View of Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium and surrounding areas in Beirut after destruction by the IDF during the Siege of Beirut. The city of Beirut was besieged by Israel from 14 June 1982 – 21 August 1982. For seven weeks, Israel attacked the city by sea, air, and land, cutting off food and water supplies, disconnecting the electricity, and securing the airport and some southern suburbs, and coming no closer to their goals to destroy the PLO. The Siege led to the destruction of most of Beirut and was condemned by the USA, which contemplated sanctions and the end of aid to stop the siege.
US President Ronald Reagan called the siege a “holocaust” during his call with Israeli Prime Minister.
Decades later, the siege was cited by Osama bin Laden as a major reason for the September 11, 2001 attacks.