West Asia Tensions HIGHLIGHTS | US carried out strike after attack in eastern Syria, Pentagon says

Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire takes effect

A ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah took effect at 0200 GMT on Wednesday after US President Joe Biden said both sides accepted an agreement brokered by the United States and France.

The accord clears the way for an end to a conflict across the Israeli-Lebanese border that has killed thousands of people since it was ignited by the Gaza war last year. (Reuters)

Will ensure Lebanon ceasefire is enforced: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he was ready to implement a ceasefire deal with Lebanon and would "respond forcefully to any violation" by Hezbollah.

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Israel-Hezbollah peace deal designed to ensure permanent cessation of hostilities: Joe Biden

President Joe Biden has announced that Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah have accepted a US-brokered peace deal that is designed to be a "permanent cessation" of hostilities between the two sides.

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Biden to push for Gaza ceasefire after Israel-Lebanon deal

US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday his administration was pushing for an elusive ceasefire in Gaza and that it is possible that Saudi Arabia and Israel could normalize relations. (Reuters)

Air strikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs News agency AFP reported early on Wednesday.

This happened hours before the Israel and Hezbollah truce comes into force.

Gunfire heard across Beirut as Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire takes effect

Bursts of gunfire could be heard across Beirut after the ceasefire took effect. It was not immediately clear if the shooting was celebratory, as gunfire had also been used to alert residents who may have missed evacuation warnings issued by Israel’s military. (Reuters)

Signs of apparent celebration in Beirut; no reported violations shortly after Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire takes effect, news agency PTI reported quoting AP.

Israel army warns Lebanese not to approach IDF positions after ceasefire

The Israeli army on Wednesday warned residents of south Lebanon not to approach Israel Defense Forces positions after a ceasefire between Israel and militant group Hezbollah took hold.

"With the entry into force of the ceasefire agreement and based on its provisions... you are prohibited from heading towards the villages that the IDF has ordered to be evacuated or towards IDF forces in the area," army spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a post on X. (AFP)

Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire takes effect

A ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah took effect at 0730 IST on Wednesday after US President Joe Biden said both sides accepted an agreement brokered by the United States and France.

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Cars begin heading to south Lebanon after ceasefire comes into force, Reuters witnesses say

Streams of cars carrying people displaced from southern Lebanon by Israeli strikes in recent months began heading south early on Wednesday after a ceasefire ending hostilities between the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Israel came into force. Reuters reporters saw dozens of cars leaving the port city of Sidon south of Beirut around 4:00 a.m. local time (0200 GMT) and heading deeper into southern Lebanon. (Reuters)

Iran welcomes the ceasefire in Lebanon, foreign ministry spokesperson says

Iran welcomes the ceasefire in Lebanon, the country's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a statement on Wednesday, after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday morning. (Reuters)

6 killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon border crossings, Syria says

Syria's defence ministry said six people were killed in Israeli strikes on border crossings with Lebanon just after midnight on Wednesday, hours before a Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire took effect.

"The Israeli enemy launched an air aggression from the direction of Lebanese territory, targeting border crossings between Syria and Lebanon," the ministry said in a statement. "The aggression killed six people, including two soldiers while the rest were civilians, and injured 12 others including children, women and Syrian Arab Red Crescent workers." (Reuters)

Lebanon's army says it is preparing to deploy to south Lebanon

Lebanon's army said on Wednesday it is preparing to deploy to the south of the country, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect at 0200 GMT.

The army also asked in a statement that residents of border villages delay returning home until the Israeli military withdraws. (Reuters)

'Ready' for Gaza truce after Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, Hamas says, news agency AFP reported.

Reactions from world leaders on Israel-Lebanon truce

French president Emmanuel Macron said the ceasefire should "open the path" for an ending Gaza war, news agency AFP reported.

The agency further stated that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Joe Biden for his "involvement in securing the ceasefire agreement" between Israel and Lebanon.

Us president Joe Biden called the truce an 'good news' and stated that US would make efforts to secure the same between Israel and Palestine as well.

According to Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Ceasefire was a "fundamental step" towards restoration of stability in the region, news agency AFP stated.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock saw the truce as a new ray of hope, the agency added.

British PM Kier Starmer said that the ceasefire was long overdue and should provide some respite to the the civilian population of both Israel and Lebanon.

"The announced cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah is very encouraging news," EU chief Ursula von der Leyen posted on X.

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, welcomed the ceasefire announcement between Israel and Lebanon.

UN chief welcomes ceasefire in Lebanon

News agency PTI quoting AP said that the United Nations chief welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, and hopes it can end the violence and suffering of people in both countries, the UN spokesman said.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Israel and Hezbollah to swiftly implement all commitments under the agreement, and take immediate steps toward fully implementing the 2006 UN Security Council resolution that ended the last Israel-Hezbollah war, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said late Tuesday. (Reuters)

Egypt welcomes ceasefire in Lebanon, says it will lead to de-escalation

Egypt welcomes the ceasefire in Lebanon, the foreign ministry said in a statement, after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday morning. (Reuters)

China welcomes the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah (AFP)

Israeli military says it fired to stop suspects reaching Lebanon no-go zone

Israeli forces on Wednesday fired at several vehicles with suspects to prevent them from reaching a no-go zone in Lebanese territory and the suspects moved away, the Israeli military said in a statement, hours after a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah came into effect at 0200 GMT. (Reuters)

Cyprus speaks to Lebanese PM, offers to assist on ceasefire

Cyprus is willing to assist in any way possible in helping implement a ceasefire brokered between Lebanon and Israel, its government said on Wednesday.

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides spoke by phone with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Wednesday, a statement from the government spokesperson's office said. (Reuters)

Turkey welcomes ceasefire in Lebanon, calls for pressure on Israel to implement it

Turkey welcomes Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah reaching a ceasefire in Lebanon and hopes the truce will be lasting, its foreign ministry said on Wednesday, calling on the international community to pressure Israel into fully implementing it. (Reuters)

Hamas official says group 'appreciates' Lebanon's right to reach agreement

Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters on Wednesday that the group "appreciates" Lebanon's right to reach an agreement which protects the people of Lebanon, and hopes for a deal to end the war in Gaza. (Reuters)

Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire proposal says only 'official' forces may carry arms in Lebanon

A ceasefire proposal agreed to by Lebanon and Israel stipulates that only "official military and security forces" in Lebanon are authorised to carry arms there, according to a copy of the deal dated on Tuesday and seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

The proposal refers to both sides' commitment to fully implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, including provisions that refer to the "disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon" (Reuters)

Jordan says Lebanon ceasefire must prod efforts to bring end to Gaza war

Jordan said a ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah should prompt greater international efforts to bring an end to the war in Gaza.

