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Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a new attack on "a building used by Israeli soldiers" in Manara, which faces the Lebanese village of Houla.
A White House spokesperson defended the construction of a now-dismantled floating port to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, following the publication of a critical report by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), AFP reports.
"Given the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, the United States has spared no effort to get more aid in. The man-made harbor played a critical role at a critical moment," National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett wrote on X.
USAID Inspector General Paul Martin said in a report released Tuesday that "demands" from the Pentagon and the Israeli military "took precedence over the needs of the humanitarian response" during planning for the operation.
A U.N. vehicle, part of a humanitarian convoy coordinated with the Israeli authorities, was hit by Israeli fire on Tuesday in Gaza, without causing any deaths, announced a U.N. spokesperson quoted by AFP, recalling other similar previous events.
"Last night, a clearly marked U.N. humanitarian vehicle, part of a convoy fully coordinated with the [Israeli armed forces], was hit 10 times by Israeli fire," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, estimating that the two occupants had been saved only by the armor.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "considers the imposition of sanctions against Israeli citizens to be very serious," according to a statement released by his office after the announcement of new U.S. retaliatory measures against Jewish settlers in the West Bank.
"The issue is the subject of intense discussions with the United States," the text added without giving further details.
The vote to extend UNIFIL's mandate for one year "condemned the incidents that impacted UNIFIL forces and centers, including numerous cases of injury among peacekeepers," the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said in a statement.
The U.N. force recalled that the U.N. Security Council, which voted unanimously to extend the mandate, "urged all parties to take steps to de-escalate."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about Israel's "preemptive" attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon last weekend during a visit to Israel's northern border, the Jerusalem Post reports.
"I said that it [the preemptive strike] was not the end of the story. When will the end of the story be? Only when we are able to restore security and bring citizens back to their homes [in northern Israel]," Netanyahu said.
The general commanding Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank said he "failed" to protect a Palestinian village against a raid by armed Jewish settlers that left one person dead in mid-August, notably by delaying the dispatch of forces to the scene, AFP reports.
Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth called the attack on the village of Jit on the evening of Aug. 15, which sparked an international outcry, a "very serious terrorist act. "
"The case is not closed and will not be closed until the perpetrators are brought to justice," he was quoted as saying in a military statement reporting on an investigation into the violence.
The general commanding Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank said he "failed" to protect a Palestinian village against a raid by armed Jewish settlers that left one person dead in mid-August, notably by delaying the dispatch of forces to the scene, AFP reports.
Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth called the attack on the village of Jit on the evening of Aug. 15, which sparked an international outcry, a "very serious terrorist act. "
"The case is not closed and will not be closed until the perpetrators are brought to justice," he was quoted as saying in a military statement reporting on an investigation into the violence.
Photo sent by the Civil Defense of the Scouts of al-Rissala to L'Orient Today's correspondent
Latest developments in southern Lebanon:
- Israeli artillery targeted the Lebanese village of Blida (Marjayoun) with two shells, hitting a road in an area close to a center of the Civil Defense of the Islamic Health Committee, affiliated with Hezbollah, the committee reported to L'Orient Today's correspondent.
-Israeli artillery hit the Khiam plain, residents report.
-The al-Rissala Scouts Civil Defense (affiliated with the Amal movement) reported helping to put out fires after Israeli bombings in Kfar Kila (Marjayoun).
Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday risk "worsening an already catastrophic situation" in the Palestinian territory, the United Nations warned.
"Israel, as an occupying power, must respect its obligations under international law," said in a statement a spokesperson for the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani, quoted by AFP.
The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs thanked the U.N. Security Council "for the efforts" of member countries, particularly France and Algeria, after the renewal of the UNIFIL mandate for an additional year.
The ministry also thanked "the rest of the member countries that accepted the extension, knowing the importance of the presence of U.N. forces in south Lebanon and their role in preserving stability, particularly in the current circumstances."
