The head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, will travel to Jordan on Wednesday as part of his eleventh tour of the Middle East aimed once again at pushing for a cease-fire in Gaza, an American official told the press on Monday.
The Secretary of State, en route to Israel where he is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday, will discuss with Jordanian officials the humanitarian aid in the war-torn Gaza Strip, the official added aboard the plane, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Israeli army announced that it had "intercepted a suspicious aerial target that had crossed Lebanese territory." Alerts were triggered shortly after midnight in Upper Galilee, according to the army's statement.
"Subsequently, between 12:51 a.m. and 12:52 a.m., another suspicious aerial target was identified in the northern Golan region, crossing from the east. This target was under surveillance by the air force and fell in an open area," the army added.
An Israeli strike targeted Wadi al-Harir (the silk valley), located between the Masnaa border crossing in Lebanon and the Jdeidet Yabous crossing in Syria, according to various media.
The homes of high-ranking Iranian regime officials have reportedly been added to the list of potential targets for an Israeli response against Iran, following the launch of 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on Oct. 1, according to Channel 14. “The Iranian regime has reasons to be concerned, especially Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei,” the Israeli media outlet claims.
While nuclear and oil facilities were initially considered, Israeli officials have recently informed the U.S. that they would limit their targets to military or intelligence-related sites. According to Israeli sources cited by Channel 14, the targeting of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's private residence in Caesarea on Saturday morning was taken into account when delineating the potential targets for the planned Israeli response against Iran. The Prime Minister had called the “assassination attempt” a “serious mistake,” as he was not present in the affected building.
Channel 14 reports that plans have already been presented to political decision-makers, with a select few being privy to the proposed attack strategy. Even the pilots involved in the operation will only be informed of their targets at the last moment.
The Israeli army announced that it killed a senior Hezbollah official in Syria. it adds that he was responsible for a significant portion of the group's funding.
The Israeli army announced that it hit around 300 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon within 24 hours.
A Lebanese security source told AFP that Middle East Airlines had to change its landing runway on Monday after Israeli strikes hit the vicinity of the main runway at Beirut International Airport. "Middle East Airlines changed the runway it was using because the main runway is near the site of the strike in Ouzai," said the official, who requested anonymity.
Hamas, whose leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by the Israeli army, will be temporarily led by a committee based in Qatar until a successor is elected, according to two sources within the Palestinian movement.
The latest Israeli strikes targeted Tahouitat el-Ghadir and Laylakeh in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
At least fifteen strikes have hit the southern suburbs of Beirut so far this evening. According to the NNA, one of the strikes in Ouzai targeted the fishermen’s port.
The administration of Sahel Hospital, located in the southern suburbs and accused by the Israeli army of storing Hezbollah’s money and gold in its basement, has invited local and international media to visit the facility on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 11 a.m. This initiative aims to respond to the allegations made by the Israeli army, according to the National News Agency (NNA)
Three buildings were leveled as a result of the strike that targeted Jnah, near Rafik Hariri hospital, according to al-jadeed.
The press office of the Ministry of Health issued a statement condemning the Israeli attacks targeting the healthcare sector in Lebanon. "After the Israeli enemy threatened Sahel Hospital in Beirut’s southern suburbs, which was still partially operational despite the very difficult security conditions, a strike targeted one of the entrances to the Rafic Hariri University Governmental Hospital, which continues to operate normally with its full medical and paramedical staff and is hosting a large number of patients, while also housing a center for the International Committee of the Red Cross," the statement read.
The ministry denounced these actions as "war crimes that disregard all humanitarian and international laws," recalling that four rescuers had been killed, five injured, and several vehicles damaged over the past 24 hours in Lebanon. The statement also called on the international community to break its indifference and silence "in the face of what has happened, is happening, and could happen."
A source within the Amal movement, cited by local media, denied reports that an office of the party or one of its members had been targeted by an Israeli strike in Jnah.
At least ten strikes have taken place on Beirut's southern suburbs so far this evening.
Israeli air force carries out a series of heavy strikes on Sariine and Nabi Sheet, west of Baalbeck.
At least four successive strikes have targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut in recent minutes.
At least four people were killed, including a child, and 24 others injured following an Israeli strike that targeted the area around Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Jnah, the Lebanese Health Ministry said in a preliminary.
An Israeli attack targeted the Jamous neighborhood in Hadath, according to al-Jadeed.
