Israel launched a series of airstrikes targeting central Beirut and the city's southern suburbs on Tuesday.
A building housing displaced people in al-Noueiri, a densely populated area in central Beirut, was hit by Israeli airstrikes at around 14:30 on Tuesday. Seven people were killed and 37 were injured, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA).
The southern suburbs of Beirut were hit by two Israeli airstrikes at 15:15 local time, and 10 minutes later the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that they had launched large-scale airstrikes on Beirut, attacking 20 Hezbollah targets in the southern suburbs of Beirut within two minutes.
Many civilians fled the targeted areas by car or on foot, causing panic and traffic jams across the city.
Israel also attacked targets in Lebanon's eastern city of Baalbek, and Tyre and Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon.
The attacks came as negotiations on a ceasefire appeared to be making progress, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expected to make a speech on Tuesday evening local time to address the possibility of a ceasefire and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying on Tuesday that truce talks were in their final stages.
Israel attacks targets in central, southern suburbs of Beirut
Israel attacks targets in central, southern suburbs of Beirut
China will continue carrying out all-round cooperation with Pacific Island countries on the basis of equality, mutual respect, mutual benefit, openness and inclusiveness, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning at a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
At the invitation of Premier Li Qiang, Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa is paying an official visit to China.
According to a report on November 20 by Australia's international policy think tank Lowy Institute, China has regained its place as the second-largest bilateral donor to Pacific Island countries.
"Samoa is one of the first Pacific Island countries to establish diplomatic relations with New China, and to sign the MOU on Belt and Road cooperation with China. The Faleolo International Airport, renovated with the support of a Chinese company, is one of the most modernized international airports in South Pacific, and the China-aided government building, depicted on the new banknotes of Samoa, has become a popular spot for the locals to visit and take photos," said Mao.
"The friendly ties between China and Samoa epitomize China's cooperation with Pacific Island countries. China develops its relations with Pacific Island countries under the principle of 'four full respects', and provide economic and technology aid with no political strings attached. We have rolled out close to 500 projects with various kinds of aid and concessional loans to help Pacific Island countries build roads, bridges, ports, hospitals, schools and other infrastructure, and trained over 10,000 professionals, bringing tangible benefits to the local people. China has made active effort to support Pacific Island countries in implementing the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, built new platforms according to their national conditions for climate response, agricultural cooperation, poverty alleviation and development, and kept exploring new areas for cooperation," she said.
"We will continue carrying out all-round cooperation with Pacific Island countries on the basis of equality, mutual respect, mutual benefit, openness and inclusiveness to support Pacific Island countries' development," said Mao.
The "four full respects" principle is: China fully respects the sovereignty and independence of Pacific island countries, fully respects their will, fully respects their cultural traditions and fully respects their effort to seek strength through unity.
China will continue all-round cooperation with Pacific Island countries: FM spokeswoman
