Israel conducts multiple airstrikes on Lebanon, saying all targets were legitimate

Israel has continued to hit Lebanon with airstrikes, claiming all of its targets are legitimate Hezbollah facilities and militants, with Thursday seeing the latest round of attacks.

Several large airstrikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs in the early hours of the day, including a site adjacent to Lebanon’s only international airport.

The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) had earlier issued an evacuation notice for the site, saying that there were Hezbollah facilities in the location, but did not provide more details. Locals say there were no such facilities in the area.

"These are people's private properties. May God help the people. It’s just harm for the sake of harm," said Hassan Jaafil, a resident.

There were no immediate reports of casualties from these strikes, and the airport was not directly targeted. The national air carrier, Middle East Airlines, has continued to operate commercial flights.

Later in the day, an Israeli drone strike hit a car at an army checkpoint in the southern port city of Sidon, killing three people and injuring seven others, including UN peacekeepers.

According to the Lebanese army, the wounded were three Lebanese soldiers and four Malaysian UN peacekeepers who were driving through the area. There was no immediate information on the identities of those who died.

Another drone strike early Thursday hit a car on a main highway just outside Beirut killing one woman, according to local media.

On the same day, some 100 members of Lebanon's parliament sent an "urgent message" to UNESCO, calling for the protection of the country's heritage sites.

The announcement by the legislators came after Israel's air force recently struck areas close to archaeological sites in different parts of Lebanon, including the