In an official statement, the kingdom said the move was also a first step towards reversing a dangerous escalation of tensions across the region that had threatened peace and security. (Reuters)

Long-displaced residents of south Lebanon return to their homes amid celebrations after ceasefire comes into effect

(News agency AP reported)

EasyJet wants to see stability before resuming flights to Middle East

EasyJet will not rush to resume flights to the Middle East after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah came into effect on Wednesday, the airline's incoming CEO told reporters.

"I think obviously we would love to fly again to Israel, but we will continue to have a look at the situation," Kenton Jarvis said. "It's great that ceasefire has been announced, but we'd need to see kind of more stability sustained in the Middle East, before we thought about flying."

Earlier, Emirates Airline President Tim Clark said he was pleased about the ceasefire, adding the airline could go back to flying to Beirut "sooner rather than later". (Reuters)

Yemen's Huthis welcomed the ceasefire deal, called it a "victory" for its Iran-backed ally

(News agency AFP reported)

Iraq too hails the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, also urges Gaza to halt the ongoing war

(News agency AFP reported)

Italy welcomes ceasefire agreement, PM says

Italy welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, a goal for which the Italian government had been working for a long time, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a statement on Wednesday.

A ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah came into effect on Wednesday after both sides accepted an agreement brokered by the US and France. (Reuters)

Turkey ready to provide any help needed for ceasefire in Gaza too: Erdogan

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkey was ready to help in any way possible to establish a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, and expressed satisfaction with the ceasefire agreement that has come into effect in Lebanon.On Tuesday, President Joe Biden said the United States will again push for an elusive ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza "with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others." (Reuters)

War with Israel was most dangerous phase that Lebanon has gone through in its history: Speaker of parliament Berri

The speaker of Lebanon's parliament, Nabih Berri, said on Wednesday the war with Israel had been the "most dangerous phase" his country had endured in its history, hours after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect. (Reuters)

Palestinian Authority hopes Lebanon truce will bring stability to the region: AFP reports

Hamas says it is committed to cooperate with any efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza

Lebanon's caretaker PM urges Israel to commit to ceasefire, withdraw from the south

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati appealed to Israel on Wednesday to fully commit to a newly agreed ceasefire and "withdraw from all the regions and positions it occupied", hours after the truce between Israel and Hezbollah took effect.  (Reuters)

Israel army says hit dozens of Hezbollah targets before ceasefire: AFP reports

'Will lead to peace, stability in wider region': India welcomes Israel-Lebanon ceasefire

India on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and said it hoped that these developments will lead to "peace and stability" in the wider region.

The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah began early Wednesday morning, according to reports.

"We welcome the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that has been announced. We have always called for de-escalation, restraint and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. We hope these developments will lead to peace and stability in the wider region," the Ministry of External Affair said in a statement. (PTI)

Qatar says it hopes Lebanon ceasefire deal will lead to similar one in Gaza

44,282 Palestinians killed in Israel's military offensive since Oct 7, 2023, health ministry says

If Israel attacks, Hezbollah has right to defend itself, says lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah

US to start push for Gaza ceasefire on Wednesday, White House adviser says

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States would start its renewed push for a Gaza ceasefire on Wednesday, a day after U.S. President Joe Biden announced a separate ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

"President Biden intends to begin that work today by having his envoys engage with Turkey, Qatar, Egypt and other actors in the region," Sullivan told MSNBC in an interview. Biden on Tuesday had said the U.S. along with other nations would also push for a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza. (Reuters)

Residents of battered Hezbollah bastion hail 'victory' on return

AFP report

Iran reserves right to react to Israeli airstrikes, welcomes Lebanon ceasefire

ehran reserves the right to react Israeli airstrikes last month on Iran but also bears in mind other developments in the region, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday.

Araghchi told reporters during a trip to Lisbon that Iran welcomed Tuesday's ceasefire agreement in Lebanon and hoped it could lead to a permanent ceasefire. The ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah came into effect on Wednesday under an agreement brokered by the United States and France.

Asked whether the ceasefire could lead to an easing of tensions between Israel and Iran, he said: "It depends on the behaviour of Israel." (Reuters)

Israeli army spokesperson sets curfew for southern Lebanon residents moving south of Litani river

No expectations of a swift deal for Gaza after Lebanon ceasefire

Following a deal to end more than a year of fighting between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah, attention has swung back to the battered Gaza Strip, but any hopes of a rapid end to the war there look likely to be dashed.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect before dawn on Wednesday, bringing a halt to hostilities that had escalated sharply in recent months and overshadowed Israel's parallel conflict in Gaza against Palestinian Hamas militants.

Announcing the Lebanon accord on Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden said he would now renew his push for an elusive agreement in Gaza, urging Israel and Hamas to seize the moment.

However, there was no sign that Israeli leaders want to ease up on the Islamist Hamas, which triggered the conflagration last year by attacking southern Israel, with ministers making clear their war aims for Gaza were very different than those for Lebanon.

"Gaza will never be a threat to the state of Israel again...We will reach a decisive victory there. Lebanon is different," said Israel's Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, a member of the inner security cabinet and a former head of the Shin Bet intelligence agency.

"Are we at the beginning of the end (of the Gaza campaign)? Definitely not. We still have a lot to do," he told a group of foreign correspondents this week.

Some 101 Israeli hostages remain captive in Gaza and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed both to bring them all home and to eradicate Hamas. (Reuters)

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon say adjusting to 'new situation' after truce: AFP reports

Russia welcomes Lebanon ceasefire, hopes it is 'actually effective'

Russia gave a belated welcome to Wednesday's ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, saying it hoped the agreement would be "actually effective", AFP reports.

Israeli military says it downed drone smuggling weapons from Egypt

The Israeli military said on Wednesday it shot down a drone that was carrying weapons and crossed from Egypt to Israel. (Reuters)

Israel said it destroyed Hezbollah strategic missile site near Syria

The Israeli military said on Wednesday it had destroyed one of Hezbollah's top strategic missile sites near the border with Syria, hours before an Israel-Lebanon ceasefire took effect.

The Israeli jets hit an underground complex that was used to produce surface-to-surface missiles and store precision weapons, the military said, with the help of Iran.

"The site was located in an underground compound near the Syrian border. Due to its proximity, the site was a central point through which thousands of weapons components and even terrorist operatives were smuggled from Syria and Lebanon," the military said. (Reuters)

Lebanon's Hezbollah says it will continue resistance after ceasefire deal

Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Wednesday that it would continue resistance and stand alongside Palestinian fighters, a day after a ceasefire between the group and Israel was announced.

