Israeli army reported 'significant increase' in air patrols over Lebanese skies: Day 311 of the Gaza war

Thank you for following our live coverage of the Gaza war and its implications on the region, particularly Lebanon. 

We will resume reporting tomorrow morning. 

🔴 "We have significantly increased our air patrols in the Lebanese sky to prevent and destroy any threats," said Israeli army chief of staff Herzi Halevi quoted by the troop's Arabic-speaking spokesman Avichay Adraee on X.

"Hezbollah fires randomly and irresponsibly, as we saw on Saturday during the killing of Majdal Shams", a Druze village in the Syrian Golan annexed by Israel where twelve children and teenagers were killed. Hezbollah strongly denied any responsibility for the attack and instead claimed that it was an Israeli interceptor missile that was responsible. 

"If Hezbollah is planning something, we will not stand idly by, and we will make several successive attacks, to eliminate the threats," added Halevi.

"We are at the highest level of preparation."

Here are the latest updates from the southern Lebanese-Israeli border: 

- Hezbollah announced that it attacked the Malkiya Israeli site, facing the Lebanese village of Blida, with missiles at 7:37 p.m. 

- Two Israeli airstrikes targeted Kfar Kila, in the Marjayoun district, reported security sources. 

⚡ The U.S. has prepared for what could be "significant attacks" by Iran or its proxies in the Middle East "as soon as this week," reported AFP citing White House national security spokesperson John Kirby today. 

Kirby told reporters that the U.S. had increased its regional force posture in recent days and shared Israel's concerns about a possible Iranian-backed attack after the assassination of Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran last month. 

Iran could make a "significant" attack on Israel this week, AFP reported citing the White House. 

Hezbollah announced that it attacked at 7:15 p.m. the Israeli position of Rowaissat al-Alam, in the disputed Kfar Shuba hills, with artillery shells.

Shortly after, the group also claimed it conducted another attack, against "a deployment of enemy soldiers" near Hanita, facing the Lebanese village of Alma al-Shaab (Sour district).

(Credit: Foreign Affairs Minster Press Office)

Caretaker Lebanese Foreign Affairs Minister Abdallah Bou Habib called on Canada and other Western countries "to put more pressure on Israel to stop its aggression against Lebanon and Gaza."

The Minister was speaking after a meeting with Canadian Ambassador Stefanie McCollum.

The Canadian ambassador stressed her country's continuous efforts to reduce escalation and find a diplomatic solution to the existing conflicts. She also praised the circular submitted on Friday by the Lebanese government, which outlines its vision for rules to achieve long-term stability in southern Lebanon.

The Biden administration said today that it expects Gaza peace talks to move forward as planned, adding that it believed that a cease-fire agreement is still possible.

State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel, speaking to reporters at a briefing, said the department fully expects talks to continue and that it would continue to work with the parties involved, adding that agreement was still possible, reported Reuters. 

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned today the continued loss of life from the war in Gaza and urged Hamas and the Israeli government to rejoin and conclude a cease-fire and hostages release deal, deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq said.

"He also again underscores the need to ensure the protection of civilians and for unimpeded and safe humanitarian access into and across Gaza," said Haq. 

Rocket sirens sound in Israel's north, near the Lebanese border, reported Haaretz. 

Multiple rockets were launched from Lebanon toward the Ramim mountain range, the city of Metula and the Mount Dov area in northern Israel, added Haaretz citing the military's statement.

The Israeli air force claimed to have struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher and military structures in southern Lebanon, reported the Israeli news outlet. The statement adds that the army directed artillery fire toward the areas of Ramieh and Aita al-Shaab in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon earlier in the day.

Blindfolded, beaten and sometimes bitten by dogs, Palestinians from Gaza released from Israeli jails claim to have been tortured as part of Israel's war against the enclave. The war, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, has worsened detention conditions in Israeli jails, reported AFP citing rights groups.

Mohammad Abou Salmiya, former director of al-Shifa, Gaza's largest hospital, is the latest to report mistreatment by Israel. Salmiya, one of dozens of detainees released on Monday, said: "Several detainees died in the interrogation centers, they had been deprived of food and medicine."

The Israeli military acknowledged there have been 36 deaths, attributing them to detainees who were sick or had been wounded in the war.

To read more about the reported torture of Palestinians in Israeli detention centers, press here.

Civil defense personnel extinguishing a fire in southern Lebanon. (Credit: Mount Amel First Directorate of Civil Defense)

The Mount Amel First Directorate of Civil Defense, part of the Islamic Health Authority, affiliated with Hezbollah, has been active in villages in the districts of Sour, Bint Jbeil, and Marjayoun, the Directorate said in a statement.

