Israel: air strikes in Beirut suburbs kill 8 people

In south Lebanon, Hezbollah claimed to have killed four Israeli soldiers in heavy ground fighting in Houla. But the Israeli military said four soldiers were slightly wounded.

Photo: Israel: air strikes in Beirut suburbs kill 8 people

Israel: air strikes in Beirut suburbs kill 8 people

The air raids, particularly intense on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of the capital, came hours before Arab foreign ministers were expected to arrive for an emergency meeting. The ministers were expected to fly into Beirut international airport in the southern end of the capital at midmorning. The airport has been closed to commercial traffic since July 13 after Israel attacked its runways.

The sound of eight loud explosions in less than an hour rang out from the southern suburbs and the roar of raiding jets shook the Lebanese capital at daybreak. The missiles kicked up smoke and dust in the sky in neighborhoods that have been devastated by repeated Israeli strikes since fighting began July 12. Residents have long fled the area, the AP reports.

Warplanes carried out a series of air raids on southern Lebanon early Monday and through the morning.