Lebanon Terrorist Attack Leaves 43 Dead

(CN) - The White House condemned terrorist attacks that rocked a Beirut suburb late Thursday, calling the incident "horrific."

The Islamic State group, also known as ISIL, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to news reports. At least 43 people have been reported killed and more than 200 others were hurt.

The attack was comprised of two suicide bombings that happened during rush hour in a southern Beirut suburb called Burj al-Barajneh, which is a Hezbollah stronghold, reports say.

ISIL said it targeted Shiite Muslims and Hezbollah, which supports the Syrian government in the nearby civil war, according to the New York Times.

The area where the attack occurred is described as a shopping district with narrow streets, fruit and vegetable vendors and small shops.

Thursday's attack was the first such large-scale bombing in Lebanon since mid-2014, the Associated Press reported.

Ned Price, spokesman for the White House's National Security Council, said in a statement that the U.S. "condemns in the strongest terms today's horrific terrorist attacks in Beirut."

"The United States will stand firm with the government of Lebanon as it works to bring those responsible for this attack to justice," Price said. "Such acts of terror only reinforce our commitment to support the institutions of the Lebanese state, including the security services, to ensure a stable, sovereign, and secure Lebanon."

Read the Top 8

Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday.

Email *

Submit