Hezbollah claims an attack against Israeli soldiers attempting to infiltrate Blida: Day 368 of the Gaza and Lebanon wars

Hezbollah stated on Wednesday that "fighting is ongoing" between its fighters and Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon, where Israel claims to be expanding its ground offensive.

Earlier, the party had said that it repelled Israeli soldiers twice as they attempted to enter southern Lebanon, a region where Israel began incursions on Sept. 30 after withdrawing in 2000 following 22 years of occupation.

“We must not waver at this critical period to achieve ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, to get more desperately needed aid into Gaza, and secure the release of all hostages." said British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Mr. Lammy, who is set to speak with leaders in Bahrain and Jordan and meet with British armed forces personnel stationed in the Middle East, described the situation as "incredibly dangerous." In Bahrain, he will visit the HMS Lancaster frigate of the Royal Navy, which is deployed in the country and patrolling the waters of the Red Sea and the Gulf to counter the activities of Houthi rebels from Yemen. He will also meet with "senior figures" in the country, while in Jordan he will discuss matters with Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

Hezbollah announced in a statement that its fighters "detonated an explosive charge against Israeli enemy soldiers attempting to enter the village of Blida," located in the Marjeyoun district. The Shiite group added that it had "inflicted injuries" on the Israeli soldiers.

The Washington Post reports that an Israeli official, wishing to remain anonymous, revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed Mr. Gallant that he could only go to Washington under two conditions: first, that a phone call take place between him and U.S. President Joe Biden, and second, that the Israeli security cabinet approve a military response to last week’s missile attack by Iran.

This same official clarified that "Netanyahu unsuccessfully attempted to reach Biden directly."

36 people were killed and 150 wounded in Israeli attacks across Lebanon on Monday, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported in a toll published on Tuesday evening.

Four adjacent residential buildings in the Burj al-Barajneh area have collapsed following the latest Israeli airstrike that targeted the area, according to the National News Agency (NNA).

A series of Israeli strikes targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut following an evacuation warning from the Israeli army has caused "massive destruction," reports the National News Agency (NNA).

"The southern suburbs of Beirut are undergoing a series of strikes that have caused massive destruction" in several neighborhoods, NNA stated.

Members of the Lebanese Civil Defense in the Sour district are unable to communicate with each other, a source within the Civil Defense told L’Orient Today.

"Due to outages in mobile phone operators in Lebanon, Alfa and MTC Touch, we can't communicate with each other. We don’t even know if there are any injured or dead after Israeli airstrikes... This complicates our work," the source emphasized.

"When a rescue vehicle heads towards an area targeted by Israeli strikes, we worry about the rescuers because we can’t stay in contact with them. We don’t know if they’ve arrived at the site, if they are safe... The communication network in Sour and its surroundings needs to be repaired. This situation is terrible," the source added.

A series of airstrikes has targeted the city of Baalbek and its surroundings, according to our correspondent in the Bekaa, Sarah Abdallah. The strikes targeted the vicinity of Brital, Douris near the agricultural area, the outskirts of Nahle, Hawsh Barada, the plain of Majdaloun, Sarain, Al-Ain, and Nabi Sheet.

The Israeli army reported that 180 rockets launched towards Israel were detected during the day, according to Haaretz.

⚡ A new Israeli strike targeted Burj al-Brajneh in Beirut's southern suburbs of Beirut, according to the National News Agency.

Israeli airstrikes targeted the localities of Nabi Sheet, Khodor, Ain al-Saouda, Drous and Hosh Bardi, according to our correspondent in the Bekaa. 

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has denounced a "provocation" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has threatened Lebanon with "destruction and [suffering] like we see in Gaza," if it does not rid itself of Hezbollah.

"If this provocation were followed by action, it would plunge Lebanon, a country that is a friend of France and already so fragile, into chaos. And it would pose even greater security problems for Israel than those that prevailed before the military operations in Lebanon," warned Mr. Barrot, interviewed on France 2 public television. "The situation in Lebanon is catastrophic," he emphasized.

The director of the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia, in the north of the Gaza Strip, said that the Israeli army had ordered the evacuation of the medical center within 24 hours, Haaretz reported.

