Beirut endures another heavy night of Israeli strikes

A deadly strike in the vicinity of a Beirut hospital and earlier threats to Al-Sahel, another hospital, has brought fears that Israel could begin directly targeting the capital's healthcare system - especially after it hit or forced many hospitals in the south and north-east of Lebanon to close down. Eighteen people, including four children, were killed in a violent strike in the late hours of Monday near Beirut’s largest public hospital, as Israel bombarded the city’s southern suburbs for another night. The attack on the impoverished Meqdad neighbourhood in Jnah wounded more than 60 others and resulted in the destruction of three buildings. An initial death toll said four were killed, including a child, but the health ministry’s emergency response team said the death toll has since climbed. The strike hit very close to the Rafik Hariri University Hospital (RHUH), one of Lebanon’s largest government-run medical facilities, which reportedly suffered some damage. No hospital staff members were harmed. As Israel struck, chaos erupted in the streets as residents rushed to evacuate the area. They had not been warned by the Israeli military that the neighbourhood would be hit. Patients and visitors at the RHUH were also frightened that Israel would target the building directly.