Israeli strikes on central Beirut kill at least six people

Israeli strikes on central Beirut kill at least six people
Emergency personnel and people look at the site of a collapsed building, in the aftermath of an Israeli strike, Lebanon, March 18, 2026. REUTERS
Reuters

Six people died on Wednesday, following fresh Israeli offensive against suspected Hezbollah infrastructure in Central Beirut on Wednesday. 

The Lebanese health ministry confirmed the casualty numbers as Israel intensified its military operations also in the southern suburbs of the capital.

An early morning airstrike destroyed several floors of an apartment block in the Zuqaq al-Blat district. A separate strike in the nearby Basta district heavily damaged at least two floors of a residential building.

Later in the morning, another strike destroyed an entire building in the Bachoura neighborhood. Ahead of this attack, the Israeli military issued a warning on social media indicating its intent to target a suspected Hezbollah facility in the area.

No warnings were issued before the strikes in Zuqaq al-Blat and Basta. The Lebanese health ministry confirmed six fatalities and 24 injuries resulting from those specific attacks.

Regional impact

More than 900 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli attacks since Hezbollah entered the regional conflict in support of Iran. Lebanese authorities estimate that over one million people have been forced to flee their homes due to the ongoing hostilities.

Israel also carried out airstrikes in eastern and southern areas of Lebanon. Four people died in an attack on the eastern city of Baalbeck, while 10 people were killed across three locations in the south. The Israeli military also  reported the deaths of two of its soldiers in southern Lebanon during the ongoing offensive.

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