West Asia Conflict Highlights | At least 20 people hurt by drone hit in northern Israel

Israeli airstrikes rock Beirut, Hezbollah command centre hit

A wave of air raids hit Beirut's southern suburbs early on Saturday as Israel stepped up attacks on Hezbollah, after a massive strike on the Iran-backed movement's command centre that apparently targeted leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Reuters witnesses heard more than 20 airstrikes before dawn on Saturday. Abandoning their homes in the southern suburbs, thousands of Lebanese congregated in squares, parks and sidewalks in downtown Beirut and seaside areas.

Israeli military says it killed commander of Hezbollah's missile unit in southern Lebanon

Hezbollah denies weapons or arms depots located in buildings hit in Beirut suburbs

Hezbollah denied on Saturday that any weapons or arms depots are located in buildings that were hit in an Israeli strike on Beirut suburbs, the Lebanese armed group's media office said in a statement. 

US to 'adjust' force posture in Middle East after Israeli strikes in Beirut

President Joe Biden has directed the Pentagon to "assess and adjust as necessary US force posture" in the Middle East, the White House said on Friday after Israeli strikes in Beirut that Israel said targeted Lebanese Hezbollah militants.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed hundreds in recent days and have raised fears of an all-out regional war.

Washington has maintained strong military support for its ally while calling unsuccessfully for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.

Israel's military says striking targets belonging to Hezbollah in Lebanon's Bekaa

Israeli strike hits Lebanon mountain town of Bhamdoun

An Israeli strike hit the Lebanese mountain town of Bhamdoun, southeast of Beirut, early on Saturday, Lebanese lawmaker for the area Mark Daou told Reuters.

He said the extent of damage was not immediately clear.

Missile from Lebanon fired at central Israel, fell in open area, Israeli army says

Israeli army says it eliminated head of Hamas network in southern Syria

The Israeli army said on Saturday that it had eliminated the head of the Palestinian Hamas's network in southern Syria, whom it referred to as Ahmad Muhammad Fahd, overnight on Friday.

Israel's military mobilises additional reserve soldiers as tensions escalate with Lebanon, reports AP

Israeli army announces killing of Lebanese Hezbollah chief Nasrallah

Israeli forces have killed Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the military's Arabic-speaking spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on Saturday, a day after an Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut.

Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorise the world, says IDF

Iran's Supreme Leader moved to secure location under heightened security

 Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been transferred to a secure location inside the country with heightened security measures in place, two regional officials briefed by Tehran told Reuters.

Lebanon's Hezbollah says it targeted Israeli sites in retaliation

 Lebanon's Iran-aligned Hezbollah said on Saturday that it had targeted Israeli sites including Rosh Pina in the north with missiles in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanese cities, villages and civilians.

Israel on alert after Nasrallah killing, army spokesperson says

Israel is on high alert for a broader conflict after the elimination of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, but hopes his death will cause the Iran-backed group to change course, a military spokesperson said on Saturday.

"We hope this will change Hezbollah's actions," Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said in a media briefing after the military confirmed it had killed Nasrallah.

But he said there was still a ways to go in degrading Hezbollah's capabilities. (Reuters)

Israel's army chief says it has not emptied 'toolbox with killing of Hezbollah chief Nasrallah

The Israeli army's chief of staff said on Saturday it had not emptied its "toolbox" with the targeted killing of Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

"This is not the end of our toolbox. The message is simple, anyone who threatens the citizens of Israel - we will know how to reach them," Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi said in a statement. (Reuters)

After Israeli threats, Lebanon stops Iranian plane from landing in Beirut

Lebanon's transport ministry told an Iranian aircraft not to enter its airspace after Israel warned air traffic control at Beirut airport that it would use "force" if the plane landed, a source at the ministry told Reuters.

The source said it was not clear what was on the plane. "The priority is people's lives," the source added. (Reuters)

Iranian leader Khamenei calls on Muslims to confront Israel

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on Muslims on Saturday "to stand by the people of Lebanon and the proud Hezbollah with whatever means they have and assist them in confronting the ... wicked regime (of Israel)".

Khamenei, in a statement after the Israeli army said it had killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, said: "The fate of this region will be determined by the forces of resistance, with Hezbollah at the forefront", state media reported. 

• The ruling terrorist gang in the Zionist regime has not learned a lesson from their criminal year-long war in Gaza

• Let the Zionist criminals know that they are far too insignificant to cause any major damage to the strong structure of Hezbollah in Lebanon

• All the forces of resistance in the region stand alongside and support Hezbollah

• The fate of this region will be determined by the forces of resistance, with Hezbollah at the forefront

• It is incumbent upon all Muslims to stand by the people of Lebanon and the proud Hezbollah with whatever means they have and assist them in confronting the usurping, oppressive, and wicked regime

• By the grace of god, Lebanon will make the invading, wicked, and discredited enemy regret their actions (Reuters)

Israeli strikes continue on Beirut's southern suburbs

Israeli airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs are ongoing, witnesses told Reuters on Saturday, saying smoke was visible rising from the affected area.

France says it has information confirming Hezbollah chief Nasrallah is dead

France's foreign ministry said on Saturday that according to its information Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was indeed dead, after Israel said it had killed him a day earlier.

The Iran-backed Hezbollah has yet to issue any statement on the status of Nasrallah, its leader for 32 years.

"According to the information we have, Hassan Nasrallah, secretary general of Hezbollah, would indeed have died," the French foreign ministry said in a statement. (Reuters)

Lebanon's Hezbollah says leader Nasrallah killed

Hezbollah says battle against Israel to continue

Lebanon's Hezbollah confirmed on Saturday that its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed and vowed to continue the battle against Israel. 

Hamas says it mourns Hezbollah leader

Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Saturday it mourned Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah following his killing in an Israeli airstrike, saying his death would only fuel the fight against Israel.

"Crimes and assassination by the occupation will only increase the determination and the insistence of the resistance in Palestine and Lebanon to go forward with all their might, bravery and pride on the footsteps of the martyrs...and pursue the path of resistance until victory and the dismissal of the occupation," Hamas said in a statement.

His death marks a heavy blow to Hezbollah as it reels from an escalating campaign of Israeli attacks. It is also a huge blow to Iran, given the major role he has played in the Tehran-backed regional "Axis of Resistance."

The 'Axis of Resistance' refers to groups including Hezbollah that are backed by Iran and have been waging attacks on Israel since war erupted between their ally Hamas and Israel on Oct. 7. (Reuters)

Statement issued by Hezbollah on Nasrallah's death

"In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

{So let those fight in the way of Allah who exchange the life of this world for the Hereafter. And whoever fights in the way of Allah and is killed or victorious - We will give him a great reward.}

God Almighty is true

His Eminence, the Master of Resistance, the righteous servant, has passed away to be with his Lord and to His pleasure as a great martyr, a heroic, daring, brave, wise, insightful, and faithful leader, joining the caravan of martyrs of the eternal, luminous Karbala in the divine, faith-based path in the footsteps of the martyred prophets and imams.

His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah, has joined his great and immortal martyred comrades, whose path he led for nearly thirty years, during which he led them from victory to victory, succeeding the Master of the Martyrs of the Islamic Resistance in 1992 until the liberation of Lebanon in 2000 and to the glorious divine victory in 2006 and all the battles of honor and sacrifice, arriving at the battle of support and heroism in support of Palestine, Gaza, and the oppressed Palestinian people.

We offer our condolences to the Master of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance), the Guardian of the Muslims, Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, may his shadow endure, the great authorities, the mujahideen, the believers, the nation of resistance, our patient and struggling Lebanese people, the entire Islamic nation, all the free and oppressed people in the world, and his honorable and patient family. We congratulate His Eminence the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, may God be pleased with him, on receiving the highest divine medal, the Imam Hussein Medal, peace be upon him, fulfilling his most precious wishes and the highest ranks of faith and pure belief, as a martyr on the path of Jerusalem and Palestine. We offer our condolences and congratulations to his fellow martyrs who joined his pure and holy procession following the treacherous Zionist raid on the southern suburb.

The leadership of Hezbollah pledges to the highest, most sacred and most precious martyr in our journey full of sacrifices and martyrs that it will continue its jihad in confronting the enemy, in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defense of Lebanon and its steadfast and honorable people.

To the honorable mujahideen and the victorious and triumphant heroes of the Islamic Resistance, you are the trust of the beloved martyr Sayyid, and you are his brothers who were his impregnable shield and the jewel in the crown of heroism and sacrifice. Our leader, His Eminence the Sayyid, is still among us with his thought, spirit, line, and sacred approach, and you are committed to the pledge of loyalty and commitment to resistance and sacrifice until victory."

Iraq announces three days of mourning over death of Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Nasrallah

Hezbollah's Beirut headquarters was a legitimate target, Israel army says

The Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut where the group's leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike was a legitimate military target under international law, the Israeli military spokesperson said on Saturday.

Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari also said that Israel had issued stricter guidelines to civilians by limiting the size of gatherings in areas of central Israel to 1,000 people. (Reuters)

IRGC deputy commander killed in Israeli strikes on Beirut

Iran Revolutionary Guards' deputy commander Abbas Nilforoushan was killed in the Israeli strikes on Beirut on Friday, Iranian media reported on Saturday. 

Israel's war is not with the Lebanese people, defence minister says

Israel's war is not with the Lebanese people, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Saturday after confirmation Hezbollah leader Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut.

"He (Nasrallah) was the murderer of thousands of Israelis and foreign citizens. He was an immediate threat to the lives of thousands of Israelis and other citizens," Gallant said in a statement. "To the people of Lebanon, I say: Our war is not with you. It's time for change." (Reuters)

Who is Hashem Safieddine, Hezbollah's possible new leader?

Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine

The killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in airstrikes in a Beirut suburb has put the spotlight on the man widely regarded as his heir, Hashem Safieddine. The Iran-backed group confirmed that Nasrallah, who led the group for 32 years, had been killed in Friday's strike. It now faces the challenge of choosing a new leader after the heaviest pounding the group has faced in its 42-year-old history.

Here are some facts about Safieddine, who a source in the group said survived the Israeli attacks.

* As head of the executive council, Safieddine oversees Hezbollah's political affairs. He also sits on the Jihad Council, which manages the group's military operations.

* Safieddine is a cousin of Nasrallah and like him is a cleric who wears the black turban denoting descent from Islam's Prophet Mohammed.

* The US State Department designated him a terrorist in 2017 and in June he threatened a big escalation against Israel after the killing of another Hezbollah commander. "Let (the enemy) prepare himself to cry and wail," he said at the funeral.

* Safieddine's public statements often reflect Hezbollah's militant stance and its alignment with the Palestinian cause. At a recent event in Dahiyeh, Hezbollah's stronghold in Beirut's southern suburbs, he declared, "Our history, our guns and our rockets are with you," in a show of solidarity with Palestinian fighters.

* Nasrallah "started tailoring positions for him within a variety of different councils within Lebanese Hezbollah. Some of them were more opaque than others. They've had him come, go out and speak," said Philip Smyth, an expert who studies Iran-backed Shi-ite militias.

* Safieddine's family ties and a physical resemblance to Nasrallah, as well as his religious status as a descendant of Mohammed, would all count in his favour.

* He has also been vocal in his criticism of US policy. In response to American pressure on Hezbollah, he stated in 2017, "This mentally impeded, crazy US administration headed by Trump will not be able to harm the resistance," asserting that such actions would only strengthen Hezbollah's resolve. (Reuters)

Iran Air cancels flights to Beirut until further notice

Turkey's Erdogan condemns Israeli attacks in Lebanon, calls for UN action to stop them

What happens now that Hezbollah chief Nasrallah has been killed?

The following comments were made to Reuters after Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday.

Mehran Kamrava, professor of government at Georgetown university, Qatar: "There's a mixture of apprehension in the region's Arab capitals, and also a sense of joy — hidden joy — because, as you know, none of the conservative Arab states have been particularly fond of Hezbollah. In the regional capitals in particular, there is kind of an apprehension that (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's expansion of the war would indeed succeed. He already has brought in Lebanon, and there is also some kind of relief that Hassan Nasrallah has been removed."

"From Tehran's perspective, even if the worst-case scenario has already happened, they are not going to act. Tehran has a doctrine called strategic patience, whereby they play the long game. And I think that doctrine will continue. They are reluctant to engage Israel in any direct way."

Aziz Alghashian, Saudi analyst specialising in Gulf-Israel ties: "There is clearly no love lost between Saudi Arabia and Hezbollah. They find Hezbollah very disruptive in the region ... With that said, the Saudis are not thinking short-term or shortsightedly. Yes, he may be gone, yes there is no love lost, but the Saudis are not thinking emotionally, they are thinking rationally. They are thinking now with concern about how this will have ramifications in the region. Moreover, they are probably wondering what the opportunities are that could come up from this. The reality is time will tell ... These are unbelievable developments. We are seeing things we did not think to see in a while."

Abdullah Baabood, non-resident scholar at Carnegie middle east centre and chair for Islamic area studies at Waseda university, Japan: "I doubt if Iran will respond because Iran withstood an even much more obvious attack on its soil and did not respond directly. I think Iran would want to avoid doing that at all costs ... They understand that Netanyahu wants to implicate them and also, by extension, get them into an open conflict or open war with the United States."

Mohanad Hage Ali of the Carnegie middle east center: “His assassination could mean many things. It depends, basically, on how the transition happens within the organization. It might fall down, into someone who's unknown. It's all up in the air, but as an organization, it has been significantly downgraded in terms of reputation, military capability, leadership. I think the ability to spring back and stand on their feet has been significantly diminished.

"This is a huge organization. Nasrallah was basically keeping them together. It was the glue of the organization."

Air raid sirens ring out in Tel Aviv as Netanyahu lands, reports AFP

US determined to prevent Iran from expanding Mideast conflict, Austin tells Israel's Gallant

The United States is determined to prevent Iran and Iran-backed groups from exploiting the situation in Lebanon or expanding the conflict, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant in calls on Friday.

Austin expressed full US support for Israel's right to defend itself and "made it clear that the United States remains postured to protect US forces and facilities in the region and committed to the defense of Israel," Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said in a statement on Saturday.  (Reuters)

Russia condemns Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah

Missile fired from Yemen intercepted, Israeli military says

Air raid sirens sounded across central Israel on Saturday - including Tel Aviv - and large bangs were heard after a missile was fired from Yemen and intercepted, according to the Israeli military.

Iran's Khamenei announces five days of mourning over death of Nasrallah

Iran's Khamenei says Nasrallah 's blood 'will not go unavenged'

US orders some Beirut embassy staff members to leave Lebanon

The US Department of State on Saturday ordered some employees at its embassy in Beirut and their eligible family members to the leave Lebanon amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following the killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah by Israel.

"US Embassy Beirut personnel are restricted from personal travel without advance permission," the State Department said in a statement. (Reuters)

Israeli military says it killed senior member of Hezbollah's intelligence in Beirut strike

Nasrallah's death is 'measure of justice' for his many victims, Biden says

US President Joe Biden on Saturday called Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah "a measure of justice" for his many victims, and said the United States fully supported Israel's right to defend itself against Iran-supported groups.

Biden said he had directed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to further enhance the defense posture of US military forces in the Middle East to deter aggression and reduce the risk of a broader war.

Ultimately, he said, the US aimed to de-escalate ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic means. He did not address a comment from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei saying Nasrallah's death would be avenged. (Reuters)

Israel had real-time intelligence Nasrallah would be at meeting, military says

US orders Beirut embassy staff members to leave Lebanon

The US Department of State on Saturday ordered some employees at its embassy in Beirut and their eligible family members to the leave Lebanon amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following the killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah by Israel. (Reuters)

UK calls again for immediate ceasefire in Lebanon

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he had spoken with Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Saturday, following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut which killed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. (Reuters)

Nasrallah's death will change balance of power in the region: Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was a historical turning point that could change the balance of power in the Middle East though he warned of 'challenging days' ahead. (Reuters)

Biden calls for ceasefire in Lebanon

Asked by reporters if an Israeli ground incursion into Lebanon was inevitable, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Saturday that it was time for a ceasefire.

"It's time for a ceasefire," Biden told reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Russia condemns Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah

Russia strongly condemns Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the foreign ministry said on Saturday, calling on Israel to stop hostilities in Lebanon.

"This forceful action is fraught with even greater dramatic consequences for Lebanon and the entire Middle East," the ministry said in a statement.

Israeli military says it struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon

Israeli military said early on Sunday it had struck dozens of Hezbollah "terror" targets in Lebanon in the past dozen hours, including launchers aimed toward Israel.

Iran's parliament speaker says resistance groups will continue confronting Israel

Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, commenting on the killing of Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, said on Sunday that what Iran terms resistance groups will continue to confront Israel with the help of Iran, according to Iranian state media.

China says it opposes any violation of Lebanon's soverignty

hina said on Sunday it opposes any violation of Lebanon's sovereignty, after Israel's airstrike killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, according to a post on the country's foreign ministry website. 

Lebanon's top Christian cleric calls for diplomacy following Nasrallah's killing

Lebanon's top Christian cleric urged diplomacy in the conflict between Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah, and said Israel's killing of the group's chief, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, had wounded the hearts of the Lebanese people

Israel pounds Lebanon, pressuring Hezbollah after killing its leader

Israel struck multiple targets in Lebanon on Sunday, pressing Iran-backed Hezbollah with more attacks after it struck a huge blow by killing the group's leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

The Israeli military said the air force had "struck dozens of Hezbollah terror targets in Lebanon, including launchers that were aimed toward Israeli territory, structures in which weapons were stored and additional Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure".

Israeli military says it killed senior Hezbollah figure Nabil Kaouk

The Israeli military said on Sunday that it killed senior Hezbollah figure Nabil Kaouk amid an ongoing exchange of strikes between the two sides.

Hezbollah has not yet commented on Kaouk's fate, but supporters have been posting mourning messages for him since Saturday.

Diplomatic efforts for ceasefire with Israel underway, Lebanese minister says

Killing of Iran's Guards deputy commander in Lebanon 'will not go unanswered', foreign minister says

Israel's killing of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Deputy Commander Abbas Nilforoushan in Lebanon "will not go unanswered", Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a statement on Sunday.

Lebanon PM says Israel attacks could displace up to 1 million people.

Lebanon's caretaker PM says 'we have no option but the diplomatic option'

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said in a televised speech on Sunday that his country had "no option but the diplomatic option", in response to a question about diplomatic efforts to end Israel's escalation against Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. 

Pope urges immediate ceasefire in 'martyred' Lebanon

Pope Francis waves as he leaves after a Holy Mass at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, September 29, 2024.

Pope Francis called for an immediate ceasefire in "martyred" Lebanon and the wider Middle East on Saturday as he ended a three-day visit to Belgium.

"I call on all parties to immediately cease fire in Lebanon, Gaza, the rest of Palestine and Israel," the Argentinian pontiff, 87, told an open-air mass in Brussels, as Israel continued to target the Hezbollah armed group in Lebanon.

Body of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah recovered

The body of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has been recovered from the site of an Israeli air attack on Beirut's southern suburbs and is intact, a medical source and a security source told Reuters on Sunday.

While Hezbollah's statement on Saturday confirming Nasrallah's death did not say how exactly he was killed nor when his funeral would be, the two sources said his body had no direct wounds and that it appeared the cause of death was blunt trauma from the force of the blast. 

Lebanon's Hezbollah confirms senior leader Ali Karaki was killed in Israeli strike

 Hezbollah confirmed on Sunday that its senior leader Ali Karaki was killed in an Israeli strike that targeted some of the group's other senior figures including its chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon.

The Israeli military said it is carrying out fresh strikes targeting Hezbollah's weapons storage facilities and infrastructure sites in Lebanon.

Israel army says 'more than 20' Hezbollah members killed alongside Nasrallah

"More than 20 other terrorists of varying ranks, who were present at the underground headquarters in Beirut located beneath civilian buildings, and were managing Hezbollah's terrorist operations against the state of Israel, were also eliminated," the military said in a statement that listed some of them. (AFP)

Israeli strike kills senior figure in Lebanon's Jama'a Islamiya

An Israeli strike on Lebanon's Bekaa Valley on Sunday killed a senior figure in the Sunni Jama'a Islamiya group, Mohammad Dahrouj, two security sources told Reuters.

Israel will not be able to safely get people back into their homes in the north of the country by waging an all-out war with Hezbollah or Iran, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Sunday.

14 medics killed in two days of Israeli strikes, Lebanese ministry says

Fourteen medics have been killed over the course of two days of Israeli strikes, the Lebanese health ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Kashmiri Shia Muslim women shout slogans during a protest against Israel following the killing of Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli air strike in Beirut, in Srinagar, September 29, 2024.

Israel says it struck dozens of Houthi targets in Yemen

The Israeli military says dozens of aircraft have struck Houthi targets in Yemen in response to recent attack on Israel.

The military said it targeted power plants and sea port facilities in the city of Hodeida.

The Houthis launched a ballistic missile attack on Ben Gurion airport on Saturday when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was arriving. (AP)

An Israeli attack on Sunday on the city of Ain Deleb in southern Lebanon killed 24 people and wounded 29 others, according to a preliminary toll, Lebanon's Health Ministry said in a statement.

Defence minister says 'no place is too far' for Israel after strikes in Yemen.

Israel used US-made bomb in attack on Hezbollah head, US senator says

The bomb that Israel used to kill Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last week was an American-made guided weapon, a U.S. senator said on Sunday.

Mark Kelly, chair of the Senate Armed Services Airland Subcommittee, said Israel used a 2,000-lb (900-kg) Mark 84 series bomb, during an interview with NBC. His statement marks the first U.S. indication of what weapon had been used.

"We see more use of guided munitions, JDAMs, and we continue to provide those weapons," Kelly said, using an abbreviation that stands for Joint Direct Attack Munitions. "That 2,000-pound bomb that was used, that's a Mark 84 series bomb, to take out Nasrallah," he said.

Iran's President says 'Lebanese fighters should not be left alone so that the Zionist regime (Israel) does not attack countries of the axis of resistance one after the other.

Iran condemned strikes by Israel on Yemen's Hodeidah port on Sunday, saying they targeted a power plant and fuel tanks, the country's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, said in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says former rival, Gideon Saar, has joined his Cabinet, reports AP.

Israel army says about 120 Hezbollah targets hit in latest strikes in Lebanon.

Four killed in Israeli strikes on Yemen, says Houthi-run health ministry

Four people were killed and 29 wounded in Israeli strikes on Yemen on Sunday, the Houthi-run health ministry said in a statement.

Biden says he will be talking to Israeli PM Netanyahu

US President Joe Biden said on Sunday he would be talking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but did not say when. (Reuters)

Israel keeps up Lebanon assault, strikes Yemen port

Israel said it bombed Houthi targets in Yemen on Sunday, expanding its confrontation with Iran's allies in the region two days after killing the Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an escalating conflict in Lebanon. (Reuters)

Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine says 3 leaders killed in Israeli strike on Beirut

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said in a statment early on Monday that three of its leaders were killed in an Israeli strike that targeted Beirut's Kola district.

105 dead dand 359 wounded as a result of Israeli raids yesterday: Lebanese Health ministry

Five confirmed dead following Israeli strikes in Bekaa Valley

At least five people have been killed following Israeli strikes in the town of Sahmar in the western Bekaa Valley, according to local news reports, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Israeli drone kills 3 people in southern Lebanon

The Israeli drone fired on the group at the junction of the towns of Arzoun and Chehour in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported.. Three people are confirmed dead and one is wounded.

Aftermath of Beirut strikes

Hamas leader killed in Lebanon

Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Monday that one of its commanders was killed along with some of his family members in an Israeli strike on southern Lebanon.

Smoke rises from Beirut's southern suburbs after suspected strike

Smoke rose from Beirut's southern suburbs after a suspected Israeli strike, witness told Reuters on Monday. 

UAV in Israeli waters intercepted: IDF

A short while ago, a UAV that crossed into Israel's economic waters in the north was successfully intercepted.

No sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol, IDF said.