It was the first statement by Hezbollah's operations centre since the deal was announced. (Reuters)

Israeli military says it downed drone smuggling weapons from Egypt

The Israeli military said on Wednesday it shot down a drone that was carrying weapons and crossed from Egypt to Israel.

When asked about the latest drone incident, Egyptian security sources said they had no knowledge of such an incident.

In two separate incidents in October, Israel also said it downed two drones smuggling weapons from Egyptian territory.

Israeli officials have said during the war in Gaza that Palestinian militant group Hamas used tunnels running under the border into Egypt's Sinai region to smuggle arms. (Reuters)

Amid ceasefire, Israeli tank fires two rounds into south Lebanese town

An Israeli tank fired two rounds into the southern Lebanese town of Markaba on Thursday, two Lebanese security sources told Reuters, 24 hours after a ceasefire barring "offensive military operations" came into force.

One of the security sources said two people were wounded. Lebanon's state news agency said two people were wounded and transferred to hospital after an Israeli attack on the town, without specifying the type of attack.

A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday under a deal brokered by the US and France, allowing people in both countries to start returning to homes in border areas shattered by 14 months of fighting. (Reuters)

Israel says ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon violated

srael's military said on Thursday that an arrival of suspects, was detected in several areas in southern Lebanon, and called it a violation of a ceasefire with Hezbollah. (Reuters)

Israel is attacking people returning to their villages in south Lebanon, says Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah

Israel army announces nighttime curfew in south Lebanon

Israeli military says air force struck Hezbollah facility in southern Lebanon

The Israeli military said on Thursday that the air force struck a facility used by Hezbollah to store mid-range rockets in southern Lebanon, the first such attack since a ceasefire took effect on Wednesday morning. (Reuters)

Israel's military loosens some home front restrictions on gatherings

The Israeli military said on Thursday it was ending some protective restrictions that had limited the size of gatherings in parts of central and northern Israel.

The change was made following a situational assessment, the military said.

Israel and neighbouring Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire earlier this week but accused each other on Thursday of violating the accord. (Reuters)

Israel and Hezbollah trade accusations of ceasefire violations

The Israeli military said its air force struck a facility used by Hezbollah to store mid-range rockets in southern Lebanon on Thursday, after both sides accused each other of breaching a ceasefire that aims to halt over a year of fighting. (Reuters)

Netanyahu says conditions have improved for possible Gaza hostage deal

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that conditions for reaching a possible deal to secure the release of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip have considerably improved.

Asked about a possible hostage deal in an interview with local Channel 14, Netanyahu said: "I think the conditions have very much changed for the better." (Reuters)

Israeli military says Lebanese residents are prohibited to move south to several villages

Lebanese residents are prohibited from moving south to a line of villages and their surroundings until further notice, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X on Friday.

Israel said it opened fire on Thursday towards what it called "suspects" with vehicles arriving at several areas in the southern zone, saying it was a breach of the truce with Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, which came into effect on Wednesday.

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah in turn accused Israel of violating the deal.

"The Israeli enemy is attacking those returning to the border villages," Fadlallah told reporters, adding "there are violations today by Israel, even in this form".

Israeli tanks retreat from central Gaza camp, medics say 30 killed

Israeli military strikes killed at least 30 Palestinians overnight in the Gaza Strip, most of them in the Nuseirat camp at the centre of the enclave, medics said on Friday, after some tanks pulled back from an area they had raided.

Medics said they had recovered 19 bodies of Palestinians killed in northern areas of Nuseirat, one of the enclave's eight long-standing refugee camps.

The rest were killed in the northern and southern areas of the Gaza Strip, medics added. There was no fresh statement by the Israeli military on Friday, but on Thursday it said its forces were continuing to "strike terror targets as part of the operational activity in the Gaza Strip".

Some Israeli tanks remained active in the western area of the camp and the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said teams were unable to respond to distress calls from residents trapped inside their houses.

Israeli army says hit Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, reports AFP

Women and children scavenge for food in Gaza, UN official says

Women and children scavenge for food in Gaza, UN official says

Large groups of women and children are scavenging for food among mounds of trash in parts of the Gaza Strip, a UN official said on Friday following a visit to the Palestinian enclave.

Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN Human Rights office for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, expressed concern about the levels of hunger, even in areas of central Gaza where aid agencies have teams on the ground.

Hezbollah chief says group scored 'divine victory' in war against Israel

The head of Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, said in a televised address on Friday that the group had scored a "divine victory" against Israel even greater than that declared after the two foes last fought in 2006.

It was Qassem's first address since a ceasefire deal this week ended more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The conflict left much of Lebanon's south, east and the suburbs of its capital in ruins, and Israeli strikes eliminated much of Hezbollah's military leadership. (Reuters)

Hamas delegation to arrive in Cairo on Saturday, official says

 A Hamas delegation will arrive in Cairo on Saturday for talks with Egyptian officials, the group's senior official Basem Naim told Reuters on Friday.

The visit comes days after the United States said it would begin new efforts with Qatar, Egypt and Turkey to revive Gaza ceasefire talks. (Reuters)

At least 15 killed in Israeli strikes in north Gaza

News agency AFP, citing the Gaza civil defence agency, said on Friday that at least 15 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Beit Lahia, in the north of the Hamas-run territory

The area has been subjected to a major Israeli offensive for almost two months.

Syrian jihadists breach Aleppo; army shuts airports, roads

Syrian authorities closed Aleppo airport as well as all roads leading into the city on Saturday, three military sources told Reuters, as rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad said they had reached the heart of Aleppo.

The opposition fighters, led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, carried out a surprise sweep through government-held towns this week and reached Aleppo nearly a decade after having been forced out by Assad and his allies.

Russia, one of Assad's key allies, has promised Damascus extra military aid to thwart the rebels, two military sources said, adding new hardware would start arriving in the next 72 hours.

The Syrian army has been told to follow "safe withdrawal" orders from the main areas of the city that the rebels have entered, three army sources said. (Reuters)

Hezbollah chief pledges to coordinate with army to implement truce with Israel

The head of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, pledged on Friday to coordinate closely with the Lebanese army to implement a ceasefire deal with Israel, which he said his group had agreed to "with heads held high".

It was his first address since a ceasefire came into effect on Wednesday after more than a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel that decimated swathes of Lebanon and killed 4,000 people including hundreds of women and children.

