### Nine Killed in Israeli Airstrike on Beirut Apartment Building

An Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Beirut's Bachoura district has resulted in the deaths of at least nine individuals, as confirmed by the Lebanese health ministry. The strike also left 14 others injured, with four receiving ongoing treatment in a hospital.

The Hezbollah-linked Islamic Health Authority reported that seven of its personnel, including two medical staff members, were among the fatalities. The building targeted in the airstrike housed an office of the Health Society, a civilian first responder group affiliated with Hezbollah. The building's location is notably close to Lebanon's parliament and the United Nations headquarters.

This attack followed the launch of missiles into Israel by Iran earlier this week. It marks the second airstrike to hit central Beirut within a week, and the second attack in 24 hours directly targeting the Health Society.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated that the Beirut bombing was a "precise" strike, part of a broader campaign against Hezbollah, which led to the death of 15 Hezbollah militants in South Lebanon earlier the same day. The militants were reportedly operating out of a building in Bint Jbeil, where they were storing large quantities of weapons.

In response to the ongoing conflict, the IDF issued an urgent warning to over 20 towns in southern Lebanon, urging residents to evacuate immediately to areas north of the Awali River for their safety.

Amid these developments, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on Israeli forces infiltrating the southern Lebanese village of Maroun al Ras. Concurrently, the Lebanese army reported the death of a soldier due to another Israeli strike on a military post.

The violence has also taken a toll on humanitarian efforts, with four Lebanese Red Cross paramedics killed in an Israeli strike while evacuating wounded individuals from the south.

The conflict has seen Hezbollah and Iran's regional allies, including Yemen's Houthis and armed groups in Iraq, launching attacks in support of Hamas amidst its war with Israel in Gaza. The Israeli military recently announced the deaths of senior Hamas officials Rawhi Mushtaha, Sameh al Siraj, and Sami Oudeh in strikes that took place three months ago.

In light of the escalating violence, the UK government has been organizing flights to evacuate British nationals from Lebanon. The Foreign Office confirmed that these flights would continue as long as the security situation permits, with more than 150 British citizens already evacuated and flown to Birmingham.