Pentagon chief calls on Hezbollah not to 'provoke a wider conflict'; French FM warns Lebanon 'would not recover' from war: Day 73 of Hamas-Israel war

Thank you for following our LIVE coverage from day 73 of the Hamas-Israel war.

You can read a summary of today's events here.

We'll be back tomorrow with more news updates and analysis, right here at L'Orient Today.

The UN Security Council vote scheduled for today has been postponed until tomorrow (Tuesday), in order to allow for further negotiations, diplomatic sources tell AFP. The United Arab Emirates, which is behind the new draft resolution calling for a cease-fire to allow access for humanitarian aid, requested the postponement.

Ten days after an American veto, the Security Council was due to vote on a new text calling for an "urgent and lasting cessation of hostilities" in Gaza. It seems that the vote has been postponed in an attempt to avoid further deadlock within the 15-member council.

One private-sector truck, not part of a humanitarian aid convoy, has entered the Gaza Strip, the first of its kind since the start of the war, said US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, speaking to reporters.

Seeing "not only humanitarian aid but also commercial goods, which can be sold in stores and markets," enter the territory is "a crucial step in improving the lives of Palestinians in Gaza," he said.

People ride in the back of a cart towed by a tractor in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip today. (Credit: Mahmud Hams/AFP)

Israeli artillery shelling has targeted the outskirts of Naqoura, Sour district, residents tell our correspondent in the south.

Ten days after an American veto, the UN Security Council could vote on a new text calling for an "urgent and lasting cessation of hostilities" in Gaza.

The vote, initially scheduled for today at 3:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. GMT), was officially postponed until 5:00 p.m. (10:00 p.m. GMT), but could still be postponed again, possibly until tomorrow (Tuesday), to allow negotiations to continue and to avoid further impasse in the Council, diplomatic sources told AFP.

US National Security Spokesperson John Kirby says that Hezbollah's continued attacks across the Lebanese-Israeli border "are of concern" to the United States, according to a report from Haaretz.

"We don't want to see the conflict widened. We don't want to see a northern front opened up," added Kirby.

Hezbollah announced that it launched a series of missiles at the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona at 08:00 p.m. in response to Israel's targeting of funeral ceremonies in the southern Lebanese town of Aita al-Shaab.

The party also confirmed that "any harm to civilians will be reciprocated."

Shortly after, Haaretz reported that two rockets fell in Kiryat Shmona, one on a road and the other in the yard of a house. A this time, it is unknown whether the attacks resulted in any injuries or property damage.

Hamas's military wing released a video of three elderly Israeli hostages in which they are pleading for their immediate release without conditions.

The one-minute video, in which a Hebrew song plays in the background, was published on the movement's Telegram channel and covered by Reuters, Haaretz and other news outlets.

One man, who identified himself as 79-year-old Haiem Bery, was seated in the middle of two others around the same age, speaking in Hebrew into the camera. He said he was being held with other elderly hostages with chronic illnesses and that all of them were living in very harsh conditions.

"We are the generation who built the foundation for the creation of Israel. We are the ones who started the IDF military. We don't understand why we have been abandoned here," he said. "You have to release us from here. It does not matter the cost. We don't want to be casualties as a direct result of the IDF military airstrikes. Release us with no conditions. Don't let us grow old here," he added.

The video ends with all three men repeating the phrase in unison, "Don't let us grow old here."

The US has raised concerns with Israel about reports that an Israeli sniper shot dead two Christian women in a Christian compound in the Gaza Strip over the weekend, White House spokesperson John Kirby tells reporters.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Catholic authority in the Holy Land, said the two women, named as Nahida Khalil Anton and her daughter Samar, were shot dead in the compound of the Holy Family Parish in Gaza.

Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi discussed Egypt’s intensified efforts toward a cease-fire in Gaza and the delivery of sufficient quantities of aid, in a phone call with UN Secretary General António Guterres, the presidency says in a statement.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna warns that "the risk of escalation remains very high" in southern Lebanon, during a press conference at the Pine Residence in Beirut.

"We are here to avoid a regional escalation," said Colonna, who also took the opportunity to criticize Hezbollah and Iran. The former maintains an embattled front with Israel in southern Lebanon, and has lost 111 of its members since Oct. 8, the day after Hamas' al-Aqsa Flood operation on southern Israel.

(Photo credit: Mohammad Yassine)

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant says that "If a diplomatic solution is not reached, [Israel] will not hesitate to attack in the north," during a press conference with US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin, according to reports from Haaretz.