Qassem said Hezbollah had "approved the deal, with the resistance strong in the battlefield, and our heads held high with our right to defend (ourselves)." (Reuters)

Assad govt awaits Russian military aid as jihadists breach Aleppo

Russia, one of the key allies of the Syrian government, has promised the Bashar al-Assad administration extra military aid to thwart the rebels, two military sources said, adding new hardware would start arriving in the next 72 hours.

Russia, a staunch ally of President Assad, intervened militarily on Assad's side against insurgents in 2015 in its biggest foray in the Middle East since the Soviet Union's collapse, and maintains an airbase and naval facility in Syria.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said that Moscow regarded the rebel attack as a violation of Syria's sovereignty and wanted the authorities to act fast to regain control.

"As for the situation around Aleppo, it is an attack on Syrian sovereignty and we are in favour of the Syrian authorities bringing order to the area and restoring constitutional order as soon as possible," Peskov had said. (Reuters)

Visuals from Aleppo as jihadists advance

Israeli military says Lebanese residents prohibited from moving south to several villages

The Israeli military said on Saturday that Lebanese residents were prohibited from moving south to several villages and called on them not to return to around 62 villages in the area. (Reuters)

Russian air strikes hit Aleppo for first time since 2016

With reports coming in that jihadists control most of Aleppo, news agency AFP reported that Russia carried out air strikes on the Syrian city for the first time since 2016.

Further details are awaited.

Russia, one of the key allies of the Bashar al-Assad-led Syrian government, has promised the administration extra military aid to thwart the rebels, two military sources said, adding new hardware would start arriving in the next 72 hours.

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Syria's military announces Aleppo troop withdrawal to prepare counteroffensive

Syria's military announced on Saturday a "temporary troop withdrawal" in Aleppo in order to prepare a counteroffensive against what it called terrorists.

The military added that dozens of soldiers had been killed or injured in fierce battles with insurgents in Aleppo and Idlib over the past few days. (Reuters)

Syrian army says 'dozens' of troops killed, wounded in large-scale clashes with rebels: AFP

Israeli military says struck Hezbollah on Syria-Lebanon border

The Israeli military said on Saturday it had struck "military infrastructure" at the Syria-Lebanon border being used by Hezbollah for weapons smuggling in violation of their ceasefire agreement.

The air force launched a "strike on military infrastructure sites adjacent to border crossings between Syria and Lebanon that were actively used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons from Syria into Lebanon" the military said in a statement.

It said the smuggling happened "after the ceasefire agreement went into effect".

The military also said it had been conducting searches in southern Lebanon over the past day in which soldiers "confiscated weapons that were concealed in a mosque by Hezbollah".

The ceasefire, which was put in place to end more than a year of cross-border hostilities and two months of open warfare between Israel and Hezbollah, began early on Wednesday morning. (AFP)

At least 44,382 Palestinians killed in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since Oct 7, 2023, says health ministry

At least 44,382 Palestinians have been killed and 105,142 injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, Gaza's health ministry said on Saturday. (Reuters)

Israel military strikes kill 32 Palestinians in Gaza, medics say

The Israeli military said it killed a Palestinian it accused of involvement in Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel in a vehicle strike in Gaza, while medics said at least 32 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes across the enclave overnight and into Saturday.

The escalation comes as leaders of Hamas were expected to arrive in Cairo on Saturday for ceasefire talks with Egyptian officials, days after Israel and Hezbollah agreed to ceasefire in Lebanon, two officials of the group told Reuters. (Reuters)

Several wounded in two Israeli strikes in south Lebanon, health ministry says

An Israeli strike on a car wounded three people, including a seven-year-old child, on Saturday in the south Lebanon village of Majdal Zoun, the Lebanese Health Ministry said in a statement.

Later on Saturday, another person was injured in a separate Israeli strike on Al Bisariya, which lies near the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, the ministry said. (Reuters)

Militant employed by World Central Kitchen in Gaza, who took part in Oct 7 attack killed, says Israel Army: Reuters

Iran, Russia foreign ministers say they support Syria in confronting rebels, Iran state media reports

The foreign ministers of Iran and Russia voiced support for Syria on Saturday during a major attack by rebel groups, Iranian state media reported.

Iran's Abbas Araqchi told Russia's Sergei Lavrov in a phone call that the rebel attacks were part of an Israeli-U.S. plan to destabilise the region, state media said. (Reuters)

Iran says 'terrorist elements' attacked its consulate in Aleppo (AFP)

Iran FM to visit Syria for talks on rebel assault: Ministry

France urges all warring parties in Syria to protect civilians in Aleppo

Israeli strike in Gaza kills World Central Kitchen workers; Israel says 1 was Oct 7 attacker

 An Israeli airstrike on a car in the Gaza Strip on Saturday killed five people including employees of World Central Kitchen, and the charity said it was “urgently seeking more details” after Israel's military said it targeted a WCK worker who was part of the Hamas attack that sparked the war.

WCK said it was “heartbroken” by the airstrike and that it had no knowledge anyone in the car had alleged ties to the Oct 7, 2023 attack, saying it was “working with incomplete information”. It said it was pausing operations in Gaza.

(AP)

Hamas publishes video of US-Israeli hostage in Gaza

Palestinian militant group Hamas published a video of an Israeli American hostage on Saturday, in which he pleads for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to secure his release from captivity.

The family of hostage soldier Edan Alexander, 20, declined to comment but permitted the 3-and-a-half-minute video to be published. Alexander was abducted to Gaza during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel.

Iran's foreign minister to visit Syria on Sunday, then Turkey, spokesperson says

Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araqchi will visit Damascus on Sunday, before visiting Turkey as part of a regional tour, foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told state media on Saturday.

Turkish foreign ministry sources earlier said Araqchi would visit Turkey on Monday.

Israel Strikes Sites in Lebanon Amid Fragile Ceasefire

The Israeli military said on Saturday that it had struck several Hezbollah sites in Lebanon, keeping the country on edge over a fragile ceasefire, as its forces pressed on with their campaign in the Gaza Strip with little sign of letting up.

The ceasefire in Lebanon forged this past week ended months of destructive airstrikes and fighting, but it is still not clear when all of the roughly 1 million people displaced from their homes will be permitted to safely return. Under the deal, Israeli forces are to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon over 60 days, as Hezbollah fighters also retreat north of the Litani River.

(NYT)

Save the Children says staff member killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza

International aid agency Save the Children said a staff member was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza's Khan Younis on Saturday, the second staffer killed in the enclave since the war began in October 2023.

Hamas releases video of US-Israeli hostage in Gaza

Palestinian militant group Hamas released a video of an Israeli American hostage on Saturday, in which he pleads for US President-elect Donald Trump to secure his release.