⚡ Israeli airstrikes targeted the neighborhoods of Kafaat and Roueiss in Beirut's southern suburbs, reported the National News Agency. Those neighborhoods did not receive evacuation orders.

In a statement from its "operations center," Hezbollah claimed that the Israeli army had so far "failed to enter the resilient villages" in southern Lebanon and that it would continue to counter any incursion attempts.

Citing a field officer within the operations center the statement reported "heavy losses" of "more than thirty dead and 200 wounded" in the Israeli ranks... In a belligerent tone, the party threatened that Haifa "and other" towns would end up "like Kiryat Shmona, Metula, and other Israeli localities in the North," which are hit almost daily. "We are capable of reaching wherever we want," the statement added, asserting that fighters would not limit themselves to firing "missiles or drones."

Tehran has informed Gulf states that allowing the use of their airspace for any action against Iran would be "unacceptable" and would prompt a response, a senior Iranian official told Reuters.

"Iran made it clear that any action by a Persian Gulf country against Tehran, whether through the use of airspace or military bases, will be regarded by Tehran as an action taken by the entire group, and Tehran will respond accordingly," the official stated. 

"The message emphasized the need for regional unity against Israel and the importance of securing stability. It also made clear that any assistance to Israel, such as allowing the use of a regional country’s airspace for actions against Iran, is unacceptable," he added. 

A Western diplomat stationed in the Gulf noted that during a Gulf-Iran meeting in Doha on Thursday, Iran reiterated its call for regional solidarity in the face of potential Israeli aggression, considering neutrality the minimum expectation. The diplomat also stated that Iran made clear it would closely monitor each Gulf country's stance and the use of U.S. bases in the region if an Israeli attack were to occur.

Egypt and Jordan condemned today "the Israeli aggression on three fronts," including Lebanon, with Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi calling for an end to the violence after "a year of destruction in Gaza" and "escalation in the occupied West Bank."

"We condemn the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, we condemn Israel's shelling of the Lebanese capital, we condemn Israel's killing of Lebanese citizens," Safadi said, while Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stated, "You have a country [Israel] that finds itself above the law and unaccountable." 

Both Amman and Cairo have repeatedly warned that the region is on the brink of all-out war and have accused Israel of being given impunity by its Western allies to systematically violate international law.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's visit to the U.S. has been postponed due to conditions set by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reported Haaretz.

Responding to a question from Haaretz about the Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said that the hostages remained the army's top priority.

"We have learned lessons from Rafah and Tal al-Sultan. We are continuing to act to create the conditions necessary for the return of the hostages. This is a priority mission ... and we continue to deploy massive efforts in this direction."

Hagari added that the army was continuing to transfer humanitarian aid to Gaza. "We constantly see Hamas' efforts to seize aid, and we are doing everything in our power to ensure that the people of Gaza receive it. There is still a lot to be done in this area," he claimed.

State Department Speaker Matthew Miller spoke about Hezbollah wanting to potentially uncouple the Gaza and Lebanon cease-fire deals, and said: "Where have they been for a year? For a year the world has been calling on Hezbollah to stop the attacks across the border into Israel, and for a year Hezbollah said they would not do it unless there was a cease-fire in Gaza ... Now that Hezbollah is on the back foot and getting battered, suddenly they're changing their tune. It's not surprising."

On the Israeli soldiers raising a flag in southern Lebanon, he said: "It's obviously inappropriate for Israeli soldiers to take that step, and we would look to them to comply with what they've said — that these are limited incursions and not with the goal of holding territory."

Miller did not comment on Netanyahu's video addressing the Lebanese people.

The Israeli army's spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, said in a statement that the results of last week's attack in Beirut's southern suburbs, which targeted Hashem Saffedine, are still under assessment. 

Hagari's statement follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's video message to the Lebanese, in which he announced that Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah's successor and his successor's successor were killed.

It was widely speculated that Safieddine would be Nasrallah's successor.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that an Israeli strike in Damascus on a building "frequented by Iranian Revolutionary Guards and members of Hezbollah" killed four people.