"Diplomacy is the preferred way. We are not looking for wars, but we have 70,000 displaced and Hezbollah has been shooting at us every day since Oct. 8. We are patient and we are looking for a diplomatic solution that will make sure that Hezbollah is not threatening Israeli civilians on the northern communities directly. On the other hand, we are preparing ourselves for any situation that is needed."

Israeli strikes have targeted and killed three journalists and 17 civilians in southern Lebanon, by our count, since the start of cross-border clashes.

Israeli artillery has targeted the southern outskirts of Mhaibib and the eastern outskirts of Mais al-Jabal, Marjeyoun district, residents tell our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah.

Israeli wartime Cabinet minister Benny Gantz articulated the role of the international community in lessening the threat of Hezbollah on Israel's northern territories, in a meeting with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, according to Haaretz.

"I mentioned to [Austin] that Israel will not be able to put up with the threat posed by the terrorist organization, Hezbollah, on its northern border, and I emphasized the crucial role of the international community in this matter," Gantz said.

Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari says that "Israeli air defense fighters recently intercepted a suspicious aerial target that crossed from Lebanese territory to Israeli territory."

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Hagari also said that an anti-tank missile was launched towards the Israeli town of Avivim a short time ago and that the Israeli army fired artillery towards Lebanese territory.

Arriving in Beirut earlier today, the French Foreign Minister met with outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the Grand Seraglio. The head of French diplomacy, who visited Israel and the occupied West Bank yesterday, plans to hold talks in an attempt to prevent further escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, as the war between Israel and Hamas rages on. (Photo by Mohammad Yassine)

Two Taiwanese companies announce the decision to temporarily halt the passage of their ships through the Red Sea in response to recent attacks by Houthi rebels from Yemen, Reuters reports.

Shipping company Evergreen is suspending navigation through the Red Sea and will stop accepting Israeli cargo with immediate effect, until further notice. Evergreen added that ships on regional services to Red Sea ports will sail to safe waters nearby and wait for further notification, while container ships which are scheduled to pass through the Red Sea will be rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope to continue their voyages to destination ports.

Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation will also divert any of its ships sailing through the Red Sea from Gulf of Aden via the Cape of Good Hope for the next two weeks. "For our vessels currently or potentially sailing through high-risk maritime area in the next two weeks, there will be an immediate diversion around the Cape of Good Hope, or waiting in a safe location," it said in a customer advisory.

"We will continue to closely monitor the situation in the high-risk region and will make real-time, adaptive adjustments to our vessels and routes in response to changes in the situation, ensuring the safety of the transportation."

These two announcements mark the 10th and 11th companies that have taken steps in response to Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea, which the group claims are in retaliation for Israeli aggression toward the Palestinian people.

The Israeli Army’s “Iron Dome” uses guided missiles to stop incoming attacks in mid-air. The defense system, which went into service in 2011, boasts an interception rate of between 85 to 90 percent. It's estimated that each of its guided missiles costs $50,000.

👉 Read about how the Iron Dome works, here.

(Photo credit: Said Khatib/AFP)

The Israeli army announces it attacked Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including "terrorist infrastructure, a launch site and a military structure," according to Haaretz.

It was also reported earlier that the Israeli army attacked members of Hezbollah in an area where they are known to be operating, according to the same source.

Later, Haaretz reported that sirens were activated in several communities in northern Israel due to a possible aircraft infiltration.

Hezbollah announces that it struck "two platforms of the Iron Dome" — Israel's air defense system — north of the Israeli town of Kabri with artillery fire at 2:30 p.m.

This is the first time since the start of the war between Hamas and Israel that Hezbollah has targeted elements of this defense system.

From the other side, an Israeli drone fired a missile at the area between Blida, Marjeyoun district, and Aitaroun, Bint Jbeil district, residents tell our correspondent in the south.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) says that between Oct. 21 and Dec. 16, 4,301 truckloads of humanitarian aid dispatched by the Egyptian Red Crescent entered the Gaza Strip via the Rafah border crossing. The crossing was closed from the start of the war until Oct. 21, on orders from the Israeli government who swore they would not allow, water, food, or fuel into the besieged enclave.

"The trucks contain food, water, emergency aid, medical supplies and medicines," said the statement posted on X. The PRCS also specifies how these trucks were distributed among the various organizations operating in the Palestinian enclave.

On Friday, Israel approved the opening of a second border crossing, Kerem Shalom, located where Egyptian, Israeli, and Gazan borders meet, aiding in a more efficient delivery of humanitarian supplies into Gaza.

