Three hospitals in Lebanon, including one near Beirut’s southern suburbs, announced the suspension of their services on Friday due to ongoing Israeli airstrikes.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, Sainte Therese Hospital sustained “huge damage” from nearby Israeli bombing on Thursday, forcing it to halt operations.
Two additional hospitals in southern Lebanon also ceased services.
Lebanon’s healthcare system is under severe strain, with 3.5 million people in need of aid, a doctor exodus, and some areas reliant on Hezbollah, the group Israel is targeting.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has highlighted Lebanon’s growing crisis, exacerbated by hosting 1.3 million Syrian and Palestinian refugees.
The situation worsened after Israel launched a ground offensive against Hezbollah on October 1, making Lebanon the latest epicentre of the 2024 Middle East crisis.