However, the official Syrian agency SANA reported an "Israeli attack on a residential building in the Mazzeh district," which houses diplomatic missions and U.N. offices. SANA later reported that seven were killed in the strike, including women and children

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose relations with Israel are fraught, warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against any attempt to "prevent" the U.N. agency for the Palestinians Refugees in the region (UNRWA) from working in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, as it will be a "catastrophe"

Israel has drafted legislation that would stop UNRWA from working in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. In July, the Israeli parliament gave preliminary approval to a bill that would declare UNRWA a terrorist organization.

"Such a measure would suffocate efforts to ease human suffering and tensions in Gaza, and indeed, the entire occupied Palestinian Territory. It would be a catastrophe in what is already an unmitigated disaster," Guterres told reporters. He added that the legislation to sever ties with UNRWA would be opposed to the U.N. Charter and in violation of Israel's obligation under international law.

In response to Guterres' remarks, Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told Reuters: "Israel works with humanitarian agencies that are actually interested in humanitarian aid and not activism or, in some cases, terrorism."

The Syrian state news agency, SANA, announced that an Israeli strike targeted a residential building in Damascus, reported AFP. Syrian air defenses intercepted "hostile" targets in the vicinity of the capital Damascus, SANA reported.

🔴Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee has issued an evacuation notice to residents of several neighborhoods in Beirut's southern suburbs.

Residents of two residential buildings in Haret Hreik and Hadath Beirut were asked to leave their homes immediately and to move "at least 500 meters" away from the buildings concerned, Adraee said on X. "You are close to Hezbollah installations that the Israeli army will soon attack," he warned.

Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), told L'Orient Today that the situation in Maroun al-Ras remains unclear, despite media reports suggesting that the Israeli soldiers who alleged to have raised a flag in the border village have since withdrawn. "We cannot independently verify this information at the moment," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant not leave for Washington before the former meets with U.S. President Joe Biden, reported Haaretz citing "sources familiar with the details."

Gallant's trip, scheduled for tomorrow, is "expected to be delayed." 

Netanyahu is also demanding that the security cabinet have final approval over the planned response to Iran's attack before Gallant departs.

The Israeli army claimed it had located a tunnel from Lebanon that crosses the border and ends about 30 meters inside Israel, with no exit on the Israeli side, Haaretz reported. The army said the tunnel had been dug in recent years and was still under construction. It was located a few months ago during operations carried out by the Israeli army in the region.

The army clarified that there are no other known tunnels that cross over from Lebanon into Israel, and that there were no Israeli villages near where the tunnel was found. The tunnel did not pose a threat to Israeli villages near the border, the army said, adding that they are continuing to seal off tunnels with cement or using explosives where possible.

Hezbollah announced three new attacks: 

- At 4 p.m. its fighters launched missiles at a gathering of Israeli soldiers at the site of Metula, opposite Lebanese Khiam (Marjayoun).

- At 6:30 p.m. its fighters launched rockets at "a gathering of Israeli enemy forces in the Maroun al-Ras area," in southern Lebanon's Bint Jbeil district. 

- At 6:45 its fighters launched missiles at Israeli forces in al-Manara orchards, facing the Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun).

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Lebanese citizens, once again, in a video statement and called on them to "save Lebanon, before it falls into an abyss of destruction and suffering like Gaza."

Netanyahu said in the video that Israel killed Nasrallah's successor and "the successor's successor," and urged citizens to "free themselves of Hezbollah in order to end the war." He added that Lebanon "used to be known for its tolerance, but is now a place of chaos and war, because a gang of tyrants and terrorists ruined it."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "summoned his cabinet for security consultations this evening," according to Israeli army radio.

A civil defense vehicle belonging to the Islamic Health Organization was targeted while evacuating the wounded in the town of Ansarieh, Saida district. (Credit: Photo provided by our correspondent)

Here are the latest updates on Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon according to our correspondent in the region: 

- An Israeli airstrike targeted a three-story house in Ansarieh, in the Zahrani area of the Saida district. The strike killed three, destroyed the building and ravaged the surrounding area. It also destroyed a number of cars, belonging to the Ansarieh municipality, while civil defense teams were working in the area following an earlier strike on the village. 

- Israeli warplanes also targeted Jabal Safi (Jezzine), Jebsheet (Nabatieh), Bint Jbeil (Bint Jbeil), Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya) and Jwayya (Sour).

