Israeli forces have dramatically escalated their military campaign across Lebanon, with a devastating airstrike in central Beirut’s Basta district claiming 29 lives after demolishing a residential building. The attack marks a significant intensification of Israel’s operations in the Lebanese capital.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), their air force targeted 12 Hezbollah command centers in Beirut’s Dahieh area.

These included facilities allegedly used by Hezbollah’s Intelligence Unit, coast-to-sea missile unit, and Unit 4400, which the IDF claims is responsible for weapons smuggling from Iran through Syria into Lebanon.

The military installations were reportedly used to orchestrate attacks against Israel and monitor IDF troops in southern Lebanon.

Outside Beiruit, An airstrike on Shmistar killed 13 people, including four children, and wounded 13 others. Nearby towns reported at least 11 additional deaths and 32 injuries. The southern city of Tyre also came under fire, with five fatalities and 19 injuries reported from Israeli bombardment.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health revised the Beirut death toll upward on Sunday from an initial count of 20, as rescue teams worked through the weekend.

This escalation follows last Sunday’s airstrike that killed a Hezbollah spokesperson, indicating an intensifying pattern of Israeli raids on central Beirut despite evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military to reduce civilian casualties.

According to United Nations data, the ongoing conflict has resulted in over 3,000 Lebanese deaths and displaced more than a million people since September.

The continued military operations proceed despite international efforts to broker a ceasefire, with Israel maintaining its aggressive stance against Hezbollah positions throughout Lebanon.