BEIRUT: The United Nations condemned an Israeli airstrike on the Jousieh border crossing between Lebanon and Syria on Saturday, which targeted “humanitarian structures” at the key transit point.
The crossing has become a critical route for civilians fleeing the intensifying Israeli strikes, after earlier strikes that had damaged infrastructure at Lebanon’s main border crossings.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi shared the news on social media, saying that the strikes had hit structures vital to assisting displaced people. “Even fleeing and taking care of those who flee are becoming difficult and dangerous as the war continues to spread,” Grandi wrote on X.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor based in Britain, reported that two Israeli strikes had impacted the crossing on Saturday, reiterating concerns about escalating violence.
The Jousieh crossing, which was struck for the second time in under a month, was already under strain after an Israeli airstrike created a large crater last month, halting vehicle traffic. Prior to that, an Israeli strike had also closed the main Masnaa crossing, further constraining movement between Beirut and Damascus.
Lebanon and Syria share six official border crossings, along with numerous unofficial routes, and the ongoing conflict has raised tensions over the crossings’ roles.
Israel also intensified its assault on southern Beirut, with ten airstrikes reportedly targeting neighbourhoods in the capital city. This marked the first major assault on these suburbs in nearly a week and came shortly after Israel issued evacuation orders for ten neighbourhoods.
The strikes have stoked outrage across Lebanon, with residents voicing their concerns. Hassan Saad, a Beirut resident, called the attacks “brutal” and urged international intervention. “This is a brutal war, and Israel does not have the right to do this … There must be a limit put for Israel because it does not abide by any of the laws or human morality,” Saad told Reuters.
