Beirut suburbs pounded by Israeli strikes following rocket fire

The southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut were targeted by waves of Israeli strikes on Friday after the militant group Hezbollah said it had fired rockets toward northern Israel.

According to Lebanese security sources, five people were killed and seven others injured when Israel hit a residential building in the southern Lebanese port city of Sidon.

One of those killed was believed to be a member of Hamas, the sources said.

Meanwhile, thick plumes of smoke rose over the southern suburbs of Beirut known as Dahiyeh, a densely populated area considered a stronghold of the Iran-backed Shiite militia Hezbollah.

Shortly before the latest series of attacks, the Israeli military said Hezbollah infrastructure would be targeted.

Sources within the UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL told dpa that around 250 projectiles had been fired toward Israel since Monday. There have been no reports of casualties on the Israeli side.

Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel on Monday in response to the killing of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Since then, Israel has been intensifying its attacks in Lebanon.

Friday's Israeli airstrikes began in the early morning hours. The Israeli military said that during that operation it had carried out 26 strikes.

Israel said a command centre that was hit belonged to Hezbollah's executive council, which oversees the Iran-backed Shiite organization's political, organizational and social activities.

Ten high-rise buildings housing military infrastructure used by the militia were attacked, the military said in a statement. Another target was a drone storage facility. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

On Thursday afternoon, Israel's military had urged residents of the affected suburbs to leave the area.

According to the Lebanese government's crisis unit, nearly 100,000 people have sought refuge in emergency shelters.

But the number of displaced is believed to be higher, as many residents without shelter have moved to other parts of Beirut, some staying in hotels or rented apartments.

Others have set up tents on open land on the outskirts of the suburbs after leaving their homes on Thursday.

One Man who lives in Ghobeiri neighborhood, which was targeted overnight, said "if they (Hezbollah) want to fight, let them go to the fronts, not subject the civilians to this misery."

Another mand praised the movement and said: "No matter what, we will back the resistance because they they are protecting our land."

"This is a high price we have to pay," he said.