The mother of hostage Edan Alexander, Yael, said she was shaken by the 3 and a half minute video, which showed the 20-year-old captive looking pale, seated in a dark space against a wall. He identified himself and addressed his family, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump.

Jihadists control most of Aleppo: Syrian war monitor

According to Syrian war monitor, jihadists have seized Aleppo airport and nearby towns. (AFP)

Sirens sounded in central Israel after suspected missile launch from Yemen

Israeli military says projectile launched from Yemen intercepted

The Israeli military said that a projectile launched from Yemen was intercepted before it crossed into Israeli territory. The military earlier said sirens had sounded in a number of areas in central Israel following a launch from Yemen. (Reuters)

Israeli strikes on Gaza kill 6, including 2 children

Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip killed at least six people overnight, including two young children who died in the tent where their family was sheltering, medical officials said Sunday.

The strike in the Muwasi area, a sprawling tent camp housing hundreds of thousands of displaced people, also wounded the children's mother and their sibling, according to the nearby Nasser Hospital. An Associated Press reporter at the hospital saw the bodies.

A separate strike in the southern city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, killed four men, according to hospital records.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Israel says it only targets militants and tries to avoid harming civilians, but its daily strikes across Gaza often kill women and children. (AP)

Israeli strikes kill 15 in Gaza, Cairo holds fresh talks with Hamas

Israeli military strikes killed at least 15 Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday, medics said, as Israeli forces kept up bombardments across the enclave and blew up houses on its northern edge.

In the central Gaza camp of Nuseirat, an Israeli airstrike killed six people in a house, and another attack killed three in a home in Gaza City, medics said.

Two children were killed when a missile hit a tent encampment in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, while four other people were killed in an airstrike in Rafah, near the border with Egypt, medics told Reuters.

Residents said the military blew up clusters of houses in the northern Gaza areas of Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, where Israeli forces have operated since October this year.

Palestinians say Israel's operations on the northern edge of the enclave are part of a plan to clear people out through forced evacuations and bombardments to create a buffer zone - an allegation the army denies.

The military says it has killed hundreds of Hamas militants there as it fights to stop the faction regrouping almost 14 months since the war in Gaza started. Hamas's armed wing says it has killed many Israeli forces in anti-tank rocket and mortar fire attacks, and in ambushes with explosive devices since the new operation started. (Reuters)

'Iran will firmly support Syrian govt,' says top diplomat after jihadist attacks

Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi said Sunday he will leave Tehran for Damascus to deliver a message of support for Syria's government and armed forces, state media said, after a lighting advance by rebels.

Tehran has been a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the civil war that broke out in 2011. Iran maintains it does not have combat troops in Syria, only officers who provide military advice and training.

Iran-backed Hezbollah, of Lebanon, has for years fought on the side of the Syrian government.

"I am going to Damascus to convey the message of the Islamic Republic to the Syrian government," Araghchi said, emphasising Tehran will "firmly support the Syrian government and army," the IRNA state news agency reported.

Islamist-led rebels on Saturday seized Aleppo's airport and dozens of nearby towns after overrunning most of Syria's second city Aleppo, a war monitor said.

Syria's army confirmed that the rebels had entered "large parts" of the city of around two million people and said "dozens of men from our armed forces were killed".

Araghchi again called the surprise rebel offensive a plot by the United States and Israel.

"The Syrian army will once again win over these terrorist groups as in the past," the foreign minister added. (AFP)

Jordan says events in Syria are a 'cause of concern'

Amman: Jordan said on Sunday that developments in Syria were a "cause of concern" and that it rejected any action that threatened its northern neighbour's security and stability.

In remarks on state television, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the kingdom backed Syria's "territorial integrity" and its sovereignty and called for increased diplomatic efforts to reach a political settlement that would end the conflict. (Reuters)

Russian, Syrian jets intensify bombing of areas held by jihadists

Amman: Russian and Syrian jets struck the rebel-held city of Idlib in northern Syria on Sunday, military sources said, as President Bashar al-Assad vowed to crush insurgents who had swept into the city of Aleppo.

Residents said one of the raids hit a crowded residential area in the centre of Idlib, which is the largest city in a rebel enclave near the Turkish border where around four million people live in makeshift tents and dwellings.

At least four people were killed and dozens injured, according to rescuers at the scene.

In remarks published on state media, Assad said: "terrorists only know the language of force and it is the language we will crush them with".

The Syrian army said dozens of its soldiers had been killed in the attack on Aleppo.

The Syrian army and its ally Russia say they are now targeting the hideouts of insurgent groups and have denied attacking civilians.

On Saturday, Russian and Syrian jets bombed other towns in Idlib province, which had fallen completely under rebel control in the boldest rebel assault for years in a civil war where front lines had largely been frozen since 2020.

Insurgents swept into the city of Aleppo, east of Idlib province, on Friday night, forcing the army to redeploy in the biggest challenge to President Bashar al-Assad in years. (Reuters)

At least 44,429 Palestinians killed in Israel's military offensive since Oct 7, 2023, says health ministry

At least 44,429 Palestinians have been killed and 105,250 injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7 2023, Gaza's health ministry said on Sunday. (Reuters)

Yemen's Houthis targeted 'vital target' in central Israel, spokesman says

Yemen's Houthis launched a military operation on a "vital target" in central Israel using a hypersonic missile, the group's military spokesman, Yahya Sarea, said in a televised address on Sunday.

Earlier on Sunday the Israeli military said that a projectile launched from Yemen was intercepted before it crossed into Israeli territory.

The Houthis have fired missiles and drones at Israel repeatedly in what they say is action in solidarity with the Palestinians since the Gaza war began in 2023. (Reuters)

Syrian president Al Assad vows to defeat insurgents by force

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad vowed to defeat insurgents by force, speaking after rebels swept into the city of Aleppo on Friday, the official Syrian news agency reported.

He made the remarks during a phone call with the acting leader of the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia, Badra Ganba, the news agency said on Sunday. (Reuters)

Israel closely watching Syria developments, says Netanyahu (Reuters)

White House says 'not there yet' on Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal

The White House is working on a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza but is "not there yet," the US National Security Advisor told NBC on Sunday.

"We are working actively to try to make it happen. We are engaged deeply with the key players in the region, and there is activity even today," said Jake Sullivan.

"There will be further conversations and consultations, and our hope is that we can generate a ceasefire and hostage deal, but we're not there yet," he added.

Sullivan's comments come a day after Israel hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, days into a fragile ceasefire in its conflict with the Iran-backed group.

