Six Killed in Israeli Airstrikes on Central Beirut, Lebanese Health Ministry Says
Unwarned attacks on densely populated neighbourhoods mark intensification of campaign as regional war enters third week
BEIRUT — March 18, 2026 — Israeli airstrikes killed at least six people and wounded 24 others in central Beirut early Wednesday, the Lebanese health ministry said, as Israel intensified its offensive against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group with attacks on the heart of the Lebanese capital .
The strikes targeted three central Beirut neighbourhoods—Zuqaq al-Blat, Basta, and Bachoura—in the deadliest attack on the city’s centre since Lebanon was drawn into the regional war on March 2 . According to Reuters witnesses, an airstrike around 1:30 a.m. destroyed several floors of an apartment block in the densely populated Zuqaq al-Blat district, while a strike in the nearby Basta district tore through at least two floors of a building .
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Later, at approximately 5:30 a.m., a more powerful strike destroyed an entire building in the Bachoura neighbourhood, an area close to downtown Beirut that was also targeted by Israel last week . Thick plumes of smoke were seen rising from the site as morning broke, with passing traffic moving through nearby streets .
Warnings Issued Selectively
Ahead of the Bachoura strike, the Israeli military issued a warning on social media highlighting a specific building and stating its intention to act against what it described as a Hezbollah facility in the area. There were no immediate reports of casualties in that strike .
However, no warnings were issued ahead of the strikes in Zuqaq al-Blat and Basta, where the Lebanese health ministry confirmed six people were killed and 24 wounded . The strike in Zuqaq al-Blat marked the fourth time a particular building in the area had been targeted, following three earlier attacks on March 12 that failed to destroy it . The Israeli military had previously claimed, without providing public evidence, that the site was used by Hezbollah to store large sums of money intended to finance its activities .
The Israeli military carried out airstrikes in the Bachoura and Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhoods last week as well—both located near the headquarters of the Lebanese government in Beirut’s downtown district .
Escalating Toll Across Lebanon
Wednesday’s strikes came as part of a broader wave of Israeli attacks across Lebanon. In southern and eastern areas of the country, at least 14 people were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes, the state news agency reported, citing the health ministry . Four people were killed in an airstrike on the city of Baalbeck in eastern Lebanon, while in the south, 10 people were killed in airstrikes across three different locations .
The latest deaths bring the overall toll since the conflict began on March 2 to more than 900 people killed in Lebanon by Israeli attacks, with more than 1 million people forced to flee their homes, Lebanese authorities say .
While most Israeli strikes in the Beirut area have targeted the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs, Israel has launched a number of attacks in central areas of the capital since Lebanon was drawn into the regional war .
Regional Context
The escalation in Lebanon follows Hezbollah’s March 2 launch of rockets toward Israel for the first time since a ceasefire was declared on November 27, 2024 . The group said it aimed to avenge the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli attacks on February 28 that ignited the current regional conflagration .
Israel subsequently launched what it described as an “offensive military campaign” against Hezbollah, including heavy airstrikes across multiple Lebanese regions and ground operations in the south . On Monday, Israeli forces killed 12 paramedics in a strike on a medical center in Bourj Qalawayh in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
There have been no reported fatalities in Israel as a result of Hezbollah’s rocket and drone attacks, while the Israeli military has said two of its soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon during the offensive .
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Displacement Crisis Deepens
The intensifying strikes have sent civilians scrambling, with gridlocked traffic in Beirut as residents fled with whatever belongings they could carry. According to Lebanese authorities, approximately 816,000 people had been registered as displaced as of March 12, with around 126,000 staying in collective shelters .
Some residents have expressed fear of being caught in Israeli air raids targeting areas where displaced people are sheltering. “We don’t know who they’re targeting. Maybe someone related to something, maybe not,” Amal Hisham, 46, told AFP last week. “Who do I blame? Who do I not blame?” .
International Response
The United Nations and several member states have called for an end to fighting in Lebanon. France’s ambassador to the UN, Jerome Bonnafont, speaking on behalf of countries contributing to the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, expressed “deep alarm at the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon” at a Security Council meeting on March 11 .
The Israeli military said on Wednesday that it would continue to operate in Lebanon “as long as there will be a threat against us,” according to Israel’s UN envoy Danny Danon .
SOURCES / INPUTS
Reuters via ThePrint: Israeli strikes in central Beirut kill six people, Lebanese authorities say
Arab Times Kuwait: Six Dead After Israeli Airstrike Hits Beirut Residential Area
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