Sirens sounded in Safed and surrounding areas, northern Israel: IDF

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Australia threatens to cancel visas of those protesting attacks on Lebanon

“Any indication of support for a terrorist organisation is unequivocally condemned,” Australia’s Home Affairs minister, Tony Burke, said in a statement.

Will not agree to ceasefire until Hezbollah disarms: Israel Katz

Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz says the government will not agree to a ceasefire in Lebanon, according to Kan, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation.

“The only way that is acceptable for Israel to stop the fire is to move Hezbollah north of the Litani and disarm it,” Katz was reported as saying.

“As long as these do not occur, Israel will continue its actions to ensure the security of the citizens of Israel and the return of the residents of the north to their homes.”

Foreign Policy Chief is convening an extraordinary, informal meeting of EU foreign ministers to discuss EU's response to latest escalation in Lebanon: EU spokesperson

100,000 have fled Lebanon for Syria amid Israeli strikes: UN

Some 100,000 Lebanese and Syrian nationals have now fled to Syria from Lebanon amid Israeli airstrikes, the United Nations refugee chief said Monday, AFP reported.

"The number of people who have crossed into Syria from Lebanon fleeing Israeli airstrikes -- Lebanese and Syrian nationals -- has reached 100,000," Filippo Grandi said on X, adding that "the outflow continues".

Iran will not leave Israel's 'criminal acts' unanswered, says foreign ministry

"We stand strongly and we will act in a way that is regretful [for the enemy]" Kanaani told a weekly news conference, adding that Iran does not seek war but is not afraid of it.

Kanaani said that Iran is closely following up on matters with the Lebanese authorities, referring to the strikes that killed Nasrallah and Nilforoushan, Reuter reported.

Hezbollah deputy chief to address media

Hezbollah's deputy chief will make an address at noon (0900 GMT) Monday, the Lebanese group's Al-Manar television channel announced, the first such speech since an Israeli strike killed leader Hassan Nasrallah, AFP reported.

Sirens sounded in the northern Golan Heights and Katzrin, Kibutz Dan and She'ar Yashuv, northern Israel: IDF

4 dead and 4 wounded in Cola bridge, Lebanese Health ministry confirms

20 projectiles aimed at southern Golan Heights and the Upper Galile, 15 aimed at northern Golan Heights and Snir: IDF

IDF on their Telegram channel reported, "Following the sirens that sounded between 11:12 and 11:13 in the areas of the southern Golan Heights and the Upper Galilee, approximately 20 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory, several projectiles were intercepted and the rest fell in open areas.

Following the sirens that sounded between 11:08 and 11:09 in the areas of the northern Golan Heights and Snir, approximately 15 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory, several projectiles were intercepted and the rest fell in open areas."

Aftermath of Israel's strike on Ain Deleb, Lebanon

Israel committing massacres, US a partner: Hezbollah deputy chief

Gaza death toll rises

More than 41,615 Palestinians have been killed and 96,359 injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Here are the main talking points from Hezbollah deputy chief’s speech

• The group would choose a successor "at the earliest opportunity".

• Hezbollah will continue with its main goals of supporting Gaza and protecting Lebanon.

• Hezbollah described its attacks thus far as the "minimum" and said that the battle could be long.

• Hezbollah has vowed that it “will win, just as we won in our confrontation with Israel in 2006”.

Lebanon to hold session to elect president after a ceasefire, PM Mikati

Lebanon will hold a parliamentary session to elect a new president as soon as a ceasefire in the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel takes hold, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Monday after talks with the house speaker. (Reuters)

Berlin says Nasrallah killing was Israeli self defence

Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in a powerful airstrike in Beirut constituted a use of its right to defend itself, a German foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

"Hezbollah is of course a terrorist organization and it was obviously a meeting of the top leadership of Hezbollah, from which one can assume, even from a distance, that they were planning their further operations," the spokesperson said. (Reuters)

Israeli airstrikes kill 12 people, including journalist Wafa Al-Udaini, in Gaza

Israeli airstrikes pounded areas across the Gaza Strip on Monday killing 12, including a journalist and her family, medics said, although the intensity of the ground offensive has subsided as Israel steps up its fight with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Palestinian health officials said Wafa Al-Udaini, who wrote articles about the war in English advocating the Palestinian viewpoint, was killed when a missile struck her house in the central city of Deir Al-Balah, also killing her husband and their two children. (Reuters)

Flydubai extends Dubai-Beirut flights cancellations until Oct 7

Emirati airline flydubai said on Monday its Dubai-Beirut flights have been cancelled until Oct 7 due to "ongoing developments", after earlier saying Beirut flights were cancelled until Oct 3.

Britain calls for ceasefire after Israeli strikes in Lebanon

Britain on Monday said that all sides should seek de-escalation and a ceasefire after Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, reiterating that the region needs to pull back from the brink.

"We are ironclad in our support for Israel's right to self-defence," a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. "But our very clear message now is, on all sides, (for) all parties to show restraint."

WHO warns of overstretched Lebanese health system after Israeli attacks

Lebanon's health system remains impacted and overstretched by a new escalation of violence in the country, the World Health Organisation said on Monday, warning that displaced people were at increased risk of diseases.

'Terrorism has no place in our world': PM Modi speaks to Israel's Netanyahu on Middle East crisis

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke to Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on the conflict in Middle East. 

The prime minister's conversation with Netanyahu comes amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Israel has been relentlessly carrying out airstrikes on Lebanon

In address to Iran, Netanyahu says nowhere in Middle East out of Israel's reach

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Iranians on Monday that there was nowhere in the Middle East beyond Israel's reach, two days after Israel's military killed the leader of Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Netanyahu, speaking in English in a 3-minute-long video released by his office in which he said he was addressing the Iranian people, blamed the Iranian government for plunging the Middle East "deeper into war" at the cost of its own people.

"There is nowhere in the Middle East Israel cannot reach. There is nowhere we will not go to protect our people and protect our country," Netanyahu said.

He said the Iranian government was bringing Iranians "closer to the abyss". Iran and Israel would be at peace when Iran is "finally free", which he said would "come a lot sooner than people think".

Referring to Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah, killed on Saturday in Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, Netanyahu said that "puppets" of the Iranian "regime" were eliminated every day.

Israel has ramped up attacks on militant targets in Lebanon against Hezbollah, the best armed of militant groups across the Middle East aligned with Iran. (Reuters)

Israel plans larger ground operation across Lebanon border: Report

Israel is planning a larger ground operation and small, precision raids across the border in Lebanon, news agency AP reported on Monday.

Lebanese troops pull back 5 km from Lebanon's southern border with Israel

Lebanese troops have pulled back from positions along Lebanon's southern border with Israel to at least five kilometres north of the frontier. (Reuters)

Israeli military warns Beirut suburbs to evacuate before strikes on Hezbollah targets

Israel's military issued an urgent warning late on Monday for residents in Beirut's southern suburbs to evacuate due to planned strikes on Hezbollah targets. (Reuters)

Rocket attack targets military base hosting US forces in Baghdad

At least two Katyusha rockets were fired at a military base hosting US force near Baghdad International Airport, two Iraqi military officials told Reuters early on Tuesday. (Reuters)

Israel begins Lebanon ground invasion with 'limited' raids on Hezbollah

Israel's widely expected ground invasion of Lebanon appeared to be getting underway early on Tuesday as its military said troops had begun "limited" raids against Hezbollah targets in the border area.

The military said in a statement that it had begun "limited, localised, and targeted ground raids based on precise intelligence" against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon villages close to the border that posed "an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel". (Reuters)

Israel strikes Palestinian camp near South Lebanon's Sidon

Israel launched a strike on a building in Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian camp near south Lebanon's Sidon early on Tuesday, a Palestinian source and Lebanese media said. (Reuters)

Palestinian commander targeted in Israeli strike in Lebanon

An Israeli strike in Lebanon early on Tuesday targeted Mounir Maqdah, commander of the Lebanese branch of the Palestinian Fatah movement's military wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, according to two Palestinian security officials. (Reuters)

Three civilians killed in Israeli airstrike on Damascus

Three civilians were killed and nine others injured in an Israeli airstrike on the Syrian capital Damascus, Syrian state media said early on Tuesday citing a military source. (Reuters)

Israel Defence Forces begin ground raids in southern Lebanon

US defence secretary warns of serious consequences for Iran if it attacks Israel

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday, the Department of Defence said.

"They agreed on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border to ensure that Lebanese Hezbollah cannot conduct October 7-style attacks on Israel's northern communities," the department said in a statement. (Reuters)

UAE reaffirms its position towards Lebanon's territorial integrity amid ground raids by Netanyahu's army

The United Arab Emirates reaffirmed on Tuesday its unwavering position towards the unity of Lebanon, its national sovereignty, and its territorial integrity, the foreign ministry said in a statement. (Reuters)

10 killed in Israeli bomb attack in Lebanese town of Daoudiya: Report

At least ten people were killed while five others got injured after the Israeli military bombed a home in the southern Lebanese town of Daoudiya, the Lebanese National News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Sirens sounded in Metula, northern Israel: IDF

IDF conducted precise strikes on weapons manufacturing sites, infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in Beirut, says military

"Yesterday (Monday), with the direction of IDF intelligence, the IAF conducted precise strikes on several weapons manufacturing facilities and additional Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in the Dahieh area of Beirut," a statement by Israel Defence Forces read.

Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including by issuing warnings to civilians in the area, the use of precise munitions, and aerial surveillance, it added.

"The Hezbollah terrorist organization intentionally embeds its weapons manufacturing facilities and weaponry beneath civilian population centers in Beirut, using the civilian population as a human shield for its terrorist activities. The IDF is continuing to strike Hezbollah's terror infrastructure and degrade its military capabilities in Lebanon in order to restore security to the citizens of the State of Israel."

Hezbollah says it targeted Israeli troops in Metula with artillery fire

Lebanon's armed group Hezbollah said in a statement on Tuesday that it had targeted Israeli troops across the border in Metula with artillery fire but made no mention of Israel's announcement that it had begun a ground incursion into Lebanon.

Israel announced overnight that it had begun "limited" raids in the border area of southern Lebanon.

Source: Reuters

Intense fighting with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon: Israeli military

The Israeli military said on Tuesday that intense fighting with Hezbollah was taking place in southern Lebanon, spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on X. 

Source: Reuters

Lebanon facing one of most dangerous stages in its history, prime minister says

Lebanon is facing one of the most dangerous stages in its history, caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati said on Tuesday during a meeting with UN organisations and ambassadors of donor countries.

Source: Reuters

Yemen's Houthis say they targeted Israeli military posts in Tel Aviv, Eilat with drones

Yemen's Houthi movement targeted Israeli military posts in Tel Aviv and Eilat with drones on Tuesday, the group's military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised speech.

Sirens sounded in central Israel following projectile launches from Lebanon: IDF

"Following the sirens that sounded in the Gush Dan, Sharon, and Samaria areas, a number of projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory, some of which were intercepted. The details of the incident are under review," the Israel Defence Forces said.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant briefs US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin on Lebanon raids: Office

Israeli bombardment kills at least 21 in Gaza as fighting rages

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 21 people in Gaza on Tuesday, local medics said and fighting ramped up, as the Israeli military said it had been targeting command centres used by its Islamist militant foe Hamas.

Palestinian health officials said at least 13 people, including women and children, were killed in two Israeli strikes on two houses in Nuseirat, one of the enclave's eight historic refugee camps.

There has been no immediate comment by the Israeli army on the two strikes.

Source: Reuters

Missile fired from Lebanon lands in central Israel

Aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs

Sirens sounded in northern Israel: IDF

Israeli military orders the evacuation of nearly two dozen Lebanese communities near the border, news agency AP has said.

Hezbollah claims it fired missiles at Mossad HQ outside Tel Aviv

Hezbollah today said that it has launched salvoes of Fadi 4 rockets at the Israeli's Mossad headquarters outside of Tel Aviv

No Israeli troops have entered Lebanon, strikes on Tel Aviv 'only the beginning': Hezbollah media chief

Spain urges Israel to halt its ground raids in Lebanon

Israel should cease conducting ground raids in southern Lebanon to avoid an escalation of the conflict enveloping the wider region, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said today.

"We insist that the ground incursion should be halted, as we're receiving very worrying information," Albares said, adding that it was "necessary to reach a truce in Lebanon and a ceasefire in Gaza".

Amid Israel air strikes in Lebanon, displaced families set up makeshift tents on the beach

Israeli army said it launched 'ground offensive' in Lebanon, UN says current action doesn't amount

Israeli army said it launched a ground offensive in Lebanon and that its forces engaged in clashes Tuesday, further escalating the conflict after a week of intense air strikes that killed hundreds.

The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon said, however, the Israeli operation did not amount to a "ground incursion" and while Hezbollah denied any troops had crossed the border, an Israeli security official said localised raids had taken place and they were limited in scope.

Lebanon violence will not end well for anyone, UN special coordinator says

The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, said on Tuesday that violence is spiralling to dangerous heights with strikes throughout Lebanon and incursions across the Blue Line.

"This cycle of violence will not end well for anyone," Hennis-Plasschaert added.

Been carrying out raids into southern Lebanon for months, says Israel

Israeli forces have been carrying out raids into southern Lebanon for months, uncovering Hezbollah tunnels and weapon caches under homes and uncovering invasion plans by the group, Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Tuesday.

US has indications Iran preparing to launch ballistic missile attack on Israel, White House official say, Israel says not detected 'aerial threat' for now

Israeli military calls up four more reserve brigades

Israeli military said on Tuesday it was calling up four additional reserve brigades for operational missions on the northern border with Lebanon.

"This will enable the continuation of operational activity against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation and the achievement of operational goals, including the safe return of residents of northern Israel to their homes," the military said in a statement. (reuters)

Israel says it has killed commander overseeing Iran-Lebanon arms transfers

 Israel's military said on Tuesday it had killed Muhammad Jaafar Qasir, a commander in charge of weapons transfers from Iran and its affiliates to Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. (Reuters)

Iran launches over 100 missiles towards Israel, IDF confirms attack

The Israeli military said on Tuesday that missiles had been launched from Iran towards Israel, and that Israel's home front command had provided life-saving guidelines to people in various parts of the country.

Hamas lauds Iranian missile strikes on Israel avenging deaths of Haniyeh, Nasrallah

Cairo: Hamas said on Tuesday that it praises Iranian missile strikes avenging the deaths of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan.

-Reuters

We've killed commander of Hezbollah-linked group in Beirut: Israeli military

Cairo: The Israeli military said on Tuesday it killed the commander of the Imam Hussein division in Beirut, a Hezbollah-linked group based in Syria, Al-Faqar Hanawi, in parallel with killing Muhammad Jaafar Qasir, a commander in charge of weapons transfers from Iran and its affiliates to Lebanese armed group Hezbollah earlier in the day.

-Reuters

Khamenei remains in secure location after missiles fired at Israel, says senior Iranian official

Iran fully ready for any retaliation after missiles launched at Israel, says senior Iranian official

Dubai: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave the order to launch missiles at Israel, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday, adding that Tehran "is fully ready for any retaliation".

-Reuters

Israel military says Iran attack will have consequences

Jerusalem: Iran's missile attack on Tuesday was serious and will have consequences, Israel's military spokesman said, declining to specify how and when Israel would respond.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said he was not aware of any casualties from the missile volley. He said there were a few hits in the centre of the country and in the south.

-Reuters

Israeli military downs dozens of Iranian missiles flying over Syria, sources say

Cairo: Israeli air defences shot down dozens of Iranian missiles that flew over Syria on Tuesday, Syrian army sources told Reuters, after Iran launched a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel.

-Reuters

US bases would be target if they join any response against Iran: Iraqi armed groups

Lebanon's airspace to be closed for two hours: Transport Minister

US Navy destroyers fired dozen interceptors against Iranian missiles: Pentagon

Washington: The Pentagon said on Tuesday that two US Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors against Iranian missiles aimed at Israel.

Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder told reporters that no other US military assets were used to shoot down the missiles, which were all fired from inside Iran.

-Reuters

'Still 101 Israeli held hostage in Gaza by Hamas': Israel after Iran's missile strike

Pentagon chief tells Israel that US is 'well-postured' against Iran

 U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke to his Israeli counterpart late on Tuesday, hours after Iran's missile attack on Israel following Israel's military campaign in Lebanon, and said Washington was "well-postured" to defend its interests in the Middle East.

"The Secretary (Austin) reaffirmed that the United States remains well postured to defend U.S. personnel, allies, and partners in the face of threats from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist organizations," the Pentagon said in a statement after Austin's call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

(Reuters)

Iran vows to hit infrastructure across Israel if attacked

Hezbollah says it repelled Israeli forces infiltrating Lebanese town of Adaisseh

(Reuters)

Iran warns US not to get involved following missile attack on Israel

Iran told the United States not to get involved following its missile attack on Israel, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi as saying on Wednesday.

Hezbollah said it confronted Israeli forces infiltrating the Lebanese town of Adaisseh early on Wednesday early, and forced them to retreat.

Airlines scramble to divert flights after Iran missile

Israel's neighbours closed airspace and airline crews skirted an escalating conflict, with many seeking diversions, after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for tracking service FlightRadar24 said flights diverted "anywhere they could", and a snapshot of regional traffic showed flights spreading in wide arcs to the north and south, with many converging on Cairo and Istanbul.

FlightRadar24 said Istanbul and Antalya in southern Turkey were becoming congested, forcing some airlines to divert south.

On Tuesday, about 80 flights, operated by the likes of Emirates, British Airways, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and bound for major Middle East hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, were diverted to places such as Cairo and European cities, its data showed.

Many airlines have also suspended flights to the region or are avoiding use of affected air space.

Iran launched the strikes in retaliation for Israel's campaign against Tehran's Hezbollah allies in Lebanon, and Israel vowed a "painful response" against its enemy.

Earlier, Eurocontrol, a pan-European air traffic control agency, had warned pilots of the escalating conflict.

(Reuters)

Israel will launch retaliation that could target Iranian oil facilities: Report

Israel will launch a "significant retaliation" to Iran's Tuesday missile attack within days that could target oil production facilities inside Iran and other strategic sites, US news website Axios reported on Wednesday citing Israeli officials.

(Reuters)

The people that can create a conventional sun at night, can do it unconventionally too: Iran military

Houthis warn US, UK against continued support to Netanyahu

They also say that they will not hesitate in broadening operations against Israel

Reuters

India issues travel advisory for citizens regarding Iran post renewed tensions in West Asia

Spain to evacuate citizens from Lebanon, Reuters reports

Important conflict doesn't take wider regional dimension, says India after Iran attacks Israel

Clashing with Israeli forces infiltrating Lebanese border town, says Hezbollah

UN Secretary general Guterres barred from entering Israel

Israel's foreign minister said on Wednesday that he was barring UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres from entering the country for his failure to "unequivocally condemn" Iran's massive missile attack on Israel. 

Israel reinforces military presence in Lebanon, vows retaliation for Iran attack

The Israeli military said on Wednesday that regular infantry and armoured units were joining its ground operations in Lebanon, stepping up pressure on foe Hezbollah, as it prepared to retaliate against Iranian missile strikes.

Already battling Hamas in Gaza, Israel is beefing up its presence in south Lebanon in its conflict with Hezbollah a day after it was attacked by Iran, raising fears the oil-producing Middle East could be engulfed in a wider conflict.

Iran said on Wednesday the attack - its biggest assault on Israel - was over barring further provocation, but Israel and the United States promised to hit back.

The violence continued on the Israeli-Lebanese border on Wednesday.

Israel's addition of infantry and armoured troops from the 36th Division, including the Golani Brigade, the 188th Armoured Brigade and 6th Infantry Brigade, suggests that the operation may move beyond limited commando raids.

The military has said its ground operation is largely aimed at destroying tunnels and other infrastructure on the border and there were no plans for a wider operation targeting Beirut or major cities in southern Lebanon.

It issued new evacuation orders for around two dozen towns along the southern border.

Hezbollah said Wednesday it was clashing with Israeli troops in the border town of Maroun el-Ras after it had pushed back troops near another border town. The group said it had also fired rockets at military posts inside Israel.

There was no immediate comment from Israel.

Israel renewed its bombardment early on Wednesday of Beirut's southern suburbs, a stronghold of the Iran-backed group, with more than a dozen airstrikes against what it said were targets belonging to Hezbollah.

Lebanon's telecommunications minister Johnny Corm said on X that a cellular transmission tower had been destroyed. (Reuters)

'We are only in the first round' says Hezbollah following clashes with Israeli troops

Iran's president travels to Qatar for scheduled visit - State TV

Israel must cease "crimes" or face reaction, says Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian

Soldier injured in Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon, Lebanese army says

Israeli military announces its first combat death after incursions into Lebanon

An Israeli soldier was killed in combat in Lebanon, the army said Wednesday, following an incursion by the Israel army across the border earlier this week to target Hezbollah positions.

"Captain Eitan Itzhak Oster, aged 22... fell during combat in Lebanon," the military said in a statement. (AP)

Germany urges citizens to leave Iran

UN chief warns tit-for-tat Mideast violence must stop, condemns Iran's missile attack on Israel

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday condemned Iran's missile attack on Israel, telling the Security Council the "deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence must stop."

"Time is running out," he told the council.

The 15-member council met after Israel killed the leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah and began a ground assault against the Iran-backed militant group and Iran attacked Israel in a strike that raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East. 

Iran's Khamenei warned Nasrallah of Israeli plot to kill him: Report

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Hezbollah leader Syyed Hassan Nasrallah to flee Lebanon days before he was killed in an Israeli strike and is now deeply worried about Israeli infiltration of senior government ranks in Tehran, three Iranian sources said.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack on Hezbollah's booby-trapped pagers on Sept. 17, Khamenei sent a message with an envoy to beseech the Hezbollah secretary general to leave for Iran, citing intelligence reports that suggested Israel had operatives within Hezbollah and was planning to kill him, one of the sources, a senior Iranian official, told Reuters.

The messenger, the official said, was a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander, Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, who was with Nasrallah in his bunker when it was hit by Israeli bombs and was also killed.

Khamenei, who has remained in a secure location inside Iran since Saturday, personally ordered a barrage of around 200 missiles to be fired at Israel on Tuesday, a senior Iranian official said. The attack was retaliation for the deaths of Nasrallah and Nilforoushan, the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement.

The statement also cited the July killing of Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, and Israel's attacks on Lebanon. Israel has not claimed responsibility for Haniyeh's death.

Israel on Tuesday began what it labelled as a "limited" ground incursion against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Iran's foreign ministry and the office of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which oversees the country's foreign intelligence agency Mossad, did not reply to requests for comment.

Nasrallah's assassination followed two weeks of precise Israeli strikes that have destroyed weapons sites, eliminated half of Hezbollah's leadership council and decimated its top military command.

Iran's fears for the safety of Khamenei and the loss of trust, within both Hezbollah and Iran's establishment and between them, emerged in the conversations with 10 sources for this story, who described a situation that could complicate the effective functioning of Iran's Axis of Resistance alliance of anti-Israel irregular armed groups.

Founded with Iran's backing the 1980s, Hezbollah has long been the most formidable member of the alliance.

The disarray is also making it hard for Hezbollah to choose a new leader, fearing the ongoing infiltration will put the successor at risk, four Lebanese sources said.

"Basically, Iran lost the biggest investment it had for the past decades," said Magnus Ranstorp, a Hezbollah expert at the Swedish Defense University, of the deep damage caused to Hezbollah that he said diminished Iran's capacity to strike at Israel's borders.

"It shook Iran to the core. It shows how Iran is deeply infiltrated also: they not only killed Nasrallah, they killed Nilforoushan," he said, who was a trusted military adviser to Khamenei.

Hezbollah's lost military capacity and leadership cadre might push Iran towards the type of attacks against Israeli embassies and personnel abroad that it engaged in more frequently before the rise of its proxy forces, Ranstorp said. (Reuters)

Eight Israeli soldiers killed in south Lebanon combat

Eight Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat in south Lebanon, the Israeli military said in a statement on Wednesday. 