Addressing that conflict, Sullivan lauded the ceasefire deal and said the US was working with Lebanon's military to ensure it was implemented "effectively."

"We need to protect it and ensure that it is fully implemented," he told NBC.

In an apparent reference to the Israeli strikes, Sullivan said both parties "have the right, consistent with international law, to take action in self-defense if they're facing imminent threats."

'May see a greater degree of flexibility from Hamas': Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on possibility of hostage deal

Speaking in Jerusalem on Sunday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said there were "indications" progress could be made on a deal securing the release of hostages by Hamas in Gaza.

"There are signs we may see a greater degree of flexibility from Hamas as a result of circumstances that have developed, including the agreement with Lebanon," he said.

"There is a desire to move forward on this. I hope it can progress. We are committed to the return of the hostages -- it's a responsibility we must uphold."

Saar asserted, however, that Hamas "cannot be allowed" to continue to rule Gaza.

Gulf summit in Kuwait urges 'immediate ceasefire' for Gaza

A summit of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders urged an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Sunday, following calls for a truce by host Kuwait after nearly 14 months of war in the Palestinian territory.

In the final statement of the summit, the six-member body called for an "immediate and permanent cessation of Israeli fire and military operations" as well as "the delivery of all humanitarian and relief aid and basic needs to the residents of Gaza".

Syrian government loses Aleppo after lightning rebel offensive

Government forces lost control of Syria's second city Aleppo on Sunday for the first time since the country's civil conflict began, a war monitor said, after a lightning offensive dealt a severe blow to President Bashar al-Assad.

An Islamist-dominated rebel alliance launched its assault on forces of the Iranian- and Russian-backed government on Wednesday, the same day a fragile ceasefire took effect in neighbouring Lebanon between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah after two months of all-out war. (AFP)

UNRWA pauses aid delivery via key Gaza-Israel crossing

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has halted the delivery of aid through the key Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza after it became "impossible", its chief said Sunday.

"We are pausing the delivery of aid through Kerem Shalom, the main crossing point for humanitarian aid into Gaza. The road out of this crossing has not been safe for months. On 16 November, a large convoy of aid trucks was stolen by armed gangs," UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini said in a post on X.

"Yesterday, we tried to bring in a few food trucks on the same route. They were all taken," he added, warning hunger was "rapidly deepening" in Gaza.

Lazzarini listed how the humanitarian operation had become "unnecessarily impossible" due to "the ongoing siege, hurdles from Israeli authorities, political decisions to restrict the amounts of aid, lack of safety on aid routes and targeting of local police".

It comes after the United Nations warned Friday that Gaza has descended into anarchy, with hunger soaring, looting rampant and rising numbers of rapes in shelters as public order falls apart.

Four Palestinians killed in Israeli strike on West Bank

The Palestinian health ministry said the Israeli army killed four people in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, as Israel announced a strike that killed four "terrorists".

The ministry updated the death toll from two earlier on Sunday, saying four people were killed "due to the occupation's aggression on the village of Siir, Jenin district", referring to Israel.

The Israeli military said later on Sunday in a joint statement with the Shin Bet internal security agency that a "terrorist cell responsible for several shooting attacks in the Gilboa area has been eliminated" in a strike.

It said four "terrorists" were killed in the strike.

"Immediately after the strike, (Israeli) soldiers conducted a targeted raid in the area and located three weapons on the terrorists' bodies," the army said.

NYT Former Israeli defense minister Yaalon warns of ethnic cleansing in Gaza

A former Israeli defense minister has accused Israel of committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip, drawing a sharp rebuke from government ranks.

Moshe Yaalon, a hawkish former general, told Israeli media that hardliners in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right cabinet were looking to chase Palestinians from northern Gaza and wanted to re-establish Jewish settlements there.

"I am compelled to warn about what is happening there and is being concealed from us," Yaalon told Israel's public broadcaster Kan on Sunday. "At the end of the day, war crimes are being committed."

Yaalon is a former army chief of staff who served as defence minister under Netanyahu from 2013-16, and has been a fierce critic of the prime minister ever since.

Fighting Rages in Syria as Rebels Advance

Rebel forces advanced in Syria on Sunday amid fierce fighting, capturing the airport of the major city of Aleppo and attacking the outskirts of the western city of Hama, according to local officials and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Government troops loyal to President Bashar Assad were trying to repel them, they said.

The rebels had captured much of Aleppo a day earlier in a surprise offensive. They now control a broad swath of land across the provinces of Hama, Idlib and Aleppo, in the west and northwest of Syria, according to information from local officials and the Observatory, a Britain-based war monitor.

The New York Times also observed rebels in control of parts of Hama province as well as neighborhoods in the east of the city of Aleppo and parts of the countryside beyond it that government forces had held only days earlier.

Government troops were battling to defend the city of Hama from being overrun, according to the Observatory. Syrian government warplanes were also bombing territory that was now held by the rebels, causing civilian casualties, the monitor said.

It said that government forces were receiving support from Russian fighter jets, which were striking targets across the countryside near Hama and Idlib province.

Russia, which is allied with Assad, has repeatedly come to his aid since early in the civil war that broke out in 2011, after protests over Assad’s autocratic rule drew a swift and bloody military crackdown. Assad has also counted on military and political support from Iran.

The rebel alliance is led by the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which was once linked with al-Qaida but publicly broke with the terrorist group years ago. Turkish-backed rebel groups have also joined in.

The Biden administration said Saturday that it was closely monitoring the situation in Syria. “The United States has nothing to do with this offensive,” a National Security Council spokesperson, Sean Savett, said in a statement, calling Hayat Tahrir al-Sham “a designated terrorist organization.”

“The United States, together with its partners and allies, urge de-escalation, protection of civilians and minority groups, and a serious and credible political process that can end this civil war once and for all,” Savett said. (NYT)

Former Israeli defense minister Yaalon warns of ethnic cleansing in Gaza

A former Israeli defense minister has accused Israel of committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip, drawing a sharp rebuke from government ranks. Moshe Yaalon, a hawkish former general, told Israeli media that hardliners in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right cabinet were looking to chase Palestinians from northern Gaza and wanted to re-establish Jewish settlements there.

Airstrikes in northwestern Syria kill 25 people, says Syria's White Helmets

 The Syrian opposition-run rescue service known as the White Helmets said early on Monday on X that at least 25 people have been killed in northwestern Syria in airstrikes carried out by the Syrian government and Russia on Sunday.

