At least 15 killed in Israeli attack with 'bunker-buster' missiles on a building in central Beirut

Lebanon's news agency reported a heavy Israeli airstrike on central Beirut in the early hours of Saturday, December 3; an attack apparently using 'bunker-buster' missiles that destroyed an eight-story building. The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced on Saturday evening that 15 people were killed in this Israeli attack and dozens more were injured. According to Reuters, the attack occurred at around 4 AM local time, with at least four missiles fired at an area in central Beirut. The official Lebanese news agency reported six missiles were used, targeting a residential building in the 'Al-Basta' neighborhood in central Beirut. This residential building was completely destroyed, and several surrounding buildings were also damaged. It has also been reported that bunker-buster bombs, designed to penetrate shelters, were used in this attack, leaving a deep crater; similar to an attack on a Hezbollah command center that resulted in the death of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of this militia group. However, it remains unclear who the potential target of this attack was. The Israeli army has not yet issued a statement on this matter, although some Israeli media reported that the attack was 'targeted' and speculated on the names of some Hezbollah officials. AFP quoted a security source stating that a senior Hezbollah member was the target of this attack, but a Hezbollah representative in the Lebanese parliament denied the presence of individuals affiliated with this group in the targeted building. Many were also injured in this attack, and numerous videos and images have been released showing rescue and military forces conducting debris removal and providing assistance in the area. This is the fourth Israeli airstrike on central Beirut this week, which, compared to most Israeli attacks on southern Beirut areas controlled by Hezbollah, targeted a different location. The Israeli army has not yet reacted to this news and, unlike some recent attacks, did not issue an evacuation warning for this area. Israel claims that its attacks on various areas in Lebanon target facilities and individuals associated with Hezbollah. In addition to Israel, the United States also considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization, while the European Union has placed its military wing on the blacklist and does not regard its political wing as terrorist. The political party Hezbollah also has representatives in the Lebanese parliament. Hours before the early morning attack on central Beirut, the Israeli army conducted attacks on areas in the city of Tyre and the southern suburbs of Beirut. Meanwhile, Hezbollah's rocket attacks, the Iran-backed group, also continued into northern Israel on Friday. Heavy clashes between the two sides continue as Amos Hochstein, the special representative of the Biden administration, traveled to Israel after meeting with Lebanese officials. He emphasized upon his arrival in Beirut on Tuesday that 'a ceasefire is achievable.' In a statement released by the White House on Friday, December 2, it was announced that the presidents of the United States and France discussed efforts to ensure a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon; a ceasefire that would allow residents on both sides of the border between Israel and Lebanon in the Golan Heights to safely return to their homes. These events are occurring while on December 1, 1403, the International Criminal Court issued an international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister, and Yoav Gallant, the former Minister of Defense of Israel, for 'committing war crimes and crimes against humanity' during the ongoing 13-month war in Gaza and Lebanon. The conflict between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants began almost simultaneously with the onset of the Gaza war over 13 months ago; however, since early October 1403, it has entered a new phase with heavy airstrikes, covert operations, and extensive actions such as simultaneous pager explosions and the entry of Israeli ground forces into Lebanese territory. Israel claims that its current operations in Lebanon aim to create safe conditions for the return of tens of thousands of Israeli citizens living in border areas with Lebanon to their homes. These Israeli citizens have been forced to leave their homes and move to temporary shelters due to the intensification of Hezbollah's rocket attacks in recent months. The military attacks by Israel throughout the Gaza Strip have also continued, and according to Palestinian doctors, at least 120 Palestinians have been killed in the past 48 hours due to these attacks. The Israeli army states that the purpose of these attacks is to prevent attacks and the reorganization of Hamas members in the area; however, some local residents fear that Israel's goal is to permanently clear a strip of the Gaza Strip as a buffer zone, a claim that Israel denies. In addition to Israel, the United States and the European Union also consider Hamas a terrorist organization. Hussam Abu Safieh, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of three medical centers in the northern edge of Gaza that is barely operational, told Reuters that the continuous bombardment by Israel appears to be aimed at forcing hospital staff to evacuate. According to Abu Safieh, on Friday, from the afternoon until midnight, bombings targeted the emergency entrance and reception multiple times, injuring 12 staff members, including doctors and nurses. Israel claims that Hamas uses hospitals and civilians as human shields and has released videos and photos to substantiate its claims. Hamas denies these allegations. According to health officials in the Gaza Strip, over 44,000 people have been killed in the region due to Israeli attacks over the past 13 months, and nearly the entire population of Gaza has been displaced at least once. Months of efforts to negotiate a ceasefire have made little progress, and negotiations are currently suspended. The extremist group Hamas seeks an agreement that ends the war, while Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, has stated that the war can only end when this group is eradicated.