Hundreds of residents in Beirut’s densely packed southern suburbs camped out after hours on streets, seaside corniches, public squares and overnight in makeshift shelters Israeli air strikes destroy Hezbollah strongholdIndia Today’s Ashraf Wani, reporting from Ground Zero, saw families spending the night under the open sky.
After this the tension between Israel and Hezbollah increased rapidly. Death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah In Israeli air attack. Described as one of the most powerful explosions to hit Beirut in the nearly year-long conflict, the attack caused widespread fear. Hundreds of residents fled the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, with many taking refuge on the seashore and in makeshift shelters after Israel warned to evacuate some districts.
India Today is the only Indian reporter present at ground zero. An India Today video shows flattened buildings, debris-filled roads and clouds of smoke and dust in Dahiyah.
Hours after the Israeli airstrike, lines of people carrying infants and some belongings moved towards the mountains above the Lebanese capital.
A day after the death of Hezbollah leader Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike, Lebanon has declared 5 days of mourning in the country. All shops, businesses and government offices will remain closed till Wednesday.
Israel’s military, including Nasrallah, said it has killed eight of Hezbollah’s nine most senior military commanders this year, mostly in the past week. News agency Reuters reported that these commanders led units ranging from rocket divisions to the elite Radwan force.
The attack is part of an stepped-up Israeli offensive over the past week that has left more than 700 people dead in Lebanon. Israel has promised to cripple Hezbollah and end its 11-month shelling of Israeli territory, which Nasrallah has described as a “support front” for its ally Hamas in Gaza.