An attack on the Mashghara plain, reports L'Orient Today's correspondent in the Bekaa.
The Israeli army announced that around 170 projectiles were fired by Hezbollah from Lebanon on Monday.
At 11:00 p.m., "approximately 170 projectiles fired by the terrorist organization Hezbollah crossed [the border] from Lebanon into Israel today," the army said in a statement.
The Israeli army's Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, posted a video on his X account on Monday evening entitled "Where does Hezbollah's money come from?"
"The money comes from two sources: either it is stolen from Lebanese citizens or it is smuggled by Iran into Lebanon," the video explains. It claims that Iran uses three main channels to channel the funds to Hezbollah, including through the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, through transfers "under diplomatic cover via the Iranian embassy in Beirut," and through the promotion of "economic projects" under Iranian sponsorship. "Hezbollah exploits the Qard Al-Hassan association to generate profits at the expense of the Lebanese population," it also accused.
At least three people were killed and dozens wounded following an Israeli strike that targeted the area around Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Jnah, a senior security source told Reuters.
Israeli strike on Burj al-Barajneh.
Israeli strike heard near Saint Therese in Hadath.
An Israeli strike targeted an area between Talia and Tarya, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent in the Bekaa.
A new Israeli strike targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut, causing a loud explosion.
An Israeli strike targeted the area around Baalbeck, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent.
A new Israeli airstrike targeted the area around Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Jnah, in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The Haret Hreik neighborhood was bombed again, according to the state-run National News Agency.
Another Israeli strike targeted Haret Hreik, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, the state-run National News Agency reported.
According to Al-Jadeed and the state-run National News Agency, the Israeli strike targeted Ouzai, in the southern suburbs of Beirut. This area had previously been spared from strikes.
An Israeli strike targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut, about a quarter of an hour after evacuation notices were sent by the Israeli army to residents of several buildings in the suburbs.
Update on the situation in south Lebanon:
- An Israeli strike targeted Maarakeh.
- Israeli artillery fire also targeted Hanine, Aita al-Shaab and Shebaa.
Israeli army Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued an evacuation notice to residents of some buildings in Laylaki, Mounhadar al-Qareb, Haret Hreik, Burj al-Barajneh and Hadath in Beirut's southern suburbs.
"You are in the vicinity of Hezbollah facilities that the Israeli army will soon attack," he warned. "For your safety and that of your family members, you must immediately evacuate these buildings and their surroundings and move away from them at least 500 meters," he added.
Israeli army spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the troops were "not going to bomb the [Sahel] hospital" in Haret Hreik, a southern suburb of Beirut.
The Israeli army announced that it would carry out new strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon "in the coming hours."
MP Fadi Alameh, director of the Sahel Hospital, denied Avichay Adraee's comments regarding the presence of "hundreds of millions of dollars" belonging to Hezbollah under the health establishment.
"The Israeli allegations about the Sahel Hospital are false, but we were forced to evacuate," he told al-Jadeed TV. He also said that "the Sahel Hospital has no connection with the parties" and called on the army command to inspect it and ensure that there are no tunnels under the building.
"If Kamala [Harris] gets four more years, the Middle East will spend the next four decades in flames," Donald Trump said in a message on the social network Truth.
"Your children will go to war, maybe even to World War III, which will never happen with President Donald J. Trump at the helm of the country," he added, addressing Arab American voters, whose vote remains highly uncertain after a year of war in the Gaza Strip.
In an interview on the American channel MSNBC, her Democratic competitor, Kamala Harris, declared that it was "imperative to end the war and free the hostages, even if it will be difficult." The current vice president announced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would soon be sent to the region to meet the parties involved.
"The death of [Yahya] Sinwar should facilitate diplomatic efforts," she said before expressing her "concern" at the "unacceptable number of innocent Palestinians killed in Gaza" while reaffirming "Israel's right to defend itself."
Hezbollah claimed to have targeted the Glilot base, attached to military intelligence Unit 8200 in the suburbs of Tel Aviv, at 8:30 p.m.
Israeli military officials estimated that displaced northerners could return to their homes "soon" and that their ground operations in southern Lebanon would last "for several more weeks," in comments reported by Haaretz.
The latter stress that Hezbollah no longer functions as an "organized force" in the areas occupied by the Israeli army and that its organizational structure was "seriously weakened," although it retains rocket-firing capabilities.