In the past two days, they tackled 19 fires: 11 caused by Israeli shelling in various villages, and 8 due to weather and other factors.

They also cleared roads in Blida (Marjayoun) and Tayr Harfa (Sour) and removed debris from a house in Kfar Kila (Marjayoun) — all affected by Israeli strikes and shelling. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of adopting an "anti-Israeli narrative and harm[ing] the chances of reaching a deal for the release of the hostages," Haaretz reported citing Netanyahu's press office.

"Israel has only one option: to achieve a decisive victory, which means eliminating Hamas' military and governmental capabilities and freeing the hostages — and this victory will be achieved," the statement added.

Earlier today, Haaretz reported that Gallant dubbed the talk of total victory "nonsense." "I hear the heroes with the drums [of war], [talking about] 'total victor' and other nonsense."

In a telephone conversation, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian "to do everything possible to avoid a military escalation" in the Middle East, according to a statement issued in Berlin and quoted by AFP. 

Scholz "stressed once again that the time has come to finalize an agreement on a cease-fire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip", and to implement it immediately for a de-escalation in the region.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accused European Union's Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell of supporting Hamas as well as the Iranian “axis of evil.”

“There will be a day in which Europe will be ashamed of Borrell and the double standard that he and many of his friends have applied to Israel while siding with actual terrorists,” Bezalel Smotrich posted on X.

Borrell called for more sanctions on “extremist” Israeli officials after recent comments by far-right Israeli ministers opposed to a Gaza cease-fire and humanitarian aid deliveries to the enclave.

Last week, Smotrich said it would be "justified and moral" to starve children in Gaza, while Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for cutting off all fuel and aid to Gaza.

Hezbollah announced that it attacked the Israeli Samaka site in the disputed Kfar Shuba hills with artillery shells at 3.:20 p.m.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hamas fighters in Lebanon of smuggling “weapons and funds into Jordan with the aim of destabilizing the regime”.

He claimed on X that these arms and money are then smuggled across the eastern border, flooding the occupied West Bank, particularly refugee camps.

Iran “effectively controls refugee camps” in the West Bank through its proxies, leaving the Palestinian Authority “powerless to act”, the minister alleged.

Here are the latest updates in South Lebanon:

- Israeli white phosphorus bombardment resulted in a fire in a Kounin forest, in the Bint Jbeil district, residents reported. 

-Two shells targeted the outskirts of Sadana, located between Shebaa and Kfar Shuba, in the Hasbaya district, residents told our correspondent in the region.

Russian President Valdimir Putin will meet on Tuesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, according to Russian news agency TASS.

Abbas is in Russia on an official visit at the invitation of Putin, stated Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Abdel Hafiz Nofal, the Palestinian ambassador to Russia, told Wafa that Abbas will discuss with Putin the efforts to stop the war in Gaza and ways to transport humanitarian aid into the enclave.

"The rules we all agree on" have been "blatantly broken" in the past 10 months, said the commissioner-general of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees in the region (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini.

“In the past 10 months, these rules have been blatantly broken day in, day out in #Gaza by the Israeli Forces as well as the Palestinian armed groups including Hamas,” Lazzarini wrote on X.

“More concerning, Member States – party to the Geneva Conventions – have failed in their responsibilities to respect the conventions and ensure that parties to the conflict respect them under all circumstances.”

“The basics still apply: – Civilians, women, children, detainees must be protected. – Schools, hospitals, people’s homes, humanitarian + UN staff, facilities & operations must be protected,” he wrote.

According to Israeli intelligence services, Iran is prepared to launch a direct attack on Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, and it is likely to occur in the coming days.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Israel has been enhancing its defenses recently in anticipation of potential attacks from Iran and Hezbollah, and is also preparing for possible offensive or preemptive actions if necessary.

“We are in a period of vigilance and readiness; threats from Tehran and Beirut may materialize, and it’s crucial to understand that readiness and vigilance are not the same as fear and panic,” Gallant said during a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting, as reported by the Times of Israel.

“In recent days, we have focused on both strengthening our defenses and developing offensive options, to be used in response or proactively if needed, anywhere and in any region, with the primary goal of protecting the citizens of Israel,” he added.

Lebanese Forces MP Fady Karam told Voice of Lebanon that "Iran has done a great service to Israel, as we are moving towards a real implementation of Resolution 1701."

"Under the pretext of ending Hamas, Israel has destroyed Gaza, and it is possible that later, under the pretext of ending Hezbollah, it will destroy Beirut," the MP, whose party opposes Hezbollah, added.

⚡ The Israeli army has instructed its soldiers on leave in Georgia and Azerbaijan to return to Israel immediately due to fears of an Iranian attack, according to a message posted on its Telegram channel and shared by verified X accounts.

