Written By Lisa Murimi
Residents of central Beirut were left reeling on Friday after a deadly Israeli airstrike hit their previously untouched neighborhood, al-Basta al-Fouqa.
The attack, which killed 22 and wounded 117, has shattered the sense of safety in the area, which had recently been filled with people fleeing heavy bombardment in Hezbollah strongholds in the south and east.
“We don’t know where is safe anymore. North, south, east, west—it’s all terrifying,” said 51-year-old Hoda Adly, who witnessed the explosion during evening prayers.
The airstrike tore through apartment blocks, leaving the street strewn with rubble, shattered glass, and personal belongings.
Lebanese officials confirmed the attack targeted a Hezbollah official, though he survived.
Many residents, like Amer El Halabi, believe displaced people from southern Lebanon were unjustly targeted.
“These are residential buildings, where people have lived for 30 years. Where is their humanity?” he lamented.
The airstrike is part of Israel’s escalating campaign against Hezbollah amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, backed by Iran, erupted after Hezbollah launched rockets in solidarity with Hamas.
As the dust settled, families fled again, searching for safety elsewhere, but many fear nowhere in Lebanon is truly safe anymore.
