Lebanon’s Health Ministry on Thursday, October 3 announced that at least six individuals were killed and seven others injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting an apartment building in Beirut, Lebanon overnight.
This incident occurred near the Bashoura district, a residential area of the capital, as governments worldwide rushed to evacuate their citizens from Lebanon.
Residents reported a smell similar to sulfur after the attack and Lebanon accused Israel of deploying phosphorus bombs which are banned under international law when used near civilian areas.
Human rights organizations have previously accused Israel of using white phosphorus incendiary shells in towns and villages in conflict-affected southern Lebanon.
Just before the strike, Lebanese health officials reported that Israeli attacks in the country had resulted in 46 deaths and 85 injuries within the past 24 hours.
This week, Israel began ground incursions into southern Lebanon, intensifying its conflict with the Iran-backed group Hezbollah while continuing its significant military actions against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli air and ground strikes in Gaza on Wednesday, October 2, resulted in the deaths of over 50 people near Khan Younis, Lebanon, including children, according to health officials in the Hamas-controlled area.
Since it began nearly a year ago following Hamas’ terrorist attack on Sunday, October 7, the war in the densely populated Palestinian territory has resulted in over 41,500 deaths.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Wednesday, October 2, described the fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in Lebanon as a much larger and better-armed group than Hamas as intense, confirming the deaths of eight soldiers during the operations.
Meanwhile, the United Nations (U.N) Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Wednesday, October 2, to address the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. stated that his country launched nearly 200 missiles at Israel on Tuesday, October 1 as a deterrent against further Israeli violence.
In response, his Israeli counterpart labeled the attack an ‘unprecedented act of aggression.’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Tuesday, October 1 to retaliate against Iran, while an Iranian commander warned of broader strikes on infrastructure if Israel followed through on its threats.
Since the day after Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 251 others, Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in daily exchanges of fire along the southern Lebanon border, according to the Israeli government.
The intensity of the fighting has surged significantly over the past two weeks, following accusations that Israel destroyed thousands of Hezbollah members’ communication devices and assassinated the group’s senior leader in a targeted strike in Beirut, Lebanon.
Japan sent two Self Defense Force planes on Thursday, October 3, to get ready for a potential airlift of its citizens from Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister, Penny Wong announced that her government had reserved 500 seats on commercial flights for Australian citizens, permanent residents and their families to depart Lebanon on Saturday, October 5.
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