Baabda Justice Palace evacuated following threats to nearby building

The Baabda Justice Palace was evacuated Wednesday morning after an adjacent building was threatened with a strike, according to information confirmed to L'Orient Today by a source close to the municipality, who requested anonymity, and by the National News Agency (NNA, official).

Following these threats, which are “neither serious nor confirmed,” according to the source, Judge Mirna Bayda made the decision to immediately evacuate the courthouse.

The threatened building is occupied by an elderly woman living alone, according to NNA. According to a local resident, the threatened building is inhabited by Shiites and the entire area was evacuated by the authorities.

Security and military forces established a perimeter around the area to ensure citizens' safety. “The evacuation of the Baabda courthouse is a precautionary measure taken following certain concerns, the veracity of which is being verified,” Justice Minister Adel Nassar wrote on the X platform.

An Israeli strike targeted the Comfort Hotel in the Baabda-Hazmieh area at around 4 a.m. Wednesday. Speaking to L'Orient Today, Georges Chibli, the director of the establishment, denied media reports from overnight that claimed an Iranian official who was allegedly targeted was present at the hotel.