- Three people were killed in an Israeli strike earlier in the day on a civil defense center affiliated with the Amal movement, the Scouts al-Rissala, in the village of Aitit (Sour).

Israel's home front command has said it is tightening restrictions on civilians in the Haifa area, Reuters reports.

According to Haaretz, educational activities have been suspended in the Krayot area, north of Haifa.

Hezbollah announced two new attacks. 

- At 4:45 p.m., its fighters launched missiles at Israeli soldiers gathered in Metula, opposite Lebanese Khiam (Marjayoun).

- At 5:30 p.m. it launched exploding drones at Israeli forces gathered in Ya'ara barracks, opposite Lebanese Alma al-Shaab (Sour).

CIA Director Bill Burns warned at the Cipher Brief conference that there is a "very real danger of further regional escalation," urging both Israel and its adversaries to pursue "intelligent diplomacy," according to Haaretz.

He noted that Israel was "assessing very carefully" its response to Iran's ballistic missile attack last week.

U.S. President Joe Biden has publicly advised Israel against targeting Iran's nuclear or oil interests.

Burns further emphasized that Israel should develop "an effective strategy that combines the use of force" with "good intelligence and, ultimately, smart diplomacy" to secure a cease-fire in northern Israel and, ultimately, in Gaza.

France secured a military transport aircraft to repatriate some 50 volunteers from Lebanon, who are expected to arrive in Paris today, AFP reported.

Last week, the French authorities reserved several hundred seats on commercial flights for their sick nationals and for elderly or isolated people. There are an estimated 24,000 French passport holders in the country, mainly dual nationals.

Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said on X that the Israeli army had "occupied" the Lebanese village of Maroun al-Ras (Bint Jbeil) today and "destroyed houses from which Hezbollah had launched anti-tank missiles at Israeli citizens." "We will reach all the places from which they are trying to hurt us," he added.

Photo distributed by Israeli army radio

⚡ Israeli soldiers claimed to have raised the Israeli flag in the Lebanese border village of Maroun al-Ras (Bint Jbeil), according to a video posted on X by Israeli radio. However, our correspondent reported that the flag was raised on a villa directly across the Blue line and some 20 meters away from the border.

At 2 a.m. last night, Hezbollah announced that its fighters had repelled an infiltration attempt by Israeli soldiers advancing with "bulldozers and military vehicles," towards Labouneh, in the Sour district.

According to a statement, Hezbollah fighters targeted the Israeli forces with artillery and missile fire. The announcement follows an earlier statement from the Israeli army, which reported that it had expanded its "ground operations" in southwestern Lebanon.

In Khodor, in Lebanon's Baalbeck district, the strike that targeted a house in the early afternoon killed five people, reported our correspondent in the region.

Here's an update of Israeli attacks in South Lebanon:

- In the Sour district, Israeli airstrikes targeted: Maaliyeh, Tayr Harfa, Siddiqine and Aitit; while a drone strike targeted Rmadiyeh

- In the Bint Jbeil district, Israeli airstrikes targeted Aita al-Shaab and Yater.

- In the Nabatieh district, Israeli airstrikes targeted: Ansarieh, Toul, Arab Salim and Wadi Kfour

- In the Saida district, Israeli airstrikes targeted Saksakieh and Teffahta.

Lebanon's caretaker Transport Minister Ali Hamieh told AFP that he had only secured "commitments," not a firm "guarantee," that Israel would refrain from bombing Beirut's airport, located near the capital's southern suburbs — a Hezbollah stronghold, which has been relentlessly targeted by Israeli strikes since September 23.

"The authorities want to keep the land, sea, and air terminals operational, especially [Beirut] international airport," he said. "The [Israeli] enemy spares neither civilians nor residential buildings... so how could it offer guarantees?"

Following "international contacts," Beirut received "commitments," he added. "And there's a significant difference between firm guarantees and commitments."

The Israeli army's Arabic-speaking spokesman, Avichay Adraee, called on residents of the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza to "evacuate their homes immediately," saying that forces from the 162nd division "will be operating in the area with air and ground forces" "in the near future."

