War expands to central Beirut as Israeli strike kills Iranians in luxury hotel

It was about 01:30 in the morning when a loud explosion tore through the Raouche neighbourhood in the heart of the Lebanese capital Beirut.

The Israeli strike on the four-star Ramada Plaza hotel marked the first time in this war that Israel's bombing campaign had struck the city centre - a bustling coastal area full of restaurants and hotels.

Inside, the Israeli military said, was a secret meeting of Iranian operatives - an allegation that has now been denied by Iran's government.