At least 22 killed in Israeli strikes on Beirut

At least twenty-two people have been killed and 117 injured in Israeli air strikes on central Beirut on Thursday evening, according to Lebanon's health ministry.

Loud explosions echoing from the site of the strikes in Bachoura, a small Shia area in the capital were heard. Rescuers were seen digging through rubble at the scene, News.Az reports, citing BBC.

Ambulances rushed many injured to the American University hospital.

Unconfirmed media reports suggested the apparent target was Wafiq Safa, assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's brother-in-law and a high-ranking security official in the group. Hezbollah's media office has not commented.

The Israeli strikes hit residential buildings in Bachoura's two densely packed neighbourhoods, Nweiri and Basta.

They came after two relatively calm days in the Lebanese capital, which has felt unusual after intensive strikes in recent weeks.

There was no warning beforehand, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has not commented.

This is the third time Israel has launched air strikes on the city outside of the southern suburb of Dahieh, where it has struck repeatedly, killing Hezbollah commanders and destroying munitions caches.

News.Az