The IDF continues its intensive shelling in Lebanon. The Lebanese national news agency ANI reported on Saturday five Israeli strikes targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut and its surroundings, including four “very violent”, shortly after Israeli calls to evacuate several neighborhoods of this Hezbollah stronghold.
AFP journalists heard several detonating explosions and saw smoke rising from the southern suburbs of Beirut. Ambulances rushed to the scene, according to ANI, which had also reported the presence of Israeli reconnaissance drones flying at low altitude, before these strikes.
AFP images show plumes of smoke rising from targeted areas as well as a large fireball projected into the sky. Flaming debris scattered causing secondary fires and a dense cloud of smoke.
Air traffic at Lebanon’s only airport, near the southern suburbs of Beirut, “continues despite the aggression of the Israeli enemy” against this area, ANI said. The news agency added that several planes from Middle East Airlines (MEA), the only company that continues to serve Beirut, had just landed.
The southern suburbs of Beirut have been regularly shelled for several days, especially at night, by the Israeli army which generally issues calls to evacuate beforehand.
Many residents of this stronghold of Hezbollah, which engaged in hostilities on the border with Israel from the start of the Gaza offensive in October 2023, have fled to other Lebanese regions since Israel intensified its bombing campaign on September 23.