A pre-dawn Israeli airstrike on Saturday has leveled an eight-storey residential building in the densely-populated Basta district of central Beirut, killing at least four people and injuring more than 20, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry.

The attack, which occurred around 04:00 local time , left a massive crater where the building once stood. Emergency teams worked through the darkness to search for survivors, as plumes of smoke rose above the devastated neighborhood.

The Israeli military has not issued a statement about the strike. Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that five missiles were used in the assault, which has intensified fears of escalating violence in the region.

This is the latest in a series of Israeli operations targeting Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group. Recent strikes have claimed the lives of key Hezbollah figures, including the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. The ongoing conflict has escalated since September, with Israel launching a major offensive against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

The hostilities were triggered by Hezbollah’s rocket attacks into Israel, carried out in support of Hamas following the deadly 7 October 2023 assault on southern Israel. In response, Israel has declared its objective to neutralize Hezbollah and secure the return of 60,000 displaced Israeli residents from northern border communities.

The toll of the conflict has been devastating in Lebanon, with over 3,500 people killed and more than one million displaced, according to Lebanese authorities.

Amid the mounting humanitarian crisis, diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire are underway. U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein recently visited both Israel and Lebanon, expressing cautious optimism but withholding details about potential progress.

As tensions persist, Saturday’s strike has heightened concerns about the toll on civilians and the prospect of wider regional instability.