Israeli raids target residential areas, hospitals threatened: Beirut

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
22 Oct 2024 06:44
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Israeli occupation airstrikes hit multiple regions in Beirut's Southern Suburb, including residential neighborhoods and hospital entrances, as the Resistance in Lebanon responds with missile launches into northern Israeli settlements reaching Haifa.

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Israeli occupation airstrike targets Ouzai coastal city south of Beirut, in close proximity ot the Rafic Hariri Airport, in Lebanon, on October 21, 2024. (Social media)

The Israeli occupation intensified its aggression on the southern suburb of Beirut on Tuesday morning, specifically targeting the Laylaki area. This follows a night marked by a series of violent raids across various regions of Lebanon, underscoring the escalating tensions in the area.

Beirut and its surrounding areas were rocked by a series of Israeli airstrikes late Monday, with multiple regions in the Southern Suburb, including Haret Hreik, Rouaiss, and Ghobeiry, targeted in quick succession. According to Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Beirut, three raids struck these locations within an hour, marking the seventh wave of strikes in the Southern Suburb of the capital.

The Ouzai region, a coastal area south of Beirut, was also hit, prompting Middle East Airlines to divert a flight to an auxiliary runway, as its main runway was dangerously close to the targeted area.

The Israeli occupation did not spare hospitals in Lebanon either. Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported that the Israeli airstrike near Rafik Hariri Government Hospital in the Jnah area targeted a residential neighborhood. In the latest toll, the raid resulted in the martyrdom of four, including a child, and injuring 32.

This time, it also targeted the forcibly displaced directly. Preliminary reports confirmed that three citizens were killed and dozens injured in a raid near the hospital. The Lebanese health ministry is yet to release a final toll as several remain trapped under the rubble.

'Israel' seeks to turn al-Sahel Hospital into Lebanon's al-Shifa Hospital

Yesterday, the Israeli occupation army's spokesperson alleged that Hezbollah stores "millions in gold and cash" underneath the al-Sahel Hospital in the Southern Suburb of Beirut. Usually, the occupation resorts to such lies and false pretenses in order to "justify" the bombing of medical facilities untouched.

In turn, Fadi Alameh, Director of Al-Sahel Hospital, condemned Israeli claims about his facility, calling them "fabrications and misinformation" aimed at weakening Lebanon's health sector. Al-Sahel Hospital, despite being a private institution with no political affiliations, has also been threatened by the Israeli occupation.

This comes after months of deliberate targeting of the Lebanese health sector in southern Lebanon alongside the systematic targeting of Civil Defense, paramedic, and ambulance teams across Lebanese territories.

Late in September of this year, Lebanon's Health Ministry announced plans to evacuate hospitals in southern Beirut as Israeli airstrikes intensified in the area.

In a statement, the ministry urged hospitals in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and other unaffected regions to suspend non-urgent cases until the end of the week in order to accommodate patients from the southern suburbs.

The move signals grave concerns that "Israel" may target hospitals in Lebanon, following its documented violations of international law in Gaza where medical facilities have recurrently been bombed. This fear is compounded by the recent escalation of airstrikes in southern Beirut, raising alarms about the safety of civilian infrastructure and medical institutions.

Lebanon pummels 'Israel' following air campaign on Beirut's Suburbs

Meanwhile, sirens sounded across northern Israeli-occupied settlements, including Kiryat Shmona, Wadi Ara, Haifa, and Akka, as Israeli media reported five missiles launched from Lebanese territory.

Israeli media also reported hearing massive explosions near Haifa and Karyot and underscored that several Israeli settlers were injured as they were headed toward their bunkers as Israeli air defenses failed to intercept the missiles.

Berri advised Hochstein to fetch Netanyahu's clear position: Sources

Prior to the newest series of aggression against Beirut's southern suburbs, the US envoy visit Lebanon amid talks of a ceasefire negotiations for Lebanon.

The outcome of US envoy Amos Hochstein's visit to Beirut and the position of the United States regarding the end of "Israel's" aggression on Lebanon remains unclear until the true stance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is revealed, political sources told Al Mayadeen earlier on Monday.

This comes as "Israel" continues its aggression across Lebanon, with the Lebanese Ministry of Health announcing on Monday that the number of casualties from the aggression has risen to 2,483 martyrs and approximately 11,628 injured.

Regarding Speaker Nabih Berri's position, the sources conveyed his reaffirmation that Lebanon supports Resolution 1701 without any modifications.

The Resolution was reached in the wake of the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon and calls for the full cessation of hostilities and the deployment of the Lebanese Army to Southern Lebanon, as well as the establishment of a demilitarized zone between the Blue Line buffer zone [between Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories] and the Litani River.

"Israel" completely disregarded the resolution in the aftermath of the war, continuously violating Lebanese sovereignty with overflights from its aircraft.

The sources told Al Mayadeen that Berri reportedly advised Hochstein to seek a clear and "official" Israeli position from Netanyahu.

The sources also revealed that Hochstein inquired during his visit about the extent of Hezbollah's mandate to Berri, emphasizing that he received a definitive response stating that "the mandate is complete, serious, and unquestionable."

Additionally, according to the sources, Beirut perceived Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate in the current US presidential race, as being interested in achieving some form of accomplishment in Lebanon before the US elections.

The sources described the meeting between Speaker Berri and the US envoy as generally positive.

But earlier on Monday, Axios reported, citing US and Israeli officials, that the Israeli occupation government submitted a document to the US Department last week outlining its conditions for a ceasefire to end the aggression on Lebanon and enable the return of displaced civilians.

The document was delivered by Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, on Thursday, ahead of Hochstein's visit to Beirut on Monday.

Israeli officials indicated that the document reflects key principles discussed with the Israeli Ministry of Security and the Israeli occupation forces, emphasizing what "Israel" demands in any diplomatic solution to end the war.

One of the demands includes Israeli forces' engagement along the border to ensure "active enforcement" that prevents the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon from rebuilding military infrastructure in southern Lebanon near the border, an Israeli official told Axios.

Another demand is for "Israel" to have the freedom to operate in Lebanese airspace, which would constitute a blatant violation of Lebanon's sovereignty.

These two demands contradict Resolution 1701, which mandates that the Lebanese Armed Forces and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) enforce a ceasefire between "Israel" and Hezbollah.