They claim in particular that the party has lost "two-thirds" of its firepower and that around 1,200 of its fighters have been killed, almost a month after the intensification of Israeli bombardments on Lebanese territory which were followed by repeated ground incursions since Oct. 1 led by the "five divisions" deployed in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah keeps "hundreds of millions of dollars in cash and gold under the Sahel hospital in Haret Hreik to finance its terrorist activities," Israeli army Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee told X.
"We are revealing dangerous information about Hezbollah, which is placing Hassan Nasrallah's private bunker under this hospital," he added. According to him, "the entry and exit openings are located inside the Ahmadi building and the Sahel Center building. "In this bunker is a compound where hundreds of millions of dollars in cash and gold are kept, much of which was taken from Lebanese citizens and which would have allowed and could still allow the reconstruction of the state," he said. He also said that these funds are "exclusively intended for the arming of Hezbollah," noting that the hospital is located on Dargham Street, on the airport road, in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
"Air force planes are currently conducting reconnaissance of the complex. We are monitoring the developments and will continue to do so," Adraee stressed, calling on "the Lebanese government, government institutions and international organizations to return to Lebanese citizens the funds that were stolen from them and not to allow Hezbollah to use them for terrorist purposes."
"Our war is not against Lebanese citizens, but against a bloodthirsty terrorist organization that Iran continues to arm and lead in accordance with its interests," he concluded.
The Israeli army claimed to have killed "the commander of a Hezbollah unit in Damascus responsible for the transfer of weapons from Iran," according to Haaretz.
Update on the situation in south Lebanon and the Bekaa:
- Seven people were killed in Marwanieh (Saida), according to L'Orient Today's correspondent in south Lebanon.
- Four people were injured in the Israeli strike on Harouf (Nabatieh).
- The municipality of Mansouri (Sour) announced the death of a Hezbollah fighter from the village, Ali Mahmoud Jeha.
- In Bekaa, three people were killed in Yohmor in the Israeli strike that targeted the village. According to L'Orient Today's correspondent, they are a woman, her son and her grandson.
Shin Bet security service chief Ronen Bar presented to the ministers various options for confidence-building measures that would allow progress on the hostage release deal he discussed with the head of Egyptian intelligence on Sunday, according to Haaretz.
The meeting of the two intelligence chiefs in Cairo focused mainly on the possibility of resuming negotiations with Hamas following the killing of the former leader of the Palestinian movement, Yahya Sinwar.
Bar told ministers that the possibility of advancing a "small" deal, in which some hostages would be released in exchange for a few days' truce, had been discussed. Ministers made no decisions during the discussion.
Over the past 48 hours, 235 Israeli airstrikes were recorded in Lebanon, mainly in the south and in Nabatieh, bringing the total number of attacks since the start of the Israeli offensive to 10,650, the Lebanese government's emergency committee said.
To date, 1,094 centers have been opened to accommodate displaced persons, of which 901 have reached their maximum capacity.
According to the report, the number of displaced persons stands at 191,912 (44,806 families) in shelters, with the highest percentage recorded in Mount Lebanon and Beirut. The total number of displaced persons is "much higher," the text said.
General Security recorded, between Sept. 23 and Oct. 21, 2024, the passage of 341,849 Syrian citizens and 144,830 Lebanese citizens into Syrian territory.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Monday condemned the "considerable damage" caused to civilian installations by Israeli bombings that targeted a financial group linked to Hezbollah in Lebanon the previous day, according to AFP.
"We condemn the massive Israeli shelling of various urban and residential areas ... which the Israeli army claims targeted facilities affiliated with the Qard al-Hassan financial association," the UN Human Rights Office said in a statement, adding that the attacks had caused "considerable damage to civilian facilities."
At least 33 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since dawn, medical sources said, including 18 in the Jabalia refugee camp, as new forced evictions of residents from the north of the enclave were carried out by the Israeli army on Monday.
Meanwhile, medical sources tell Al Jazeera that at least 640 people have been killed since Israel began its military operation 17 days ago in the northern Gaza Strip, where no humanitarian aid has been delivered since the beginning of the month, according to UNRWA.
The U.S. State Department is reviewing an Israeli military unit tasked with guarding Gaza detainees for “alleged human rights violations that could have implications for U.S. assistance,” two Israeli and two U.S. officials told Axios .