Russia removes general in charge of Syrian operations, military bloggers say

Russian war bloggers reported on Sunday that Moscow has dismissed Sergei Kisel, the general in charge of its forces in Syria, after insurgents swept into the city of Aleppo in the biggest challenge to President Bashar al-Assad in years.

Russia is a key Assad ally. The removal of Kisel, 53, was reported by the Rybar Telegram channel, which is close to the Russian defence ministry, and by the Voenny Osvedomitel (Military Informant) blog.

Reuters has requested comment from the Russian defence ministry. Since the start of the Ukraine war, Russia has made a number of military reshuffles that were not publicly announced.

Iran foreign minister says situation in Syria is 'difficult', IRNA

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, visiting Damascus on Sunday, said the situation in Syria is "difficult" but the government of President Bashar al-Assad will successfully confront rebels like it did in the past.

Araqchi was quoted by state media.

Syrian rebel forces advance past abandoned regime equipment in Hama

A war monitor reported that the army had pulled out of Syria's fourth largest city Hama, after Jihadist-led rebels seized Aleppo and dozens of nearby towns.

Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces blocked Kurdish plan to establish corridor

Syrian opposition forces who are backed by Turkey, have blocked an attempt by Kurdish groups to establish a corridor connecting Tel Rifaat to northeastern Syria.

Kurdish groups tried to take advantage of Syrain government forces withdrawing from parts that al-Assad's forces controled. (Al Arabia News)

US warships 'defeat' barrage of Houthi attacks while escorting merchant vessels in Gulf of Aden

The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said while escorting three US-flagged ships through the Gulf of Aden, they were able to successfully defend against an attack by Houthis.

French defence minister expected in Beirut for ceasefire discussions: multiple media reports

French Defence Minister Sebastian Lecornu is expected to visit Beirut to discuss the implementation of the truce between Israel and Hezbollah, various media outlets report.

Lecornu will hold meetings with caretaker PM Najib Mikati, Nabih Berri, House speaker, Minister of Defence Maurice Salim and army chief General Joseph Aoun.

Pro-Iranian militias enter Syria from Iraq to aid beleaguered Syrian army

Iranian-backed militias entered Syria overnight from Iraq and were heading to northern Syria to strengthen beleaguered Syrian army forces battling insurgents, according to two Syrian army sources.

Dozens of Iran-aligned Iraqi Hashd al Shaabi fighters from Iraq also crossed into Syria through a military route near Al Bukamal crossing, a senior Syrian army source told Reuters.

(Reuters)

Iran's military consultants to remain in Syria, foreign ministry says

Iran's military consultants remain in Syria at Damascus' request, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday, as Syrian army forces battled insurgents.

(Reuters)

Lebanese army says Israeli drone targets military bulldozer at army base

An Israeli drone targeted a Lebanese military bulldozer while it was carrying out fortification work inside the Al-Abbara military base near Lebanon's border with Syria, the Lebanese army said on Monday.

One soldier was wounded, it said.

(Reuters)

Lebanon's health ministry says one person killed in Israeli airstrike near border

Lebanon says Israel violates ceasefire, kills two in new airstrike

Syrian opposition leader says Lebanon truce opened door to Aleppo assault

Syrian rebel fighters began preparations to seize Aleppo a year ago but the operation was delayed by war in Gaza and ultimately launched last week when a ceasefire took hold in Lebanon, the head of Syria's main opposition abroad told Reuters.

Syrian air defences intercepted "several hostile drones" over the city of Homs, Syrian state news agency SANA said.

At least 44 killed, 48,500 displaced in northwest Syria from Nov 26 to Dec 1, UN says

At least 44 civilians, including 12 children and seven women, were killed in northwest Syria from Nov. 26 to Dec. 1, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday.

OCHA added that over 48,500 people had been displaced, with key infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and water stations, damaged in the escalating hostilities between Syrian rebels and government forces.

Israeli military says it's striking targets in Lebanon amid ceasefire violations

 The Israeli military said on Monday it was currently striking "terror" targets in Lebanon amid mutual accusations of ceasefire violations between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

US says ceasefire in Lebanon has been broadly successful

The ceasefire in Lebanon has been broadly successful, the US State Department said on Monday, adding the United States and France will look at reports of potential violations in coming days.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at a regular news briefing that Washington and Paris would engage with the Israeli and Lebanese militaries to look at reports of violations and deal with them through channels in the mechanism set up in the agreement.

Blinken to meet with Israel's minister of strategic affairs on Monday, State Dept says

 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will discuss a Gaza ceasefire in a meeting with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer on Monday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters.

Syrian government needs to reconcile with its people and opposition, Turkey says

Developments in Syria show the need for the Syrian government to reconcile with its people and the opposition, and Turkey is ready to contribute to such a dialogue, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday.

His comments after a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi followed a rapid assault in which rebels reached Aleppo nearly a decade after they were forced out of the northern Syrian city.

"It would be wrong... to explain the events in Syria with any foreign intervention," Fidan told a press conference. "The latest developments show once again that Damascus needs to reconcile with its people and the legitimate opposition."

Turkey gave no permission or support to Syrian rebel operation, official says

Turkey did not give its permission or support to an operation by Syrian rebel fighters against President Bashar al-Assad's forces in northwest Syria, a Turkish official told Reuters on Monday, after the insurgents seized Aleppo and parts of the neighbouring Idlib province.

"Naturally, we are following developments in Syria closely from the dimension that directly concerns our national security. Regarding the operation underway in Syria's northwest, there is no such thing as our country's permission or support," said the official.

The person also said the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS which is designated a terrorist outfit by Turkey, the U.S., Russia and other states, did not receive any orders or direction from Turkey.

Netanyahu says Israel will respond 'strongly' after Hezbollah strike

Syrian opposition leader says Lebanon truce opened door to Aleppo assault

Syrian rebel fighters began preparations to seize Aleppo a year ago but the assault was delayed by war in Gaza and ultimately launched last week when a ceasefire took hold in Lebanon, the head of Syria's main opposition abroad told Reuters.

The insurgents were able to seize the city and other areas so quickly in part because Hezbollah and other Iran-backed fighters who support Syria's president were still distracted by their conflict with Israel, Hadi al-Bahra said on Monday.

The Turkish military, which is allied with some of the insurgents and has bases across its southern border in Syria, had heard of the armed groups' plans but made clear it would play no direct role, he added in the first public comments on the rebel preparations by an opposition figure.