The ministry also reiterated its commitment to resolution 1701 and to U.N. resolutions "which support the sovereignty of Lebanon ... which call on Israel to respect internationally recognized borders, to withdraw from the Lebanese territories that it continues to occupy, and to put an end to the continued [Israeli] aggressions in Lebanon."
"The risk of open war remains real. We are mobilized, in conjunction with our regional and international partners, to avoid a regional conflagration and we continue to call on Iran and the groups it supports to refrain from carrying out attacks, which would further aggravate current tensions," declared the deputy permanent representative of France to the U.N., Nathalie Broadhurst, during the Security Council session where the extension of the UNIFIL mandate was voted on.
"We have, through this text, called for the full implementation of the framework recognized by all, namely resolution 1701, including therefore the return to a complete cessation of hostilities. We have asked all actors to take immediate measures to work towards de-escalation," she added.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for an attack on "Israeli military buildings" in the Israeli town of Manara, which faces the Lebanese village of Houla, "in response to attacks by the [Israeli] enemy on southern villages and homes."
A case of polio has been detected in Gaza. The disease had been eliminated there more than 25 years ago and what its appearance reveals is a terrible fact. Between the collapse of the health system and the unsanitary conditions, the war has probably not yet revealed its true toll.
The United States announced new sanctions targeting Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, urging Israel to fight these "extremist" groups accused of stirring up violence.
The announcement comes on the same day that the Israeli army launched a large-scale military operation in the northern occupied West Bank, killing nine Palestinian fighters, it said.
Caretaker Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed Lebanon's "deep gratitude" to members of the UN Security Council for their " tireless efforts to renew UNIFIL's mandate, and in particular to France, for all its efforts to reach a consensus on this issue," according to a statement released by his office.
The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to extend the mandate of the Blue Helmets for a period of one year, until Aug. 31, 2025.
"The renewal of UNIFIL's mandate is essential to maintaining stability in southern Lebanon ... We affirm Lebanon's commitment to working closely with UNIFIL to address the challenges and threats to stability in the south. We also reiterate Lebanon's commitment to implementing ... U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701," Mikati added.
According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, a citizen suffered breathing problems following the bombardment by Israeli artillery of the village of Khiam (Marjayoun) using white phosphorus shells.
The ministry added that the citizen was taken to the emergency department of the Marjayoun Government Hospital for treatment.
Screenshot from U.N. Web TV
Lebanon's representative to the U.N. "thanked" the Security Council for the unanimous vote to extend UNIFIL's mandate and called for "the implementation of resolution 1701 in its entirety."
"Any agreement reached between the different parties in the future will have consequences for the work of UNIFIL," he added.
⚡ During the Security Council session, Israel's U.N. representative Danny Danon displayed maps highlighting "Hezbollah rocket launch sites" marked with red dots. He criticized that these points "are close to areas where UNIFIL operates," despite the U.N. unanimously extending the mission's mandate.
Danon also condemned the resolution for failing to mention Hezbollah. "Time is running out, and Israel will not hesitate to use all available means if diplomacy fails," he added regarding the current tensions at the border.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed Lebanon's "deep gratitude" to the members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for their "tireless efforts in renewing UNIFIL's mandate, and in particular to France, the pen holder for all its efforts to secure consensus on this matter," according to a statement released by his office.
The UNSC unanimously voted earlier to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for 12 months.
"Renewing UNIFIL's mandate is essential to maintaining stability in southern Lebanon, and we appreciate the Security Council's continued support and cooperation in this regard," Mikati's office added.
"We affirm Lebanon's commitment to work closely with UNIFIL to address the challenges and threats to stability in the south. We also reiterate Lebanon's commitment to implementing relevant international resolutions, especially [UNSC] Resolution 1701."
🔴 The Lebanese representative to the U.N. "thanked" the Security Council for the unanimous vote to extend UNIFIL's mandate and called for "the full implementation of Resolution 1701."
"Any agreement reached between the various parties in the future will impact UNIFIL's work," he added.