Can strike any location in Middle East, will respond to Iran's missile attack, says military chief

Hezbollah says it destroyed three Israeli tanks with guided rockets in southern Lebanon

Hezbollah said on Wednesday it had destroyed three Israeli Merkava tanks with guided rockets in the Lebanese border town of Maroun el-Ras. (Reuters)

Biden says he does not support attack on Iran's nuclear sites

US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that he does not support strikes on Iran's nuclear sites in response to its missile attack against Israel.

"We'll be discussing with the Israelis what they're going to do, but all seven of us (G7 nations) agree that they have a right to respond but the response but they should respond proportionally," Biden told reporters before boarding Air Force One.

Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday in a move that Biden previously described as "ineffective." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised that Iran would pay for the attack.

Some analysts said Israel's response would likely be sharper this time, suggesting it could target Iran's nuclear or oil facilities.

Biden told reporters that there would be more sanctions imposed on Iran and said he would speak soon with Netanyahu. (Reuters)

At UN, Israel and Iran warn each other against attacks

Israel, backed by the United States, and Iran on Wednesday threatened each other with retaliation if attacked as the United Nations Security Council met amid fears of a wider war in the Middle East.

"This deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence must stop," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the 15-member council. "Time is running out."

The council met after Israel killed the leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah and began a ground assault against the Iran-backed militant group and Iran attacked Israel in a missile strike.

"Israel will defend itself. We will act. And let me assure you, the consequences Iran will face for their actions will be far greater than they could ever have imagined," Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon told the council.

Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saied Iravani said the missile attack on Tuesday was "to restore balance and deterrence." He said further escalation could be avoided if Israel stopped the war in Gaza and attacks on Lebanon.

"Iran is fully prepared to take further defensive measures, if necessary, to protect its legitimate interests and defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty against any acts of military aggression and the illegal use of force," he said. (Reuters)

Biden, G7 leaders discussed new sanctions in response to Iran's attack on Israel

Will not support Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear sites: Biden

Joint Base Andrews: US President Joe Biden said that he will not support an Israeli attack on sites related to Tehran's nuclear programme, as per news agency AP.

“The answer is no,” Biden said Wednesday, when asked if he would support such retaliation after Iran fired about 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday.

Biden's comments came after he and fellow Group of Seven leaders spoke by phone on Wednesday to discuss coordinating new sanctions against Iran.

The White House said in a statement that the G7 leaders “unequivocally condemned Iran's attack against Israel” and Biden reiterated the United States' “full solidarity and support to Israel and its people.”

All the while, the administration has signalled that it's urging that Israel display restraint in how it responds to Tuesday's missile attack, which Biden said was “ineffective and defeated.”

-AP

US resident killed in Israel's military campaign in Lebanon

Washington: A US resident from Dearborn, Michigan, has been killed in Lebanon, the American government said on Wednesday, with the man's friend and neighbors saying he died in an Israeli airstrike.

"We are deeply saddened by the death of Kamel Ahmad Jawad and our hearts go out to his family and friends. His death is a tragedy, as are the deaths of many civilians in Lebanon," a White House spokesperson said.

Earlier in the day, a State Department spokesperson, when asked about reports of an American's death in Lebanon, said: "It's our understanding that it was a legal permanent resident, not an American citizen (who got killed in Lebanon) but we obviously offer our sincerest condolences to the family."

Israel's recent military campaign in Lebanon has killed hundreds, wounded thousands and displaced over a million. Israel says it is targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.

Jawad was in Lebanon taking care of his elderly mother, according to the Detroit News. His friend Hamzah Raza and local Dearborn groups said on social media that Jawad was killed in an Israeli air strike and called him "one of the kindest and most generous humans."

Reuters was unable to confirm the circumstances of Jawad's death.

Washington has faced criticism in some quarters for its support of its ally Israel, which is also waging a war in Gaza, including in Dearborn where there is a large Arab American population.

-Reuters

At least 2 killed in Israeli strike on central Beirut, health ministry says

At least two were killed and 11 wounded in an Israeli strike on central Beirut's Bachoura neighbourhood early on Thursday, the Lebanese health ministry said in a statement.

-Reuters

Israeli Air Force intercepts 'suspicious aerial target'

A short while ago, the IAF intercepted a suspicious aerial target off the coast of the Dan area in central Israel. No sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol: IDF

The death toll in Al-Bashoura rises to five: MoHLeb

The Ministry of Health, Lebanon confirmed that 5 people died in the Israeli airstrike on Al-Bashoura. 8 were wounded.

Hezbollah fires surface-to-air missiles at at Israeli helicopter

News agency Al Jazeera reported that Hezbollah said it fired surface-to-air missiles at an Israeli military helicopter flying over Beit Hillel in northern Israel, forcing it to retreat.

Israeli army asks fleeing Lebanese villagers not to return until further notice

Al-Bashoura air strike death toll rises to six

Al Jazeera reported that the death toll is now at six.

What are countries doing to get nationals out of Lebanon?

Australia

It has organised hundreds of airline seats for its citizens to leave Lebanon, and has flown military aircraft to Cyprus as part of a contingency plan. Its contingency plans could include evacuation by sea, though authorities have urged an estimated 15,000 citizens in Lebanon to leave while Beirut airport remains open.

Belgium

Belgium's foreign ministry has advised citizens to leave as soon as possible, the Belga news agency said.

China

More than 200 Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated by the government, China's official Xinhua news agency said.

Canada

News reports from Canada suggest it will co-operate with Australia in evacuating nationals by sea. The plan involves contracting a commercial vessel to ferry out 1,000 people a day, the Toronto Star newspaper said.

Cyprus

Cyprus has asked Greece to provide an aircraft to help evacuate its nationals who wish to leave. There are an estimated 1,000-1,500 Cypriots in Lebanon, though the number wishing to leave is estimated at far lower.

France

France has not issued an evacuation order, despite having had plans for several months. Present contingency plans centre on Cyprus and Beirut airport, while it is also discussing evacuations via Turkey. France has a warship in the region, while a French helicopter carrier will arrive in the eastern Mediterranean in the coming days and take up position in case a decision is taken to evacuate foreign nationals from Lebanon.

Germany

Germany has evacuated non-essential staff, families of embassy workers and German nationals who are medically vulnerable from Lebanon and will support others trying to leave, the foreign and defence ministries said in a joint statement on Monday.

Greece

The Greek foreign ministry has urged its citizens to leave Lebanon and avoid any travel there, with a frigate on standby in case assistance is needed.

Italy

Italy has cut diplomatic staff and beefed up security personnel at its Beirut embassy. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has repeatedly urged nationals to leave the country and sought assurances from Israel over the safety of Italian peacekeepers in the area.

The Netherlands

The Netherlands will send a military plane to repatriate nationals from Lebanon with two flights on Oct 4 and 5, the Dutch Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday. The flights to the military airbase in Eindhoven will also be available for people from other countries if there is enough room to accommodate them, it said.

Poland

Poland will limit staff numbers at its Beirut embassy, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday, adding that Warsaw would organise transport for citizens wanting to leave Lebanon.

Portugal

Prime Minister Luis Montenegro has advised against travel to Lebanon, which assisted in the evacuation of a small number of Portuguese citizens living there.

Spain

Spain plans to send two military aircraft to evacuate as many as 350 citizens from Lebanon as early as Thursday .

Turkey

Turkey is ready for a possible evacuation of Turks from Lebanon via air and sea, and is working with about 20 countries for a possible evacuation of foreign nationals via Turkey. About 14,000 Turkish citizens were registered at the consulate in Lebanon, but the number was not definitive.

United Kingdom

Britain has urged nationals to leave immediately. It has moved about 700 troops to Cyprus, bolstering its military assets, including two Royal Navy ships. It also has two military bases on the island. Britain chartered a flight on Wednesday for its nationals, and additional charter flights are to follow, diplomatic sources said.

United States

The United States has ordered dozens of troops deployed to Cyprus to help prepare for scenarios such as an evacuation of Americans from Lebanon. It is working with airlines to add flights out of Lebanon, with more seats for Americans, the State Department said on Tuesday.

Israel’s ground offensive paused for now; bombing stepped up against Lebanon

Having been pushed back and lost a few soldiers in their ground operation against Hezbollah, Israel have resumed their air strikes, who have no anti-aircraft guns, Al Jazeera reported.

Yemen's Huthis claim drone attack on Tel Aviv

In a statement, the Huthis said they "carried out a military operation targeting a vital target in the Jaffa (Tel Aviv) area in occupied Palestine with a number of Jaffa drones".

"The operation achieved its goals successfully as the drones reached their targets without the enemy being able to confront or shoot them down," AFP reported.

Iran resumes flights after attack on Israel

Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation spokesman, Jafar Yazarloo, confirmed the resumption, citing the lifting of restrictions.

"After ensuring favourable and safe flight conditions and ending of the restrictions, airlines are allowed to carry out flight operations," he said, quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

25 projectiles were launched against Israel's Upper Galilee: IDF

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UK charters flights to support its citizens wishing to leave Lebanon

Reuter reported that The British government has chartered a limited number of flights to support its citizens to leave Lebanon, it said on Thursday, repeating its advice for them to leave the country immediately.

More than 150 British nationals and dependents left Beirut on a government chartered flight on Wednesday, the statement said.

"To meet the demand for the charter flight on Wednesday, additional flights will depart from Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport from Thursday. The flights will continue for as long as the security situation allows," it added.

Qatar's Emir: What is happening in region is 'collective genocide'

"It has become crystal clear that what is happening is genocide, in addition to turning the Gaza Strip into an area unfit for human habitation, in preparation for displacement," he said during the Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit in Doha.

Eliminated 15 Hezbollah terrorists in air strikes overnight, struck approximately 200 Hezbollah terrorist targets: IDF

In a statement, the IDF said, "Overnight, the IAF precisely struck the Bint Jbeil municipality building in which Hezbollah terrorists were operating, alongside large quantities of Hezbollah weapons stored in the building. As part of the strike, approximately 15 Hezbollah terrorists were eliminated.

The Hezbollah terrorist organization systematically violates international law, while brutally exploiting government and civilian buildings as well as the population as human shields for terrorist activity, in order to harm IDF soldiers and the civilians of the State of Israel.

The IAF, with the direction of the IDF Northern Command, struck approximately 200 Hezbollah terrorist targets in Lebanese territory, including terrorist infrastructure sites, terrorists, weapons storage facilities, observation posts, and additional terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

Additionally, the IAF struck and eliminated terrorists who fired missiles yesterday toward the area of the Ramim Ridge alongside terrorists who fired projectiles at IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon.

Furthermore, IDF soldiers identified terrorists that launched projectiles toward additional IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon. The IAF swiftly struck and eliminated the terrorists.

This morning, over the past few hours, two Hezbollah terrorists fired at soldiers from the Golani Brigade operating in the area. The IAF swiftly struck the terrorists and no IDF injuries were reported.

Rawhi Mushtaha, Head of Hamas government in Gaza, eliminated, says IDF

In a joint statement, the IDF and ISA said, "The IDF and ISA eliminated the terrorist Rawhi Mushtaha, the Head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip."

"The IDF and ISA currently announce that approximately three months ago, in a joint IDF and ISA strike in the Gaza Strip, the following terrorists were eliminated: Rawhi Mushtaha, the Head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip; Sameh al-Siraj, who held the security portfolio on Hamas' political bureau and Hamas' Labor Committee; and Sami Oudeh, Commander of Hamas' General Security Mechanism," they added.

"During a precise IDF and ISA intelligence-based strike, IAF fighter jets struck and eliminated the terrorists while they were hiding in a fortified and equipped underground compound in the northern Gaza Strip," they said, adding," The compound served as a Hamas command and control center and enabled senior operatives to remain inside of it for extended periods of time."

"The compound was managed by senior members of Hamas' General Security Mechanism and functioned as a hideout for the Hamas leadership, led by Mushtaha," the IDF continued

"Following the strike on the compound and the elimination of the terrorists, Hamas did not announce their deaths as it had done following previous eliminations, in order to prevent loss of morale and functioning of its terror operatives," IDF said

Talking about Mushtaha, the IDF said,"Rawhi Mushtaha was one of Hamas' most senior operatives and had a direct impact on decisions relating to Hamas' force deployment. Mushtaha was involved in military decisions while also acting as the Head of Hamas Civil Governance in the Gaza Strip and holding the Prisoners Affairs Portfolio. He also formerly held the finance portfolio."

"Mushtaha, alongside Yahya Sinwar, established Hamas' General Security Mechanism. They served a prison sentence together in an Israeli jail. Mushtaha was considered to be the most senior figure in the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip, and during the war maintained civil control of the Hamas regime, while simultaneously engaging in terrorist activity against Israel. Mushtaha was Sinwar's right-hand man and one of his closest associates."

"The IDF and ISA will continue to pursue all of the terrorists responsible for the October 7th massacre and will operate against anyone who threatens the State of Israel."

Israeli raids Lebanon’s Bekaa

Al Jazeera said strikes took place in Mashghara, Shmustar, Taraya, Sefri, Tabchar, Bourday, Riyak, Karak, Dhour Zahle, and Qasrnaba.

The Israeli army said it was targeting Hezbollah military facilities and launch sites, as well as buildings in which weapons were stored.

41,788 Palestinians killed in Gaza offensive since Oct 7, 2023

Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 41,788 Palestinians and wounded 96,794 since Oct 7, the Palestinian enclave's health ministry said on Thursday. (Reuters)

Iran Revolutionary Guards consultant dies of injuries in Israeli strike on Damascus

A consultant working for Iran's Revolutionary Guards has died from injuries sustained in an Israeli air attack on the Syrian capital Damascus on Monday, Iran's Student News Network reported on Thursday.

It identified the consultant as Majid Divani, without giving further details. (Reuters)

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Visuals from Israeli strikes on Beirut carried out on Thursday

Israeli military accuses Hezbollah of smuggling arms from Syria through Masnaa border crossing

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee accused the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah on Thursday of smuggling weapons from Syria through the Masnaa border crossing. (Reuters)

Hezbollah launches salvo of rockets towards Israeli city of Tiberias

Lebanon-based Hezbollah said it fired a barrage of rockets at the Israeli city of Tiberias on Thursday, reported news agency AFP.

Israeli military warns residents of over 20 more south Lebanon towns to evacuate

The Israeli military on Thursday issued a warning to residents of over 20 more towns in south Lebanon to evacuate their homes immediately, spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X. (Reuters)

Loud blasts heard in countryside near Damascus: Syria state news agency

Loud explosions were heard on Thursday in the countryside around the Syrian capital Damascus, the state news agency SANA reported. (Reuters)

Hezbollah says targeting Israeli troops with explosives

The Iran-backed group said it had set off two explosives against the advancing troops on the southern border today, reports AFP.

Syrian air defences intercept targets over Damascus

Syrian air defences on Thursday intercepted "hostile" targets over the countryside west of the capital Damascus, the state news agency SANA reported.

Visuals from Israeli strikes on Tyre in southern Lebanon

One Lebanese soldier killed, another injured in Israeli attack on Red Cross convoy

The Lebanese army said on Thursday one soldier was killed and another injured in an Israeli strike while carrying out an evacuation and rescue mission with the Lebanese Red Cross in the southern town of Taybeh. (Reuters)

Russia begins evacuating its citizens from Lebanon

Russia has started evacuating citizens from Lebanon and a special flight left Beirut on Thursday with the family members of Russian diplomats, Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov said.

About 60 people will arrive in Russia from Lebanon on Thursday, his ministry said.

"The evacuation is carried out on the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin," the ministry said.

Russia often also helps evacuate citizens from other former Soviet republics in such situations.

Israel, which has been fighting with Hamas in Gaza for almost a year, has sent its troops into southern Lebanon after two weeks of intense airstrikes, in an escalating conflict that risks drawing in the United States and Iran. (Reuters)

'Biased': Tehran rejects G7 statement on Iran's attack against Israel

Iran responded to the G7 condemnation of its attack on Israel by saying it is "biased and irresponsible", Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a statement on Thursday. (Reuters)

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Emirates flights to Iran, Iraq, Jordan suspended till Oct 5

Dubai-based carrier Emirates on Thursday said that it had cancelled flights for three days to Iran, Iraq, and Jordan owing to "regional unrest", reported news agency AFP.

Global stocks dip, oil gains further on West Asia conflict

Global stocks dipped as European and Asian share indexes broadly retreated on Thursday, while oil prices rose further as markets weighed the risk of a widening Middle East conflict.

Euro zone stocks were last down 0.5 per cent, as investors digested weak business activity survey data from the bloc, while MSCI's all-country index slipped 0.2 per cent.

Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan had earlier shed 1 per cent, largely driven by Hong Kong stocks sagging after a sizzling rally, while several markets, including mainland China and South Korea, were closed for the day.

Japan's Nikkei bucked the trend, up 2 per cent after the country's newly elected prime minister Shigeru Ishiba said it was not the time to raise rates after meeting central bank governor Kazuo Ueda. Bank of Japan board member Asahi Noguchi later said rates would increase cautiously and slowly.

Nasdaq futures fell 0.3 per cent and S&P futures slipped 0.2 per cent.

Geopolitical tensions loomed large, after Israel bombed Beirut early on Thursday, following a year of clashes with Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Oil prices gained on Thursday as concerns grew that the conflict could disrupt crude oil flows from the key exporting region, overshadowing a stronger global supply outlook.

Brent and U.S. crude futures gained more than $1 each and were up at $75.27 and $71.52 respectively. (Reuters)

In a first, Lebanon army returns fire after strike by Tel Aviv kills soldier

For the first time since the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalated, the Lebanon army on Thursday returned fire towards the Israeli side after strikes carried out by Tel Aviv killed a Lebanese soldier, news agency AFP reported.

"A soldier was killed after the Israeli enemy targeted an army post in the Bint Jbeil area -- in the south, and the personnel at the post responded to the sources of fire," the army said in a statement.

A military official also told the news agency that this was the first response to Israeli fire since last October because the post had been "directly" hit.

Amid escalating tensions, Iran summons European envoys

Iran on Thursday summoned the ambassadors of Germany and Austria after their governments condemned the Islamic republic's missile attack on Israel, Al Jazeera reported.

Latest visuals from Israel strikes on Lebanon

About 3,000 Russian and CIS citizens want to leave Lebanon, TASS says

About 3,000 nationals of Russia and and other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have expressed their intention to leave Lebanon, Russian news agency TASS reported on Thursday, citing a source.

Russia's emergencies ministry said earlier that it had started evacuating people. (Reuters)

1,974 people killed since start of Israeli attacks on Lebanon

A total of 1,974 people have been killed, including 127 children, and 9,384 injured since the start of the Israeli attacks on Lebanon over the last year, the country's health minister Firass Abiad said on Thursday. (Reuters)

Gulf states, Iran hold talks amid fears of wider conflict

Ministers from Gulf Arab states and Iran attending a meeting of Asian nations hosted by Qatar have discussed de-escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran, three sources told Reuters on Thursday.

The Gulf Arab states sought to reassure Iran of their neutrality in the conflict on the back of concerns that a wider escalation in violence could threaten Gulf oil facilities, two of the sources said. (Reuters)

WATCH | IDF strikes Hezbollah intelligence HQ in Beirut

28 health workers killed in Lebanon in past 24 hrs

The Director of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Thursday that in Lebanon alone, 28 health workers had been killed in the past 24 hours amid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

Hezbollah says it targeted Israeli military industries base in Haifa Bay

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group said on Thursday it targeted Israel's "Sakhnin base" for military industries in Haifa Bay with a salvo of rockets. (Reuters)

IMF says escalation of West Asia conflict could have significant economic consequences

The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday that an escalation of the conflict in West Asia could have significant economic ramifications for the region and the global economy, but commodity prices remain below the highs of the past year.

IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack told a regular news briefing that the Fund is closely monitoring the situation in southern Lebanon with "grave concern" and offered condolences for the loss of life.

"The potential for further escalation of the conflict heightens risks and uncertainty and could have significant economic ramifications for the region and beyond," Kozack said. (Reuters)

Foreigners flee Lebanon as Israeli offensive intensifies

Foreign nationals from Europe, Asia and the Middle East fled Lebanon on Thursday as Israel's bombing of the capital Beirut intensified and governments worldwide urged their citizens to get out.

Some countries provided air evacuations, while elsewhere hundreds of people boarded crowded ferries or smaller vessels as bombs fell on the heart of the city.

Israel on Thursday urged residents to evacuate more than 20 towns in southern Lebanon, in an escalating conflict that has drawn in Iran and risks drawing in the United States. (Reuters)

Russian deputy foreign minister, Israeli envoy discuss situation in Middle East in Moscow

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov held a meeting with the Israeli envoy to Moscow Simona Halperin on Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry said Bogdanov and Halperin discussed the situation in the Middle East, including Gaza and Lebanon, but provided no details. (Reuters)

Latest visuals from the Israel-Lebanon border

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Israeli military conducts strike on Tulkarm in Occupied West Bank

The Israeli military said in a statement on Thursday that it has conducted a strike on the West Bank city of Tulkarm.

-Reuters

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon stay put despite Israel asking them to move

United Nations: United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon remain in place - despite Israel asking them to move - and provide the only communications link between the countries' militaries, the UN peacekeeping chief said on Thursday.

"Peacekeepers continue to do their best to implement their Security Council mandate in obviously very difficult conditions," UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix told reporters, adding that contingency plans were ready for both good and bad outcomes.

The mission, known as UNIFIL, is mandated by the Security Council to help the Lebanese army keep the area free of weapons and armed personnel other than those of the Lebanese state. That has sparked friction with Iran-backed Hezbollah, which effectively controls southern Lebanon.

-Reuters

At least 14 killed in Israeli strike on Tulkarm in West Bank, Palestinian Health ministry says

Israeli military says it killed head of Hamas network in West Bank's Tulkarm

The Israeli military said early on Friday it killed the head of the Hamas network in a strike on West Bank's Tulkarm.

In a statement, the military identified the Hamas operative as Zahi Yaser Abd al-Razeq Oufi.

-Reuters

Biden declines public negotiation on Israel's stance on Iranian oil sites

Washington: Democratic US President Joe Biden said on Thursday he will not negotiate in public when asked if he had urged Israel not to attack Iran's oil facilities.

-Reuters

37 killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon in past 24 hours

Israeli Air Force successfully intercepted hostile aircraft in Beit She'an Valley: IDF

Iran Supreme leader Khamenei may shed light on plans as he gives rare Friday sermon

Al Jazeera reported that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to lead Friday prayers at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque in central Tehran for the first time since 2020.

Khamenei will also deliver a public sermon that may shed light on Iran’s plans after its missile attack on Israel this week. His speech also comes three days before the one-year anniversary of the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on southern Israel.

The prayer will follow “a commemoration ceremony”, held at 10:30am local time (07:00 GMT), for slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

US President Biden does not believe there will be 'all-out-war' in West Asia

Asked by reporters in Washington on Thursday how confident he was that such a war could be averted, Biden said, 'How confident are you it's not going to rain? Look, I don't believe there is going to be an all-out war. I think we can avoid it.'

Read more

Here's a recap of latest developments

• Israeli fighter jets have carried out about 20 strikes on Lebanon, including 11 in the southern suburbs of Beirut, over the last 24 hours using bunker-busting bombs.

• The strikes are said to have killed at least 37 and injured another 151.

• Israeli forces attempted to kill Hashem Safieddine, the presumed successor to slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, in a strike in a southern suburb of Beirut, according to news reports in Israel.

• The strikes also cut off a road to Syria used by hundreds of thousands of people to flee Israeli bombardments in recent days.

• Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to lead Friday prayers at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque in central Tehran for the first time since 2020, where he may reveal future plans against Israel

• Israeli Air Force successfully intercepted hostile aircraft in Beit She'an Valley, IDF said.

20+ projectiles crossed Lebanon into Israel, most intercepted, rest fell in open areas: IDF

Hezbollah claims attack on northern Israel

A Hezbollah statement on Telegram said the attack was carried out at 7am (04:00 GMT) in response to Israeli raids on Lebanese and Palestinians while praising their “valiant and honourable resistance”.

