Israeli airstrikes rock southern suburbs of Beirut and cut off a key crossing into Syria
BEIRUT — Israel carried out a series of massive airstrikes overnight, hitting suburbs of Beirut and cutting off the main border crossing between Lebanon and Syria for tens of thousands of people fleeing Israeli bombardment.The blasts in Beirut’s southern suburbs sent huge plumes of smoke and flames into the night sky and shook buildings kilometers miles away in the Lebanese capital.The Israeli military did not comment on what the intended target was, and there was no information yet available on casualties.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported there were more than 10 consecutive airstrikes in the area.Meanwhile, Israel’s military said Hezbollah had launched about 100 rockets into Israel on Friday, as fighting continued between Israel and the terrorist group.The Israeli military also said Friday that a strike in Beirut the day before killed Mohammed Rashid Skafi, the head of Hezbollah’s communications division.The military said in a statement that Skafi was “a senior Hezbollah terrorist who was responsible for the communications unit since 2000” and was “closely affiliated” with high-up Hezbollah officials.Thursday’s strike along the Lebanon-Syria border, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Beirut, led to the closure of the road near the busy Masnaa border crossing.Israel said it had targeted the crossing because it was being used by Hezbollah to transport military equipment across the border.
It said fighter jets had struck a tunnel used to smuggle weapons from Iran and other proxies into Lebanon.Hezbollah is believed to have received much of its weaponry from Iran via Syria.The group has a presence on both sides of the border, a region where it has been fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.Associated Press video footage showed two huge craters on each side of the road.
People got out of cars, unable to pass the site of the strike, carrying bags of their possessions as they crossed on foot.Tens of thou...