While UNIFIL's mandate remains unchanged, the resolution adopted "encourages the U.N. Secretary-General to ensure that UNIFIL remains prepared to adjust its activities to support de-escalation within its mandate and rules of engagement."
This did not satisfy Israel's new ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon. "What good is this mandate when it miserably fails to meet any of its objectives," he said to the press, according to AFP, arguing that the rocket attack that killed 12 children and teenagers in Majdel Shams at the end of July was "the direct result of UNIFIL and the Lebanese government's failure" to implement the Council's resolutions.
The U.N. Security Council "strongly urges all concerned parties to implement immediate measures for de-escalation, including efforts to restore calm, restraint, and stability around the Blue Line," the demarcation line between Israel and Lebanon.
The resolution passed by the Council to extend UNIFIL's mandate also reiterates the Council's "strong support" for full respect of the Blue Line and a complete cessation of hostilities.
The fate of a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas is "largely a question that is going to be answered" by the leader of the Palestinian militant group, Deputy CIA Director David Cohen said on Wednesday.
Cohen did not refer to Hamas' leader, Yahya Sinwar, by name. The Israelis were showing seriousness in the negotiations, Cohen told an intelligence and national security summit in Washington.
Mediators from the U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been working to strike a deal between the sides and prevent a broader regional war.
On those efforts, Cohen said: "There may be episodes where people would step back from the brink, but I don't think anybody can be confident that that effort to control escalation is something that ... any party in that region" can control.
Hezbollah announced that it fired rockets at the Israeli site of Samaqa in the Kfar Shuba hills at 2:20 p.m. and that it targeted the Israeli site of Bayyad Blida, facing the Lebanese village of Blida, at 4:15 p.m.
“I have a message for the Lebanese people: you and your government have a choice to make. Confront Hezbollah today or watch as your country is dragged into chaos and destruction," said Israel's representative to the U.N., Danny Danon, during the Security Council session.
"Do not let Hezbollah and Iran dictate your future. If you fail to act, the devastation that follows will be on your hands. Israel does not seek war. But as we demonstrated this week, we will not hesitate to defend our people. The time for the international community to act is now before this conflict spirals further out of control. We call on this council to finally enforce Resolution 1701 in full and to recognize Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.”
🔴 U.N. Security Council has unanimously voted to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The latest developments on the Israeli-Lebanese border:
* Hezbollah announced that it fired rockets at the Israeli site of Rowaissat al-Alam in the hills of Kfar Shuba at 2:20 p.m.
* Rocket alert sirens were activated in several northern Israeli towns, including Margaliot and Kiryat Shmona, according to Haaretz.
The Israeli army carried out an airstrike on a house in the village of Kfar Kila (Marjayoun) and fired two artillery shells at the same village, residents told L'Orient Today's correspondent in the South.
Islamic Jihad announced the death of three of its fighters, killed in an Israeli drone attack on a car near Zabadani in Syria, a few kilometers from the border with Lebanon.
They are Osama Arisha, Hossam Arisha and Firas Qassem, aged 39, 39 and 37 respectively. They are part of "the executives of the al-Quds Brigades" of Islamic Jihad in Syria, the movement's statement said.
According to the Israeli army, cited by Haaretz, Qassem was "a person responsible for developing the programs of Islamic Jihad in Syria and Lebanon, as well as recruiting members to carry out anti-Israeli activities in Lebanon."
The Israeli air force launched two consecutive attacks on the town of Odaisseh (Marjayoun), L'Orient Today's correspondent reported, citing residents.
The United Nations Security Council is due to meet today at 5 p.m. (Beirut time) to vote on the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
The UNIFIL mandate is due to expire on August 31. The main stakeholders are preparing for the renewal of the U.N. mission in Lebanon. According to a U.N. diplomat contacted by L'Orient Today at the end of July, this extension should not encounter any obstacles in principle, especially in the current context of the war in southern Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.
The remains of Shaked Dahan, an Israeli soldier killed on Oct. 7 during the deadly Hamas attack in Israel, have been recovered in Gaza and returned to his family, the municipality of the city where he resided told AFP.
