Israel renews attacks on Beirut's southern suburbs after evacuation call

BEIRUT, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Israeli warplanes renewed on Saturday morning their raids on Beirut's southern suburbs, shortly after the Israeli army issued another warning for evacuation, according to Lebanese media reports.

Israeli warplanes carried out five raids on the neighborhoods of Haret Hreik, Chiyah, Burj Barajneh, and Bir al-Abed, destroying several buildings and causing damage to others, Lebanon's National News Agency reported, adding that one of the raids targeted a building not included in the warning.

Meanwhile, local TV channels reported that the raids destroyed four buildings on Abbas al-Moussawi Street and a building adjacent to Haret Hreik. Columns of heavy smoke are still rising in the area.

The reports have not specified casualties involved in the raids.

Shortly before the raids, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee issued an evacuation warning on social media platform X, claiming that residents in the mapped areas are "near facilities and interests belonging to Hezbollah."

The Israeli army has intensified its raids in the past few days on various areas in Beirut's southern suburbs that allegedly belong to Hezbollah, causing great destruction and heavy material losses. Throughout Friday, Israeli warplanes had launched more than 10 raids across the area, with intensive bombing approximately every three hours.

Since Sept. 23, the Israeli army has levelled up its air attack on Lebanon in an escalation of conflict with Hezbollah. In early October, Israel initiated a ground operation across its northern border into Lebanon.

According to statistics released by the Lebanese Health Ministry on Friday, the death toll from Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon since the onset of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October last year had reached 3,445, with injuries up to 14,599.