What's happened
An Israeli airstrike on a residential area near Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut killed at least 18 people, including four children, and injured 60. The attack, which occurred without warning, has drawn widespread condemnation and raised concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon amid ongoing conflict with Hezbollah.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Guardian, the airstrike occurred without warning, leading to panic among residents. Qassem Fakih, a local, expressed the devastation, stating, "They accuse us of belonging to a culture of death, but it’s not true – we have a culture of life. They are the ones who are killing us." The New York Times highlighted the lack of evacuation notices prior to the strike, with Dr. Jihad Saadeh noting significant damage to the hospital. The Independent reported that rescue efforts are hampered by the destruction, with many still searching for missing relatives. This multifaceted coverage illustrates the dire consequences of the airstrike and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.
How we got here
The airstrike is part of Israel's intensified military campaign against Hezbollah, which began after the militant group launched rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas. This ongoing conflict has resulted in significant casualties and a humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.
More on these topics
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Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese parliament.
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Lebanon, officially known as the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lies west across the Mediterranean Sea.
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.