UA new Israeli strike targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sunday morning, a few hours after extremely violent nighttime raids on this Hezbollah stronghold, the official Lebanese agency ANI said.
AFP correspondents heard a huge explosion and saw columns of smoke rising from the southern suburbs. For almost two weeks, the Israeli air force has been bombing the southern suburbs which have been emptied of its inhabitants.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on the world to “put pressure on Israel” to “commit to a ceasefire” after this night of intense bombing. Mr. Mikati also welcomed in his press release French President Emmanuel Macron who “once again supported Lebanon” by evoking an upcoming international summit, repeating his “support for the call of France and the United States” to a truce.
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A violent night
The Lebanese national news agency ANI reported on the night of Saturday to Sunday five Israeli strikes targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut and its surroundings, including four “very violent”, after Israeli calls to evacuate several neighborhoods of this stronghold of Hezbollah.
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.
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AFP images showed plumes of smoke rising from targeted areas as well as a huge fireball projected into the sky. Flaming debris scattered, causing secondary fires and a dense cloud of smoke.
An AFP correspondent near Sabra, near Beirut’s southern suburbs, saw dozens of people in the streets, some carrying bags and fleeing on foot or motorbikes as explosions echoed in the background.
Israeli strikes across Lebanon on Saturday killed 23 people and injured 93 others, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.
