The bridge, inaugurated in 1998 by the assassinated former prime minister Rafiq Hariri and built at a cost of 44 million dollars, stood 75 meters (246 feet) high on a mountainous route on the Beirut-Damascus highway.
Already the target of Israeli air strikes on the first day of the offensive on July 12, the new bombardment caused two pillars to collapse in an immense cloud of black smoke.

Pride of the Lebanese
One observer said “The bombing of this bridge , which is the pride of the Lebanese people, clearly proves that Israel is committed to destroying the infrastructure of the whole country”. This bridge is not used by Hezbollah since it lies in a mountain resort area of Mount Lebanon , far away from the south of Lebanon. Hence it has no strategic value for Israeli fight against Hezbollah. But it was a beautiful bridge and was the symbol of the reconstruction of Lebanon after the civil war.

Another observer said ”Israeli evil intentions towards Lebanon were clear from day one of the war. This bridge was bombed by Israel during the first day of the war and was already closed . Why did they bomb it again ? Obviously it was to cause more damage regardless".

Sources: Ya Libnan, Turkish Press