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at a press conference in Berlin, Sept.28, 2023. (Credit: Tobias Schwartz/AFP)

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Hezbollah has been "broken" by Israel’s intensive strikes, which also resulted in the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

"His successor has probably been eliminated too," he added during an interview with the command in northern Israel, on the border with Lebanon. Mr. Gallant said that Hezbollah was "a battered and broken organization, without significant command and fire capabilities, with a disintegrated leadership, following the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah."

Gallant also compared the state of Hezbollah to that of Hamas, "if not worse," arguing that Hezbollah's offensive capabilities had suffered heavy losses. "One year after the start of the war, Hamas is a dismembered organization and Hezbollah a broken one," said Gallant, before concluding: "Israel's action is visible throughout the Middle East. When the smoke clears in Lebanon, Iran will understand that it has lost its greatest asset."

U.N. humanitarian officials have urgently called for action to stop the escalation in Lebanon from spiraling into a similar scene of "doom" seen in Gaza. 

"We need to do everything we can to stop that from happening," said Matthew Hollingworth, the director of the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) in Lebanon. "It is in my mind from the time I wake until the time I sleep, that we could go into the same sort of spiral of doom... We shouldn't allow that to happen." 

"We are seeing the same patterns that we saw in Gaza," added Jeremy Laurence of the UN rights office. 

The Israeli army's Arabic-speaking spokesman, Avichay Adraee, claimed that the Israeli air force had attacked "several rocket launchers" used to target the Haifa, which had earlier been struck by dozens of Hezbollah rockets.

He also alleged that Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs the previous night had targeted a Hezbollah "weapons depot and other military structures." Adraee added that in recent hours, the Israeli air force had struck "terrorist" targests in Lebanon," including rocket launchers, military buildings, and anti-armor missile launch sites. He further accused Hezbollah of using a school in Tayr Harfa, in the Sour district, for "terrorist purposes," claiming it housed a platform aimed at Israeli territory. He added that "shortly afterwards," the Israeli air force "eliminated the saboteurs" near the school.

More updates on Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa:

- A drone strike followed by a fighter jet strike targeted Shakra, reported our correspondent in the region.

- In the Bekaa, the strike reported earlier on Khodor, near Baalbeck, killed two people, according to our correspondent in the region. While a family reportedly disappeared under the rubble.

Here an update on the latest Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa, according to our correspondents:

- Israeli strikes targeted Shehabieh (Sour district), a house in Nabatieh, in the district of the same name, and Sultanieh (Bint Jbeil).

- The morning bombardment in Adloun (Saida) killed three people and wounded another.

- An airstrike targeted the outskirts of the Hiram hospital in Sour, as a funeral convoy passed by. No casualties were recorded.

- In the Bekaa, an airstrike targeted Khodor, in the Baalbeck district.

The Israeli army reported that Golani Brigade forces had "seized" a suspected Hezbollah "compound" in southern Lebanon during a "ground operation", alleging that it had destroyed "weapons" there, including a "loaded rocket launcher."

In a message on X, the army indicated that this complex contained an olive grove and "underground infrastructures." It did not specify in which village it had carried out the raid. Along with its message, the army published videos showing a room full of weapons and soldiers walking along dirt roads in an unidentified location.

Gaza's health ministry announced a new death toll of 41,965 in the Palestinian territory since the start of the war with Israel. At least 56 people have been killed in the last 24 hours, it said in a statement, adding that 97,590 people had been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023.

The UN warned, via the heads of several of its agencies, of the serious repercussions of the escalation of the Israeli offensive in Lebanon, particularly on food security and risks of epidemics.

"The situation in Lebanon is getting worse by the day," EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell told the European Parliament, adding that a cease-fire must be reached, reported Reuters. Around 20% of the Lebanese population has been displaced, he added. 

Hezbollah announced that it launched a "large salvo of missies" on Haifa, while the Israeli army announced that 85 projectiles were launched from Lebanese territory. 

Hezbollah's statement stated that the strike was "in retaliation for attacks on Lebanese civilians," and targeted "the city of Haifa and Krayot."

Yemen's Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea since the start of the year are coordinated by an organization also responsible for communicating with shipowners, reported AFP.

According to report by Swiss NGO InPact (Investigations with Impact), all Houthi operations in this strategic area are managed by the "Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center" (HOCC), established by decree in February.