Several members of this unit, called Force 100 "are on trial in Israel for allegedly sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman detention camp, dubbed 'Israel's Guantanamo' by human rights groups."
According to Axios, several articles in the Israeli and international press have focused on alleged human rights violations at Sde Teiman, which has been used as a detention center for Hamas militants accused of participating in the Oct. 7 attacks and to interrogate Palestinians arrested in the Gaza Strip.
"Seven brigade commanders, 21 battalion commanders and 24 company commanders of Hezbollah were eliminated in southern Lebanon," Israeli Army Radio reported on X. According to it, "more than 3,200 terrorist targets were attacked, including hundreds of ammunition depots, hundreds of launchers, anti-tank posts, terrorist infrastructure and headquarters."
Israeli Army Radio also said that Hezbollah "is barely able to carry out effective reinforcements," noting that " the residents of the north [of Israel] will be able to return home in a few weeks."
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant decided to declare "Hezbollah's bank, the Qard al-Hassan association, which was attacked yesterday, a terrorist organization and the armed wing" of the party, according to Israeli Army Radio.
Hezbollah claimed to have fired a "salvo of missiles" against a group of Israeli soldiers located in the border village of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil), where Israeli tanks had entered earlier in the day.
The United States remains "deeply concerned" by the leak of two highly classified intelligence documents describing Israel's preparations for its announced attack on Iran, three weeks after the Islamic Republic attacked Israel.
"There is no indication that any other documents were compromised," White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters, adding that U.S. officials had communicated with their Israeli counterparts about the leak, the source of which has not yet been disclosed.
An investigation into the matter has been launched by U.S. internal intelligence services, Washington said on Sunday.
Update on the situation in south Lebanon and the Bekaa:
- Two Israeli strikes targeted Biyada (Sour).
- The strike on Marwanieh (Saida) left eight dead and five injured, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent.
- Three Israeli strikes targeted Kfarjoz (Nabatieh), another hit Deir Seriane (Marjayoun).
- The Israeli air force carried out three strikes targeting Anqoun (Saida) and another in Deir Takla, east of the village of Ansarieh (Saida).
- An Israeli ground-to-ground missile was fired toward Majdal Zoun (Sour).
- A major fire broke out between Anqarit, Zita and Aqtanit due to Israeli strikes.
- The remains of a victim of the Israeli strike targeting a house in Touline (Marjayoun) were found under the rubble, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent.
- An Israeli strike targeted Yohmor in the western Bekaa. In total, nineteen Israeli strikes targeted the Bekaa today, leaving 13 dead and 8 wounded.
The death toll from the strike that targeted a car in the Damascus neighborhood of Mazzeh on Monday afternoon, which houses the U.N. headquarters and embassies, has risen to two dead and three injured, the Syrian Defense Ministry said in a statement, claiming that it was an Israeli operation.
"At around 5:05 p.m., the Israeli enemy carried out an airstrike targeting a civilian car in the residential neighborhood of Mazzeh in Damascus, killing two civilians and injuring three," the ministry said.
A missile from Lebanon fell in an open area in central Israel, Israeli Army Radio reported.
150 projectiles were launched towards Israel from Lebanon on Monday, the Israeli army said, according to Haaretz.
Israeli airstrikes targeted the Ain al-Tineh mountain in western Bekaa, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent in the region.
Shortly before 6 p.m., Hezbollah claimed responsibility for four new attacks against Israeli positions:
- The party first said that it targeted the town of Kabri, located about five kilometers from the Blue Line inside Israeli territory, opposite the Lebanese village of Labbouneh (Sour).
- It also claimed to have simultaneously targeted three Israeli bases located in the occupied Syrian Golan, those of Kila, South Kila, and Yoav using "large salvos of missiles," the statement said.
Update on Israeli strikes in south Lebanon, which have intensified over the past hour:
- Israeli jets targeted an old heritage house located in the residential neighborhood of Harouf, in the west of Nabatieh, according to information gathered by L'Orient Today's correspondent.
- Another attack took place on the town of Barasheet (Nabatieh), as well as on Mahmoudieh (Jezzine).
- Shortly afterwards, strikes also targeted the Red Cross medical center in Seddiqine (Sour), injuring four people who were taken to hospital.
