Wednesday, March 11
An Israeli airstrike early Wednesday struck a residential apartment in central Beirut, according to reports from Lebanese state media, marking one of the few attacks inside the Lebanese capital outside the typical conflict zones in the city’s southern suburbs.
The strike reportedly hit a building in the Aisha Bakkar neighbourhood, an area located near Beirut’s central districts. Reports indicate the attack occurred shortly before dawn, causing localized destruction across several apartments, with some sources suggesting that three residential units were damaged, potentially affecting families who were inside at the time.
Targeted strike reported
Initial reports suggest the location may have been linked to the Islamic Group, a Lebanese Sunni Islamist organisation. Some media outlets described the operation as a precision or targeted strike, raising speculation that it may have been aimed at a specific individual or office inside the building rather than a broader military target.
As of the latest updates, no confirmed casualty figures have been officially released for this specific strike.
Rare strike inside central Beirut
Israeli military operations in Lebanon have primarily focused on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs (Dahiyeh). Strikes in central Beirut remain relatively uncommon, making this incident particularly notable.
Earlier in March, an Israeli strike on an apartment building near the Ramada hotel in the Raouche area reportedly killed several individuals, with Israel claiming the target included members of Iran’s IRGC Quds Force.
Escalation in the wider conflict
The strike comes amid a wider escalation in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which has intensified since early March as part of the broader Middle East tensions involving Iran and allied groups.
Recent waves of strikes across Lebanon have resulted in significant displacement, with United Nations estimates suggesting hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes in affected areas.
Smoke plumes and damage have been reported frequently in Beirut’s southern suburbs, where Israeli forces say they are targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.
The situation remains fluid as regional tensions continue to evolve.