At least 22 killed by Israeli strike in central Beirut

At least 22 people have been killed, including two children, and 117 others were injured after Israeli forces struck two residential buildings in central Beirut on Thursday evening. 

The airstrikes targeted densely populated areas in the Nweiri and Basta neighborhoods, marking the first attack on Beirut's centre during the current Israeli aggression. 

Israel has not commented on the attack. 

The residential buildings housed scores of displaced people who came from the south, where Israel issued evacuation orders. 

A Lebanese security source said the attack was targeting Hezbollah official Wafiq Safa, former Hezbollah leader's brother-in-law and head of Hezbollah's liaison and coordination unit responsible for working with Lebanese security agencies. 

A senior Hezbollah official eluded an Israeli assassination attempt on Safa was unsuccessful. 

Reacting to the incident, the US said it "supports Israel's right to defend itself" but "how it does so matters,” a State Department spokesman said in a statement. 

"We continue to press Israel to take all feasible steps to protect civilians throughout its operations, in particular in the densely populated areas of Beirut,” they added.

The attack came hours after Israeli forces injured two UN peacekeepers in the south, which prompted widespread condemnation by the international community. 

Israel has intensified its attacks in Lebanon, primarily operating in southern Lebanon and recently expanding its activity to the southwest, near the coast. Beirit's Dahiyeh suburb in the city's south has also been repeatedly targeted with airstrikes, and is reportedly Hezbollah's stronghold.