Israeli military says it attacked dozens of Hezbollah targets, says still 'obligated' to fulfill ceasefire

Iran foreign minister: Astana process likely to meet in Doha to discuss Syria, state media say

The foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey and Russia are likely to meet in the framework of the Astana process on Dec. 7 and 8 to discuss Syria on the sidelines of the Doha Forum, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Monday, according to state media

Nine killed, three injured in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, health ministry says

Israeli airstrikes on the southern Lebanese towns of Haris and Talousa killed nine people and injured three others, Lebanon's Health Ministry said in a preliminary statement late on Monday.

Blinken met Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Dermer and reiterated importance of ending Gaza War

The US secretary of state met Ron Dermer on Monday and reiterated “the importance of bringing all of the hostages home and ending the war in Gaza”, according to a spokesman for the State Department.

Food availability at an 'all-time low' across Gaza: FAO

Deputy Director-General of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Beth Bechdol, is calling for unrestricted and safe access to the Gaza Strip to deliver emergency aid and prevent the spread of famine.

Bechdol said, "The window of opportunity to deliver assistance is now, today, not tomorrow. Food, medicine and fuel are self-evident priorities, but we must also prioritize the ability to grow food locally where it is needed most to ensure survival.”

Syrian army confronts attack by Syrian Democratic Forces in Deir Al Zor, state news agency says

The Syrain army along with allied forces faced attacks launched by forces associated with the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurshid-led alliance, on villages in the northern countryside of Deir Al Zor province, on Tuesday.

(Reuters)

Hamas, Fatah agree on joint committee to run post-war Gaza

Hamas and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party have agreed to create a committee to jointly administer post-war Gaza, negotiators from both sides said Tuesday.

(AFP)

Israel kills 14 people in northern Gaza, orders evacuations in south

Israeli military strikes killed at least 14 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, most of them in the town of Beit Lahiya on the northern edge, medics said, as the army issued new evacuation orders in the south of the tiny enclave. (Reuters)

Israel attacks 'terrorist' cell in West Bank's Aqabah area

Israel's military said on Tuesday that it attacked a "terrorist" cell in the West Bank's Aqabah area in the Jordan Valley.

"Details to follow," the military's statement said. (Reuters)

Lebanon asked US, France to press Israel to halt truce breaches, say sources

Top Lebanese officials have urged Washington and Paris to press Israel to uphold a ceasefire, after dozens of military operations on Lebanese soil that Beirut has deemed violations, two senior Lebanese political sources told Reuters on Tuesday. (Reuters)

Hamas, Fatah agree joint committee to run post-war Gaza

Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party have agreed to create a committee to jointly run post-war Gaza, negotiators from both sides said Tuesday. (AFP)

Under the plan, which needs Abbas's approval, the committee would be composed of 10 to 15 non-partisan figures with authority on matters related to the economy, education, health, humanitarian aid and reconstruction, according to a draft of the proposal seen by AFP.

44,502 Palestinians killed in Gaza offensive since Oct 7, 2023, health ministry says

Israel threatens to expand war if Hezbollah truce collapses

Israel threatened on Tuesday to return to war in Lebanon if its truce with Hezbollah collapses, and said this time its attacks would go deeper and target the Lebanese state itself, after the deadliest day since the ceasefire was agreed last week.

In its strongest threat since the truce was agreed to end 14 months of war with Hezbollah, Israel said it would hold Lebanon responsible for failing to disarm militants who violated the truce. (Reuters)

Israel kills 23 people in north Gaza, orders evacuations in south

Israeli military strikes killed at least 23 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, most of them in the town of Beit Lahiya on the northern edge, medics said, as the army issued new evacuation orders in the south of the small enclave.

Medics said eight people had been killed in a series of airstrikes in Beit Lahiya while four others were killed elsewhere in Gaza City. (Reuters)

Israeli military confirms killing Hezbollah liaison with Syrian army in Damascus

The Israeli military confirmed on Tuesday that its forces had killed Salman Jumaa, a senior Hezbollah figure responsible for liaising with the Syrian army, in Damascus.

A Lebanese security source had told Reuters earlier in the day that an Israeli airstrike on a car near Syria's capital killed Jumaa. Syria's state news agency had reported the strike on the airport road but did not offer details on casualties. (Reuters)

Lebanese refugees return home from Iraq as Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire holds

Lebanese families displaced in Iraq by the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah have begun returning to their homes in southern Lebanon following a recently brokered ceasefire.

The cessation of hostilities has allowed many to make the journey back, despite widespread destruction. (Reuters)

Putin, Erdogan hold phone call to discuss Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the "sharply escalated" situation in Syria in a phone with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

Putin stressed the need to end aggression against the Syrian state, including leveraging Ankara's capabilities, it said in a statement, and both leaders noted the importance of further close coordination between Russia, Turkey and Iran on the matter.

"The two presidents will continue to be in contact with each other in the context of seeking steps to de-escalate the crisis," the statement said.

US carried out strike after attack in eastern Syria, Pentagon says

The US military carried out a strike in self defense against weapon systems in eastern Syria, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, adding it was unrelated to the ongoing rebel advances in the country.

Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder told reporters that earlier on Tuesday the US military struck weapons systems, including three mobile rocket launchers and a T-64 tank after projectiles were launched toward US troops at Military Support Site (MSS) Euphrates.

"These self defense actions successfully eliminated imminent threats to U.S. personnel and were not linked to any broader activities in northwest Syria by other groups," Ryder said.

Israel strikes Hamas members in occupied West Bank

Israel's military said on Tuesday that it targeted vehicles in the Aqabah area of the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank, killing three Hamas members who it said were planning an imminent attack.

The Israeli military added that soldiers conducted a follow-up raid in the area, during which four weapons were seized.

Hamas' armed al-Qassam Brigades confirmed the deaths of two of its members, stating they were killed during a mission near Aqabah in the northern West Bank, and vowed to continue resisting Israeli forces "until victory and liberation." 

US 'outraged' by killing of Save the Children worker in Gaza, calls for Israel to investigate

The United States on Tuesday urged Israel to investigate allegations its airstrikes have killed aid workers in Gaza, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said, expressing outrage over the recent killing of a Save the Children staffer.

Asked about the killing of 39-year-old Ahmad Faisal Isleem Al-Qadi in an airstrike on Saturday in Khan Younis, Patel said Washington was seeking more information about the death.

"We are outraged, and we are wanting more information about this incident," Patel said.

Russia, US clash at UN over escalation in Syria fighting

Russia and the United States clashed at the United Nations on Tuesday, accusing each other of supporting terrorism during a Security Council meeting convened over a sudden escalation of fighting in Syria.

Syrian rebels captured Aleppo last week in an attack initiated by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Formerly known as the Nusra Front, it was al Qaeda's official wing in Syria until breaking ties in 2016. It is sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council.