During a phone call with Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin urged Tehran to pursue "dialogue, negotiation, and peace," according to a Vatican statement.

Cardinal Parolin expressed the "grave concern of the Pope regarding the situation in the Middle East" and reiterated the need to prevent the escalation of the ongoing severe conflict, emphasizing the preference for "dialogue, negotiation, and peace."

The European Minister for Development Cooperation accused far-right figures in the Israeli government of advocating the refusal of humanitarian aid to civilians, including children.

In a message on X, Caroline Gennez emphasized that such an action would constitute "a war crime," indirectly targeting Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and echoing earlier criticisms by the EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell Fontelles.

"They are thus undermining any chance for a peaceful solution and threatening the security of both Palestinian and Israeli populations," Caroline Gennez stated.

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip reported Monday that the death toll in the Palestinian territory has reached 39,897 since the start of the war with Israel, now in its eleventh month.

The ministry, which did not provide a daily update on Sunday, also stated that 92,152 people have been injured in the Gaza Strip since October 7.

This latest figure includes the 93 people killed in an Israeli strike targeting a school in Gaza City last Saturday.

Avigdor Lieberman, former Israeli Defense Minister, stated that "Hezbollah cannot have a security zone in Israeli territory ten months after the start of the war," according to al-Jazeera.

Since the exchange of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli army began on Oct. 8, 2023, several Israeli families living in northern Israel have left their homes. According to Haaretz, although some have returned, only 10% of the 9,500 evacuees have returned to the area.

Iran has the "right to an appropriate and deterrent response" against Israel to ensure regional stability, said Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani to his Chinese counterpart on Monday, according to state media, as reported by Reuters.

Israeli security forces reported that an Israeli was killed and another was injured when armed men opened fire on vehicles traveling in the Jordan Valley. The armed wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for the shooting on their Telegram channel.

⚡ Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir (far-right) warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would "withdraw from the government if the proposed agreement with Hamas was adopted," Israeli Channel 12 reported. On Sunday, Hamas called for the implementation of a cease-fire plan proposed by Joe Biden for Gaza.

⚡ Lufthansa Group announced on Monday that it is extending the suspension of its flights to several destinations in the Middle East, including Tel Aviv in Israel, Beirut in Lebanon, Amman in Jordan and Erbil in Iraq, until Aug. 21 inclusive, Reuters reported.

Hezbollah has denied to L’Orient Today reports circulating since early August that it had relocated its offices outside the southern suburbs of Beirut.

These reports were notably cited by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Joumhouria, which was referenced by Haaretz this morning.

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards are holding military drills in the western parts of the country that will continue until Tuesday, Iran's official news agency announced on Sunday.

The drills, which started on Friday, are ongoing in the western province of Kermanshah close to the border with Iraq to "enhance combat readiness and vigilance," an armed forces official told IRNA.

The drills are taking place as Iran has vowed to retaliate against Israel after the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh on July 31 in Tehran.

Cited by Iranian media, Revolutionary Guards deputy commander Ali Fadavi said on Friday that the Iranian supreme leader's orders regarding the harsh punishment of Israel and revenge for Haniyeh are clear and will be implemented in the "best possible way".

According to the latest report from the Ministry of Health, published on Sunday evening, the Israeli strike on Maaroub (Sour district) on Sunday resulted in twelve injuries, including one Lebanese and eleven Syrians, with two people in critical condition (a five-month-old girl and a woman).

According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, the Israeli airstrike that targeted the city of Kfar Kila (Bint Jbeil district) on Sunday evening around 8:30 p.m. resulted in three injuries.

⚡Air France and its subsidiary Transavia France have once again extended their suspension of flights to Beirut until Wednesday, Aug. 14, due to the geopolitical situation in Lebanon, the airlines confirmed to AFP on Monday.

The resumption of operations — halted since July 29 due to the "security situation in Lebanon"—"will be subject to a new assessment of the situation on the ground," according to an Air France statement.

Yair Golan, the former IDF Deputy Chief of Staff and the founder of the Democrats, the new left-wing merge between the Labor and Meretz, told The Guardian that he is "not sure Israel is a democratic state anymore."

Commenting on the militant sentiment prevalent in Israel, especially after the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, Golan told the Guardian that right-wing voters believe Israel can annex millions of Palestinians and "Should adopt some sort of policy of revenge" without aspiring for a potential reconciliation.

⚡ France, Germany and the United Kingdom stated on Monday that there can be no further delay in negotiating a cease-fire in Gaza, calling for an immediate end to the fighting and the release of all hostages held by Hamas.

They also warned Iran and its allies against any further escalation, emphasizing that no country would benefit from an intensification of the conflict in the Middle East, following the recent assassinations of Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukur and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a strike, carried out on Monday at 8:40 a.m., targeting "espionage equipment" in the locality of Metula, which faces the Lebanese village of Khiam.

