A series of Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon has killed dozens of people, including 29 who died in a powerful attack that destroyed a multi-storey residential building in the crowded Basta area of central Beirut.  

The Israel Air Force hit 12 Hezbollah command centres in Dahieh, Beirut, according to the IDF. These included locations utilised by Hezbollah's Intelligence Unit, coast-to-sea missile unit, and Unit 4400, which is in charge of smuggling weapons into Lebanon from Iran via Syria. The IDF said that these command centres were used to monitor terrorist activity against IDF troops stationed in southern Lebanon as well as to organise, direct, and carry out terrorist strikes against Israel.

On Sunday, the Lebanese Ministry of Health updated the death toll, initially reporting 20 deaths, but later confirming a higher number. Rescue teams continued their efforts through the weekend as the full impact of the Israeli airstrike became evident. Despite attempts to reach a ceasefire, Israel is still waging a fierce military assault against Hezbollah and the Beirut airstrike is only one of many around the nation. The IDF acknowledged that it targeted Hezbollah sites with its strikes in Beirut's southern suburbs. The Israeli military ordered people to evacuate several buildings to minimise civilian harm, but those in the area reported intense bombings. 

The attack in Basta is part of an increase in Israeli airstrikes on central Beirut, following a similar strike last Sunday that killed a Hezbollah spokesperson, according to CNN. Israeli airstrikes have hit areas outside Beirut, including the Baalbek-Hermel region in eastern Lebanon. In Shmistar, at least 13 people were killed, including four children and 13 others were injured. Additional airstrikes in nearby towns caused another 11 deaths and 32 injuries. In southern Lebanon, the city of Tyre was also attacked, with five people killed and 19 others wounded in the bombing.

Israeli airstrikes have devastated southern Lebanon since September, killing several Hezbollah commanders and destroying vital infrastructure. According to the United Nations, the conflict has caused more than 3,000 deaths and over a million displaced people in Lebanon.