Growing fear in Beirut after Israel strikes city centre without warning, killing 22

 Lebanon's health ministry says Israeli air strikes on Thursday in central Beirut killed at least 22 people and injured 117 others

• The BBC's Hugo Bachega says there's a growing sense of anxiety in Beirut, with the fear that air strikes could hit at any moment

• The attack happened at around 20:00 local time, with no warning, and Israel has not commented

• Meanwhile, Israel said Hezbollah fired more than 190 projectiles from Lebanon into Israel yesterday

• Elsewhere more than 10,000 UN peacekeepers will remain in southern Lebanon amid growing concerns for their safety, after two peacekeepers were injured yesterday following an Israeli tank firing at a watchtower.

• What is Israel's strategy, and what are they trying to achieve?

  Image source,EPA

  I was in Beirut throughout the 2006 war and do not remember Israel targeting the centre of the city.

  They levelled areas of the southern suburbs, but in the centre we felt quite safe. So this is different.

  The question we need to ask is: What is their strategy and what are they trying to achieve?

  Israel says it is trying to return its citizens to their homes on the northern border with Lebanon, but the scale of what they doing suggests more than that.

  Israel’s tactical successes against Hezbollah have encouraged some to think that there is a chance to reshape the region by severely damaging or destroying all Israel’s enemies.

  This is an enhanced military operation – one that is likely to lead to a longer war and possibly even an occupation of southern Lebanon – and it is not clear how this is in the interests of Israeli civilians trying to get back to their homes.

  The Israelis will argue very strongly that they are trying to defend themselves, but what their escalation has done is inflame the whole region.

• THIS AND MORE UPDATES AT: Israel-Lebanon live updates: Growing anxiety in Beirut after Israeli strike on centre of city kills 22