"The mayor and residents of Migdal Ha'Emek share in the heavy grief of the Dahan family, who recovered the body of their son Shaked, murdered on Oct. 7 while defending the people," the municipality said on its Instagram account. "His body was recovered in Gaza and returned to his family last night," it said. The Israeli army was contacted by AFP, but they could not immediately confirm this information.
Photo sent by the Civil Defense of the Scouts of al-Rissala to L'Orient Today's correspondent
The Civil Defense of the Scouts of al-Rissal, close to the Amal movement, announced that it had participated in fighting the fires caused by an Israeli bombardment with white phosphorus on the village of Tayr Harfa (Sour).
Hezbollah announced the death of one of its fighters, Mohammad Taha from the city of Baalbeck. Taha was one of the four people killed in an Israeli drone strike that targeted a car on the Syrian side of the Lebanese-Syrian border earlier today.
433 Hezbollah members have been killed in Lebanon and Syria since the beginning of the hostilities last October.
In response to the Israeli airstrike overnight which hit a truck in Baalbeck in the Bekaa region, Hezbollah announced that it launched an exploding drone attack on the new headquarters of the Israeli army's Western Brigade in Ya'ara, opposite the Lebanese village of Dhaira (Sour).
Israeli fighter jets have bombed the heights of Jabal Ain al-Tineh, in Lebanon's western Bekaa, residents told our correspondent Sarah Abdallah.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia "to monitor developments in the Israeli aggression in the northern West Bank," reported the official Palestinian agency Wafa.
The recent clashes along the border between South Lebanon and northern Israel, ongoing since late July, have taken a significant toll on Lebanon’s tourism sector, which had shown promising signs earlier in the year despite the war in Gaza.
Joe Yacoub, CEO of the Lebanese subsidiary of Global Blue, a Swiss company specializing in VAT refunds on tourist purchases, noted that “figures were up in June, reached a very satisfactory level in July, then collapsed in August.” Global Blue had resumed operations last May after a lengthy hiatus.
According to the latest data from the Tourism Ministry, covering the first half of the year, visitor numbers dropped by 16.1% compared to the same period in 2023, totaling 630,075. Despite the impact of the war, this figure is still 10.4% higher than in the first half of 2022. The majority of visitors were dual nationals entering the country with their second passport.
More updates on the Israeli drone strike near the Lebanese-Syrian border:
- Three Palestinian fighters and one Hezbollah member were killed, two security sources told Reuters.
- The car was not transporting weapons, the sources said.
- There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah or from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, to which one of the sources said the three Palestinian fighters belonged.
- Israel has not commented on the strike yet.
To find out more, press here.👈
Israeli, U.S., Egyptian and Qatari negotiators met in Doha for "technical/working level" talks on a Gaza cease-fire, a source with knowledge of the meeting told Reuters
⚡ A drone strike hit a car on the road between Damascus and Beirut on the Syrian side of the border, killing four people, according to Syrian state media SANA.
U.S. President Joe Biden reportedly approved a plan to build a temporary floating military pier off the coast of Gaza, despite the opposition of several government officials, reported the Washington Post.
Officials had pointed out the risks posed by stormy waves, which have caused the pier to malfunction on two occasions in recent months.
U.S. officials who opposed the project also feared that it would undermine diplomatic efforts to force Israel to open other land routes into Gaza, according to an Inspector General's report published yesterday.
A new proposal has been put forth by mediators in their efforts to reach a cease-fire agreement and hostage deal in Gaza. Mediators have proposed a partial cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel as an initial step, with plans to negotiate a more comprehensive deal later, according to "The New Arab."
The proposal also includes securing a humanitarian truce of four to seven days to allow the distribution of polio vaccines in Gaza.
Axios reported that an Israeli delegation, including members of Mossad, the army, and Shin Bet, is expected in Doha later today to continue the discussions.
The health ministry in Gaza said Wednesday that at least 40,534 people have been killed in the war now in its 11th month.