Israeli military warns residents of over 20 more southern Lebanese towns to evacuate, spokesperson says

The Israeli military on Friday told the residents of over 20 more southern towns in Lebanon to evacuate immediately, spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X.

In his post, he said: "Warning to the residents of the following villages in South Lebanon: Hanieh, Samaieh, Rashidieh, Maashouk, Al-Bas, Zaqouq Al-Mofdi, Shamlaya, Shabriha, Al-Barghliyeh, Qasmiyeh Camp, Nabi Qasim, Jabal Al-Batm, Ain Baal, Al-Bazouriyeh, Tayr Dibba, Mazraat Shad’it, Burj Rahhal, Sarbin, Bayad, Baflieh, Dahr Barieh Jaber, Jabal Al-Adas, Bastit, Arzoun, Shahour, Al-Sultaniyah, Donin, Toulin, Tamrieh, Majdal Salm, Al-Qusayr, Adshit Al-Qusayr, Deir Siryan, Deir Mimas, Qala’a

• Hezbollah's activities force the IDF to act against it forcefully. The IDF does not intend to harm you, so for your own safety you must evacuate your homes immediately and head north of the Awali River. Save your lives.

• Anyone who is near Hezbollah elements, installations, and combat equipment is putting his life at risk. Any house used by Hezbollah for its military needs is expected to be targeted.

• Evacuate your homes immediately. Be careful, you must not go south. Any southward movement may put you in danger.

• We will let you know when it is safe to return home."

Atleast nine killed since dawn in Gaza

Al Jazeera reported that at least nine people have been killed in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip since dawn.

The attacks include a raid on the Jaber family home in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, which killed at least three people and injured more.

Israeli fighter jets have also bombed the Abu Jazar family home in the Maen area in the east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, resulting in an unknown number of deaths and injuries.

Iranian foreign minister lands in Beirut, Lebanese state media says

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi landed in Beirut on Friday, according to Lebanese state media. A Reuters live broadcast showed an Iranian-flagged plane landing at Beirut airport, just hours after air strikes hit outside the airport perimeter overnight.

Araqchi is set to meet Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and speaker of parliament Nabih Berri, who is a close ally of Iran-backed Hezbollah, according to his schedule.

- Reuters

Sirens sounded in multiple areas across northern Israel: IDF

Sirens were sounded in Upper Galilee, Yir'on, Misgav Am and Margaliot, and Dovev, IDF said.

Khamenei arrives at the Imam Khomeini Musalla, to deliver sermon shortly

Khamenei begins Friday prayer sermon

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei addresses mass gathering days after Iran’s attack on Israel. He will hold a commemoration ceremony honoring 'the Mujahid on the path of God, Martyr Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah', and lead the Friday prayers.

Muslim nations have a common enemy: Khamenei

“The policies adopted by our enemy is to sow the seeds of division and sedition, to drive a wedge among all the Muslims. They are the same enemies to the Palestinians, Lebanese, Egyptians, and the Iraqis. They are the enemy to the Yemeni and Syrian people,” Iran’s supreme leader told the large crowd.

“Our enemy is one.”

Muslim nations have to strap the belt of Defense from Afghanistan to Yemen, From Iran to Gaza and Lebanon: Khamenei

Khamenei has rifle by side as he delivers rare sermon

AFP reported that Khamenei has a rifle by side as he delivers rare sermon.

Every country has a right to defend itself from aggressors: Khamenei

October 7 attack legitimate, so was Iran's missile strike on Israel

We will not delay nor rush to respond to Israel: Khamenei

The brillian action of our armed forces a couple of nights of ago was completely legal and legitimate: Khamenei

Israel is pretending to win through assassinations and civilian killings: Khamenei

What has accumulated from Israel's aggression is increasing anger and strengthening resistance: Khamenei

US focus on preserving the security of Israel is a cover for its policy to seize the region's resources: Khamenei

There is an aim to make Israel the gate to exporting from the region to Europe: Khamenei

Bloodshed shouldn't weaken your fight: Khamenei to Lebanon and Palestine

The resistance will not back down: Khamenei

Khamenei finishes his address, begins Friday prayers

Nasrallah has been temporarily buried, reports AFP

A source close to Hezbollah said that Hassan Nasrallah has been temporarily buried in a secret location for fear Israel would target a large funeral, reports AFP.

After Nasrallah, Hezbollah communications chief killed, says Tel Aviv

Israel's military said on Friday that it had eliminated the head of Hezbollah's communication networks, Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, by conducting a "precise, intelligence-based strike" in Beirut on Thursday.

Hezbollah says shelled Israel troops in Lebanon border area, reports AFP

Hezbollah accuses Israel of targeting civil defence teams, reports AFP

Hezbollah said an Israeli strike on Friday killed a rescuer at the site of an overnight air raid in south Beirut, accusing Israel of deliberately targeting civil defence teams, reports AFP.

The new organisation said the teams were "working to remove the rubble and rescue the wounded."

Khamenei says that any strike at Israel is a service to entire region and to humanity, reports IRNA

Israeli strike near south Lebanon hospital puts it out of service temporarily, hospital director says

An Israeli strike on the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun on Friday hit around five metres from the entrance of its main hospital and medical staff have decided to temporarily evacuate, the hospital director Mounes Klakesh told Reuters.

"No one was wounded from the medical staff but we have decided to evacuate temporarily until the security situation becomes clearer," Klakesh said.

Which airlines have suspended flights to Middle East?

AEGEAN AIRLINES: The Greek airline cancelled flights to and from Beirut until Oct. 31 and to and from Tel Aviv until Oct. 13.

AIR ALGERIE: The Algerian airline suspended flights to and from Lebanon until further notice.

AIRBALTIC: Latvia's airBaltic cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until Oct. 31.

AIR EUROPA: The Spanish airline cancelled flights to Tel Aviv until Oct. 7.

AIR FRANCE-KLM: Air France suspended Paris-Tel Aviv and Paris-Beirut flights until Oct. 8. KLM extended the suspension of flights to Tel Aviv until the end of this year at least. The Franco-Dutch group's low-cost unit Transavia cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until March 31, 2025, and flights to Amman and Beirut until Nov. 3.

AIR INDIA: The Indian flag carrier suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice.

BULGARIA AIR: The Bulgarian carrier cancelled flights to and from Israel until Oct. 31.

CATHAY PACIFIC: Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until March 27, 2025.

DELTA AIR LINES: The US carrier paused flights between New York and Tel Aviv through December 31.

EASYJET

The UK budget airline stopped flying to and from Tel Aviv in April and will resume flights on March 30, 2025.

EMIRATES UAE's state-owned airline cancelled flights between Dubai and Beirut until Oct. 8. It also cancelled all flights to and from Iraq, Iran and Jordan on Oct. 4-5.

FLYDUBAI

The Emirati airline said flights to Iran, Iraq, Israel and Jordan would resume from Oct. 4. Dubai-Beirut flights are cancelled until Oct. 7.

IAG

IAG-owned British Airways cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv through Oct. 7.

Spanish low-cost carrier Vueling cancelled operations to Tel Aviv until Jan. 12, 2025, while flights to Amman were cancelled until further notice.

IRAN AIR: The Iranian airline cancelled all flights to and from Beirut until further notice.

IRAQI AIRWAYS: The Iraqi national carrier suspended flights to Beirut until further notice.

ITA AIRWAYS: Italy's ITA Airways extended the suspension of Tel Aviv flights through Oct. 31.

LOT

The Polish flag carrier cancelled flights to Tel Aviv until Oct. 26, while its first scheduled flight to Beirut is planned for April 1, 2025.

LUFTHANSA GROUP: The German airline group suspended flights to Tel Aviv until Oct. 31 while flights to Tehran have been suspended through Oct. 26. Flights to Beirut will be suspended until Nov. 30.

On October 3, it resumed flights to Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan using a limited amount of Iraqi airspace and resumed using Jordanian airspace.

SunExpress, a joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, suspended flights to Beirut through December 17.

PEGASUS: The Turkish airline cancelled flights to Beirut until Oct. 7.

RYANAIR: Europe's biggest budget airline cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until Oct. 26.

QATAR AIRWAYS: The Qatari airline temporarily suspended flights to and from Beirut until further notice.

SUNDAIR: The German airline cancelled Berlin-Beirut and Bremen-Beirut flights until Oct. 31.

UNITED AIRLINES: The Chicago-based airline suspended flights to Tel Aviv for the foreseeable future due to security reasons.

WIZZ AIR: The Hungary-based airline suspended flights to and from Israel until and including October 8.

Iran's FM in Beirut calls for Hezbollah-backed ceasefire in Lebanon, Gaza truce

In Beirut, Iran's FM backs efforts for ceasefire in Lebanon, on the condition it will be backed by Hezbollah along with a ceasefire in Gaza.

Iran will always stand with people of Lebanon, says Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote, "I am in Beirut—alongside members of our Parliament and Red Crescent Society—to make clear that Iran will ALWAYS stand with people of Lebanon. "

Iran to hit Israeli energy, gas sites if attacked, Guards commander says

Iran will target Israeli energy and gas installations if Israel attacks it, the semi-official Iranian news agency SNN quoted Revolutionary Guards deputy commander Ali Fadavi as saying on Friday.

"If the occupiers make such a mistake, we will target all their energy sources, installations and all refineries and gas fields," Fadavi said.

Iran's foreign minister vows harsh retaliation if Israel strikes Iran in response to missile barrage

Healthcare services hit in Lebanon as Israeli strikes force closure of 37 facilities

UNFPA Arab States took to X (formerly Twitter) and stated, "Attacks on healthcare in Lebanon have shuttered 37 facilities, including 9 supported by UN Population Fund.

21 commanders among 250 Hezbollah fighters killed in south Lebanon combat, reports AFP

During the past four days, Israel military has claimed that it has killed 250 Hezbollah fighters during ground operations, reports AFP

In a statement to the Paris-based news organisation, the military said, "250 Hezbollah terrorists were eliminated, of which 21 were commanders during four days of precise operation in southern Lebanon." Check out the release by IDF below.

IDF says Hezbollah has launched about 100 projectiles from Lebanon into Israel

According to Israel defence forces, Hezbollah has launched approximately 100 projectiles from Lebanon into Israeli territory.

Visuals from Friday prayers in Beirut

US British strikes launched on Yemen's Sanaa and Hodeidah

US-British airstrikes were launched at several parts of Yemen including its capital Sanaa and Hodeidah airport, Al Masirah TV, the main television news outlet run by the Houthi movement controlling much of Yemen, and residents said on Friday.

Strikes also targeted the south of Dhamar city, Al Masirah TV added.

Iran-aligned Houthi militants have launched attacks on international shipping near Yemen since last November in solidarity with Palestinians in Israel's war with Hamas.

The Houthi attacks have drawn US and British retaliatory strikes and disrupted global trade as ship owners reroute vessels away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal to sail the longer route around the southern tip of Africa.

Two Israeli soldiers killed in combat in northern Israel, IDF says

Israel's military announced on Friday that two of its soldiers from the Golani Brigade had been killed in combat, and two others severely wounded, in northern Israel.

The Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Shi'ite armed factions opposed to US and Israeli presence in the region, claimed responsibility for three dawn attacks, targeting sites in the Golan Heights and Tiberias.

Israeli media reported that a military investigation had found that two soldiers were killed in a drone attack launched from Iraq.

Israeli bombardment kills 29 people in Gaza, militants renew rocket fire into Israel

Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip killed at least 29 Palestinians on Friday, medics said, and sirens blared in southern Israel in response to renewed rocket fire from militants in the Palestinian enclave.

The new rocket salvoes indicated that Hamas-led militant factions in Gaza are still able to fire projectiles into Israel despite a year-long Israeli aerial and ground offensive that has turned wide areas of the enclave into wasteland.

On Friday, the Israeli military said sirens sounded in southern Israel for the first time in around two months.

"Almost a year after Oct. 7, Hamas is still threatening our civilians with their terrorism and we will continue operating against them," it added, referring to the anniversary of Hamas' cross-border attack that touched off the Gaza war.

In Gaza City in north Gaza, Palestinian health officials said one Israeli aerial strike on a house killed at least seven people. Four people including two women and a baby were killed in the bombing of a home in the southern city of Khan Younis.

11 rescue personnel killed in Israeli strikes in south Lebanon, reports AFP

4 Yemen governorates hit in US-UK strikes, reports AFP

AFP reported four provinces in Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the port city of Hodeida were targeted by US-UK strikes.

Amid West Asia tensions, Harris will meet Arab American leaders in Flint, Michigan on Friday

Vice President Kamala Harris will meet leaders from the Arab American community in Flint, Michigan on Friday, two sources with knowledge of the matter said

Biden says if in Israel's shoes he would consider alternatives to striking Iranian oil facilities

Washington: President Joe Biden said on Friday he would think about alternatives to striking Iranian oil fields if he were in Israel's shoes, adding he thinks Israel has not yet concluded how to respond to Iran.

Biden made his remarks to reporters in a White House press briefing.

-Reuters

Clashes erupt as Hezbollah accuses Israeli army of infiltration in Lebanon

Israeli military says sirens sounding in southern Israel were 'false identifications'

Cairo: The Israeli military said on Saturday that the sounding of sirens in Ein HaShlosha and Kissuf in southern Israel were determined to be false identifications.

-Reuters

Blast heard, smoke seen over Beirut’s southern suburbs: Witnesses

Cairo: A blast was heard and smoke was seen over Beirut’s southern suburbs in the early hours of Saturday, Reuters witnesses said, shortly after the Israeli military issued a new alert for residents of the area to immediately evacuate.

-Reuters

South Korea military aircraft evacuates 97 from Lebanon amid escalating tension

A South Korean military transport aircraft is evacuating 97 citizens and family members from Lebanon amid escalating tension and will return to South Korea on Saturday afternoon, the country's foreign ministry said.

A KC-330 aircraft landed in Beirut on Friday morning and departed in the afternoon with the evacuees, who include Lebanese family members, and will arrive at a military airfield on the south of the capital, Seoul, it said.

Via: Reuters

Israel cuts off main Lebanon-Syria road amid strikes in south Beirut

Israel carried out another series of punishing airstrikes on 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.

The overnight blasts in Beirut's southern suburbs sent huge plumes of smoke and flames into the night sky and shook buildings kilometres away in the Lebanese capital. Additional strikes sent people running for cover in streets littered with rubble in the Dahiyeh neighbourhood, where at least one building was levelled and cars were burned out.

Credit: AP/PTI

Sirens sounded in northern Israel's HaAmakim area: IDF

Israel should 'hit' Iran's nuclear sites: Trump

Former US president and Republican candidate Donald Trump, campaigning in North Carolina, offered a provocative view of what he thinks a response to Iran should be, referencing a question posed to President Joe Biden this week about the possibility of Israel targeting Iran's nuclear program.

"They asked him, 'what do you think about Iran, would you hit Iran?' And he goes, 'As long as they don't hit the nuclear stuff.' That's the thing you want to hit, right?" Trump told a town hall style event in Fayetteville, near a major US military base.

Biden "got that one wrong," Trump said.

"When they asked him that question, the answer should have been, hit the nuclear first, and worry about the rest later," Trump added.

Source: AFP

5 missiles identified crossing from Lebanon: IDF

"Following the sirens that sounded in the areas of HaAmakim and Wadi Ara, approximately five projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory. Some of the projectiles were intercepted by the IDF Aerial Defense Array, and the rest fell in open areas," the Israel Defence Forces said.

IDF intercepts missiles from Lebanon; fresh air strikes in Beirut's Dahiyeh

Plumes of smoke were seen rising from Beirut's Dahiyeh hinting fresh attacks by Israel, Al Jazeera reported.

Hamas says Israeli strike on Lebanon kills commander, family

Strikes by Israeli military on Lebanon have killed a Hamas commander and his family, news agency AFP reported quoting the militant group.

Struck Hezbollah command center operating from Mosque in southern Lebanon: IDF

A statement by the Israeli Defence Forced said that the air force struck, Hezbollah command center that was located inside a mosque in southern Lebanon on Friday.

"Overnight, with the direction of IDF intelligence, the IAF struck Hezbollah terrorists who were operating within a command center that was located inside a mosque adjacent to the Salah Ghandour Hospital in southern Lebanon," the statement read.

"The command center was used by the Hezbollah terrorists to plan and execute terrorist attacks against IDF troops and the State of Israel, it added.

"Before the strike, notices were sent to residents and conversations were held with significant parties in the villages in which the IDF identified Hezbollah utilizing hospitals in defiance of the laws of armed conflict—demanding that any military activity carried out from the hospitals should stop immediately," the IDF said.

Hezbollah battles troops on border as Israel pounds Lebanon

Beirut: Hezbollah said Saturday its fighters were confronting Israeli troops in Lebanon's southern border region, where the Israeli military said it struck militants from the Iran-backed movement at a mosque.

Rapidly escalating violence in recent days saw intense Israeli strikes on Hezbollah strongholds across Lebanon as ground troops conducted raids near the border, transforming nearly a year of cross-border exchanges into full-blown war.

Source: AFP

Sirens sounded in northern Israel: IDF

Hezbollah says it fired rockets at north Israel air base

Beirut: Hezbollah said its militants launched Fadi-1 rockets on Saturday at Israel's Ramat David air base near the northern city of Haifa, about 45 kilometres (30 miles) from the Lebanese border.

In a statement, the Iran-backed group also said its fighters hit an Israeli tank in south Lebanon, near the border, with a missile.

Source: AFP

Iran's oil minister 'not worried about crisis' amid Israeli threats

Iran's oil minister Mohsen Paknejad said on Saturday that he was "not worried" about the escalating conflict in the region amid reports that Israel would strike Iran, the ministry's Shana news site said.

Paknejad's comments were made during a visit to Assaluyeh, the energy capital of Iran.

Hezbollah's Safieddine 'unreachable' since Friday: Report

Israeli air strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs since Friday have kept rescue workers from searching the site of an Israeli strike suspected to have killed Hezbollah’s anticipated next leader, three Lebanese security sources told Reuters on Saturday.

One of the sources said Safieddine, widely expected to succeed slain leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, had been unreachable since the strike on Friday. (Reuters)

Sirens go off in Haifa and northern Israel again as conflict escalates

Israeli military says two Hamas militants killed in Lebanon

The Israeli military said on Saturday it had killed two militants from the armed wing of Hamas operating in Lebanon.

The military named Muhammad Hussein Ali al-Mahmoud, who it said served as the group's executive authority in Lebanon, as being killed in an Israeli air strike. Said Alaa Naif Ali, a member of Hamas’ Military Wing in Lebanon, was also killed in an Israeli operation overnight on Saturday, it said.

25 killed in Lebanon after Israeli strikes on Friday, health ministry says

France's call for halting sales of arms used in Gaza is a 'disgrace': Israel

Paris/Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit out at France's President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday for saying that shipments of arms to Israel used in the conflict in Gaza should be stopped as part of a broader effort to find a political solution.

"Shame on them," Netanyahu said of Macron and other Western leaders who have called for what he described as an arms embargo on Israel.

-Reuters

Israel military anounces easing of some defensive guidelines

Jerusalem: The Israeli military on Saturday announced changes to its defensive guidelines in several areas, including in some communities north of Tel Aviv, near the Gaza strip, and parts of the occupied-West Bank.

The changes allow gatherings of up to 2,000 people, up from 1,000, the military said in a statement.

It also said the activity scale would be changed to "partial activity" in several communities of the Central Galilee.

-Reuters

Israel will retaliate against Iran when time is right, military spokesman says

Jerusalem: Israel will retaliate against Iran for the missile attack launched by Tehran when the time is right, a military spokesman said on Saturday, adding that two air bases struck in the attack remained fully operational and no aircraft were damaged.

"The way in which we respond to this disgraceful attack will be in the manner, at the location and the timing which we decide, according to the political leadership's instructions," Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a broadcast statement.

-Reuters

At least five killed in Israeli air strike on Gaza mosque

Cairo: At least five people were killed and 20 others wounded in an Israeli air strike on a Gaza mosque early on Sunday, medics said.

The strike on the mosque, near the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, came as the Israel's war in the Palestinian enclave approaches its first anniversary.

Eyewitnesses said the number of casualties could rise as the mosque was being used to house displaced people.

The Israeli military said in a statement it "conducted a precise strike on Hamas terrorists who were operating within a command and control center embedded in a structure that previously served as the 'Shuhada al-Aqsa' Mosque in the area of Deir al Balah."

-Reuters

Heavy strikes shake Beirut as Israel expands Lebanon campaign

Massive consecutive strikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs from late Saturday into Sunday, Reuters eyewitnesses said, sending booms across the city and sparking flashes of red and white for nearly 30 minutes visible from several kilometers away.

-Reuters

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IDF conducts series of targeted strikes at Hezbollah weapon storage facilities in Beirut

The Israel Defence Forces on Sunday said that following its intelligence, the IAF conducted a series of targeted strikes on a number of weapons storage facilities and infrastructure sites belonging to Hezbollah in Beirut on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

"Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including advancing warnings to the population in the area," the IDF said.

Death toll rises to 18 in Gaza mosque attack

The strike on the mosque, near the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip has killed at least 18 people, Reuters reported quoting Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Israel on alert ahead of Hamas attack anniversary

Israel placed its forces on alert Saturday ahead of the anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attack, after a military official said the country was preparing its retaliation for Iran's missile attack.

The alert came with Israel engaged in an intensifying war with the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which military chief Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi said would be hit "without concession or respite".

Ahead of Monday's grim anniversary, military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said at a televised briefing: "We are prepared with increased forces in anticipation for this day", when there could be "attacks on the home front".

Source: AFP

Gaza rescuers say 21 killed in Israel strike on mosque

Gaza's civil defence agency said Sunday an Israeli strike on a mosque-turned-shelter in central Deir al-Balah killed 21 people, while Israel's military said it had targeted Hamas militants.

"The number of deaths rose to 21 and a large number of wounded as a result of the occupation (Israel) bombing of a mosque sheltering displaced people in front of the gate of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip," said agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal.

Source: AFP

Protests across world as Israel-Gaza conflict nears a year

Sirens sounded in northern Israel: IDF

The IDF said that it intercepted two surface-to-surface missiles fired from Lebanon.

IDF strikes Hamas structure in north Gaza as death toll mounts to 21 in mosque attack

"Following prior IDF intelligence, an ongoing situational assessment, and IDF activity in the field that all indicated the presence of terrorists and terror infrastructure in the area of Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip, as well as efforts by Hamas to rebuild its operational capabilities in the area, the 162nd Division began operating in the Jabaliya area overnight (Sunday)," a statement by the Israel Defence Forces read.

"The troops of the 401st Brigade and the 460th Brigade have successfully encircled the area and are currently continuing to operate in the area. Prior to and during the operation, the IAF struck dozens of military targets in order to assist IDF ground troops. Among the targets struck were weapons storage facilities, underground infrastructure sites, terrorist cells, and additional military infrastructure sites," it added sharing pictures and video of the strike.

Image shared by IDF. 

Intense Israeli bombing rocks Beirut ahead of war anniversary

A huge fireball lit up the night sky and plumes of smoke rose over south Beirut early Sunday as Israel unleashed intense air strikes targeting Hezbollah, nearly a year since the Gaza war erupted.

Israeli forces were on high alert ahead of Monday's anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attack, which sparked the war.

After a devastating year-long conflict in Gaza, Israel has now shifted its focus to northwards to Hezbollah, Hamas's Iran-backed ally in Lebanon.

Source: AFP

Lebanon PM calls for 'pressure on Israel' for ceasefire

Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for "pressure on Israel" for a ceasefire as a new Israeli strike hit the capital's southern suburbs on Sunday.

Mikati said he backed US and French efforts for a truce, as the official National News Agency reported a strike south of Beirut. An AFP journalist heard a huge blast and saw columns of smoke billowing above the site of the hit.

