Israeli strikes killed 22 people and injured more than 100 in central Beirut, Lebanese authorities said, as a senior Hezbollah official evaded an Israeli assassination attempt in the city.

Wafiq Safa, who heads Hezbollah’s liaison and coordination unit responsible for working with Lebanese security agencies, was targeted by Israel on Thursday night but survived, three security sources told Reuters.

The Israeli strikes hit a densely packed residential neighbourhood of apartment buildings and small shops in the heart of Beirut, marking the deadliest attacks on the city since the start of the war.

Israel did not issue evacuation warnings ahead of the strikes and had not previously attacked the area, which is removed from Beirut’s southern suburbs where Hezbollah’s headquarters have been repeatedly bombed by Israel.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported 22 people killed and 117 wounded. Among the dead was a family of eight, including three children, who had evacuated from the south.

Israeli strikes have killed at least 2,169 people in Lebanon over the last year, the Lebanese government said in its daily update. The majority have been killed since Sept. 23, when Israel expanded its military campaign. The toll does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.