollah command centers. Just miles away, a commercial jetliner took off from Beirut’s international airport as if on any ordinary day.
The contrast captured the strange reality settling over Lebanon’s capital. While fighter jets struck the Dahieh district — a Hezbollah stronghold — a Middle East Airlines flight departed Rafic Hariri International Airport following normal procedures, according to airport officials.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said the two days of Israeli strikes have killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 335 others. The numbers continue to climb as rescue workers dig through rubble.
Israel said it issued warnings for residents to evacuate specific buildings before the attacks. Witnesses in Dahieh reported receiving phone calls and text messages urging them to leave areas near Hezbollah facilities.
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The airstrikes come as fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border escalates. Tens of thousands of people have abandoned villages in the south, packing cars and trucks with belongings as they head north toward Beirut.
“We left everything. The children were crying all night,” said Fatima Hassan, who arrived in Beirut with her three children after a 12-hour drive from a border village. “We don’t know when we can go back.”
Hezbollah has promised to respond to the attacks. The group said its fighters struck Israeli military positions along the border, though Israel reported no casualties.
The continued operation of Rafic Hariri International Airport has surprised many observers. Despite the nearby airstrikes, the facility has stayed open, with some airlines canceling flights while others continue regular service.
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“This is not normal, but we have no choice,” said an airport employee who spoke on condition of anonymity. “People need to leave. People need to come home.”
The airport holds special importance as Lebanon’s only international air connection. Closing it would trap thousands of Lebanese citizens and foreign nationals inside the country.
International airlines have begun reviewing their Beirut routes. Several European carriers suspended flights Wednesday but regional carriers continued operations.
The violence has raised fears of a wider war. Since the Gaza conflict began last year, exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah have steadily increased. What began as limited border skirmishes has grown into daily fire.
Lebanese officials have appealed for international help to stop the fighting. Prime Minister Najib Mikati spoke with United Nations officials, asking them to push for a ceasefire.
“We cannot handle another war,” Mikati said in a statement. “Our people have suffered enough.”
The United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon said it remains in position but cannot guarantee safety as fighting intensifies.
Beirut hospitals have activated emergency plans, clearing beds and stockpiling supplies. The Health Ministry asked doctors and nurses to report for duty, warning that medical facilities could become overwhelmed if strikes continue.
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At one hospital near Beirut, staff treated wounded people arriving from the southern suburbs. Many suffered injuries from collapsing buildings.
“We are prepared for the worst,” a hospital administrator said. “But we pray we don’t see it.”
For ordinary Lebanese, the events bring back memories of past wars. The country endured devastating conflicts with Israel in 2006 and earlier. Many families still carry scars from those years.
“I was a child in 2006,” said Beirut resident Karim Nader. “Now I have children of my own, and I’m telling them the same things my parents told me. Where to go. What to do if the bombs come. It never ends.”
Fresh Israeli Airstrikes Hit Beirut Suburbs as Airport Operates Amid Chaos.