In South Lebanon, Israeli aircraft hit Majdal Selm and Swaneh in the Marjayoun district, as well as Ebba in the Nabatieh district, according to our correspondent.

Bombing raids also targeted Tayr Filsey, Adloun, Deir Zahrani and Khiam.

The Israeli army reported on its X account that it had “attacked Hezbollah targets” in the southern suburbs of Beirut “a short while ago,” after at least two bombardments were heard in the area.

The army also said it had detected “almost 85 rocket launches” from Lebanon. “Attempts to intercept them have been made,” added the message on X.

Israel sent tanks deeper into Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip and advised people to leave amid airstrikes, Reuters reported citing residents.

Palestinian medics said casualties had been reported in Jabalya but that they were unable to reach areas under fire.

"Jabalya is being wiped out," was repeated in many messages posted on social media by residents of Gaza.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army said that "20 militants were killed in Jabalya, and in the last 24 hours over 70 targets were attacked throughout Gaza."

According to the state-run National News Agency (NNA), the “violent” Israeli bombardment of Beirut's southern suburbs targeted Haret Hreik.

⚡ A new Israeli strike targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut. No information was immediately available on the location targeted. The raid, the second of the day on the area, took place shortly after the end of a speech by Naim Qassem, Hezbollah's deputy leader.

Qassem: We're going to prove, on the battlefield, that the Israeli army will suffer heavy losses. And these losses may be the beginning of the end of the war.

Naim Qassem: There is no alternative to resistance, steadfastness and the rallying of our people in Lebanon.

We want to engage with the Israeli enemy on the frontlines to prove its failure.

The ground confrontation began seven days ago and the enemy did not advance and was stunned by its failure in front of the resistance.

Naim Qassem: The resistance's operations in the south have increased significantly due to the presence of a unified command.

Naim Qassem: We will elect the party's Secretary-General according to the organizational mechanisms and will make the announcement upon completion.

Naim Qassem: We will not beg for a solution, we are the people on the ground and the resistance will continue to fight. The command, control and management of the party are neatly organized and according to what is in place in Hezbollah.

We overcame the blows that hit us and provided replacements in every position without exception.

Naim Qassem: We trust Nabih Berri's leadership and his political mobilization to reach a cease-fire. 

Any discussion before a cease-fire in Lebanon and Gaza is irrelevant to us.

Naim Qassem: Israel targets civilians to pressure us and create a dispute between the resistance and the Lebanese people. But, the resistance community is united in the face of the occupation. Displacement is a crisis but it is part of the battle.

Naim Qassem: Netanyahu says he will return the northern settlers, we tell him that we will displace them many times more. Everything the enemy claims is an illusion.

Naim Qassem: The Resistance is united on the battlefront and the Hezbollah administration is united, the proof is the increase in the frequency of our operations.

Naim Qassem: The Resistance's capabilities are fine and have not been affected by enemy attacks as Israel claims.

Naim Qassem: The enemy's losses in the north are great, but it does not announce them and imposes censorship on the media to not reveal them.

We will target the enemy at the place and time we decide, according to a military plan.

Naim Qassem: We congratulate the resistance in Yemen, who has managed to cripple Israeli trade and threaten the entity with missiles.

Naim Qassem: Iran is committed to being by the side of the resistance however it sees appropriate.

Naim Qassem: Our goal in entering the war has been to help Gaza and defend Lebanon. It has now been clear that Lebanon was also part of Israel's objectives from the very beginning.

Naim Qassem: After a year of war, the Chief of the General Staff of Israel Herzi Halevi said "A full year and we failed to defend our citizens." Dear Halevi, of course you will fail if you continue like this. 

Naim Qassem: The U.S. is an essential partner in the crimes that were committed. Without the U.S.-Western support to Israel, the war would have ended in a month.

Naim Qassem: One year passed since the al-Aqsa Flood operation. This operation represents the beginning of the new face of the Middle East. The occupation's objectives have been to end the resistance completely and exterminate the Palestinian people so that it can not create a new resistance.

Naim Qassem: The U.S. and other Western countries are pressuring us to scare us but we won't be afraid.