Three Israeli artillery shells fell on the forest of Yaroun, Bint Jbeil district, residents of the southern Lebanese town tell our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah.

A farmer was slightly injured this afternoon in al-Mari, Hasbaya district, by fragments of an Israeli artillery shell fired at him while he was working in the field, the mokhtar of the town, Suleiman Abou al-Ila, tells L'Orient Today. He also said that the farmer was taken to a hospital in the area.

London's marine insurance market widens the area in the Red Sea it deems as high risk amid a surge in attacks on commercial ships, Reuters reports, citing a statement issued today.

Guidance from the Joint War Committee, which comprises syndicate members from the Lloyd's Market Association (LMA) and representatives from the London insurance company market, is watched closely and influences underwriters' considerations over insurance premiums.

The joint war committee widened the high risk zone to 18 degrees north from 15 degrees north previously, the statement says.

This report comes in tandem with another from Belgian oil tanker firm Euronav saying it will avoid the Red Sea area until further notice amid the recent Houthi attacks on vessels.

"We are monitoring the situation very closely. The safety of our crew and our ships is paramount," a spokesperson said in an email to Reuters.

Yemini Houthis claim responsibility for launching an attack on two ships in the Red Sea using naval drones, the group's military spokesperson, Yahya Sarea, said in a statement published on X.

The Houthis, aligned with Iran, identified the two ships to be the Swan Atlantic and MSC Clara, the spokesperson added.

The outskirts of Aitaroun, Bint Jbeil district, were targeted by two missiles fired from an Israeli drone, residents of the southern Lebanese town told our correspondent, Muntasser Abdallah.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army says that ten missiles were fired from Lebanon in the last hour, in the direction of the town of Matzuva in northern Israel, according to Haaretz.

All of them fell in open areas and did not cause any casualties, Haaretz reported. The Israeli army responded by firing at the source of the launches.

A series of Israeli bombardments have targeted southern Lebanon over the past half-hour:

• Two strikes hit the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab, according to residents quoted by our correspondent in the south.

• Three missiles hit the village of Labbouneh and two others the outskirts of Marwahine, according to a security source.

• Several rockets were fired from Lebanon towards Israel and Israeli air defense missiles were activated over the western sector of southern Lebanon, security sources told L'Orient Today. Israeli artillery shells also targeted this area.

The British energy giant BP said that it was suspending transit through the Red Sea following attacks by the Houthis on passing ships, AFP reports.

"In light of the deteriorating security situation for shipping in the Red Sea, BP has decided to temporarily pause all transits," BP said in a statement.

A Norwegian ship was hit by an "unidentified object" on Monday and caused no injuries.

Read the full story here.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna has arrived in Beirut and is currently meeting with Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri in Aïn el-Tineh, according to correspondent Hoda Chedid.

Colonna, who was in Israel on Sunday, is also due to meet the caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, and have a meeting with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). She will give a press briefing at 5.30 p.m.

The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmad Aboul Gheit, accused Israel of seeking "to annihilate an entire society...and destroy livelihoods in Gaza," according to the Palestinian agency WAFA, quoted by NNA. Speaking at the 31st session of ESCWA (Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia), he also called for an immediate cease-fire and "an end to the bloody massacre" in Gaza.

Mossad chief David Barnea met CIA chief William J. Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani in Warsaw, Haaretz reports.

The three men discussed the possibility of resuming negotiations with Hamas to free the Israeli hostages in Gaza.

An aerial vehicle coming from Lebanon was intercepted by the Israeli army and warning sirens were activated, said an Israeli military spokesman quoted by Haaretz.

Projectiles fell on Aita al-Shaab, in the Bint Jbeil region, where the funeral of a Hezbollah fighter killed in a previous attack on Sunday was taking place, mukhtar (local official) Majed Tahini told our correspondent. The ceremony continued, despite the strike. A security source said that the strike was launched from a drone and that the missile landed some twenty meters from the funeral site.

According to Tahini, the strike targeted an empty house close to the funeral site and slightly wounded two people.

(Photo sent by a resident of Aïta el-Chaab to our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah)

Israeli artillery launched five shells on areas located north of the town of Mays al-Jabal, notably in the area of ​​Khallet al-Khashab and Wadi Jamal, according to residents cited by our correspondent.

Palestinians inspect the rubble of destroyed houses and buildings in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Dec. 18, 2023, amid continuing battles between Israel and the militant group Hamas. (Credit: Mohammed Abed/AFP)

Hezbollah said, in a statement, that it had targeted the Israeli military position of "Hamra," on the border with southern Lebanon, at 9 a.m., without giving further details.