- Two other strikes then targeted the villages of Darkifa (Sour) and Qalaouy (Bint Jbeil), before the villages of Ain Baal and Hanieh (Tyr) were hit in turn.
2,483 people have been killed and 11,628 others injured in Lebanon since the start of the Israeli aggression, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.
19 people were killed on Sunday and 98 others were injured:
- 13 people were killed in the South and 36 others were injured.
- In Nabatiyé, 6 deaths were reported and 52 individuals were injured.
- Nine people were injured in the Bekaa.
- One person was injured in Mount Lebanon.
A loud explosion was heard in central Israel, according to Haaretz. No alarm sirens were activated.
At 5:10 p.m., Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in Khallet Wardeh, opposite Aita al-Shaab, with a salvo of rockets.
The Israeli military claims to have intercepted more than 30 drones in the past week, according to Haaretz.
Update on the situation in south Lebanon:
- Israeli jets carried out a strike targeting Tyr Harfa (Sour).
- Two strikes targeted Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil).
The Lebanese Health Ministry announced in a statement that four medics were killed and five others wounded in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours, adding that three ambulances were damaged in the attacks.
About 30 rockets were fired toward Israel after sirens sounded in the north of the country, Haaretz reported, citing the Israeli army.
Some rockets were intercepted, and others that fell caused fires in many places in the Galilee and the Golan Heights.
At least one person was killed in a "guided missile attack" targeting a car in the Mazzeh district of Damascus, according to Syrian state media, reported by Reuters.
At a rally titled "Preparing for the Recolonization of Gaza," organized by the Likud party on Monday, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on Palestinians to "voluntarily" leave the Gaza Strip.
"We will encourage the voluntary transfer of all citizens of Gaza. We will offer them the opportunity to settle in other countries because this land belongs to us," Ben-Gvir said. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a supporter of West Bank annexation, has made similar calls in the past.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for his part, said he did not intend to maintain a permanent presence there but would retain control of security for an indefinite period.
Israel's long-term intentions, however, have not been made clear, and some countries, including the United States, have said that the Gaza Strip should be governed by the Palestinians. Israel withdrew its army and settlers from Gaza in 2005, after 38 years of occupation, on the decision of Ariel Sharon.
According to initial reports from Syrian state media, the blast heard in the Mazzeh neighborhood of Damascus was caused by the explosion of a vehicle whose identity has not yet been specified by investigators deployed to the scene.
Update on the situation in south Lebanon and the Bekaa:
- Israeli strikes targeted Taybeh and Douris (Baalbeck), according to L'Orient Today's correspondent in the Bekaa.
- At least one person was killed in the strike on Marwanieh (Nabatieh), according to L'Orient Today's correspondent in south Lebanon. Other people are missing under the rubble.
- Israeli strikes targeted Adloun (Saida), Hanine (Bint Jbeil) and Mansouri (Sour).
Explosions were heard in the Mazzeh neighborhood of Damascus, Syrian state media reported. The circumstances of the incident are under investigation.
The Israeli Air Force intercepted five drones over the Mediterranean before they entered Israeli territory, Haaretz reports. No suspicious security incidents were reported at Ben-Gurion Airport.
Here are the latest developments in south Lebanon:
- An Israeli airstrike targeted the village of Shhour (Sour), killing three people.
- Israel carried out four airstrikes on the outskirts of Adsheet al-Qousseir (Marjayoun) and targeted the villages of Majdal Selm (Marjayoun) and Yater (Bint Jbeil).
Hezbollah announced that it fired rockets at 4:10 p.m. on two gatherings of Israeli soldiers in the villages of Zar'it, opposite Marwahin (Sour), and Shomera, opposite Ramieh (Bint Jbeil).
Israel resumed flights from Ben Gurion International Airport after a brief interruption, Haaretz reported.
The Israeli Airports Authority suspended takeoffs at Ben-Gurion International Airport, Haaretz reports.
Update on the situation in south Lebanon:
- At around 4:00 p.m., Israeli jets struck the village of Shebaa (Hasbaya). Another airstrike targeted Kounin (Bint Jbeil).
- Israeli airstrikes also targeted the villages of Yater (Bint Jbeil) and Sammaiyeh (Sour).
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid told European Union Ambassador to Israel Dimitar Tzantchev that arms sanctions imposed by some EU states, including France, against Israel were "unforgivable," Israeli media reported.
