Joseph Ataman

The day Russia invaded Ukraine was a special day for Elmira: her 5th birthday Children in Kharkiv have suffered more than most from the war Now even school is underground “We won’t hear the bangs,” she told us @fpleitgenCNN @TarasovaMarkina

Lebanese on Israeli early warnings: “Then you’re all worked up,” she said. “You’re almost disappointed if there’s no strike because you’re just waiting for it.” “You weirdly feel comforted when they strike because you feel like, okay, it’s over.” edition.cnn.com/2026/03/21/mid…

Around the blasts and rhetoric, it’s people’s lives This generation of children has seen two wars in as many years. It’s already shaped their lives Here are some of their stories @IsobelYeung @SarahDadouch, Brice Laine

Incredibly, a sailor aboard the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier has given away the carrier group's position by doing laps of the deck on @Strava ... Just the latest eg of OSINT undoing opsec around the #Iran-#Israel war lemonde.fr/international/…

Unlike other targets of US-backed bombing in the region, Beirut is a centre of capital, an international hub and in a country with incredibly strong links to the US Talking to Beirutis, so many have lived and worked in the west/abroad for years

Sour/Tyre sits deep in the evacuation zone ordered by the #IDF ahead of its invasion of #Lebanon Mostly empty but some businesses still open, some residents with nowhere to go, in their broken homes or even in tents From a reporting trip today

Rain falls over tents used by people displaced by Israeli attacks on a street along Beirut’s waterfront 📸 @reuterspictures

The men and women of Lebanon’s Civil Defense are some of the bravest I’ve met Stationed beside #Hezbollah’s Dahiyeh they constantly run the risk of #IDF double tap strikes Volunteers of different creeds & backgrounds - away from family for weeks - all just want to save lives

Our look at the shattered lives #IDF bombing in #Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley has left behind And the challenges reporting on it Huge respect for the work of the local medics caring for hundreds of patients since the war began. Many docs sleeping at the hospital #Israel #Hezbollah

Israel has raised the prospect of a major ground operation into Lebanon amid an intensifying conflict with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. CNN's @IsobelYeung is in Beirut amid a fresh wave of strikes across the city.

Missile strike just now in central Beirut Large plume of smoke, jet heard overhead

Smoke rising above central Beirut as Israel announces a new wave of strikes This follows first warning to evacuate a building in the city centre Heavy traffic to leave the city but otherwise call on the streets

Posting coordinates because the Israeli military doesn’t bother: this warning is for a building in central Beirut, approximately 33.8892756, 35.5057381 Believe this is the first *warning* for a building outside Dahiyeh this war, after a series of unannounced assassination strikes targeting hotels, apartment buildings and last night, a group of people sleeping on the beachfront

Amidst everything, Lebanon still manages to shine 🇱🇧

The IDF has demanded the evacuation of a large part of Lebanon, everywhere south of the Zahrani river This is unprecedented and means the evac of the city of Sour/Tyr Beirut is already packed with IDPs. Shelters for the vulnerable struggling to absorb the influx already

There's nothing in American media quite like CNN on the ground coverage in war zones.

“When Hezbollah took the unilateral decision to launch rockets against Israel, they gave also the pretext for Israel to start a large war,” Lebanon’s Justice Minister @adelnasar_ tells me. “The monopoly of strength must be given only to the state.”

Pall of smoke over South Beirut suburbs of Dahiyeh after series of strikes

Rumble of at least one jet overhead Beirut as the loudest blasts of the last few days are heard Ground shaking in parts of Beirut IDF have ordered evacuation of southern suburbs “until further notice”. First time we’ve seen this.

Strike just now on Beirut southern suburbs. The geography of the city means we don’t often hear the strikes. Daily life continues largely untouched in most of the city. Streets packed with parked cars of IDPs. Reporting for @CNN with @IsobelYeung @SarahDadouch

The second targeted strike in central Beirut since the war began Our team was woken up by the pre-dawn strikes. Beirut is so built up that most strikes in the southern suburbs can be seen from rooftops but rarely heard