US Defense Secretary Llyod Austin arrived in Israel on Monday as the US seeks to push Israel to the "next stage" of its offensive in Gaza that would reduce civilian deaths in the enclave, Reuters reports.

While the US has remained a steadfast supporter of Israel throughout the war, even as it has become increasingly isolated internationally, it has also become more vocal in its demands for Israel to take greater precautions as the death toll in Gaza continues to mount.

Read the full report here.

Two Israeli shells fell on the hill of Hamamis, south of the Lebanese village of Khiam, according to local residents quoted by our correspondent.

Four Palestinians were killed in the Faraa refugee camp in the occupied West Bank following an Israeli raid according to the Palestinian health ministry, Reuters reports.

This is another in a growing string of raids in the occupied territories by Israeli forces that have added to a growing list of Palestinians killed in what has become one of the deadliest years on record.

An explosion occurred on a maritime route off the coast of Yemen, the scene of numerous attacks on merchant traffic claimed by Houthi rebels, two sources said maritime security agencies cited by AFP.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency has issued an alert regarding a "potential explosion" near a ship transiting the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which separates the Horn of Africa from the Arabian Peninsula. "A captain reported...an explosion which occurred two miles from his ship which was in transit," indicated the Ambrey agency.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched a series of drone and missile attacks on ships in the Red Sea, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip under Israeli bombardment.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused Israel of intentionally preventing food, water and fuel from getting into Gaza as part of a tactic to starve the civilian population in Gaza during its offensive of the enclave, AFP reports.

"Israeli forces are deliberately blocking the delivery of water, food and fuel, while wilfully impeding humanitarian assistance, apparently razing agricultural areas, and depriving the civilian population of objects indispensable to their survival," the report by the human rights organization read.

Israel, for its part, dismissed the report and accused HRW of being an "anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli organization."

Read the full story here.

The Hamas-led government in Gaza announces 110 dead in Israeli strikes in northern Gaza, according to AFP

The head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, Mohammad Raad, this morning criticized those who oppose the Shiite party's military operations in southern Lebanon.

"Some people say that Israel would not have been aggressive if it had not been the victim of aggression. We prefer our homes to be destroyed if it allows us to preserve our honor," said the MP, speaking at a tribute in Nabatiye to one of the party's fighters killed in action.

"We have offered more than a hundred martyrs to Lebanon in order to curb offensives for which the US administration and the Zionist entity are entirely responsible," added Raad, whose son was recently killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon.

While Israel relentlessly bombards Gaza in its offensive to destroy Hamas, one thing that AFP says will not be destroyed in the war its Hamas's financing.

According to AFP, Hamas, over the last decade, has created a resilient financial network that will allow them keep the money flowing into their accounts.

This is not likely to change even with this war.

Read the full story here.

Israeli bombardments targeted the outskirts of Dhaira and Alma al-Shaab in southern Lebanon, according to residents quoted by our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah. Israeli artillery also shelled an area near homes in Jibbain, according to the head of the village's municipal council, Talal Akeil.

No casualties have been reported so far.

The United Nations Security Council will vote today on a new text proposed by Arab countries that calls for an "urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities" in Gaza, according to AFP.

This will be the third attempt by the UNSC to bring about a cease-fire in Gaza after the United States vetoed the first two attempts.

The US has increasingly become isolated in its unwavering backing of Israel as it's offensive in Gaza inches closer and closer to killing 20,000 people, the majority of whom are civilians.

Read the full story here.

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) condemned the "effective destruction" of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in southern Gaza, AFP reports.

In a statement on X, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that of those killed was a nine-year-old child.

"@WHO is appalled by the effective destruction of Kamal Adwan hospital in northern #Gaza over the last several days, rendering it non-functional and resulting in the death of at least 8 patients," he wrote, adding that "many health workers were reportedly detained."

Read the full report here.

Israeli forces carried out airstrikes near Damascus on Sunday, wounding two soldiers, AFP reports.

This was the latest strike on Syria by Israel which routinely carries out attacks that target Hezbollah and Iranian infrastructure and military positions.

Read the full story here.

Two Israeli shells fell on the outskirts of Naqoura, in southern Lebanon, according to residents, reports our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah.

Three other Israeli projectiles targeted the outskirts of the villages of Blida and Aitaroun, again according to residents.

Make sure to read today's Morning Brief to make sure that you are caught up with what happened over the weekend and what to expect today.

Good morning!

Thank you for joining us for our live coverage of day 73 of the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel in Gaza.