U.S. Defense Secretary Austin, in a call with Israeli defense minister Gallant, says he has ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to accelerate its transit to the Middle East, according to Reuters, citing the Pentagon.

Here's the situation in southern Lebanon from Sunday night to Monday:

- Israeli airstrikes: On Sunday, shortly after 7 p.m., the Israeli army struck a building in Maaroub (Sour district), injuring 12 people, including at least two Lebanese and six Syrian children, according to the Health Ministry. One of the injured is in critical condition. The Al-Rissala scout civil defense (from the Amal Movement) helped rescue the injured and extinguished a fire caused by the strike. Israeli jets also hit a business in Jibbayn (Sour).

- Further attacks: Around 8:30 p.m., the Israeli air force bombed a residence in Kfar Kila (Bint Jbeil) after a previous strike in the same area with a missile that failed to detonate. Israeli artillery also targeted the outskirts of Naqoura (Sour).

- Hezbollah fighter killed: Shortly after 10 p.m., Hezbollah announced the death of one of its members, Hassan Ghadbane Moustapha, who was injured a week ago in a strike on Beit Lif (Bint Jbeil). Earlier sources had reported that this fighter was affiliated with the Amal Movement.

- Hezbollah retaliation: At 2 a.m., Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a strike on an Israeli army position in Jaatoun (east of Nahariya), "in response to Israeli hostilities against southern villages, particularly Maaroub." This brings the total number of Hezbollah fighters killed since Oct. 8th in Lebanon and Syria to 407, with 364 killed in Lebanon.

In southern Lebanon this morning, Israeli fighter jets struck a residence in Shihine (Sour district) at dawn, according to residents cited by our correspondent in the region.

Israeli artillery also targeted the outskirts of Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya), Ramiya, and Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil).

Israeli troops frequently return to areas they previously withdrew from due to the resurgence of Palestinian fighter units. On Sunday, new airstrikes were carried out on Khan Younis.

According to AFPTV footage, Palestinians rushed to Nasser Hospital in the city after a strike, bringing in bodies and injured people wearing blood-soaked T-shirts.

In recent days, more than 75,000 people have been displaced in the southwest, according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

Other areas in the central and northern parts of the besieged Palestinian territory were also targeted overnight, with at least two people killed, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

In Gaza City, rescue teams are still working the day after an Israeli strike that, according to Gaza's Civil Defense, killed 93 Palestinians, including women and children, in a school sheltering displaced people. The international outcry over the incident has been slow to emerge. "It will take us another two days to identify the bodies that have been dismembered," stated Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal.

The Israeli army claimed that the school was being used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad (another armed Palestinian movement) to "carry out attacks" against its soldiers and acknowledged that it had killed "at least 19 terrorists" in the operation, indirectly admitting to the deaths of at least 74 civilians.

The Israeli war in Gaza has resulted in at least 39,790 deaths. 

In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army early Sunday urged civilians to leave the al-Jalaa area in the northern neighborhoods of Khan Younis, which had already been targeted by several major operations.

The army claimed that Hamas had "established terrorist infrastructure" there and that it was "preparing to carry out operations."

"We're tired of being displaced 50 times," sighed Saleh Ghaban, sitting in a makeshift vehicle with his few belongings piled on board.

Despite international calls for a cease-fire, mediation efforts by Qatar, the United States and Egypt have repeatedly failed in recent months.

On May 31, President Biden announced a plan, reportedly proposed by Israel, that included a six-week truce in its first phase. This truce would involve an Israeli withdrawal from densely populated areas of Gaza, along with the release of hostages held in the Palestinian territory and Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.

On Sunday evening, Hamas urged mediators to "present a roadmap" for the "implementation" of this plan, "based on the vision of (U.S. President Joe) Biden and U.N. Security Council resolutions," rather than pursuing further negotiations or introducing new proposals.

A few days ago, the mediating countries called for a resumption of discussions on Aug. 15 regarding a truce in Gaza, linked to the release of hostages. Israel agreed to this, but Hamas has not clearly stated whether it will participate.

To begin, here’s what you need to know about Gaza’s current situation:

On Sunday, Hamas called for the implementation of a truce plan proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden, stating that it preferred this approach over further negotiations.

This appeal from the Palestinian Islamist movement came the day after an Israeli airstrike on a school, which is considered one of the deadliest attacks since the war in the Gaza Strip began on Oct. 7, 2023.

Make sure to read today's Morning Brief to catch up on the weekend's key events ahead of the week.

Good morning! Thank you for joining us on today's live coverage of the Gaza war and its regional impacts.