The toll includes 58 deaths in the previous 24 hours, according to ministry figures, which also list 93,778 people as wounded in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7.
Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) received Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Riyadh yesterday, reported the al-Arabiya website.
MBS affirmed his determination to continue his efforts to end the war in Gaza.
He also stressed Saudi Arabia's commitment to working for calm in the region, and to supporting the Palestinian people in their struggle for their rights, a dignified life and a just and lasting peace.
The van that was targeted during the night near Shaath, in northern Lebanon's Bekaa region, was allegedly carrying military equipment, a security source told Reuters.
The source added that it was likely the military equipment being transported was a damaged rocket launcher on the way to be repaired.
European Commission Vice-President Josep Borrell called on X yesterday for a three-day humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza to vaccinate children against polio.
"The quick spread of polio threatens all children in Gaza, already weakened by displacement, deprivation and malnutrition. I urge an immediate 3-day humanitarian cease-fire to allow vaccination by WHO and UNICEF — independently of wider negotiations," he stressed.
"Our humanity demands it", he concluded.
In South Lebanon, a missile fired from an Israeli position hit the village of Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil) this morning, residents told our correspondent.
"The army has been operating with all its force since nightfall in the Jenin and Tulkarem refugee camps to dismantle the Iranian-Islamist terrorist infrastructure established there," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated.
On X, Katz accused Iran of attempting to "establish a terrorist front in the east, in Judea and Samaria"—the Israeli term for the occupied West Bank—"similar to Gaza and Lebanon," where Hezbollah, an ally of Tehran, has been firing rockets at Israel almost daily since the war in Gaza began.
Press here to read more about the Israeli raid on the occupied West Bank.👈
The Israeli army said it was carrying out "a counter-terrorism operation in Jenin and Tulkarem," in the northern occupied West Bank, without giving further details.
Israeli incursions into Palestinian autonomous areas are a daily occurrence in the West Bank.
Ten Palestinians were killed overnight in Israeli attacks on several towns in the northern occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent's spokesperson told AFP.
Two were killed in Jenin, four in a car bombing in a nearby village, and four others in a refugee camp near Toubas, said Red Crescent spokesperson Ahmed Jibril. The bodies from Jenin were taken to Jenin Hospital, while those from the car bombing and the al-Faraa camp were transferred to the Turkish Hospital in Toubas, he added.
"Two other Palestinians, brothers aged 13 and 17, were killed in a house in al-Faraa camp and [rescue workers] are unable to recover their bodies at the moment", he continued. Palestinian ambulance services regularly accuse the Israeli army of blocking access to the dead and wounded during its raids of the occupied West Bank. Jebril reported that there have been at least 15 injuries so far.
Yesterday in Gaza, an Israeli strike on the al-Maghazi refugee camp (central Gaza) killed seven people, including three children from the same family, emergency services report. Four others were killed in a bombing in Khan Younis (South), and three children and their mother were killed in a strike on Gaza City (North), according to the Civil Defense.
The health ministry in Gaza said yesterday that at least 40,476 people have been killed in the war. The toll includes 41 deaths in the previous 24 hours, according to ministry figures, which also list 93,647 people as wounded since Oct. 7. The U.N. rights office says most of the dead are women and children.
In South Lebanon, a precarious calm prevails this morning and since last night, according to our correspondent, Muntasser Abdallah.
However, warplanes and drones repeatedly flew over several towns and cities in the South throughout the night.
In Lebanon, an Israeli drone targeted a van east of Baalbeck shortly before midnight yesterday, slightly injuring one person.
The van was driving on the road between Rasm al-Hadath and Shaath, reported our correspondent in the Bekaa, Sarah Abdallah.
According to the Health Ministry, the driver of the van managed to escape the van after the first strike, which missed the vehicle. The van was hit and set on fire by a second strike.
Good morning!
Thank you for joining our live coverage of day 327 of the Gaza war and its implications on the region.
Today also marks day 326 since Hezbollah opened a "support" front for Gaza from South Lebanon.
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