2006 Shiyyah airstrike
Encyclopedia
The Chyah Airstrike or the Chyah massacre was an attack by the Israel Air Force (IAF) on the Shiyyah
suburb in the Lebanese
capital of Beirut
on August 7, 2006, during the 2006 Lebanon War. Two missiles fired from an IDF bomber
destroyed three apartment buildings in the suburb. Contemporary news accounts stated that the death toll from the airstrikes rose as recovery efforts continued, with 50 corpses recovered at the time of reportage and 61 anticipated.
, described as "Hizbollah's stronghold", had been targeted over a four-week period prior to the attack on Shiyyah, which had not been targeted by the IAF earlier.
Around 8 pm local time, an IAF missile hit a five-storey residential apartment block in Hijaj Street, just outside central Beirut, instantly killing a number of civilians and wounding other residents.
The area is a densely populated residential district and predominantly Shi'a. Businesses in Hijaj Street include a supermarket, a hairdressing salon, a fishmonger's, a greengrocer's and a mobile phone shop, with an internet cafe in the basement of the apartment block. Residents stated that there was no Hezbollah activity in the area. Many of the people killed and wounded were refugee
s from previous violence in South Lebanon.
Fifteen of the dead were from the Remaiti family which owned a residential building in Asaad al-Assad street. According to survivors, before the missiles exploded, an Israeli drone
flew over the Shiyyah district. At the same time, it is reported that a young boy drove down Assaad al-Assad street on a motorcycle and fired into the sky with a rifle opposite the Remaiti home. Not long afterwards, the building was hit by two missiles.
Immediately following the attack some of the wounded were taken to Hayat Hospital, Beirut.
By August 11 the Lebanese Health Minister Mohammed Khalifa, said 50 bodies had been recovered and 61 were expected to be recovered, as 11 civilians that were known to be in the building were still unaccounted. Minister Khalifa said: "There is no way to know for certain how many were killed. There were many displaced people in the building who are still unaccounted for."
Chyah
Chiyah is situated in the west region of the Lebanese capital of Beirut.The meaning of its name is vague and many suppositions were found: one saying that it has a Syriac origin meaning the budding, another one saying that it means the processing of metal another theory is the Arabic origin of...
suburb in the Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
capital of Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
on August 7, 2006, during the 2006 Lebanon War. Two missiles fired from an IDF bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
destroyed three apartment buildings in the suburb. Contemporary news accounts stated that the death toll from the airstrikes rose as recovery efforts continued, with 50 corpses recovered at the time of reportage and 61 anticipated.
Timeline of events
The nearby area of Haret HreikHaret Hreik
Haret Hreik is a mixed Shia and Maronite Christian town, in the Dahieh suburbs, south of Beirut, Lebanon. Once an agricultural village, Haret Hreik lost its rural identity due to the wave of refugees from Southern Lebanon who settled in the town and made it another urban neighborhood of Dahieh...
, described as "Hizbollah's stronghold", had been targeted over a four-week period prior to the attack on Shiyyah, which had not been targeted by the IAF earlier.
Around 8 pm local time, an IAF missile hit a five-storey residential apartment block in Hijaj Street, just outside central Beirut, instantly killing a number of civilians and wounding other residents.
The area is a densely populated residential district and predominantly Shi'a. Businesses in Hijaj Street include a supermarket, a hairdressing salon, a fishmonger's, a greengrocer's and a mobile phone shop, with an internet cafe in the basement of the apartment block. Residents stated that there was no Hezbollah activity in the area. Many of the people killed and wounded were refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s from previous violence in South Lebanon.
Fifteen of the dead were from the Remaiti family which owned a residential building in Asaad al-Assad street. According to survivors, before the missiles exploded, an Israeli drone
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
flew over the Shiyyah district. At the same time, it is reported that a young boy drove down Assaad al-Assad street on a motorcycle and fired into the sky with a rifle opposite the Remaiti home. Not long afterwards, the building was hit by two missiles.
Medical and humanitarian response
Residents of Shiyyah, along with Lebanese Civil Defense and Red Cross workers, worked at trying to remove rubble after the attack before the rest of the building collapsed. These recovery efforts later focused on the recovery of corpses.Immediately following the attack some of the wounded were taken to Hayat Hospital, Beirut.
Casualties
Initial reports put the figure at five dead. Reports following this had the figures at 15 to 17 residents killed with 40 wounded. Lebanese police said on August 8 that the confirmed figure of 30 dead could rise as recovery attempts continued. By August 9 the figure of dead was placed at 41 with the recovery efforts continuing.By August 11 the Lebanese Health Minister Mohammed Khalifa, said 50 bodies had been recovered and 61 were expected to be recovered, as 11 civilians that were known to be in the building were still unaccounted. Minister Khalifa said: "There is no way to know for certain how many were killed. There were many displaced people in the building who are still unaccounted for."
See also
- Al-Qaa airstrike
- 2006 Qana airstrike2006 Qana airstrikeThe 2006 Qana Massacre was an attack by the Israel Air Force on a three-story building in the small community of al-Khuraybah near the South Lebanese village of Qana on July 30, 2006, during the 2006 Lebanon War in which 28 civilians were killed, of which 16 were children...
- 2006 Ghaziyeh airstrikes2006 Ghaziyeh airstrikesThe 2006 Ghaziyeh airstrikes were two sequential attacks by the Israel Air Force on the city of Ghaziyeh in Lebanon on August 7, and August 8, 2006. The attacks took place during the 2006 Lebanon War. In the first attack on August 7, the IAF bombed a building killing 15...
- 2006 Marjayoun convoy2006 Marjayoun convoyThe 2006 Marjayoun convoy was a convoy of approximately 759 vehicles containing Lebanese police, army, civilians, and one Associated Press journalist, which was attacked by the Israeli Air Force as it travelled away from the area of Marjayoun on August 11, 2006...