Hezbollah's deputy leader, Naim Qassem, speaks on the al-Manar channel. This is his second speech since the announcement of the death of the party's Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, killed by Israel in a strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sept. 27.

Israeli army announces start of operations in southwest Lebanon.

The Israeli army said on Tuesday that its 146th Division had begun what it described as “limited, localized and targeted operations” against Hezbollah targets and infrastructure in southwest Lebanon on Monday. The Israeli army's Arabic-speaking spokesman, Avichay Adraee, attached videos showing Israeli soldiers preparing tanks, arming artillery positions and operating a drone to a publication announcing these “operations.”

The 146th Division is an Israeli infantry reserve division under the Northern Command.

Iran warned Israel against any attack on its “infrastructure,” amid concerns over possible Israeli strikes on the country's nuclear or oil sites.

“Any attack on Iranian infrastructure will result in a stronger response,” warned Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, quoted by state television, in a statement reported by AFP. This statement comes as Israel said it was preparing a response to the missile attack launched by Iran on its territory at the beginning of October.

In South Lebanon, new Israeli strikes targeted Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya), Khiam (Marjayoun) and Arzoun (Sour), according to our correspondent.

In Arzoun, a house was destroyed and rescue workers from al-Rissala Scouts are searching the rubble for survivors or victims.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for two strikes carried out “with missile salvos” at 5 a.m., against Israeli soldiers near Yiron (opposite Yaroun, in the Bint Jbeil district), and against an artillery platform in Dalton, about eight kilometers from the Blue Line.

According to our correspondent in the South, fishing boats left the port of Saida during the night for areas north of the mouth of the Awali River, in particular towards Rmeileh and Jiyyeh.

Yesterday evening, the Israeli army had warned all fishermen and people along the southern coastline, from Ras Naqoura to Saida to evacuate. “After the intensification of Hezbollah's activities in the region, the Israeli army is obliged to prepare operations in Lebanese waters,” warned the troop's Arabic-speaking spokesman Avichay Adraee on X.

Hamas announced overnight the death of one of its fighters, Mohammad Ibrahim Khalaf, killed in a strike on Burj Shemali, in Sour, last night.

Throughout the night, the southern front saw no respite, with artillery and airstrikes targeting Alma al-Shaab, Tayr Harfa, Bayssarieh, Khiam, Deir Takla, between Adloun and Ansarieh, where a three-story building was completely destroyed, Burj Shemali, Hawsh, Sour, Bourgholieh, Kfar Kila, Odaisseh, Tebnine, and Blida.

Since the early hours of the morning, strikes have been reported by local and security sources in Bekaa and southern Lebanon, according to our correspondents on the ground.

In Sohmor, in western Bekaa, a strike caused casualties. Artillery fire has also been targeting Alma al-Shaab and Naqoura (Sour) since 3 a.m., and a fighter jet struck Arab Salim in the Nabatieh district.

According to the National News Agency (NNA), the strike that hit Beirut's southern suburbs this morning targeted the Tahwitet al-Ghadir neighborhood.

Several media outlets reported a new Israeli raid on Beirut's southern suburbs this Tuesday morning.

Early Tuesday morning, the Israeli army announced it had killed Souheil Hussein Husseini in Beirut, described as the commander of Hezbollah's headquarters.

The head of the Israeli army's Northern Command, Major General Uri Gordin, stated that residents of the Israeli-Lebanese border "will be able to return home in less than three weeks," according to comments reported by Al-Arabiya.

"Following Hezbollah's increased activity in the region, the Israeli army is compelled to prepare operations in Lebanese waters," warned the army's Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, on X. The Israeli army also stated that reinforcements were sent to support two divisions already deployed in the south of the country.

On Monday, southern Lebanon was the target of intense raids, which killed 10 firefighters who were in the building of the fire station belonging to the Union of Municipalities in the Bint Jbeil district.

During the night, new Israeli airstrikes targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs. The Israeli air force claimed to have attacked the "headquarters of Hezbollah’s intelligence services." Hezbollah, in turn, stated it had targeted an Israeli military intelligence base near Tel Aviv.

Make sure to read today's Morning Brief to catch up on yesterday's key events.

Good morning! Thank you for joining us for today's live coverage of the Gaza and Lebanon wars and their regional impacts.