Unprecedented Israeli strikes on Beirut ahead of anticipated ceasefire

By Al Mayadeen English
Today 19:42

The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings to residents of four neighborhoods in central Beirut, marking the first such directives for the city center during the two-month war.

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Smoke billows above Beirut’s Southern Suburb following an Israeli airstrike on November 26, 2024. (AFP)

The Israeli occupation military launched on Tuesday a series of intense and heavy airstrikes across Lebanon, especially on the Lebanese capital Beirut and its Southern Suburb, as the Israeli cabinet weighed in on a proposed ceasefire to end the war.

Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported that without prior notice, three Israeli airstrikes targeted the central Beirut's Noueiri neighborhood, destroying a four-story building that housed displaced individuals. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, the strike killed 10 people and injured at least 35 others.

Later, the ministry said that the Israeli airstrikes on Beirut killed at least 10 people in a preliminary toll.

The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings to residents of four neighborhoods in central Beirut, marking the first such directives for the city center during the two-month war.

The Israeli occupation forces carried out an airstrike on the Barbour area, killing at least three people and injuring 10 others.

More strikes as ceasefire anticipated

The relentless strikes are reminiscent of the very last few days of the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon when Israeli warplanes launched more than 20 airstrikes on Beirut's Southern Suburb a few hours before a ceasefire took effect.

At the site of the strike, Hezbollah MP Amin Sherri accused "Israel" of "seeking revenge on supporters of the Resistance and on all Lebanese" as the possibility of a ceasefire loomed.

Meanwhile, the Israeli security cabinet convened in Tel Aviv to discuss a proposed truce in Lebanon, an official from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed to AFP on Tuesday afternoon.

Following the meeting, the premier is scheduled to deliver a public statement at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT).

The United States and France have been at the forefront of efforts to secure a ceasefire, with G7 foreign ministers on Tuesday calling for an "immediate ceasefire" in a joint statement that emphasized the need to finalize a diplomatic solution.

US-based news outlet Axios reported that the draft truce agreement includes a 60-day transition period. During this time, Israeli forces would withdraw, the Lebanese army would deploy along the border, and Hezbollah would relocate to the north of the Litani River, approximately 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the frontier, according to Axios.

Israeli media have indicated that Netanyahu is expected to support the US-brokered ceasefire proposal.

Since October 2023, Lebanon has reported at least 3,799 martyrs, the majority of which have been killed in recent weeks by Israeli airstrikes on civilian neighborhoods.