Airstrikes cut communications in north Lebanon

BEIRUT (CNN) — Israel airstrikes disrupted television and phone service throughout north Lebanon Saturday, a Lebanese government official said.

Transmission towers north of Beirut carrying both cell phone and television signals were destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in four separate locations, the official said.

Four transmission towers — two north of Jounieh, one near Mount Lebanon and one near Tripoli were hit. Video broadcast by Lebanese television station LBC showed a tall plume of black smoke rising from the hilltop where one transmission site was.

A highly-placed Lebanese official told CNN that mobile communications and some landline phone service in north Lebanon was disrupted by the attacks. (Posted 7:36 a.m.)