Eight Israeli soldiers killed in clashes with Hezbollah, Israel strikes central Beirut
Photo: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (getty images)
On Wednesday, Israel advanced on two fronts during a ground operation in Lebanon against Hezbollah. Eight Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers were killed during the offensive, according to AP and CNN.
Israeli military officials reported that two Hezbollah attacks in southern Lebanon on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of seven soldiers. Earlier, the IDF announced the death of a 22-year-old special forces captain. An additional seven military personnel sustained injuries.
Collectively, the fatalities announced ahead of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, represent some of the most significant losses Israeli forces have experienced in recent months.
Late Wednesday evening, an Israeli airstrike hit a residential building in downtown Beirut, resulting in at least six deaths and seven injuries.
Residents reported a sulfuric odor following the attack, and Lebanon's National News Agency accused Israel of using internationally banned phosphorus bombs.
A CNN crew in Beirut heard loud explosions and saw smoke rising over the city center. Earlier, three explosions were heard over the southern suburbs of Beirut, accompanied by visible smoke.
Israeli military officials stated that they conducted a precise strike on Beirut, according to CNN. The network noted that this marks the first Israeli strike in the heart of the capital since the last war between Lebanon and Israel in 2006.
A resident of the area told CNN that the strike targeted a building housing the Islamic Health Authority, associated with Hezbollah.
As a reminder, on the night of October 1, southern areas of Beirut experienced at least six Israeli airstrikes during an operation against Hezbollah. Several buildings were destroyed due to the shelling. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that 95 people were killed as a result of Israeli strikes on September 30.
Additionally, on the night of October 1, Israel launched a ground operation on Lebanese territory. The IDF stated that Israeli ground forces were acting with the support of air and artillery units, which targeted military sites in Lebanon.
On the night of October 2, following a missile attack from Iran on Israel, the IDF carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut.
On October 2, the IDF stated that Israel had come under attack from Lebanese territory. Over 100 rockets were launched within a few hours.
