Israeli strike takes down high-rise building in Beirut as Jewish state increases bombardments of Hezbollah strongholds

An Israeli strike in Beirut took down an 11-story building in a flurry of fire and ash as the Jewish state increased its deadly bombardments against Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital on Friday. 

The Israeli military issued a new wave of evacuation orders for southern Beirut Friday morning, with the subsequent strikes taking out suspected Hezbollah strongholds in the city. 

Footage from Reuters showed the strikes hit the multi-story building, which topped in a cloud of smoke as civilians watched the high rise turn to dust. 

The attack came as Israel concentrated its fires on two other towns in southern Lebanon in an alleged plan to isolate the village Khiyam, where Hezbollah recently fired four rockets against the Jewish state, local security sources told Reuters. 

The additional strikes near Khiyam killed five paramedics affiliated with Hezbollah, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. 

The World Health Organization estimates that 226 health workers and patients have been killed since Hezbollah and Israel began trading fire last year, but it remains unclear how many were affiliated with the terror group. 

The Israel Defense Forces said that Friday’s strikes also took place near the coastal city of Tyre, where they hit “command centers, intelligence infrastructure and weapons storage facilities.” 

“The Tyre area serves as a significant stronghold for Hezbollah and the Aziz unit, which coordinates operations against Israel and IDF forces,” the Israeli military said in a statement.

Israel has intensified its airstrikes and ground raid operations in southern Lebanon in the last month, with the IDF aiming to decimate Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure near the border. 

The conflict has forced more than a hundred thousand citizens to flee northern Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu making their return home a goal of the war in Lebanon. 

Despite suffering major blows to its leadership and infrastructure, Hezbollah continues to fire daily rocket barrages against Israel, which began a day after the Oct. 7 massacre. 

Friday’s skirmishes also left four UN peacekeeping soldiers injured, with Italian Foreign Minister Anotnio Tajani saying that the evidence pointed to Hezbollah as the responsible party. 

“These attacks are unacceptable,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said of the latest attack on Italian-provided troops in Lebanon. 

With Post wires