Chaos and Destruction: IDF Strike Targets Beirut Medical Facility, Killing Civilians
In the early hours of Thursday, a missile struck a building in the heart of Beirut, a considerable distance from Hezbollah’s stronghold in the city’s southern regions. Unlike prior attacks targeting Hezbollah areas, this strike did not come with an evacuation warning from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
According to Hezbollah-linked civil defense, five workers and two volunteer paramedics at a healthcare facility in the building were killed. Lebanese officials reported a total of nine deaths. The IDF later stated that the operation aimed at “terror assets” belonging to Hezbollah.
The sound of the missile hitting the 12-storey building in the Bachoura district echoed through Beirut, with smoke still lingering in the air the next morning. The attack took place in a largely residential neighborhood, just meters from the Lebanese parliament, and over four kilometers from Dahieh, a Hezbollah-controlled region that has been a frequent target in recent Israeli airstrikes.
Over the past week and a half, the IDF has launched hundreds of strikes in Lebanon as part of its effort to dismantle Hezbollah’s military leadership and capabilities. Hezbollah has responded with daily rocket and missile attacks, in support of Hamas, which initiated the conflict with Israel nearly a year ago. This ongoing war has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, with the vast majority of casualties being Palestinians in Gaza. Lebanon’s health ministry reported over 2,000 deaths during the recent strikes.
The targeted building housed a medical facility operated by the Islamic Health Committee (IHC), an organization tied to Hezbollah. The IHC is known for providing essential services, including healthcare, across Hezbollah-controlled areas, offering treatment, medication, and emergency response. The missile struck shortly after midnight, obliterating the center.
Eyewitnesses described the chaos that followed. “My heart felt like it would stop—it was pounding so hard,” one witness told reporters. Hassan Ammar, 82, a long-time resident of the building, said he and his family fled as soon as the strike hit, leaving their damaged apartment behind. “This is a civilian facility—why would they target a place like this?” he questioned. The IDF has not commented on the Bachoura strike but insists that it does not target civilian sites.
Later that morning, Hezbollah MP Amin Sherri visited the scene, surrounded by the media. Sherri, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. for his ties to Hezbollah financiers, accused the IDF of deliberately targeting the medical facility. “We will not abandon our responsibilities,” he declared.
Throughout the day, there was visible anger and confusion at the site. Locals stressed that the medical center was purely a healthcare facility, with no political or military purpose. The strike, however, caused significant damage, killing several medics who had been resting after their shifts. Many of the victims were still under the rubble when rescue operations began.
International responses quickly followed. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, condemned the attack, stating it violated international law by targeting healthcare workers in a densely populated area. The World Health Organization reported that 28 medical staff had been killed in Lebanon over the previous 24 hours, with many more fleeing their posts due to the escalating violence.
Despite the IDF’s ongoing campaign against Hezbollah, locals in Bachoura, like many across Lebanon, are left grappling with the destruction and wondering where they will go next.
