On October 19, Israeli airstrikes rocked southern Beirut, Lebanon, causing thick plumes of smoke to rise in the sky. This strike was part of a coordinated attack by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which targeted both northern Gaza and various neighborhoods in Beirut. In Beit Lahiya, a number of residential buildings were hit, resulting in at least 73 fatalities, while several Hezbollah munitions storage facilities located in southern Beirut were also leveled to the ground.
According to reports from Reuters, several homes and multi-story civilian buildings in Beit Lahiya were attacked, leading to significant casualties. Overall, at least 108 individuals lost their lives across Gaza on that day.
Palestinian health officials reported that telecommunication and internet services were cut off for the second consecutive day, hampering rescue efforts in the region.
Residents and medical personnel indicated that the IDF had intensified its siege on the Jabalia refugee camp, the largest of eight historically significant camps in Gaza. Moreover, tanks were deployed to advance toward nearby Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya, where residents were urged to evacuate.
According to residents of Jabalia, Israeli forces surrounded and attacked multiple refugee shelters, detaining dozens of men. Video footage circulating on social media appeared to show Palestinian men sitting on the ground beside a military vehicle, while others were led away by a soldier to a detention site. Reuters has been unable to independently verify the authenticity of these videos.
In response, Israeli officials explained that the evacuation orders were intended to separate Hamas militants from civilians and denied that there was a systematic plan to evacuate residents from Jabalia or other northern regions.
In a separate wave of attacks, the IDF targeted multiple locations in southern Beirut, with thick smoke lingering over the area well into the evening. They stated that these strikes aimed at “multiple Hezbollah weapon storage facilities and a Hezbollah intelligence command center.”
Witnesses mentioned that the IDF issued evacuation orders in four distinct communities within the suburbs, urging residents to leave areas within a 500-meter radius, yet also carried out attacks in zones where no evacuation order had been announced.