Source: AFP

IDF reveals military display of items seized from Hamas in exhibition commemorating a year of Oct 7 attack

"Marking one year since the deadly October 7th Massacre, the IDF has established an exhibition displaying the items seized from Hamas terrorists who invaded Israel on October 7th, as well as during the combat in the Gaza Strip, to showcase them to the world. Beginning today and throughout the week, diplomats, representatives from international research institutes, and the press are expected to visit the exhibition," the IDF said in a statement on Sunday.

Gaza death toll rises to 41,870, ministry says

At least 41,870 Palestinians have been killed and 97,166 others injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, Gaza's health ministry said on Sunday.

Source: Reuters

23 killed in Israeli strikes across Lebanon on Saturday: health ministry

Israeli strikes killed 23 people across Lebanon on Saturday, the health ministry has said.

"Israeli strikes yesterday on towns and villages of southern Lebanon" and other parts of the country "killed 23 people and wounded 93 others," it said on Sunday, without including casualties in more recent bombardment on Beirut's southern suburbs after midnight.

Source: AFP

American journalist attempts to self-immolate during a protest against Israel

According to IRNA news agency, a journalist in United States attempted to set himself on fire during a protest.

While protesting near the White House, Samuel Mena Jr attempted to set himself on fire.

26 killed in Israel strike on mosque, reports AFP

26 people have died in an Israeli strike on a mosque-turned-shelter in central Deir al-Balah, according to AFP.

Israel Air Force killed Kfarkela Company Commander of Hezbollah, according to IDF

Israeli military issues new evacuation alerts for areas in southern Lebanon

The Israeli military's Arabic-language spokesperson issued new evacuation alerts on Sunday for residents of around 25 areas in southern Lebanon, calling on them to head immediately to the north of the Awali River.

Blast heard in Syria's Homs, cause being investigated, state news agency says

A blast was heard in a factory in the Syrian city of Homs, the state news agency reported on Sunday, adding that the cause is still being investigated. 

 AFP reported Israel had carried out the strike.

Iran prepared to respond to any Israeli attack, reports AFP

Iran has prepared a plan to respond to a possible Israeli attack following the Islamic republic's retaliatory missile strike against it last week, reports AFP

Multiple UAVs intercepted by IDF

Numerous UAVs that crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory were intercepted by the IAF in the Western Galilee area, reports IDF

Israel defence minister warns Iran it may end up like Gaza, Beirut, reports AFP

Iran Supreme Leader honours IRGC commander with top medal for Israel attack

According to IRNA news agency, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has awarded the Medal of Conquest to Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh for his outstanding services in the "Operation True Promise".

One killed in Israel's Beersheba, media reports after suspected shooting

A woman was killed in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba on Sunday, Israeli media outlets reported after police said that several people had been injured in a suspected shooting there.

The ambulance service earlier said a seriously injured woman was being treated at the scene while eight other people injured in the attack, including one in a moderate to serious condition, were receiving treatment in a nearby hospital.

The attacker had been killed, the ambulance service said.

Israeli airstrike targets three cars in Syria's Homs, state news agency says

An Israeli airstrike targeted three cars carrying medical and relief materials in the industrial city of Syria's Homs, the Syrian state news agency reported on Sunday, adding that material damage was reported.

Israel military says more troops deployed near Gaza ahead of October 7 anniversary, reports AFP

Gaza says at least 17 killed in Israeli strikes in Jabaliya area, AFP reports

Gaza's civil defence agency said that Israeli air strikes in Jabaliya area killed at least 17 people, including nine children, reports AFP.

Hezbollah launches 'attack drones' at Israeli base, reports AFP

AFP reported that Hezbollah had launched attack drones at an Israeli military base near Haifa on Sunday.

Iran summons Australian ambassador over stance on Iran's attack against Israel, Tasnim reports

 Iran's foreign ministry has summoned the Australian ambassador in Tehran over what it said was his country's biased stance on Iran's attack against Israel, Iranian news agency Tasnim reported on Sunday.

WATCH | Weapons recovered by IDF in southern Lebanon

Rocket launchers, mortars, mines, IEDs, explosives, anti-tank missiles, grenades and other weapons were discovered in by the IDF during operations in southern Lebanon.

UN refugee chief says humanitarian law violated in strikes on Lebanon

The United Nations' refugee chief Filippo Grandi said on Sunday that many strikes on Lebanon had violated international humanitarian law, in apparent reference to Israel's bombardment of large parts of the country.

Ahead of Hamas attack anniversary, Netanyahu meets soldiers at the northern border

"The whole world is amazed by the blows you are delivering to our enemies, and I salute you... Together we will fight, and together we will win," the Israeli PM told troops.

Israeli strike on Jabaliya kills 17 as IDF troops encircle city

Air strikes on the city of Jabaliya have killed at least 17 people, news agency AFP reported, citing the Gaza civil defence agency.

Visuals from the Israel-Gaza border

Flights from all Iran's airports cancelled until Monday morning, Mehr says

Flights from all Iran's airports have been cancelled from Sunday 21:00 to Monday 06:00 local time, Iran's Mehr news agency said, citing a spokesperson for Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation.

French arms embargo against Israel will strengthen 'Iran's axis', Netanyahu warns Macron

Harris says US will not stop 'pressure' on Israel for ceasefire, reports AFP

France committed to Israel's security, Macron assures Netanyahu, reports AFP

US, Israel defence chiefs to meet at Pentagon on Oct 9, Pentagon says

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will host his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, at the Pentagon on October 9 "to discuss ongoing Middle East security developments," the Pentagon said on Sunday.

The announcement comes as Israel vows it will retaliate for Iran's missile attack on Tuesday, which involved more than 180 ballistic missiles and was largely thwarted by Israel's air defense systems and interceptions by the US military.

IDF releases exclusive footage ahead of Hamas attack anniversary

On the anniversary of Hamas attack, Israeli military has released exclusive footage of their soldiers engaging in battle.

Policewoman shot dead in Israel mass shooting, reports AFP

Israeli military says three areas in northern Israel declared 'closed military zone'

Syria confronts 'hostile targets' in central region, state TV says

Syria confronted "hostile targets" in the country's central region on Sunday, the Syrian state TV said.

Senior Hamas official says Israel blocks a ceasefire agreement despite Hamas flexibility

A year since the start of the war in Gaza, Israel is still blocking a ceasefire agreement despite Hamas's flexibility, Hamas chief negotiator and deputy Gaza chief Khalil Al-Hayya said in a televised speech shown on Hamas Aqsa television on Sunday.

He urged countries to stop what he called their "double-standards" over Gaza and Lebanon. 

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon 'deeply concerned' by Israeli military activities

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement on Sunday it was deeply concerned by what it called Israel's "recent activities" adjacent to the mission's position inside Lebanon.

IDF releases footage of 'Underground Infrastructure, Weapons Caches, and Observation Posts' near Northern Israel border

As per an IDF post on Telegram, soldiers of the Commando Brigade and the Paratroopers Brigade, "operating against a Hezbollah terrorist stronghold near the border in southern Lebanon," eliminated "dozens of terrorists and located large stockpiles of weapons."

As per the post, Israeli forces raided and dismantled an underground tunnel system. The tunnel system contained a combat compound allegedly used by "Hezbollah terrorists as a hideout and a base for attacks on northern Israel," as per the post.

In one of the houses in the area, the soldiers found an underground weapons cache containing dozens of anti-tank missiles, firearms, ammunition, Radwan Forces uniforms, military vests, and helmets. The cache was destroyed, and the weapons were confiscated.

Commander of the 101st Battalion, LTC Micah, in the underground tunnel shaft system that was dismantled, reports.

Iran's Quds Force chief out of contact since Beirut strikes, two Iranian officials say

Hezbollah official says Israel obstructing search for missing senior leader

Israel is not allowing a search for senior Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine to progress after it bombed Beirut's southern suburbs on Thursday, a Hezbollah official said on Sunday.

Safieddine's fate remains unclear.

The group's political official Mahmoud Qmati told Iraqi state television that picking a new Hezbollah head would take some time.

Lebanon says Israeli strikes killed 25 people on Saturday

Lebanon's health ministry on Sunday said 25 people had been killed and 96 injured in Israeli strikes the day before, as per an AFP report.

UN peacekeepers warn Israel operations near their position 'extremely dangerous'

The appeal came a day after UNIFIL said it would not leave positions in the south despite what it said was an Israeli request to "relocate".

"UNIFIL is deeply concerned by recent activities by the IDF immediately adjacent to the Mission's position 6-52, southeast of Maroun al-Ras... inside Lebanese territory," it said in a statement on social media platform X.

"This is an extremely dangerous development. It is unacceptable to compromise the safety of UN peacekeepers carrying out their Security Council-mandated tasks," it added.

UNIFIL said the Israeli army "has been repeatedly informed of this ongoing situation through regular channels" and called on "all actors of their obligations to protect UN personnel and property".

Israeli strikes hit central Syria army positions: Syrian defence ministry

Israeli army makes new call for south Beirut residents to evacuate

Rescuers say 17 dead in Gaza as Israel troops encircle Jabaliya

Lebanon state media says two Israeli strikes hit south Beirut

Flight restrictions lifted in Iran

Flight restrictions have been lifted in Iran after ensuring safe conditions, state media reported on Monday, shortening the period of flight cancellations announced earlier by the Civil Aviation Organisation.

Hamas praises 'glorious' Oct 7 attack ahead of anniversary

Palestinian militant group Hamas on Sunday praised its October 7 attack on Israel in a video message ahead of the first anniversary of the deadly storming of southern Israel which sparked the war in Gaza.

"The crossing of the glorious 7th of October shattered the illusions the enemy had created for itself, convincing the world and the region of its supposed superiority and capabilities," Qatar-based Hamas member Khalil al-Hayya said in a video statement, as per AFP.

US on Israeli bombing in Lebanon: Military pressure can enable diplomacy but has risk

"Military pressure can at times enable diplomacy. Of course, military pressure can also lead to miscalculation. It can lead to unintended consequences," a US State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told CNN that Israel was coordinating its response to Iran with the United States but would make its own independent decisions.

"Everything is on the table," CNN quoted him as saying.

Hezbollah says it has targetted Israel army base near Haifa

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group said early Monday it had targeted an Israeli military base near the northern city of Haifa, the third attack on a military position in the area in one day.

Hezbollah fighters launched "a salvo of Fadi 1 rockets at the Carmel base south of Haifa," late Sunday the group said in a statement, having earlier reported two attacks on another base also south of Haifa. The group dedicated the attack to its leader Hassan Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs last month, as per AFP.

UK advises against all travel to Israel and Gaza

Hezbollah rockets hit Israel's Haifa and Tiberias, 10 injured

Hezbollah rockets hit Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, Israeli police said early on Monday, and Israeli media reported 10 people were injured in the country's north.

Hezbollah said it targeted a military base south of Haifa with a salvo of "Fadi 1" missiles. Media reports said two rockets hit Haifa on Israel's Mediterranean Coast and five others hit Tiberias 65 km (40 miles) away.

Police said some buildings and properties were damaged, and there were several reports of minor injuries with some people taken to a nearby hospital.

Video taken by surveillance camera showed the moment a Hezbollah rocket hit Haifa.

Iran air traffic resumes after suspension: state media

Fresh Israeli strikes hit south Beirut

Official Lebanese media reported four Israeli strikes on south Beirut Sunday, shortly after calls by Israel's army for residents to evacuate the Hezbollah stronghold which has been bombarded for several days.

"Enemy warplanes launched two strikes on the southern suburbs, the first targeted the Saint Therese area, and the second targeted the Burj al-Barajneh area," Lebanon's National News Agency said.

The NNA later reported two additional strikes, including one it described as "violent".

Iran's Quds Force chief out of contact since Beirut strikes, Iranian officials say

Iran's Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, who travelled to Lebanon after the killing last month of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike, has not been heard from since strikes on Beirut late last week, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters.

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2 suspicious aerial targets intercepted: IDF

The IDF, in a statement, said, "Following the sirens that sounded regarding a hostile aircraft infiltration in the areas of Rishon LeTsiyon and Palmachim, the Israeli Air Force intercepted two suspicious aerial targets that were launched from the east."

Israeli soldiers killed elderly man during Hebron raid

Israeli forces “violently attacked” Sheikh Ziad Abu Halil during a raid on his home in the town of Dura, south of Hebron, the Wafa news agency reports.

Israeli soldiers “severely beat him until he lost consciousness”, with the 66-year-old later dying of his injuries at Dura Hospital, Wafa reports.

One Israeli soldier killed in combat in northern Israel

Israel's military said in a statement early on Monday that one soldier had been killed in combat on the Lebanese border and two soldiers were severely injured.

"Master Sergeant Etay Azulay... fell during combat on the Lebanese border," an army statement said.

Explained | Who is Esmail Qaani, Iran's Quds Force commander?

Iran's Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani has not been heard from since Israeli strikes on Beirut late last week, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters. Qaani travelled to Lebanon after the killing last month of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike.

Click here know learn more about him

Argentines hold a vigil in support of Palestinians ahead of the one-year anniversary of Hamas' October 7 attack

Protesters rally in support of Palestinians and Lebanon, in Boston ahead of the one-year anniversary of Hamas' October 7 attack

Four projectiles fire over from Gaza strip; 3 intercepted. 1 fell in open area: IDF

In a statement, IDF said, "Following the sirens that sounded at 06:31 in several communities near the Gaza Strip, four projectiles were identified crossing from the southern Gaza Strip. Three of the projectiles were intercepted by the IAF and a fallen projectile was identified in an open area."

Hamas armed wing claims to fire rockets at southern Israel

The armed wing of Hamas claimed it fired rockets into southern Israel on Monday as the country marked the first anniversary of the attack the Palestinian group launched on this day last year, AFP.

The Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement that its fighters fired the projectiles at "enemy gatherings" at Rafah crossing, Kerem Shalom crossing and kibbutz Holit near the border with Gaza.

IDF struck Hamas terror targets and launchers throughout the Gaza Strip to thwart an immediate threat

IDF in a statement said, "Following the identification of Hamas' intentions to fire projectiles toward Israeli territory, and as a result of advance preparations, the IDF thwarted an immediate threat.

A short while ago, the IAF struck Hamas launch posts and underground terrorist infrastructure throughout the Gaza Strip.

Furthermore, overnight, the IAF and IDF artillery struck targets in the central Gaza Strip that posed a threat to IDF troops operating in the area."

Israelis hold protests, vigils to mark anniversary of October 7 attack

Australians hold vigils on anniversary of Oct 7 Hamas assault on Israel

Australians gathered for vigils on Monday to mark the first anniversary of Hamas's deadly attack on Israel, which sparked the war on Gaza, but the events were muted after authorities warned of tougher security measures.

At Sydney's famed Bondi Beach, participants holding Israeli and Australian flags listened in silence to a reading of the names of Israel's 101 hostages still held by Hamas.

-Reuters

Hezbollah claims another attack on Israel

News agency Al Jazeera reported that the Lebanese armed group said it launched a salvo of rockets at the Israeli city of Karmiel in northern Israel at 6:55am local time this morning.

The attack set off sirens in Karmiel and other communities across the Upper Galilee region, according to Israeli media.

Israel’s YNet News said 15 projectiles were launched from Lebanon towards the Upper Galilee and that most of them were intercepted.

Four killed in Israeli air raid on town near Tyre

Israeli jets have bombed a house in the town of Srifa, south of the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon, killing at least four people, the Lebanon 24 and the Quds News Network reported.

Rocket causes damage in northern Israel town: Army radio

The radio says a rocket apparently fired from Lebanon fell in the town of Vradim, causing physical damage on a property.

There were no human causalities, according to the radio, Al Jazeera reported.

Israel President Herzog says world ‘must support Israel’ to bring peace

“The world has to realise and understand that in order to change the course of history and bring peace, a better future to the region, it must support Israel in its battle against its enemies,” he said, AlJazeera reported.

Macron mourns victims of October 7 attacks

The French President said, "Seventh of October.

The pain is still here, as acute as a year ago. The pain of the Israeli people. Our own pain. Pain of wounded humanity.

We will not forget the perished, the abducted, and the families whose hearts are broken from the absence or from the expectation of return. My thoughts are given to them in sympathy."

UK PM releases statement on Oct 7 anniversary

Keir Starmer, in an official release said, "7 October 2023 was the darkest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust.

One year on from these horrific attacks we must unequivocally stand with the Jewish community and unite as a country.

We will not falter in our pursuit of peace and on this day of pain and sorrow, we honour those we lost, and continue in our determination to return those still held hostage, help those who are suffering, and secure a better future for the Middle East."

World marks Oct 7 anniversary

News agency AFP reported that countries around the world are marking the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which began the conflict that has now gone for over a year and has seen itself extended to Lebanon and Iran.

In Israel, President Isaac Herzog began the day with a moment of silence at 6:29 am -- the time the attack began -- at Kibbutz Reim, the site of the Nova music festival where at least 370 people were killed by heavily armed Hamas fighters on October 7.

In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was expected at an event Monday evening in Melbourne, while a candlelight vigil was planned in Sydney to show support for Palestinians after a year of war.

Students in the Indian capital New Delhi, meanwhile, have called a rally to demand a "free Palestine".

In the United States, the White House will hold a vigil for the Israeli hostages, while Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump is due to mark the anniversary at a "Remembrance Event" in Miami organised by Jewish community leaders.

The first vigils, memorials and marches to mark the anniversary were held a day earlier, on Sunday, in cities ranging from Tel Aviv to London, Paris and Berlin.

Tens of thousands of protesters also marched in cities around the world over the weekend to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.

In London, thousands gathered in Hyde Park, waving Israeli flags and "bring them home" placards with faces of the hostages.

In Berlin, a pro-Israel demonstration near the city's Brandenburg Gate on Sunday drew around 500 people, police said. Many waved the Israeli flag and some carried pictures of hostages held by Hamas.

More demonstrations are expected on Monday, including in Frankfurt.

In Paris, thousands of people gathered on Sunday to remember the victims of the attack.

In Geneva, 300 people gathered on Sunday evening in front of the UN offices there for a tribute.

In Morocco Sunday, tens of thousands of protesters gathered in the capital, Rabat, waving Palestinian flags and calling to break off diplomatic ties with Israel, which the kingdom normalised in 2020

Israel announces new ground raids into Lebanon

On the eve of the Oct 7 attack's anniversary, the IDF's 91st Division began targeted, limited, and localized operations in southern Lebanon, the IDF said in a statement.

"Yesterday (Sunday), the soldiers of the 91st Division began localized and targeted operational activity in southern Lebanon.

After almost a year of operational activity in the northern arena and in the Gaza Strip, over the past two weeks, reserve brigades have been called up to train and improve readiness.

Since the beginning of the war, the 91st Division has conducted a significant amount of offensive and defensive operations in order to degrade and strike the Hezbollah terrorist organization and its infrastructure in southern Lebanon, using ground and aerial strikes.

Over the past several weeks, the division conducted hundreds of strikes and eliminated dozens of terrorists.

In addition to the ground operations, IDF soldiers continue their defensive missions to protect the State of Israel."

Japan condemns Hamas, expresses concern over Gaza on Oct 7 anniversary

AFP reported that the Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said, "Japan has consistently and unequivocally condemned the terror attacks by Hamas and others, and urge the immediate release of all hostages still being held captive."

"At the same time, Japan is gravely concerned about the ongoing critical humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip," Iwaya said, pointing to the "large number of civilians" killed and the insecurity facing both Israelis and Palestinians.

"Japan continues to urge all the parties including Israel, to comply with international law, including international humanitarian law, and strongly urges them to steadily work toward realisation of a ceasefire," Iwaya said in a statement.

"Japan is seriously concerned about the rising tensions beyond Israel and the Gaza Strip throughout the Middle East region, including the West Bank, Lebanon, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and Iran," he said.

More rockets fired in Israel from Gaza

The IDF said that the sirens sounded in central Israel were due to projectiles fired from the Gaza Strip

Hezbollah targets Israeli troops in Southern Lebanon

In a statement, Hezbollah said that they targeted Israeli troops entering Lebanon, AFP reported.

Hamas confirms rockets launched towards Tel Aviv

The armed wing of Hamas says it bombarded the central Israeli city with a barrage of Maqadmeh M90 rockets, according to a statement on Telegram, Al Jazeera.

The group said the attack was part of “the ongoing battle of attrition” and in response to the Israeli “massacres against civilians and the deliberate displacement of our people”.

Israeli air raid kills 2 people in southern Lebanon town

Warplanes bombed a house in the town of Qaliya, in western Bekaa Valley, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency.

The attack killed two people, it added.

One year after Hamas attack, Germany's Scholz reiterates support for Israel

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated his country's support for Israel and its battle against Hamas militants on Monday, the first anniversary of a lightning attack on the Middle Eastern country in which some 1,200 people were killed.

"We feel with you the horror, the pain, the uncertainty and the sadness. We stand by your side," he said. "The Hamas terrorists must be fought." (Reuters)

Commander of Iran's Quds Force is 'in good health', force's deputy commander says

The top Commander of Iran's Quds Force Esmail Qaani is in 'good health', the force's deputy commander Iraj Masjedi said on Monday, after Iranian security sources told Reuters he had been out of contact since strikes on Beirut last week.

Hezbollah says it attacked Israel's Haifa with a missile salvo

Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group attacked areas north of Israel's Haifa with a missile salvo, it said in a statement, in a second assault on Monday after the group had earlier rained rockets on the northern Israeli port city. 

10 firefighters killed in Israeli strike on municipal building in Lebanon's Bint Jbeil

Lebanon's health ministry said on Monday that an initial toll of 10 firefighters were killed in an Israeli strike on a municipal building in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil. 

Israeli military announces death of second soldier in combat on Lebanese border

The Israeli military announced on Monday the death of second soldier in combat on the Lebanese border.

The military had earlier on Monday said a soldier had been killed in combat on the border and two soldiers were severely injured.

Israeli military says it conducted a targeted strike in Beirut

Israeli military said on Monday it conducted a targeted strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut a short while ago. A thick plume of smoke was seen in the area. (Reuters)

Israeli military says it intercepts missile fired from Yemen

A surface-to-surface missile fired from Yemen at central Israel on Monday was intercepted, the Israeli military said.

The missile set off air raid sirens across large swaths of central Israel, sending residents running for shelter.

Yemen's Houthis say they fired two missiles at central Israel, Israel says missile intercepted

Hezbollah tells fighters not to attack Israeli troops near peacekeepers

The group reported "unusual movement of Israeli enemy forces behind a UNIFIL position, on the outskirts of the border village of Maroun al-Ras," ordering fighters "not to take action... to preserve the lives of the peacekeepers", quoting a field commander in their statement. The group accused Israel of "trying to use UNIFIL forces as human shields".

Israeli military issues new evacuation warning on specific buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs

The Israeli military issued on Monday a new evacuation warning for residents especially those in specific buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs including in the Burj al-Barajneh neighbourhood. Earlier, it had said it would soon launch operations on Lebanon's southern coast, warning residents to stay off beaches.

Israeli ground operations in Lebanon so far continue to be limited, State Dept says

The United States assesses that Israel's ground operations in Lebanon so far continue to be limited, the State Department said on Monday, as Israeli forces looked poised to expand ground raids into south Lebanon on the first anniversary of the Gaza war.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters that Washington expects Israel to target Hezbollah in Lebanon in a way that complies with international humanitarian law and minimizes civilian casualties.

US does not want to see UN peacekeepers in Lebanon put in danger, State Dept says

The United States does not want United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon to be put in danger in any way, including being attacked by Israel, the State Department said on Monday, adding that the mission plays an important role in establishing security in the country. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller also said the U.S. assesses that Israel's ground operations in Lebanon so far continue to be limited as Israeli forces looked poised to expand ground raids into south Lebanon on the first anniversary of the Gaza war.

He added that Washington has made clear to Israel that it wants to see roads to Beirut's airport continue to be operated.

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement on Sunday it was deeply concerned by what it called Israel's "recent activities" adjacent to the mission's position inside Lebanon.

