Israel’s latest attack on Lebanon’s capital city of Beirut has cut off a key crossing with Syria, as tens of thousands of people look to escape the growing conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

BEIRUT — Israel carried out another series of punishing airstrikes Friday, hitting suburban Beirut and cutting off the main border crossing between Lebanon and Syria for tens of thousands of people fleeing the Israeli bombardment of the Hezbollah militant group.

An Israeli strike hit Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli for the first time early on Saturday, a Lebanese security source said, after more bombardment hit Beirut's suburbs and Israeli troops sought to make new ground incursions into southern Lebanon.