Middle East latest: Israel strikes in the heart of Lebanon's capital near parliament and embassies

Israeli airstrikes targeted a neighborhood in the heart of Lebanon’s capital, slamming into an area of Beirut near the Parliament, several embassies and the U.N. headquarters. That's according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency. The Health Ministry said at least five people were killed and 24 wounded in the strike late Monday. Ambulance sirens echoed through the area, and an Associated Press reporter at the scene described significant casualties on the street. The target of the airstrike was not immediately clear. Since late September, Israel has dramatically escalated its bombardment of Lebanon, vowing to cripple the militant group Hezbollah and end its barrages into Israel.