"We don't want to see UNIFIL forces put in danger in any way. UNIFIL forces play an important role in establishing security in Lebanon," Miller told reporters on Monday.

The mission is mandated by the Security Council to help the Lebanese army keep the area free of weapons and armed personnel other than those of the Lebanese state. That has sparked friction with Iran-backed Hezbollah, which effectively controls southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military asked UN peacekeepers last week to prepare to relocate more than 5 km (3 miles) from the border between Israel and Lebanon - known as the Blue Line - "as soon as possible, in order to maintain your safety," according to an excerpt from the message...

Israeli military says sirens sounded in central Israel

The Israeli military said on Monday that sirens sounded in central Israel after approximately five projectile launches were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory.

The military said some projectiles were intercepted, while the rest fell in open areas.

It added there were no changes made in the Home Front Command's guidelines.

Lebanon's Hezbollah later issued a statement saying they launched a missile operation targeting a military intelligence unit near Tel Aviv.

"A missile launch operation (was carried out on) the Glilot base of the military intelligence unit 8200 located in the suburbs of Tel Aviv," the statement said.

Marking Oct. 7, Israel vows to fight for hostages, assails UN

Israel hosted an event at the United Nations on Monday to mark one year since a deadly Hamas attack, vowing to fight until all hostages held in Gaza by the Palestinian militants are freed and assailing the world body for failing to condemn the massacre.

"The UN has failed in its most basic mandate to protect the innocent and condemn evil. The resolutions that the UN did pass were about the situation in Gaza," said Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon, referring to action taken by the 15-member Security Council and the 193-member General Assembly.

During the shock Hamas rampage a year ago some 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli figures. More than 100 hostages remain held in Gaza by Hamas.

Israel's ally the United States vetoed a draft Security Council resolution on Oct. 18, 2023, that would have condemned Hamas and urged Gaza aid access. The US had argued it needed more time to broker humanitarian access and was disappointed the text did not mention Israel's right to self-defense.

"There are those in the Security Council, and outside, who fail to condemn Hamas' atrocities or even say the word Hamas," US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Oct. 7 commemorative event on Monday.

"There are those in the region who have sought to build on Hamas' actions and are now pushing the Middle East to the precipice of a broader war - terrorist groups like the Houthis and Hezbollah," she said, also accusing Iran of seeking to take advantage of the situation to advance a "destructive agenda."

Hezbollah says targeted Israeli military base near Tel Aviv

The Iran-backed group said it fired "a salvo of rockets at the Glilot base of military intelligence unit 8200 on the outskirts of Tel Aviv".

Lebanon state media says new strikes hit south Beirut

The country's National News Agency reported that the area was "the target of two raids" late on Monday.

"An enemy war plane carried out a new strike" on the once densely-populated Shiite-majority area that is a stronghold of the Hezbollah militant group, the agency added.

US calls for Israel to spare Beirut airport

The United States warned Israel on Monday not to attack Beirut airport or the roads leading to it, as the Israeli army carried out intensive strikes against Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital's southern suburbs.

"We think it's very important that not only the airport be open, but that the roads to the airport be open, so that American citizens who want to leave can get out, but also citizens of other countries," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters, as per an AFP report.

China to provide emergency medical supplies to Lebanon: Xinhua

China will provide emergency medical supplies to Lebanon, the official Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday, citing China's official foreign aid agency, the China International Development Cooperation Agency. (Reuters)

Hezbollah's HQ commander Suhail Hussein Husseini eliminated, confirms Israeli military

The Israeli military eliminated Suhail Hussein Husseini, the commander of Hezbollah's headquarters, in a strike in the area of Beirut, it said in a statement on Tuesday. (Reuters)

Any attack on Iran's infrastructure will be faced with retaliation

Any attack on Iran's infrastructure will be faced with retaliation, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Tuesday, warning Israel against any attacks on Iran. (Reuters)

"We recommend the Zionist regime (Israel) not to test the resolution of the Islamic Republic. If any attack against our country takes place, our response will be more powerful," Araqchi said in a televised speech.

Turkey says it will evacuate its citizens from Lebanon by sea on October 9

Turkey will evacuate its citizens who have applied to leave Lebanon by sea on Wednesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

It said in a statement that two Turkish navy ships were expected to set off for Beirut on Tuesday with a total capacity of around 2,000 passengers, adding that the evacuation process will continue in the following days if necessary. (Reuters)

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to visit Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi starting October 8

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will visit Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region starting on Tuesday to discuss regional issues and work on stopping Israel's "crimes" in Gaza and Lebanon, Iran's ISNA news agency reported.

Gulf states have sought to reassure Iran of their neutrality in the Iran-Israel conflict, sources told Reuters last week. (Reuters)

Israel steps up ground offensive against Hezbollah

Israel ramped up its ground offensive against Hezbollah along Lebanon's southern coast on Tuesday, after deploying more troops in the country and urging civilians living near the Mediterranean to evacuate.

The military's announcement followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pledge to keep fighting a "sacred war" until Israel's enemies -- Hezbollah and Hamas -- are defeated. Both groups have vowed no let-up in the multi-front conflict, reported Reuters.

Israel expanded its military operations in Lebanon last month after Hezbollah opened a front in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas, following the deadliest attack in its history on October 7, 2023.

Hezbollah warns of retaliation

In televised statement, acting leader Sheikh Naim Kassem said Hezbollah’s capabilities are still intact despite weeks of heavy Israeli airstrikes and that it has replaced senior commanders killed in Israeli airstrikes.

“We are firing hundreds of rockets and dozens of drones. A large number of settlements and cities are under the fire of the resistance,” Kassem said.

“Our capabilities are fine and our fighters are deployed along the frontlines.”

(Inputs from The Associated Press)

WHO warns of possible Lebanon disease outbreaks as hospitals shut

A World Health Organization (WHO) official warned on Tuesday of disease outbreaks in Lebanon due to crowded conditions in displacement shelters and hospital closures as medics have fled Israel's assault.

Israeli forces have begun ground operations in the southwest of Lebanon, escalating a year-long conflict with Iran-backed group Hezbollah that has killed over 1,000 people in the past two weeks and triggered a mass flight.

"We are facing a situation where there is a much higher risk of disease outbreaks, such as acute watery diarrhoea, hepatitis A, and a number of vaccine preventable diseases," the WHO's Ian Clarke, Deputy Incident Manager for Lebanon, told a Geneva press briefing by video link from Beirut. (Reuters)

Hezbollah deputy chief says group's capabilities intact, supports ceasefire efforts

Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Qassem said in a televised address on Tuesday that the Iran-backed group's capabilities were intact and its fighters were pushing back Israeli ground incursions, despite the "painful blows" inflicted by Israel in recent weeks.

Qassem said the group supported the efforts of Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri - a Hezbollah ally - to secure a ceasefire, without providing further details on any conditions demanded by Hezbollah. (Reuters)

Who is Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hezbollah's deputy chief?

Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hezbollah's deputy secretary general.

Hezbollah's deputy secretary general Sheikh Naim Qassem, who said on Tuesday that the armed group supported efforts to reach a ceasefire for Lebanon, has been a senior figure in the Iran-backed movement for more than 30 years. Speaking in front of curtains from an undisclosed location, Qassem said the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel was a war about who cries first, and Hezbollah would not cry first. The group's capabilities were intact despite "painful blows" from Israel. But he added the group supported the efforts of parliament speaker Nabih Berri - a Hezbollah ally - to secure a ceasefire, for the first time omitting any mention of a Gaza truce deal as a pre-condition for halting the group's fire on Israel. His 30-minute televised address comes just days after senior Hezbollah figure Hashem Safieddine is thought to have been the target of an Israeli strike and 11 days after the killing of Hezbollah's secretary general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Qassem was appointed deputy chief in 1991 by the armed group's then-secretary general Abbas al-Musawi, who was killed by an Israeli helicopter attack the following year.

Qassem remained in his role when Nasrallah became leader, and has long been one of Hezbollah's leading spokesmen, conducting interviews with foreign media including as cross-border hostilities with Israel raged over the last year.

Qassem's televised address on Tuesday was his second since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah intensified in September. He was the first member of Hezbollah's top leadership to make televised remarks after Nasrallah's killing in an Israeli air attack on Beirut's southern suburbs on Sept. 27.

Speaking on Sept. 30, Qassem said Hezbollah would choose a successor to its slain secretary general "at the earliest opportunity" and would continue to fight Israel in solidarity with Palestinians.

"What we are doing is the bare minimum... We know that the battle may be long," he said in a 19-minute speech.

Born in 1953 in Beirut to a family from Lebanon's south, Qassem's political activism began with the Lebanese Shi'ite Amal Movement.

He left the group in 1979 in the wake of Iran's Islamic Revolution, which shaped the political thinking of many young Lebanese Shi'ite activists. Qassem took part in meetings that led to the formation of Hezbollah, established with the backing of Iran's Revolutionary Guards in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982.

He has been the general coordinator of Hezbollah's parliamentary election campaigns since the group first contested them in 1992.

In 2005, he wrote a history of Hezbollah seen as a rare "insider's look" into the organisation. Qassem wears a white turban unlike Nasrallah and Safieddine, whose black turbans denoted their status as descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. (Reuters)

After vowing retaliation, Hezbollah fires rockets at north Israel's Haifa, reports AFP

Latest visuals from Lebanon amid Israeli bombardment

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Emirates cancels its flights to and from Iran for today

Emirates said on Tuesday that its flights to and from Iran are cancelled on Oct. 8.

The airline said that it continues to closely monitor the situation in the region and is in contact with the relevant authorities regarding developments. (Reuters)

41,965 Palestinians killed, over 97,000 injured in Gaza offensive, health ministry says

Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 41,965 Palestinians and wounded 97,590 since Oct. 7, 2023, the Palestinian enclave's health ministry said on Tuesday. (Reuters)

At least 43 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza today, reports Al Jazeera

Latest visuals from northern Israel, which has been targetted by Hezbollah

Pro-Palestinian activists target UK offices of Germany's Allianz

Pro-Palestinian activists targeted the British offices of German financial services firm Allianz on Tuesday, daubing the outside with red paint in protest over the company's links to Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems.

Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the protest on social media platform X, and said demonstrators had attacked 10 Allianz offices in the UK and "occupied" the insurer's UK headquarters in Guildford, south of London, overnight.

"Without insurance, Elbit couldn't operate in Britain," Palestine Action said in its post, describing Allianz as "investors and insurers of Israel's biggest weapons firm".

UK-based spokespeople for Allianz, one of Europe's biggest financial services groups, did not respond to a request for comment.

Police said officers were called at 4 am (0300 GMT) to reports of red paint being sprayed onto two buildings in London's City financial district. They arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of criminal damage following a foot chase. (Reuters)

Hamas armed wing Qasam Brigade claims to have killed several IDF soldiers in northwest Gaza

Hamas' armed wing on Tuesday said its fighters killed in an Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip’s at-Twam area, Al Jazeera reported.

The Israeli forces who came to rescue the soldier were subsequently targeted with an anti-personnel bomb, Hamas further said on Telegram.

The group added that more soldiers were killed and wounded in the bomb attack, but did not give any definite number.

There was no immediate comment by the Israeli army.

United Nations urges to stop the escalting conflict in Lebanon as it could lead to a 'spiral of doom', reports AFP

United Nations warned that Lebanon could face the same situation as that of Gaza if it does not stop the conflict from eascalting, reports AFP

Leaders of US, UK, France and Germany will meet in Berlin to discuss the situation in West Asia, reports Al Jazeera

Israeli defence minister says it appears Nasrallah's replacement has been eliminated

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Tuesday that it appears that the replacement of slain Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has been eliminated.

Hashem Safieddine, a top Hezbollah official was widely expected to succeed Nasrallah. (Reuters)

Israel defence minister says Hezbollah 'battered and broken' since Nasrallah's killing.

Israel tightens restrictions on civilians in Haifa area after rocket barrage

Israel's Home Front Command on Tuesday tightened restrictions on civilians in the Haifa area in the wake of a barrage of rockets launched by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

"The activity scale will be changed from partial activity to limited activity, meaning educational activities are prohibited," the military said, adding that the rest of the country's guidelines remain unchanged.

UN chief warns Netanyahu that blocking UNRWA would be 'catastrophe'

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday he has written to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning him that draft Israeli legislation to prevent the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) from working in the occupied Palestinian territory would be a "catastrophe."

Hezbollah steps up rocket fire into Israel, which sends more troops into Lebanon

Israel's Netanyahu says Israel has taken out Nasrallah's successors

Israeli forces have taken out the would-be successors of late Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday, without naming them.

"We've degraded Hezbollah's capabilities. We took out thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself and Nasrallah's replacement, and the replacement of the replacement," Netanyahu said in a pre-recorded video message.

Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Hashem Safieddine, the man expected to replace the slain Nasrallah, had probably been "eliminated". It was not immediately clear whom Netanyahu meant by the "replacement of the replacement".

Netanyahu warns Lebanon faces destruction 'like Gaza'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Lebanon Tuesday it could face destruction "like Gaza" as Israel ramps up its ground offensive against Hezbollah along the southern section of the Lebanese coast.

Netanyahu's stark warning came as the Israeli military deployed more troops and urged civilians in coastal areas to evacuate.

"You have an opportunity to save Lebanon before it falls into the abyss of a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza," Netanyahu said in a video address directed to the people of Lebanon.

"I say to you, the people of Lebanon: Free your country from Hezbollah so that this war can end."

Israel sends more soldiers into Lebanon

Israel sent more troops into Lebanon on Tuesday and pounded the densely populated neighborhoods south of Beirut where Hezbollah holds sway. The midday airstrikes could be heard from miles away.

The bombardment followed the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel that set off the war in the Gaza Strip. Israel said in a statement Tuesday that a fourth division of soldiers had begun operating in Lebanon.

The Israeli military said Hezbollah had fired “approximately 135 projectiles” as of 3 p.m. local time, most of which were intercepted. A home was hit north of Haifa, the second time since Sunday that areas near Israel’s third-largest city were struck by Hezbollah rockets. No injuries were reported.

Hezbollah has been firing into Israel over the last year in support of Hamas, which, like Hezbollah, is backed by Iran. Last week, Israel sent ground troops into southern Lebanon to try to stop the attacks and eliminate the threat near its border.

The Palestinian civil defense said Tuesday that 12 people had been killed and several others injured in Israeli airstrikes on a family home and tents housing displaced people in the Bureij area of central Gaza. The Israeli military said its troops were “eliminating terrorists” in the area. (NYT)

Hezbollah says repelled Israel troops who 'infiltrated' near UNIFIL post

Hezbollah said it had forced Israeli troops to retreat Tuesday after they crossed into Lebanon near a UN peacekeeping (UNIFIL) post following Israel's announcement last week it was conducting ground incursions, as per an AFP report.

Hezbollah fighters fired at "an Israeli enemy force that infiltrated from behind the international forces' position in Labboune", a border village close to the coast, the Iran-backed group said.

The group said they "forced the infiltrating enemy force to withdraw behind the border strip".

US says ceasefire call shows Hezbollah on back foot

Hezbollah's call for a ceasefire on Tuesday shows the militant group is on the back foot, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told a regular briefing on Tuesday.

Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Qassem said in a televised address on Tuesday the Iran-backed group's capabilities were intact and its fighters were pushing back Israeli ground incursions, despite the "painful blows" inflicted by Israel in recent weeks.

Qassem also said the group supported the efforts of Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, to secure a ceasefire, without providing further details on any conditions demanded by Hezbollah. 

Hezbollah officials drop Gaza truce as condition for Lebanon ceasefire

Hezbollah officials are no longer demanding a truce in Gaza as a condition for reaching a ceasefire in Lebanon, rowing back from an oft-repeated promise to keep fighting until Israel halts its offensive against Hezbollah's Iran-backed ally Hamas.

Ever since Hezbollah began launching missiles across Lebanon's border a day after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel, Hezbollah officials have consistently said they would not stop until Israel ended the war in Gaza.

But Naim Qassem, the deputy leader of Hezbollah, broke that link in a televised speech on Tuesday, even as he promised to continue to stand with Hamas and Palestinians in their battle with Israel.

Qassem, now Hezbollah's top official after its chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike, said he backed efforts by Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, to secure a truce - without setting a precondition.

"We support the political activity being led by Berri under the title of a ceasefire," Qassem said. "If the enemy (Israel) continues its war, then the battlefield will decide."

Two days earlier, two lower-ranking Hezbollah officials had also talked about a Lebanon truce without making a linkage with Gaza.

Hezbollah has not explicitly said it was shifting its position.

Israel's Defense Minister Gallant postpones visit to Washington, Pentagon says

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has canceled plans for a Wednesday visit to the Pentagon, a Pentagon spokesperson said on Tuesday, saying it looked forward to welcoming him at a later date.

"We were just informed that Minister Gallant will be postponing his trip to Washington," Sabrina Singh told a news briefing, referring questions about why Gallant canceled to Israel's government.

Gulf states must not let airspace be used against Iran, Iranian official says

Tehran has told Gulf states it would be "unacceptable" if they allowed their airspace to be used against Iran and any such move would draw a response, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday, amid concerns about possible Israeli retaliation for last week's Iranian missile attack.

The official was speaking as Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi headed to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states for talks. The comments also followed discussions between Iran and Gulf Arab capitals last week on the sidelines of an Asia conference in Qatar, when Gulf states sought to reassure Iran of their neutrality in any conflict between Tehran and Israel.

"Iran made it clear that any action by a Persian Gulf country against Tehran, whether through the use of airspace or military bases, will be regarded by Tehran as an action taken by the entire group, and Tehran will respond accordingly," said a senior Iranian official, as per a Reuters report.

"The message emphasised the need for regional unity against Israel and the importance of securing stability. It also made clear that any assistance to Israel, such as allowing the use of a regional country’s airspace for actions against Iran, is unacceptable," he said.

The official said Iran did not discuss the issue of Gulf Arab oil producers raising output if Iranian production was disrupted during any escalation.

A Western diplomat in the Gulf said that during the Gulf-Iran meeting in Doha on Thursday on the conference sidelines, Iran had made it clear that Tehran had called for regional unity in the face of an Israeli attack and that it considered neutrality of Gulf states a bare minimum.

The diplomat said Iran had made it clear that Tehran would keep a close eye on how each Gulf country responded in the case of an Israeli attack, and also how US bases housed in their countries were used.

Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia all host US military facilities or troops.

Seven civilians including women and children killed, 11 others injured in Israeli strike on Syria's Damascus: Syrian state media

36 people killed in Israeli attacks across Lebanon on Monday, Lebanese health ministry says

Lebanon state media says 'massive destruction' in strikes on south Beirut

Lebanese state-run media reported a series of Israeli strikes on Hezbollah's south Beirut stronghold on Tuesday causing "massive destruction" and razing four buildings, after the Israeli army warned residents to evacuate, as per an AFP report.

"Beirut's southern suburbs are still being subjected to a series of strikes, the latest of which hit the main road at Al-Kafaat, and caused massive destruction" in several south Beirut neighbourhoods, the National News Agency said.

The NNA said "four adjacent residential buildings collapsed in the Burj al-Barajneh area after the recent Israeli strike," and had earlier reported several "enemy" strikes in the area.

UK's Lammy to press for ceasefires in Middle East visit

Biden to call Israel PM on September 9

U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to hold a phone call on Wednesday (September 9) with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about any plans to strike Iran, Axios reported late on Tuesday, citing three U.S. officials.

Hezbollah ramps up rocket fire as Israel sends more troops into Lebanon

Hezbollah launched about 180 rockets across the border.

Around dozens of rockets fired by Hezbollah were aimed as far south as Haifa, and the Israeli government warned residents north of the coastal city to limit activities, prompting the closure of more schools

(The Associated Press)

Hezbollah says two Israeli infiltration attempts repelled near southern Lebanon border

Hezbollah said Wednesday that its fighters repelled two Israeli army attempts to infiltrate southern Lebanon, as Israel intensifies its ground offensive against the Iran-backed armed group.

In two separate statements, the Lebanese group said Israeli troops had tried to enter border areas near Blida in the southeast and Labouneh in the southwest, but were driven.

(Agence France-Presse)

Hezbollah millitants target Israeli soldiers with rockets near Lebanese border

Hezbollah militants targeted Israeli soldiers near the Lebanese border village of Labbouneh with artillery shells and rockets on Wednesday, the group said, a day after Israel said it had killed two successors to Hezbollah's slain leader.

The Iran-backed group, which has been launching rockets against Israel for a year in parallel with the Gaza war and is now fighting it in ground clashes, said it had pushed the troops back.

The escalation in Lebanon and the ongoing one-year-old war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has raised fears of a wider Middle East conflict that could suck in Iran and Israel's superpower ally the United States.

US President Joe Biden is slated to call Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the latter's plan to attack Iran.

(Reuters)

Iran's foreign minister rejects UK security official's 'accusations against Iran'

Tehran rejects "accusations" put forward by a British security official, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Wednesday, a day after UK's MI5 spy chief said 20 Iran-backed potentially lethal plots had been disrupted in Britain since January 2022.

(Reuters)

More 400,000 people trapped in Gaza after Israel's attack: UN

At least 18 people were killed in overnight military strikes on Gaza, Palestinian medics said on Wednesday, as Israeli forces pressed on with a raid on the Jabalia refugee camp in the enclave's north.

The Israeli military says the raid, now in its fifth day, is intended to stop Hamas fighters staging further attacks from Jabalia and to prevent them regrouping.

It has repeatedly issued evacuation orders to residents of Jabalia and nearby areas, but Palestinian and U.N. officials say there are no safe places to flee to in the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said it had received unconfirmed reports that dozens of Palestinians may have been killed in Jabalia and other areas of northern Gaza, but is unable reach them because of Israeli bombardments.

"At least 400,000 people are trapped in the area," Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the U.N. Palestinian refugee Agency (UNRWA), posted on X on Wednesday.

"Recent evacuation orders from the Israeli Authorities are forcing people to flee again & again, especially from Jabalia Camp. Many are refusing because they know too well that no place anywhere in #Gaza is safe."

(Reuters)

Hezbollah says 'clashes' with Israel troops in south Lebanon

Hezbollah said it was fighting Israeli troops in a border area in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, after announcing it had repelled two previous infiltration attempts near other frontier villages, AFP reports.

IDF claims targeted attack at Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters in Dahieh area

Russia says Hezbollah is still organised despite Israeli attacks

Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that Hezbollah was still organised and had not lost its chain of command despite Israeli strikes.

"According to our assessments, Hezbollah, including the military wing, has not lost its chain of command and is demonstrating organisation," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.

Hezbollah was formed by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the early 1980s to battle Israel. It is also a major social, religious and political movement for Lebanese Shi'ite Muslims. (Reuters)

Two people killed in northern Israel by Hezbollah rocket fire

Two people were killed in a town in northern Israel that was hit by rocket fire from Hezbollah in Lebanon on Wednesday, Israeli authorities said.

Israel's ambulance service said that a man and a woman had been killed in the town of Kirya Shmona.

The military said about 20 projectiles had been launched from Lebanon in the barrage. (Reuters)

Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah discuss post-Gaza plans

Leaders from Islamist group Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement discussed plans for cooperation after the war in Gaza in a new round of talks in Cairo on Wednesday, a Hamas official told Reuters.

The talks are the first since the two groups met in China in July and agreed steps to form a Palestinian unity government for Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

They are also part of long-running and previously unsuccessful efforts to heal a schism that hardened when Hamas seized control of Gaza in a brief conflict with Fatah in 2007.

The Hamas delegation is led by Khalil Al-Hayya, the group's Qatar-based second-in-command and chief negotiator, Hamas media official Taher Al-Nono said.

A Palestinian official said the Fatah delegation was led by Fatah's second-in-command, Mahmoud Al-Aloul. There was no immediate comment from Fatah.

"The meeting will discuss the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, and the challenges facing the Palestinian cause," Nono said.

The issue of the administration of Gaza after the end of the year-old Israel-Hamas war is one of the thorniest issues facing the Palestinians.

