Modern era Beirut

saint nicholas staircase in ashrafieh



ras beirut , mediterranean sea



nightlife scene in badaro

after collapse of ottoman empire following world war i, beirut, along rest of lebanon, placed under french mandate. lebanon achieved independence in 1943, , beirut became capital city. city remained regional intellectual capital, becoming major tourist destination , banking haven, persian gulf oil boom.

this era of relative prosperity ended in 1975 when lebanese civil war broke out throughout country. during of war, beirut divided between muslim west part , christian east. downtown area, home of of city s commercial , cultural activity, became no man s land known green line. many inhabitants fled other countries. 60,000 people died in first 2 years of war (1975–1976), , of city devastated. particularly destructive period 1978 syrian siege of achrafiyeh, main christian district of beirut. syrian troops relentlessly shelled eastern quarter of city, christian militias defeated multiple attempts syria s elite forces capture strategic area in three-month campaign later known hundred days war.

another destructive chapter 1982 lebanon war, during of west beirut under siege israeli troops. in 1983, french , barracks bombed, killing 241 american servicemen, 58 french servicemen, 6 civilians , 2 suicide bombers.

since end of war in 1990, people of lebanon have been rebuilding beirut, , start of 2006 israel-lebanon conflict city had regained status tourist, cultural , intellectual center in middle east , centre commerce, fashion, , media. reconstruction of downtown beirut has been largely driven solidere, development company established in 1994 prime minister rafic hariri. city has been host asian club basketball championship , asian football cup , has hosted miss europe pageant 8 times, 1960–1964, 1999, 2001–2002.

rafic hariri assassinated in 2005 near saint george hotel in beirut. month later 1 million people gathered opposition rally in beirut. cedar revolution largest rally in lebanon s history @ time. last syrian troops withdrew beirut on 26 april 2005, , 2 countries established diplomatic relations on 15 october 2008.

during 2006 lebanon war, israeli bombardment caused damage in many parts of beirut, predominantly shiite southern suburbs of beirut. on 12 july 2006, hezbollah, code named true promise ended 8 israeli deaths , 6 injuries. in response, idf targeted hezbollah s main media outlets. there artillery raids against targets in southern lebanon, , israeli cabinet held beirut responsible attacks. on 13 july 2006 israel began implementing naval , air blockade on lebanon; during blockade israel bombed runways @ beirut international airport , major beirut-damascus highway in eastern lebanon.

in may 2008, after government decided disband hezbollah s communications network (a decision later rescinded), violent clashes broke out briefly between government allies , opposition forces, before control of city handed on lebanese army. after national dialogue conference held in doha @ invitation of prince of qatar. conference agreed appoint new president of lebanon , establish new national government involving political adversaries. result of doha agreement, opposition s barricades dismantled , opposition s protest camps in martyrs square. on 19 october 2012, car bomb killed 8 people in beirut s neighbourhood of achrafiyeh, including brigadier general wissam al-hassan, chief of intelligence bureau of internal security forces. in addition, 78 others wounded in bombing. largest attack in capital since 2008. on 27 december 2013, car bomb exploded in central district killing @ least 5 people, including former lebanese ambassador u.s. mohamad chatah, , wounding 71 others.

in 12 november 2015 beirut bombings, 2 suicide bombers detonated explosives outside mosque , inside bakery, killing 43 people , injuring 200. islamic state of iraq , levant claimed responsibility attacks.