An explosion occurred south of the Lebanese capital Beirut this morning, October 5, after the Israeli army issued two emergency evacuation orders.
Smoke rises after a raid south of Beirut on October 5.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The Times of Israel reported on October 5 that the Israeli army has just ordered an emergency evacuation of Lebanese people in the Dahiyeh area south of Beirut, in order to attack Hezbollah targets there.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Avichay Adraee posted a map showing the specific area and ordered residents there to evacuate.
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Reuters quoted witnesses as saying that an explosion occurred and smoke rose in the southern area of Beirut in the early morning of October 5, not long after the Israeli army issued two warnings for residents to evacuate immediately.
The first warning concerned residents of a building in the Burj al-Barajneh area, while the second warning concerned people in a building in the Choueifat district.
Meanwhile, at least four hospitals in Lebanon have announced temporary closures, as Israel continues to launch attacks in the country.
The Salah Ghandour hospital facility in Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon was “hit by Israeli shelling,” Lebanon’s national news agency NNA reported. Hospital director Mohammed Sleiman said seven medical staff were injured when the hospital was “directly hit,” adding that the facility had been evacuated.
The remaining hospitals temporarily closed include Mais al-Jabal, Sainte Therese and Marjayoun.
Tragedy for civilians
In another development, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on October 4 that an American citizen died in Lebanon last week and Washington is investigating the incident.
According to Reuters, citing the victim’s relatives, American citizen Kamel Ahmad Jawad from Dearborn (Michigan) was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon on October 1.
“It is a moral and strategic imperative for Israel to take every possible precaution to minimize civilian casualties. Any loss of civilian life is a tragedy,” Miller said, according to CNN.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric said civilian deaths in Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah forces in Lebanon were “completely unacceptable”.
“All parties must do everything possible to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and ensure that civilians are never put at risk,” he called.
Aid to Lebanon
In a separate statement, Mr. Dujarric said the UN humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon had released an additional $2 million from the Lebanon humanitarian fund to help deal with the deteriorating situation there.
The State Department will also provide nearly $157 million in humanitarian assistance to help people affected by conflict in Lebanon and the region.