Israel, which began its military campaign to wipe out Hamas in Gaza after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, has ruled out the group's inclusion in a post-war administration. (Reuters)

Iran foreign minister to discuss Lebanon, Gaza ceasefire in Gulf

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will discuss bilateral issues and efforts to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza on his visit to Saudi Arabia Wednesday, a senior Iranian official said.

The Middle East has been on edge awaiting Israel's response to an Iranian missile strike last week, which Tehran carried out in retaliation for Israel's escalation against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, in a conflict running in parallel to the Gaza war. (Reuters)

Four Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in West Bank's Nablus: Health ministry

Biden, Netanyahu speak with focus on Israeli plans for retaliation against Iran

US President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, Israeli officials said, for talks expected to include a discussion of Israeli plans for a retaliatory strike on Iran.

The call, under way late Wednesday morning US time, was the leaders' first known chat since August and coincided with a sharp escalation of Israel's conflict with both Iran and Iran-backed Hezbollah with no sign of an imminent ceasefire deal to end the conflict with Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza.

The Middle East has been on edge awaiting Israel's response to a missile attack last week that Tehran carried out in retaliation for Israel's military escalation in Lebanon. The Iranian attack ultimately killed no one in Israel and Washington called it ineffective. (Reuters)

Hezbollah agreed Lebanon ceasefire before Israel killed leader: Report

Hezbollah told the Lebanese authorities it accepted a ceasefire with Israel the day an Israeli strike killed its leader Hassan Nasrallah, a government source told AFP on Wednesday.

Israel police says forces kill five Palestinian militants in West Bank

Israeli forces killed five armed Palestinian fighters in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, Israeli police said.

There was no immediate comment from Palestinian officials or militant groups. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the deaths of only four men.

The Palestinian official news agency WAFA said that Israeli special forces had opened fire on a vehicle that the men were travelling in, in the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank. (Reuters)

Israeli defence minister cited by media as saying Iran strike will be 'lethal, precise and surprising'

Israel police says forces killed five Palestinian militants in West Bank

Ramallah: Israeli forces killed five armed Palestinian fighters in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, Israeli police said.

The Palestinian health ministry has confirmed the deaths of only four men.

The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an offshoot of the Fatah party, said in a later statement on Wednesday that four of its members were "martyred after a coward assassination operation" by special forces of the Israeli army.

The Palestinian official news agency WAFA earlier said that Israeli special forces had opened fire on a vehicle the men were travelling in, in the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank.

The Palestinian movement Hamas also said while commenting on the killing of the Palestinians in Nablus: "The resistance in Nablus and all the West Bank cities will not be broken", adding that the "policy of assassinations will not succeed in weakening the people's confrontation".

Lebanon facing 'catastrophic' situation as 600,000 displaced: UN

United Nations officials warned Wednesday that Lebanon was staring down a "catastrophic" humanitarian crisis as the number of internally displaced people hit 600,000 and Israel presses its offensive against Hezbollah militants.

Hezbollah said its fighters were locked in clashes with Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, using rocket-propelled weapons to repel Israeli attempts to breach the border.

"Lebanon finds itself facing a conflict and a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic proportions," Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, told a briefing.

She expressed "hope that Israel too will now be ready to add its support to the many calls and appeals that are out there" for de-escalation.

Lebanon arrests two Syrians on suspicion of spying for Israel

The Lebanese army said Wednesday it had arrested two Syrians on suspicion of having been recruited to work for Israel, as its military bombs Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.

Lebanese army intelligence arrested two Syrians "for photographing different places... and documenting the results of enemy air strikes", an army statement on social network X said.

The arrests were "a result of surveillance and follow-up of Israeli spy networks and enemy agents", it said in the statement.

The pair had also documented "search and rescue operations and the recovery of bodies" at Israeli strike sites and were "recruited through social media", the statement said, adding that judicial authorities were investigating.

US warns Israel not to repeat Gaza destruction in Lebanon

The United States warned Israel Wednesday against any Gaza-like military action in Lebanon after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened it with "destruction" like that in the Palestinian territory.

But armed forces chief Herzi Halevi vowed to keep up Israel's intensive bombing of Hezbollah targets that has already killed more than 1,200 people since September 23, "without allowing them any respite or recovery".

The comments came after a much anticipated phone call between Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden, their first in seven weeks, which had been expected to focus on Israel's response to last week's missile barrage by Iran.

Neither side immediately put out any readout of the conversation.

The White House said the 30-minute call was "direct", "honest" and "productive".

"We're going to continue to have those discussions with Israel on how they're going to respond," Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

When asked about the call on CNN, Vice President Kamala Harris replied that it was "important" but she could not go into details because they were "classified".

Biden, Netanyahu to stay in 'close contact' as Israel vows Iran attack

Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu agreed Wednesday to stay in "close contact" as Israel mulls its response to Iran, with the US leader also urging the Israeli premier to "minimize" harm to civilians in Lebanon, the White House said.

Biden and Netanyahu's call was their first in nearly two months and came amid mounting pressure from Washington not to strike Iran's oil or nuclear facilities less than four weeks before the US presidential election.

A White House readout of the call did not directly mention possible retaliation for an Iranian missile strike on Israel last week but said Biden had condemned Tehran's attack "unequivocally" and pledged "ironclad" support for Israel.

Biden and Netanyahu "agreed to remain in close contact over the coming days, both directly and through their national security teams," the readout said, adding that Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris also joined the call.

Five paramedics killed in Israeli airstrike on civil defence centre in southern Lebanon

UN Security Council members warn Israel over laws curbing UNRWA

Members of the United Nations Security council warned Israel on Wednesday against proceeding with a law aimed at curbing the UN's Palestinian refugees agency, as per an AFP report.

Israel has long been at odds with the agency known as UNRWA and alleged that some of its employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas attacks that triggered the war in Gaza.

The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in Israel's parliament, the Knesset, approved two bills on Sunday essentially aimed at ending UNRWA's activity and privileges in Israel. These bills were quickly condemned by UN chief Antonio Guterres.

Washington's envoy to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said Wednesday that the United States was "following with deep concern the Israeli legislative proposal that could alter UNRWA's legal status."

She said it risked "hindering its ability to communicate with Israeli officials and removing privileges and immunities afforded to UN organizations and personnel around the globe."

Algeria, which along with Slovenia called the emergency Security Council meeting on the crisis in the Palestinian territories, said "for years, the Israeli authorities has made clear its desire, its will to dismantle UNRWA."

"It symbolizes the Palestinian refugees and their inviolable rights. We reiterate that the rights of Palestinian refugees are not subject to statutes of limitation," said Amar Bendjama, ambassador of non-permanent Security Council member Algeria.

All UN Security Council members that spoke were unanimous in calling for Israel to respect UNRWA's work and to protect its staff.

US calls out Israel at UN for 'catastrophic conditions' in Gaza

Israel needs to address urgently "catastrophic conditions" among Palestinian civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip and stop "intensifying suffering" by limiting aid deliveries, its ally the United States told the UN Security Council on Wednesday.

Referring to reports of squalid conditions in south and central Gaza, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said: "These catastrophic conditions were predicted months ago, and yet, have still not been addressed. That must change, and now."

"We call on Israel to take urgent steps to do so," she said in a blunt statement.

The 15-member Security Council met over the humanitarian crisis a year after a deadly attack by Palestinian militants Hamas on southern Israel sparked the war in Gaza. Israel has since laid to waste much of the enclave and almost the entire population of 2.3 million has been displaced.

Thomas-Greenfield also addressed a recent Israeli order for civilians in Gaza's north to evacuate again, saying they must be able to return to communities to rebuild.

"There must be no demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce the territory of Gaza," Thomas-Greenfield said.

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, told the Security Council: "Hundreds of thousands of people are again being pushed to move to the south, where living conditions are intolerable.

"Yet again, Gazans are teetering on the edge of a man-made famine," he said.

"We need to see fewer barriers to the delivery of aid, not more of them," Thomas-Greenfield said in response.

Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon defended his country's record: "Israel imposes no restrictions on humanitarian aid. In fact, 82% of all requests for humanitarian coordination have been approved and implemented."

He accused Hamas of diverting aid from those in Gaza who need it.

Britain's UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward told the council that Israel "must do much more" to avoid civilian casualties and ensure the UN and aid groups can operate safely and effectively in Gaza.

"Delivery of humanitarian assistance is being hindered, and humanitarian workers are constantly under threat," French UN Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere said.

More than 300 humanitarian aid workers, most of them UNRWA staff, have been killed.

Israeli 'aggression' on Hasiya city in Syria's Homs countryside: Syrian state TV

An Israeli "aggression" was happening on Hasiya industrial city in Syria's Homs countryside, Syrian state TV said early on Thursday.

Turkiye's navy starts to evacuate its citizens from Beirut as Israel battles Hezbollah

As per an AP report, over 2,000 Turkish citizens and some foreign started boarding a Turkish military ship late Wednesday that brought in aid and will take them out of a country being hit by Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah.

Zehra Cibbin, an ethnic Arab from the southeastern Turkish city of Mardin who lives in Beirut with her Lebanese husband, got off a bus packed with the other evacuees, her two children in tow and luggage in hand.

“It's indescribable. They bombed the street below our house. From that moment on, it was over for me, I said I didn't want to stay in Beirut anymore,” said Cibbin, 46.

Cibbin said they decided to leave Beirut out of fear for their lives, putting no thought into what will happen when they arrive in Turkiye.

She spoke right before getting in line to board the TCG Bayraktar amphibious landing vessel, which along with the TCG Sancaktar will take on evacuees.

They are part of a six-ship convoy including escorts that set sail from the southern Turkish port of Mersin early Wednesday, transported 300 tons of humanitarian supplies, including food, hygiene kits, kitchenware, tents, beds and blankets.

Besides the Turkish citizens, people from Bulgaria, Romania and Kazakhstan were among those who applied to evacuate on the ships. Officials did not provide numbers.

Oil prices rise on Israel-Iran conflict fears and US storm

Oil prices rose in early Asian trade on Thursday on concerns about potential supply disruptions in the Middle East, with Israel planning to strike oil-producer Iran, and on spikes in fuel demand as a major storm barreled into Florida.

Brent crude futures rose 37 cents, or 0.5 per cent, to $76.95 a barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures was up 35 cents, also 0.5 per cent, at $73.59 a barrel at 0034 GMT.

The world's largest oil producer and consumer has been hit by a second major storm, Hurricane Milton, which made landfall on Florida's west coast, spawning tornadoes and threatening surges of seawater.

The storm has already driven up demand for gasoline in the state, with about a quarter of fuel stations selling out of supplies, which has helped support crude prices.

Further underpinning prices, investors remained wary of a potential escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran, with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant promising an Israeli strike against Iran would be "lethal, precise and surprising". (Reuters)

Another Hezbollah commander eliminated, says Israel

Ahmad Moustafa al-Haj Ali, commander of the Houla Front of Hezbollah who was responsible for hundreds of missile and anti-tank missile attacks toward the Kiryat Shmona area, has been eliminated, Israel said on the IDF's official Telegram channel.

OPINION | Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is the right target for Israel

The IRGC isn’t the Iranian military. It’s a favored parallel set of armed forces and intelligence agencies that acts as a roughly 180,000-strong Praetorian guard for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

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IDF continues ops in Lebanon, Gaza

16 Palestinians killed in Israeli strike on school sheltering displaced people in Gaza, medics say

At least 16 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in an Israeli airstrike on the Rufaida School in western Deir Al-Balah, which shelters displaced people in the central Gaza Strip, medics told Reuters on Thursday. (Reuters)

42,065 Palestinians killed in Gaza, health ministry says

 More than 42,065 Palestinians have been killed and 97,886 injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement on Thursday. (Reuters)

Israeli troops fire at 3 UNIFIL positions in southern Lebanon, UN source says

Israeli troops opened fire at three positions held by UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon on Thursday, according to a UN source who was not immediately able to specify the type of fire.

The source said one of the locations fired at was UNIFIL's main base at Naqoura.

There was no official statement from UNIFIL or immediate comment from the Israeli military.

Hezbollah said earlier it had targeted an Israeli tank with guided missiles while it was advancing to the border area of Ras al-Naqoura, before attacking an Israeli force with a missile salvo while the force was trying to pull injured soldiers out of the area.

UNIFIL had said on Sunday that it was "deeply concerned by recent activities" by the Israeli military near a peacekeeper position in southwestern Lebanon. (Reuters)

Stop Israel from bombing Iran's oil sites, Gulf states urge US

Gulf states are lobbying Washington to stop Israel from attacking Iran's oil sites because they are concerned their own oil facilities could come under fire from Tehran's proxies if the conflict escalates, three Gulf sources told Reuters.

As part of their attempts to avoid being caught in the crossfire, Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are also refusing to let Israel fly over their airspace for any attack on Iran and have conveyed this to Washington, the three sources close to government circles said.

Israel has promised Iran will pay for its missile attack last week while Tehran has said any retaliation would be met with vast destruction, raising fears of a wider war in the region that could suck in the United States.

The moves by the Gulf states come after a diplomatic push by non-Arab Shi'ite Iran to persuade its Sunni Gulf neighbours to use their influence with Washington amid rising concerns Israel could target Iran's oil production facilities. (Reuters)

US moved 1,000 citizens out of war-hit Lebanon via Turkey

Italy says Israeli firing at UN Lebanon peacekeepers 'unacceptable'

Lebanon envoy urges pressure on Israel to end military campaigns, allow humanitarian relief

Lebanon and other states called for more pressure on Israel to end its military campaigns in the Middle East at a meeting at the U.N. in Geneva on Thursday, saying that it was repeating its Gaza methods in Lebanon with catastrophic consequences.

Pakistan, as head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, hosted the meeting to examine the humanitarian situation a year into the Gaza war, triggered by the Hamas-led attack in which 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Addressing assembled U.N. officials and ambassadors, the Palestinian ambassador said the pain of a year of conflict in Gaza was "indescribable", while Lebanon's envoy accused Israel of using the "same sinister playbook" in his country as in Gaza.

Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed over 42,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities, and reduced much of the coastal enclave to rubble.

Since Israel intensified its military actions against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah last month, more than 1,000 people have been killed and one million have fled their homes, Lebanon authorities say.

Israel says it targets military capabilities in Lebanon and Gaza and takes steps to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians in both places. It accuses Hezbollah and Hamas of hiding among civilians, which they deny. (Reuters)

Israel recommends Lebanon peace keepers move, says UN envoy

Israel is focused on fighting Hezbollah and recommends that the United Nations peacekeeping force (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon move north, Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said on Thursday after Israeli forces fired on several U.N. positions.

"Our recommendation is that UNIFIL relocate 5 km (3 miles) north to avoid danger as fighting intensifies and while the situation along the Blue Line remains volatile as a result of Hezbollah's aggression," Danon said in a statement.

He said that "Israel has no desire to be in Lebanon, but it will do what is necessary" to force Hezbollah away from its northern border so 70,000 residents can return to their homes in northern Israel. (Reuters)

Israeli strike hits central Beirut

At least 11 people killed in Israeli airstrikes that hit two different areas in central Beirut

According to an AP report, at least 11 people were killed and 48 wounded in Israeli airstrikes that hit two different areas in central Beirut on Thursday evening, Lebanon's health ministry said.

In one of the areas struck — Ras al-Nabaa — the lower half of an eight-story apartment building was damaged. Explosions were ongoing inside the building. A large number of ambulances were at the scene.

The second strike, in the area of Burj Abi Haidar, collapsed an entire building, which was engulfed in flames.

Lebanese officials raise toll from Israeli strikes in central Beirut to 18 killed, 92 wounded

France, Britain grant Palestinian Authority cash lifeline

As per an AFP report, France and Britain has granted 19.7 million dollars (18 million euros) in emergency aid to the Palestinian Authority on Thursday to help fund health and education services in the occupied West Bank, officials said.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) faces "persistent challenges" due to the war in Gaza, violence in the West Bank, and the Israeli government's withholding of customs revenue, Palestinian Planning and International Cooperation Minister Wael Zaqout said.

"This financing is part of the emergency fund framework to guarantee the continuity of vital services in education and health", he told a press conference in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah.

The aid will be channeled to the Palestinian Authority via an emergency fund created in 2021 by the World Bank to keep the Palestinian economy afloat.

Senior Hezbollah figure Wafiq Safa survives Israeli strike in Beirut, sources say

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon say 'we are staying' despite Israeli attacks

United Nations peacekeepers are determined to remain at their posts in southern Lebanon despite Israeli attacks in recent days and orders by Israel's advancing military to leave, the force's spokesperson said on Thursday.

Andrea Tenenti said the Israeli attacks on the peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, on Wednesday and Thursday had wounded two of their members and knocked out some of their monitoring capabilities.

"Definitely, this is probably one of the most serious events or incidents that we've been witnessing in the last 12 months," Tenenti said in an interview, referring to exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

The force's 50 contributing countries had agreed on Thursday to keep deploying more than 10,400 peacekeepers between the Litani River in the north and the UN-recognized boundary between Lebanon and Israel known as the Blue Line in the south.

"We are there because the (UN) Security Council has asked us to be there. So we are staying until the situation becomes impossible for us to operate," Tenenti added.

UNIFIL said an Israeli tank fired at a watchtower at the force's main headquarters in Naqoura on Thursday, hitting the tower and causing two peacekeepers to fall out of it.

Israeli troops also fired at a nearby position, damaging vehicles and a communications system, and on Wednesday "deliberately fired at and disabled" cameras monitoring the area, the peacekeeping force said in a statement.

Israel said its troops operated on Thursday near a UNIFIL base in Naqoura but said it instructed the UN forces in the area to remain in protected spaces, then opened fire.

UNIFIL is mandated by the Security Council to help the Lebanese army keep the country's south free of weapons and armed personnel other than those of the state. That has sparked friction with Iran-backed Hezbollah, which effectively controls the area.

Tenenti said the attacks had limited the group's monitoring abilities but that it still had crucial work to do "assisting local NGOs and also UN agencies, to bring the much-needed food and border to all these villages."

About 1.2 million people have been displaced by Israel's escalating operations in Lebanon in recent weeks, including airstrikes, artillery fire and ground incursions in the south.

"Thousands of people have left, but thousands are still stuck in this area. So deconflicting is very important. That has been very, very challenging," Tenenti said.

Civilians flee Gaza's Jabalia in tightening Israeli siege

22 people killed in Israeli airstrikes in central Beirut; Strike on Gaza school kills 27

Lebanon's health ministry raised the toll of Israeli strikes on Beirut on Thursday to 22 killed and 117 injured -- the deadliest attacks in the centre of the capital since Israel escalated its campaign last month.

"The Israeli enemy's attacks on the capital Beirut this evening resulted in a new toll of 22 people killed and 117 injured," the ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli airstrikes left two neighbourhoods smoldering, further escalating Israel's bloody conflict with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, as per an AP report.

Yemen's Huthis claim two ship attacks

Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels claimed responsibility Thursday for two attacks on commercial vessels, with a British maritime agency confirming one ship had been struck and damaged.

A military spokesman for the Huthis, Yahya Saree, said the tanker Olympic Spirit had been "targeted by 11 ballistic missiles and two drones and it was directly and severely hit" while sailing in the Red Sea.

Saree said the Liberia-flagged vessel was an "American oil tanker".

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), run by the British navy, said earlier that a vessel had been hit by an "unknown projectile and the vessel has sustained damage, no fires or casualties reported".

Ambrey, a maritime security firm, said the chemicals tanker was hit on its bridge, "causing light damage", 73 nautical miles southwest of Hodeida, a port city held by the Huthis.

The ship, which was travelling from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to Muscat in Oman, later reported two more explosions nearby, UKMTO and Ambrey said.

"The crew are reported safe. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity," UKMTO added.

Saree said that the Huthis had also targeted a vessel called St. John in the Indian Ocean because the owner had violated a "ban on access to the ports of occupied Palestine by the company that owns the ship".

Relief as Lebanon evacuees dock in Turkey

Exhausted but relieved, hundreds of Turkish citizens and their families docked in southern Turkey late Thursday after being evacuated from war-torn Lebanon on two naval ships sent by Ankara.

"The situation is very bad back in Beirut. My kids were very scared. We are the lucky ones," Esra Gongu, a mother in her thirties told AFP on disembarking from the TCG Bayraktar which docked at 9:00 pm (1800 GMT) after a 13-hour journey.

A second boat, the TCG Sancaktar, was to land at midnight, officials said.

Canada says Israeli troops firing on Lebanon peacekeepers is unacceptable

Canada, which has been largely supportive of Israel's military offensive in Lebanon, on Thursday said an incident in which Israeli troops fired on U.N peacekeepers was "alarming and unacceptable."

The UNIFIL force said two of its peacekeepers were injured when an Israeli tank fired at a watchtower at the force's main headquarters in Ras al-Naqoura.

"Canada calls for the protection of peacekeepers and humanitarian workers, and for all parties to comply with international humanitarian law," the foreign ministry said in a statement posted on social media platform X.

UN peacekeepers say Israel fired on Lebanon HQ, injuring 2

Israeli forces fired on United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon and wounded two of them Thursday, according to the UN force, which called it “a grave violation of international humanitarian law.”

The episode, which injured two soldiers from Indonesia, drew international criticism from countries including France, Italy and Spain as the Israeli military waged a ground operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon that has killed more than 2,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands since the war broke out, Lebanese officials said.

The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, commonly known by its acronym, UNIFIL, said an Israeli tank had fired toward and “directly” hit an observation tower at the force’s headquarters in Naqoura, Lebanon, and that soldiers had struck the entrance of a bunker at a separate base nearby where peacekeepers were sheltering.

The U.N. force condemned the strike, saying in a statement Thursday that it was following up with the Israeli military, which said that it was “looking into the reports.”

The episode came on the same day that an Israeli strike hit central Beirut, according to Lebanon’s state media. The Lebanese Health Ministry said it had killed 18 and wounded 48 others, as per NYT.

'Like a quake': Beirut shaken after deadliest strikes on centre

Loud bangs sounded, thick columns of smoke rose and ambulance sirens rang throughout the night as deadly Israeli strikes hit residential areas of central Beirut on Thursday evening, as per an AFP report.

The Israeli attacks hit two central Beirut locations, killing 22 people and injuring over 100, Lebanon's health ministry said.

They were the deadliest such attacks to target central Beirut since Israel intensified its bombardment campaign on the country two weeks ago.

In the working-class district of Basta, whose inhabitants are largely Sunni and Shiite Muslim, two old buildings of three or four floors had collapsed.

Around a kilometre away (less than a mile), a Beirut resident was still reeling from the terrifying sound of the blast.

"I'm not scared usually, but it was like an earthquake," she said, adding that she wanted to flee the area.

Rescuers pointed large spotlights at the rubble to see in the dark.

Dozens of men, some in yellow vests, worked to clear the debris with shovels, some stepping in mud after a pipe appeared to have burst.

"Watch out, there's a hole over there," one called out.

Several wounded people lay by the side of the road, while others collected their clothes in bags as they prepared to flee the area.

Israel has repeatedly pounded Beirut's southern suburbs, the bastion of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, over the last two weeks but Thursday's raid was only the third time the city centre has been targeted.

Israel attacked field hospital on Syria-Lebanon border: Iranian Red Crescent

According to Al Jazeera, The director of the organisation said the medical facility, along with equipment, supplies and ambulances were destroyed in the attack.

“Supplies including food, medical items and equipment were stationed there, clearly marked with Red Crescent flags,” said Pir Hossein Kolivand, head of the Iranian Red Crescent.

“It was evident from the air, from the ground, that the location was designated for healthcare services, emergency relief and temporary shelter. Unfortunately, earlier this morning, the site was targeted by the Zionist regime. Everything was destroyed,” he said.

Israel launches further attacks on Gaza through fighter jets, helicopters

The Israeli military has carried out attacks in the north of the Gaza Strip in recent hours, Al Jazeera reported, citing local sources.

Israeli helicopters have also launched an air attack on the al-Hakr area in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza.

