A series of powerful explosions shook the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Friday, sending thick clouds of smoke into the sky over the city’s southern suburbs. Lebanese media reported that the blasts were the result of Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah-controlled areas, intensifying fears of a broader regional conflict. The airstrikes follow a surge in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group that wields significant political and military power in Lebanon.
Eyewitnesses described the destruction as widespread, with buildings reduced to rubble and residential areas heavily damaged. Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV confirmed that four buildings had been destroyed in the latest wave of airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut. The attacks mark the latest escalation in a conflict that has killed hundreds in Lebanon and displaced tens of thousands in both Lebanon and Israel.
Lebanon’s caretaker health minister, Firass Abiad, confirmed that the death toll from Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Friday alone had reached 25, with several women and children among the dead. In the border town of Shebaa, nine members of a single family, including four children, were killed in an attack, according to the town’s mayor, Mohammad Saab. This brings the total number of Lebanese fatalities to more than 700 since the beginning of Israeli airstrikes earlier in the week, according to official figures.
Friday’s explosions reverberated through Beirut, a city still haunted by the trauma of the devastating 2020 port explosion, which killed over 200 people and caused widespread destruction. The sense of vulnerability and dread was palpable as residents watched thick smoke plumes rise over the southern suburbs, an area long known as a Hezbollah stronghold.
“We live in constant fear,” said Sarah Khalil, a mother of three who resides in the suburbs of Beirut. “The sound of jets overhead is terrifying. We’ve been through so much, and now this. Where can we go? We have no choice but to stay, but staying feels like waiting for disaster.”
Hospitals in southern Lebanon, already stretched thin due to years of economic and political crises, have been inundated with casualties from the airstrikes. Abdallah Tawfik Al-Hamid, a 13-year-old Syrian refugee, was among the injured. Lying in a hospital bed, his leg wrapped in bandages, Abdallah recounted the moment of the airstrike that killed his friend. “The shops behind us were hit,” he said, his voice shaky with emotion. “The young boy who was with me was martyred, and I’m still alive.”
Rising Death Toll and a Humanitarian Crisis
The death toll in Lebanon continues to climb, with more than 700 people killed since Monday, according to official figures. The escalating violence has exacerbated Lebanon’s already dire humanitarian situation. The country, grappling with one of the worst economic crises in its history, is now struggling to cope with a new wave of displacement and destruction.
The airstrikes have primarily targeted Hezbollah positions, but civilians living in nearby areas have borne the brunt of the attacks. The densely populated suburbs of Beirut, where many live in cramped, poorly constructed buildings, have been particularly hard hit. Residents have been forced to seek shelter in underground basements, while others are fleeing the capital in droves, fearing further escalation.
Human rights organizations have expressed growing concern over the impact of the conflict on civilians. “The scale of destruction and loss of life is catastrophic,” said Lama Fakih, Director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa division. “Lebanese civilians are paying the highest price in this conflict, and the international community must urgently intervene to de-escalate the situation.”
Israel Refuses Ceasefire Amid Global Calls
Despite international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has shown no signs of halting its air campaign against Hezbollah. On Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen firmly rejected growing global pressure for a ceasefire, insisting that Israel had no choice but to continue its military operations to defend its borders from Hezbollah’s rocket attacks.
“Hezbollah is a direct threat to the security of Israel,” Cohen said in a televised address. “We will not stop until that threat is neutralized. The Iranian-backed terrorist organization has launched hundreds of rockets at our cities, targeting civilians indiscriminately. Our airstrikes are necessary to protect Israeli lives.”
Hezbollah, meanwhile, has ramped up its rocket attacks on northern Israel in retaliation for the airstrikes. On Friday, the militant group claimed responsibility for launching rockets at Kiryat Ata, near the northern city of Haifa, and Tiberias. In a statement, Hezbollah said the attacks were a “direct response to Israeli strikes on Lebanese villages, cities, and civilians.”
While Israel’s advanced air defense systems have intercepted many of Hezbollah’s rockets, the ongoing bombardment has effectively paralyzed life in much of northern Israel. Schools have been closed, and residents have been urged to stay indoors or seek refuge in bomb shelters as the rocket attacks show no sign of abating.
The conflict has displaced tens of thousands of people in both Lebanon and Israel. In Lebanon, thousands of families have fled their homes, seeking refuge in schools, churches, and other makeshift shelters. In Israel, the constant threat of rocket fire has forced families to evacuate to safer areas further south, turning large parts of northern Israel into a virtual ghost town.
Regional Tensions Escalate
The renewed conflict between Israel and Hezbollah threatens to plunge the broader Middle East into a wider war. Hezbollah’s strong ties to Iran and its role as a key actor in the region’s geopolitics have raised concerns that the violence could draw in other regional powers, including Iran and Syria.
“The situation is incredibly dangerous,” said Dr. Fawaz Gerges, a professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and an expert on Middle Eastern politics. “Any further escalation between Israel and Hezbollah risks igniting a much broader conflict that could involve Iran, Syria, and even other Gulf states. The stakes are incredibly high, and the international community needs to act quickly to prevent a full-scale war.”
Already, there are signs that the conflict could spill over into neighboring countries. On Friday, the Israeli military reported that it had intercepted four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that crossed into Israeli airspace from Lebanese territory. The drones were intercepted over the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Rosh Hanikra, near the Lebanese border.
While the origins of the UAVs remain unclear, Israeli officials have expressed concern that they may be a new front in Hezbollah’s military strategy, potentially linked to Iranian-supplied drones that have been used by militant groups across the region.
As the conflict continues to escalate, diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire have so far yielded little progress. The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday, but divisions between the world’s major powers have hindered any concrete action.
The United States has voiced strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself, but has also urged restraint and called for a de-escalation of the violence. “Israel has the right to defend its citizens from rocket attacks,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. “At the same time, we are deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Lebanon and urge all parties to work toward a ceasefire.”
Meanwhile, European leaders have called for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of peace talks. French President Emmanuel Macron, in a joint statement with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, condemned the violence on both sides and called for a renewed diplomatic effort to resolve the crisis. “This cycle of violence must end,” Macron said. “The people of Israel and Lebanon deserve peace, not war.”
However, with both Israel and Hezbollah showing no signs of backing down, the prospect of a ceasefire remains elusive. For the people of Lebanon and northern Israel, the immediate future appears bleak, as the conflict enters a dangerous new phase.
A Humanitarian Catastrophe Looms
The escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah threatens to plunge Lebanon into a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe. The country, already suffering from a crippling economic crisis, widespread poverty, and political instability, is now facing the added burden of war.
Humanitarian organizations have warned that the situation could quickly spiral out of control if immediate action is not taken to de-escalate the conflict and provide aid to those affected. Lebanon’s health system, already on the brink of collapse, is struggling to cope with the influx of casualties. Many hospitals are operating without sufficient medical supplies, electricity, or fuel, making it difficult to provide care to the wounded.
“The situation is dire,” said a spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). “We are doing everything we can to provide medical assistance, but the scale of the crisis is overwhelming. The international community must step up and provide urgent support to prevent further loss of life.”
As Beirut and northern Israel continue to reel from the latest round of airstrikes and rocket attacks, the prospects for peace seem distant. The people of both nations are trapped in the crossfire of a conflict that has already claimed hundreds of lives, with no end in sight.
The coming days will be critical in determining whether this conflict spirals further out of control, potentially dragging the entire region into a devastating war, or whether diplomatic efforts can succeed in bringing a halt to the violence before it’s too late. For now, the people of Lebanon and Israel can only hope that a ceasefire will soon bring an end to the bloodshed and suffering.
