BEIRUT — A targeted Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s Ramlet al-Bayda seafront district resulted in eight fatalities and 31 injuries on Thursday, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, marking a significant escalation in cross-border hostilities. The attack represents the third direct hit on central Beirut since the broader Middle East conflict began.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning prior to the strike, declaring he had ordered military preparations for expanded operations in Lebanon. He specifically cautioned Lebanese President that if the government cannot restrain Hezbollah from attacking northern Israel, Israeli forces would “take the territory and do it ourselves.”
The strike occurred amid heightened tensions following Hezbollah’s announcement of a major operation against Israel on Wednesday night. The militant group launched approximately 200 rockets and 20 drones toward Israel—its largest barrage since the conflict’s inception. Hezbollah claimed these attacks targeted military intelligence facilities near Tel Aviv and bases south of Haifa.
At the scene in Ramlet al-Bayda, an AFP correspondent documented significant damage including a destroyed motorcycle and two damaged vehicles. Security forces cordoned off the typically bustling area where blood stains marked the pavement and a small impact crater was visible.
The strike particularly affected displaced populations sheltering in the area. Aseel Habbaj, who had fled bombings elsewhere in Lebanon, described waking to the explosion that subsequently injured her husband. Neighbor Dalal al-Sayed, who had pitched tents at the seaside believing it safer than southern Lebanon, declared “We won’t leave, we will stay here even if we die” despite the attack.
Concurrently, Israeli forces struck Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs and the residential area of Aramoun, killing three additional people and wounding a child. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported multiple Israeli strikes across southern regions where Hezbollah maintains significant influence.
The conflict has produced devastating humanitarian consequences, with Lebanese authorities reporting over 687 fatalities and approximately 800,000 registered displaced persons since hostilities intensified following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes last week.