No casualties have been reported so far following these attacks.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad head eliminated, says IDF

In a statement, the IDF said, "Yesterday, the IDF and ISA eliminated the head of the Islamic Jihad’s network in Nur Shams, as well as an additional terrorist.

During joint IDF and the ISA counterterrorism activity yesterday (Thursday), an IAF aircraft struck in the area of Tulkarm and eliminated Muhammad Abdullah, head of the Islamic Jihad’s terror network in Nur Shams. Alongside him, an additional terrorist was eliminated.

Abdullah was the successor of Muhammad Jabber (Abu Shujaa), head of the terrorist network in Tulkarm who was eliminated by the IDF and ISA on August 29 by the Israeli Police. "

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera, quoting Wafa news agency, confirmed that Iyad Muhammad Abdullah, from Nur Shams, and Awad Jamil Saqr Omar from Bal’a town in the Tulkarem governorate were killed in a drone strike on a car east of Tulkarem city on Thursday evening.

UAV tried to infiltrate into country, intercepted: IDF

EU chief says Israeli fire on UN peacekeeper base 'not acceptable'

"An attack against a UN peace mission is not responsible, is not acceptable and that's why we call on Israel and we call on all sides to fully respect international humanitarian law," the European Council president told AFP.

Scenes from last nights air strike on Beirut

Infant among 4 killed in Israeli attack on shelter

Israel has bombed a clinic in Gaza that was being used as a shelter, Al Jazeera reported. At least four people have been killed and many others wounded.

Turkey condemns Israeli attacks against UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

Turkey condemns Israel's attacks targeting the UN peacekeepers in Lebanon (UNIFIL), its foreign ministry said late on Thursday, adding Ankara would continue supporting similar peacekeeping initiatives and structures.

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Another Hezbollah unit commander eliminated, say IDF

In a statement, IDF said that they eliminated Araeb el Shoga, a commander in the Hezbollah Radwan Forces’ Anti-tank Missile Unit.

IDF say El Araeb was responsible for numerous anti-tank missile attacks on the area of Ramot Naftali in northern Israel.

2 civilians injured from anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon crossed into Israel: IDF

IDF, in a statement said, "Over the past hour, an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon crossed into Israel, fell in the area of Yir’on, and injured two civilians in the area."

One killed in Israeli attack on Northern Gaza

One person has been killed and many wounded in an Israeli bombing that targeted a house in al-Saftawi neighborhood in northern Gaza City, Al Jazeera reported.

Sixteen Palestinians rescued in Gaza’s Jabalia camp

The spokesman for the civil defence agency says 11 trapped people who were wounded in Israeli attacks have been evacuated from the home of the “Abu Saqr” family in the Bir an-Naaja area in the northern Gaza camp.

Five others, who were trapped in a house at the Six Martyrs Roundabout, have also been rescued, according to the statement on Telegram.

Two wounded in another Israeli attack on UN peacekeepers

Israeli media is reporting that there has been another attack by Israeli forces on the UN peacekeeping forces near the border with Lebanon. Two people have been wounded, Al Jazeera reported

Iran President says Israel is behaving the way it is because it knows it has the US and the EU behind it

Israeli attack on UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon is a 'denounced crime': Lebanon's Caretaker Prime Minister

Rafah bombed by Israeli helicopters , Al Jazeera reports

UN's Guterres says all-out war in Lebanon must be avoided

An escalation of conflicts in the Middle East is a serious threat to global security and everything must be done to avoid all-out war in Lebanon, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday.

Guterres, speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos, also condemned Israeli attacks that wounded U.N. personnel. He said peacekeepers must be protected.

Over 100 medics and emergency workers killed in Lebanon conflict, UN rights office says

The UN human rights office said on Friday that over 100 medics and emergency workers had been killed in Lebanon since a conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began a year ago.

"In all, over 100 medical and emergency workers have been killed across Lebanon since October last year," spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told a UN briefing without giving details of when or where they were killed.

Inviolability of UN premises must be respected by all: MEA on Israeli attacks

Putin holds talks with Iran's president in Turkmenistan, AFP reports

Spanish PM urges international community to stop arming Israel, reports AFP

Israel says Islamic Jihad commander killed in West Bank, reports AFP

Tehran will not hesitate to take 'stronger defensive actions': Iran foreign minister warns Israel

Iran foreign minister Seyed Abbas wrote a letter to his counterparts saying, "Islamic Republic of Iran is fully prepared to take stronger defensive actions, if necessary, in response to any further aggression, and will not hesitate to do so."

He also emphasized that the unlimited impunity granted to Israel has led to its expanding aggressions, particularly against Lebanon, through widespread airstrikes on residential areas using US -made bunker-buster bombs

Israel military chief held security assessment in south Lebanon, army says

Israel's military chief and the head of its Shin Ben security agency held a security assessment inside southern Lebanon on Thursday, the military said on Friday.

"We continue to operate against the enemy and will not stop until we ensure that we can safely return the residents (evacuated from the north), not just now, but with a future outlook," said Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi in a video of the gathering released by the military.

"If anyone considers rebuilding these villages again, they will know that it's not worth constructing terrorist infrastructure because the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) will neutralize them again."

Ronen Bar, who heads the Shin Bet, said that "on a peaceful border, defense is on one side; on a wartime border, defense must be on both sides of the border with freedom of action."

UNRWA chief says it has been an objective of the war to get rid of the agency

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), said on Friday it has almost been an objective of the ongoing war to get rid of the agency, adding that UNRWA will have clarity on funding from the United States in the beginning of 2025.

UK govt says 'appalled' by reports Israel fired on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, reports AFP

UN officials concerned about impact of north Gaza evacuation orders on polio campaign

United Nations officials voiced concerns on Friday that an Israeli offensive and evacuation orders in northern Gaza might affect the second phase of its polio vaccination campaign set to start next week.

Aid groups carried out an initial round of vaccinations last month, after a baby was partially paralysed by the type 2 polio virus in August, in the first such case in the territory in 25 years.

As in the first phase, humanitarian pauses in the fighting in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are planned in order to reach hundreds of thousands of children.

In Gaza's north, the Israeli military has been pursuing an offensive in recent days, sending its troops into Jabalia, the largest of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps, and the nearby towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya.

"I am of course, concerned about the developments in the north, and specifically with these evacuation orders," Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the occupied Palestinian territory, told reporters in Geneva, saying dozens of healthcare facilities across the Strip were under such orders by the Israeli military.

Hezbollah claims it targeted Israeli military base, reports Al Jazeera

Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law: UNIFIL

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has confirmed in a statement that two of its employees were injured in explosions for the second time in 48 hours.

The statement read, "This morning, UNIFIL’s Naqoura headquarters was affected by explosions for the second time in the last 48 hours. Two peacekeepers were injured after two explosions occurred close to an observation tower. One injured peacekeeper was taken to a hospital in Tyre, while the second is being treated in Naqoura.

"Today, several T-walls at our UN position 1-31, near the Blue Line in Labbouneh, fell when an IDF caterpillar hit the perimeter and IDF tanks moved in the proximity of the UN position. Our peacekeepers remained at the location, and a UNIFIL Quick Reaction Force was dispatched to assist and reinforce the position.

"These incidents put again UN peacekeepers, who are serving in south Lebanon at the request of the Security Council under resolution 1701 (2006), at very serious risks.

"This is a serious development, and UNFIL reiterates that the safety and security of UN personnel and property must be guaranteed and that the inviolability of UN premises must be respected at all times.  Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and Security Council resolution 1701 (2006)."

UN force in Lebanon: Israeli military bulldozers hit barriers at UN position

UN interim forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Friday that an Israeli military (IDF) bulldozer knocked over barriers at UN position 1-31 near the Blue Line in Labbouneh, and IDF tanks moved into the proximity of the UN position.

France has summoned Israel's ambassador over Israeli military shots at UNIFIL mission in Lebanon

EU expected to issue first sanctions for Iranian ballistic missile transfer to Russia, official says

The European Union will designate individuals or organisations for sanctions over Iranian transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, a high-ranking EU official said on Friday.

"We also expect ... on Monday a first package of designations in the context of Iran's transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia," the official told reporters.

Ireland says Israel increasingly hostile to UN troops, reports AFP

UNRWA chief says many Palestinians camps in Lebanon empty after Israeli strikes

Most Palestinian refugees living in camps in southern Lebanon or near Beirut have fled following escalating Israeli strikes, the head of the United Nations agency on Palestine refugees said on Friday, drawing parallels with mass displacement in Gaza.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini told Reuters that the agency continued to provide services to the most vulnerable left behind - and that repeatedly fleeing was sadly "part of the history" of Palestinians.

"Now, that's part, unfortunately, of the plight, but if you compare with what happened also in Gaza recently, you might have heard me describing how people are constantly being moved like pinballs. And one of the fears is that we replicate a situation similar to the one we have seen until now in Gaza," he said.

Israel has ramped up strikes across southern Lebanon and on Beirut's once-densely populated southern suburbs over the last three weeks, issuing evacuation warnings for more than 100 towns in southern Lebanon and neighbourhoods near the capital.

They include evacuation warnings and strikes on the Burj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut's southern suburbs and Rashidiyeh Palestinian refugee camp near the southern coastal city of Tyre.

Two Lebanese killed in Israeli strike on southern Lebanon, army says

Lebanon's army said two people were killed and three others injured after Israeli forces targeted one of its military posts in southern Lebanon's Kafra.

Israel says conducting 'thorough review' after UN peacekeepers fired on, reports AFP

Hezbollah's priority is defeating Israel, open to efforts to stop the attacks, group's official

Hezbollah's priority right now is defeating Israel militarily but it is open to any efforts to stop "the aggression", the head of Lebanese group's media office, Mohammad Afif, said in a televised press conference on Friday. 

Hezbollah operates near UNIFIL posts to endanger civilians and UN personnel, says Israel

Trump makes request for military aircraft and vehicles amid Iran threat, reports Washington Post

US Pentagon urges Israel to ensure safety of UNIFIL forces in Lebanon

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Friday he urged his counterpart in Israel to ensure the safety of UNIFIL forces in Lebanon, after the group said that two U.N. peacekeepers had been injured in the country's south.

"I urged ensuring the safety of UNIFIL forces and coordinating efforts to pivot from military operations to a diplomatic pathway as soon as feasible," Austin said in a post on X following his call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday night.

IDF claims 100 rockets fired at northern Israel from Lebanon in a single hour, reports Al Jazeera

In a report by Al Jazeera, IDF has claimed a wave of 80 rockets was fired from Lebanon, some of which were intercepted. 

80 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory. Some of the projectiles were intercepted. Fallen projectiles were identified.

In the second wave, 20 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory.

In a statement IDF said, "IDF fighter jets struck several Hezbollah launchers from which rockets were fired toward northern Israel earlier today."

Aftermath of an Israeli strike in Beirut

Italy PM says firing on Lebanon UN peacekeepers 'not acceptable', reports AFP

At least 13 Palestinians killed following Israeli strikes on a house in Gaza's Jabalia, medics say

Two drones crossed over from Lebanon after sirens sounded, says Israeli military

Israel's military said two drones from Lebanon were detected late on Friday following sirens that sounded in central Israel, adding that no casualties had been reported.

The military successfully intercepted one drone as both "UAVs were monitored from the moment when they crossed the Lebanese border," the army added in a statement.

Nicaragua breaks diplomatic relations with Israel

Nicaragua is breaking off diplomatic relations with Israel, the Central American nation said on Friday, calling the Israeli government "fascist" and "genocidal."

Nicaragua's government, in a statement, said the break in relations was due to Israel's attacks on Palestinian territories.

The nation's congress had, earlier in the day, passed a resolution requesting Nicaragua take action to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the Gaza war.

(Reuters)

Israel-Hamas war cause of concern: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at VIjayadashami Utsav in Nagpur.

IN PICS | Ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces

Hezbollah fires at Israel as wars rage on Yom Kippur: Report

Hezbollah said it launched a salvo of missiles at an Israeli military base on Saturday, as Israeli troops battled militants in Lebanon and Gaza on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, AFP reported

At least 42,175 Palestinians killed, 98,336 injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since Oct 7, says health ministry

Nearly all three branches of Iran's government hit by heavy cyberattacks, and their information stolen: Report

"Our nuclear facilities have also been targeted by cyberattacks, as well as networks like fuel distribution, municipal networks, transportation networks, ports, and similar sectors. These are just part of a long list of various areas across the country that have been attacked," Iran International English quoted Firouzabadi, the ex-secretary of Iran's Supreme Council of Cyberspace as saying.

Israel orders Lebanese to evacuate north of Awali river

The Israeli military has ordered residents of 22 southern Lebanese villages to evacuate to areas north of the Awali River, according to a statement released on Saturday. 

Israel a concrete threat to regional and global peace, Erdogan

Iran parliament speaker visits site of deadliest Israeli strike in central Beirut: AFP

Sirens go off in Haifa again following reports of Israeli drone strike in Lebanon

Russia, Syria, Iran should take measures after Israel's strike on Damascus, Erdogan says

ussia, Syria and Iran should take more effective measures to protect Syria's territorial integrity, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said, when asked about Israel's recent strike on Damascus.

"We will defend an urgent and permanent peace in Syria...Israel is the most concrete threat to regional and global peace," Erdogan said in an interview with Turkish media.

"It is essential that Russia, Iran and Syria take more effective measures against this situation, which poses the greatest threat to Syria's territorial integrity," according to a readout of the interview from the presidency.  (Reuters)

Hezbollah says launched drone attack on air base in north Israel's Haifa: AFP

UN force tells AFP refused Israeli requests to quit south Lebanon positions

A spokesman for UN peacekeepers in Lebanon Saturday said Israel had requested it leave its positions in south Lebanon where Israel is clashing with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, but they had refused.They asked us to withdraw "from the positions along the Blue Line... or up to five kilometers (three miles) from the Blue Line," UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti told AFP, using the term for the demarcation line between both countries. "But there was a unanimous decision to stay."

320 projectiles fired into Israel from Lebanon, IDF says

Israeli strikes kill 19 people in Gaza, medics say, as tanks push deeper in the north

Israeli military strikes on Gaza overnight killed at least 19 Palestinians, medics said on Saturday, while forces continued to push deeper into the Jabalia area, where international relief agencies say thousands of people are trapped.

Hezbollah fighting Israeli troops near Lebanon's Ramiya village; third UN peacekeeper wounded

US says Israel has narrowed down targets for strike on Iran

US officials believe Israel has narrowed down targets in its response to Iran's recent attack to military and energy infrastructure, NBC reported on Saturday.

There is no indication that Israel will target nuclear facilities or carry out assassinations, the report said citing unnamed US officials, adding that Israel has not made final decisions about how and when to act.

US and Israeli officials said a response could come during the current Yom Kippur holiday, according to the report.

Israel has repeatedly said it will respond to Iran's missile attack on Oct. 1, launched in retaliation for Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Gaza and the killing of a Hamas leader in Iran. (Reuters)

40 countries, including India, China condemn 'attack' on UN positions

Without naming Israel, 40 countries including major contributors to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) such as India and Italy, strongly condemned attacks on UN peacekeeping forces.

The peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, had earlier accused the Israeli military of "deliberately" firing on its positions.

Israel releases footage of strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon

Israeli Air Force says it has intercepted five projectiles fired into Israel from Lebanon

Eight of a family killed in Gaza by Israeli strike

As Israeli strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza late on Saturday left eight members of a family dead, Associated Press reported.

The deceased include the two parents and their six children, aged eight to 23 years.

Red Cross medics injured by strike during rescue mission in Lebanon

News agency AFP reported that a team of paramedics sustained injuries during a rescue mission in south Lebanon after a strike at the rescue site.

Iran lashes out at 'illegal and unjustified' US sanctions on oil industry

Tehran on "condemned" the expansion of US sanctions against the Iranian oil industry, calling them "illegal and unjustified", reported news agency AFP.

Sirens ring out across northern Israel after projectiles from Lebanon intercepted

Sirens were sounded in Acre and surrounding communities, Shtula, and Yir'on, the IDF said on its Telegram channel.

Earlier, Israel had intercepted five projectiles fired from Lebanon.

Israeli tanks deepen their push into the northern Gaza Strip

Israeli forces widened their raid into northern Gaza, and tanks reached the north edge of Gaza City, pounding some districts of the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, residents said, forcing many families to leave their homes.

Residents said Israeli forces have effectively isolated Beit Hanoun, Jabalia, and Beit Lahiya in the far north of the enclave from Gaza City, blocking access between the two areas except upon their permission for families willing to leave the three towns, heeding evacuation orders.

Gaza's health ministry said the eight-day-old Israeli incursions in the north have so far killed dozens of Palestinians, with dozens of others feared dead on roads and under rubble of their houses, beyond the reach of medical teams. (Reuters)

IDF says several soldiers injured during ops in south Lebanon

On its official Telegram channel, the IDF said that two soldiers suffered major injuries during ops in southern Lebanon, adding that several others had suffered light-to-moderate injuries during combat.

Israel slams Nobel Peace Prize-winning org for comparing atom bomb horror to Gaza children's experiences

Israel's ambassador to Japan on Sunday criticised a member of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize-winning organisation Nihon Hidankyo—a group of atomic bomb survivors—for comparing their experiences to those of children in Gaza.

According to a report by AFP, the Israeli ambassador said, "Such comparisons distort history and dishonor the victims" of the October 7 attack by Hamas.

IDF captured Hezbollah fighter in south Lebanon tunnel, reports AFP

The Israeli military said that it has captured a Hezbollah fighter in south Lebanon tunnel, reports AFP.

Iran has 'no red lines' in defending its people and interests, foreign minister says

Iran has "no red lines" when it comes to defending its people and interests, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on X on Sunday, as the region braces for Israel's retaliation following Iran's recent missile attack.

Netanyahu tells UN chief to move peacekeepers in Lebanon out of 'harm's way immediately', reports AFP

Israeli military orders evacuation of 21 Lebanese villages amid intensified attacks

The Israeli military ordered residents on Sunday of 21 more Lebanese villages to evacuate to areas north of the Awali River which flows through southern Lebanon, as it intensifies its attacks in the region.

Hezbollah claims clashes ongoing with with Israeli troops at Lebanese border, reports AFP

Despite US concerns about 'all-out war', Iran shares data showing record arms shipments to Israel

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) Iran Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi wrote, "The US has been delivering record amount of arms to Israel. It is now also putting lives of its troops at risk by deploying them to operate US missile systems in Israel.

"While we have made tremendous efforts in recent days to contain an all-out war in our region, I say it clearly that we have no red lines in defending our people and interests."

He also posted a graph showcasing US' military aid to Israel from 1959- 2024.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday there was deep concern in Asia about the prospect of conflict spreading in the Middle East, as the UN chief called for everything possible to be done to avoid "all-out war" in Lebanon.

"The intense focus of the United States, which has been the case going back a year... (is) preventing these conflicts from spreading. And we're working on that every day," Blinken told a press conference."We're working very hard through deterrence and through diplomacy to prevent that from happening. There's also obviously deep concern that we share about the plight of children, women, and men in Gaza.

"The US has stressed to Israel the importance of meeting the humanitarian needs of people in Gaza, Blinken said, adding it was in Israel's interest that people forced from their homes by hostilities in Lebanon are able to return.

Israeli foreign minister reiterates UN Chief Guterres is persona non grata over Iran stance

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz reiterated on Sunday that the country considers UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres persona non grata due to his failure to condemn Iran's missile attack and what Katz described as antisemitic and anti-Israel conduct.

Katz had said on October 2 that he was barring UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from entering the country because he had not "unequivocally" condemned the missile attack.

Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on October 1 amid an escalation in fighting between Israel and its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah. Many were intercepted in flight but some penetrated missile defences.

Iraq opposes exploitation of own airspace by Israel; warns against spreading war to Iran, reports AFP

The Paris-based news organization reported the Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein saying, "The continuation of the war and its expansion towards the Islamic Republic of Iran and (Israel's) exploitation of Iraqi airspace as a corridor is completely unacceptable and rejected."

Iran says 'fully prepared for war situation', reports AFP

115 projectiles fired by Hezbollah into Israel, says IDF

In a statement the Israeli military said that 115 projectiles that were fired by the Hezbollah have crossed from Lebanon into Israel.

Lebanon PM condemns Netanyahu's demand for withdrawal of UNIFIL troops, reports AFP

Italy's Meloni tells Israel's Netanyahu attacks on UN peacekeepers are unacceptable

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has told her Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu that attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon are unacceptable, her office said on Sunday.

"Prime Minister Meloni reiterated the unacceptability of UNIFIL being attacked by Israeli armed forces," the Italian government said in a statement.

Italy is a significant contributor to the UN mission known as UNIFIL.

In a phone conversation with Netanyahu, Meloni also called for the "full implementation" of the UN's Security Council Resolution 1701 on Lebanon and stressed the urgent need for a de-escalation of conflict in the region, her office said.

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon say Israeli tanks destroyed their main gate

The UNIFIL peacekeeping force in Lebanon said that it had reported additional Israeli violations against its positions in the country, including what it described as the forcible entry of Israeli tanks through its main gate on Sunday.

Amid war crime allegations, Hezbollah says Israel using banned cluster bombs, reports Al Jazzera

Hezbollah accused Israel of bombing towns in southern Lebanon with cluster munitions, reports Al Jazeera.

More than 100 nations have signed an accord under the Convention on Cluster Munitions to ban the production, stockpiling, use and transfer of cluster bombs. Among signatories of the accord are United Kingdom, Germany and Canada.

Trump says he spoke with Netanyahu "like two days ago"

Former President Donald Trump, who is the Republican presidential candidate, said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "like two days ago."

Trump made the comments in a Fox News interview that aired on Sunday.

Tehran ready to respond to any misstep by Israel, says Iran Revolutionary Guards Aerospace commander Hajizadeh

Iran Revolutionary Guards Aerospace commander Hajizadeh says Tehran ready to respond to any misstep by Israel

Pentagon says will send THAAD missile defence system to Israel, reports AFP

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, designed to intercept and destroy short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missile threats in their terminal phase of flight.

Israel's UN envoy: 'Incomprehensible' that UN keeping Lebanon peacekeepers in line of fire

Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon said on Sunday it was "incomprehensible" that the United Nations would not move peacekeepers out of areas in southern Lebanon where Israeli forces are battling Hezbollah militants.

He also said in a statement the details of an incident on Sunday involving the UN peacekeeping mission, known as UNIFIL, were being investigated.

"Hezbollah terrorists are using UNIFIL outposts as hiding places and as places of ambushes. The UN's insistence on keeping the UNIFIL soldiers in the line of fire is incomprehensible," Danon said.

Israeli military says tank entered UNIFIL post in Lebanon during soldier evacuation

The Israeli military said that one of its tanks entered several metres into a UNIFIL post in southern Lebanon while attempting to evacuate injured soldiers on Sunday.

In a statement, the military said its actions posed no danger to the UN peackeeping force.

At least 20 people hurt by drone hit in northern Israel, N12 News reports

A drone attack wounded at least 20 people in the northern Israel town of Binyamina on Sunday, N12 News television said.

The head of Israel's ambulance service said that at least five were badly hurt.

Israeli rescue service says almost 40 people wounded in Hezbollah drone strike in central Israel, reports AP

Lebanon's Hezbollah says it launched drone attack on north Israeli town

At least 13 Palestinians killed in Israeli attack on Gaza school shelter, medics say

Israel's military says four soldiers killed in Hezbollah drone attack on an army base next to Binyamina city, reports AP

An Israeli airstrike has killed at least 20 people at a school in central Gaza, according to local hospitals, reports AP

Israeli tanks deepen their push into the northern Gaza Strip

Israeli forces widened their raid into northern Gaza and tanks reached the north edge of Gaza City, pounding some districts of the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood and forcing many families to leave their homes, residents said.

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At least 20 dead from Israeli strike in central Gaza school

An Israeli airstrike has killed at least 20 people at a school in central Gaza, according to local hospitals, reported news agency AP.

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