Israeli airstrikes rock Beirut, cut off key border crossing between Lebanon and Syria

Israel carried out a series of massive airstrikes overnight in southern suburbs of Beirut and another that cut off the main border crossing between Lebanon and Syria.The new wave of strikes came after Israel warned people to evacuate communities in southern Lebanon that are outside a United Nations-declared buffer zone, as the yearlong conflict between Israel and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah escalates.Israel launched a ground incursion into Lebanon on Tuesday and its forces have been clashing with Hezbollah terrorists in a narrow strip along the border.A series of attacks before the incursion killed some of the group’s key members, including longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived on Friday in Beirut, where he was expected to discuss the war between Israel and Hezbollah with Lebanese officials.Araghchi’s visit to Beirut came three days after Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel, the latest in a series of rapidly escalating attacks between Israel and Iran and its Arab allies that threatens to push the Middle East closer to a region-wide war.Iran is Hezbollah’s main backer and over the years has sent weapons and billions of dollars to the group.The blasts overnight rocked Beirut’s southern suburbs, sending huge plumes of smoke and flames into the night sky and shaking buildings miles away in the Lebanese capital.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on what the intended target was, and there was no information immediately available on casualties.Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that there were more than 10 consecutive airstrikes in the area late Thursday.The agency also reported that an Israeli airstrike led to the closure of the road near the busy Masnaa Border Crossing, from which tens of thousands of people fleeing war in Lebanon have crossed into Syria over the past two weeks.Associated Press video footage showed that the strikes left two huge craters on each sid...