Israeli airstrikes hit two buildings in the heart of Beirut near the Lebanese government's headquarters on Thursday, ramping up Israel's offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah and dragging Lebanon deeper into the Middle East war, Reuters reported.
A day after Iran-backed Hezbollah launched ‌its biggest rocket salvo of the conflict, Israel's defence minister said the military had orders to expand the campaign and Israel's military chief said the operation in Lebanon would not be short.
Israel has pounded Lebanon's south and east and the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut, killing nearly 700 people, according to Lebanese authorities. It has also ordered mass evacuations in those same areas, prompting more than 800,000 people to flee their homes, according to Reuters.
