Israeli warplanes blasted a runway at Beirut's airport with two missiles Friday, in the third attack on the nation's sole international facility since Israel launched a military offensive against Lebanon three days ago.
The officials said one of the three runways was hit with two missiles. The roar of the jets could be heard in central Beirut as they raided the airport, which is located on the southern outskirts of the capital and has been closed since the first airstrike on Wednesday.
About an hour before Friday's raid, the five remaining Airbus jets belonging to the national carrier Middle East Airlines flew to Amman for safety reasons, airport officials said.
Israeli military aircraft unleashed missiles on the airport late Thursday, setting fuel storage tanks ablaze. Firefighters were only able Friday morning to put out the flames. Warplanes fired missiles at all three runways of the airport earlier that day, blasting holes in the tarmac and forcing the facility's closure.
Israel has intensified its attacks, striking bridges, roads, and the runways of the airport and two major army air bases as it imposed an air and sea blockade on Lebanon to put pressure on the government and force Hezbollah to free two Israeli soldiers the
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