The bombs destroyed one residential building and ruined the lower floors of another, located in a different area, according to an AP photographer on site. By Friday, 22 deaths had been confirmed, and over 100 people had been injured.
The attack is unusual in that it targeted the central parts of the capital, not the southern suburbs where Israel's major enemy, the militant Hezbollah, has its traditional strongholds. Hezbollah is closely tied to Hamas, which Israel is at war with in Gaza.
Israel has not yet explained what it was after. Hezbollah's TV station al-Manar reports that the target of the attack was Wafiq Safa, a high-ranking member of the group. However, Safa was not in either of the buildings.
