Beirut residents flee in panic after Israeli warnings
Hundreds of Beirut residents fled their homes after Israel said it was preparing to attack sites linked to Hezbollah’s financial operations and told people to leave those areas immediately.
Panicked crowds clogged the streets and traffic jams were witnessed in some parts of Beirut as people tried to get to neighbourhoods thought to be safer, witnesses told Reuters news agency.
Soon after the Israeli warning, several blasts were heard and fire was seen in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Israeli strikes target ‘financial’ arm of Hezbollah in Beirut
At least three branches of al-Qard al-Hassan, which Israel accuses of financing Hezbollah, were hit in the strikes, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported.
The report added that residents of Hermel started evacuating after one of the branches in the area was hit. Another branch was hit in Ghobeiry in the Dahiyeh southern neighbourhood of Beirut, as well as in Hay el-Sellom and Burj al-Barajneh, NNA said.
Israel claimed the purpose of this wave of attacks is to undermine the economic stability of Hezbollah, Israeli Army Radio said.
Explosions could be seen near the Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport
Al-Qard al-Hassan says deposits secure
The al-Qard al-Hassan Association, which Israel says is Hezbollah’s financing arm, says it has taken “all of the necessary procedures since the beginning of the war to safeguard your deposits and valuables and can confirm that you should not worry they are safe”.
The statement was released after the Israeli army announced the targeting of the financial institution’s offices across Lebanon. The statement ended with “an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth”.
At least 16 people killed in Lebanon on Saturday
At least 16 people were killed and 59 wounded in Israeli air attacks on Saturday, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said.
- Five people were killed and 23 were wounded in Nabatieh city
- Nine were wounded in eastern Bekaa
- At least 11 were killed and 27 wounded in the south.
Since the start of the war in October last year, 2,464 people have been killed in Lebanon and at least 11,530 wounded by Israeli attacks.
Israeli army launches at least 12 strikes on Beirut suburb
As we have reported, Israel has been targeting several locations across Lebanon as the military announced the targeting of Hezbollah-affiliated financial institutions. Now, our colleagues on the ground are reporting that at least 12 missiles hit Beirut’s southern suburbs. They also said some strikes hit very close to the capital’s international airport.