"EU countries must work with Israel to advance an agreement on the return of all hostages," he said on X after the meeting. "An arms embargo on Israel while we are fighting terrorist organizations is unacceptable," he added.
Six people were killed, including a child, and five others were injured in the Israeli strike on the Nabi Enaam neighborhood (Baalbeck), according to the Health Ministry.
Israeli police said they arrested seven Israelis accused of spying for Iran by gathering "sensitive" information on military bases and energy sites.
Five adults and two minors were recruited by Iranian intelligence agents and the information they gathered "caused security damage," police said in a statement. "This network was responsible for collecting sensitive information about [Israeli military] bases and energy infrastructure," it added. They are expected to be formally charged on Friday, the Justice Ministry said in a separate statement, stressing that it was "one of the most serious espionage cases in recent years."
According to investigators, the network conducted extensive reconnaissance missions on military bases across the country, focusing on air force and navy sites, ports, Iron Dome missile defense system bases, and energy infrastructure such as the Hadera power plant. They also allegedly gathered information on Israeli nationals. They reportedly received several hundred thousand dollars for these missions, including in cryptocurrency.
New update on the ongoing fighting in south Lebanon:
- Hezbollah said it fired surface-to-air missiles at Israeli planes flying over Lebanese territory and claimed to have "forced them to leave Lebanese airspace."
- The Israeli air force struck four times homes located in the village of Khiam (Marjayoun) before launching a strike on Jibsheet (Nabatieh).
The Israeli stroke on Kfar Hatta (Saida) left one dead, according to the Health Ministry. DNA tests were conducted on the remains of bodies found at the scene to identify their identities. Three people were reported missing following the strike.
According to the Ministry of Health, the Israeli strike on Kharayeb (Saida) left four dead and four injured.
The Amal Movement announced the death of one of its members, Hussein Mohammad al-Dor, born in 2002 and originally from this village. According to L'Orient Today's correspondent, he was killed in the Israeli strike that targeted his native village.
Update on the situation in Bekaa and Baalbeck:
- An Israeli strike targeted Ras al-Assi, in Hermel.
- At least four people were killed, including two children, in the Israeli strike on Hermel.
Here are the latest developments along the Lebanese-Israeli border:
- A rescuer was killed in a raid carried out by an Israeli drone on Burj al-Shemali (Sour), according to our correspondent.
- Rockets were fired from southern Lebanon toward Israel, our correspondent reports. Alarm sirens sounded in northern Israel, according to Haaretz.
- At 2:50 p.m., Hezbollah targeted position 2222 on Mount Hermon in northern Israel with "a salvo of rockets."
Additionally, Israeli air raids have intensified in recent hours in the Bekaa Valley and Hermel, where about 10 different towns were bombarded, according to reports from our local correspondent.
The villages of Tarya, Beit Mcheik, Boudai, Shaab, Douris, Bazalieh, Zalaya, Ras al-Assi, Hermel — where a house and a supermarket were destroyed — and Yohmor, in Western Bekaa, were among those targeted.
Earlier in the morning, the Israeli army had already struck a house near the one hit this afternoon. Rescuers at the scene reported that two people were killed in the first raid.
Here’s the latest update on the situation in South Lebanon since 2 p.m.:
- An Israeli drone carried out a raid targeting a car near the Platinum Hotel in Sour.
- An Israeli raid hit the village of Arab Salim (Nabatieh), killing three people, according to our correspondent.
- Another Israeli raid targeted residential areas in Marwanieh (Nabatieh).
- The death toll from the Israeli strike on Kharayeb (Saida) has risen to four, with seven others wounded, according to our correspondent.
- The Civil Defense affiliated with the Amal Movement, the al-Rissala Scouts, announced the death of one of its paramedics, Abbas Ahmad el-Chab, born in 2006, during clashes with Israel. According to our South Lebanon correspondent, he was killed in the Israeli strike on Babilieh. He is also the second 17-year-old paramedic killed today.
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, during his visit to Beirut, stated that securing an "immediate cease-fire" in Lebanon is the "priority" of the pan-Arab organization. He called for the rapid withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territories "which they had entered or currently occupy." When asked about the possibility of Hezbollah being destroyed, he responded: "You cannot destroy an idea."
*Hezbollah announced that it fired rockets at the Israeli Kilaa barracks in the Golan region at 8:30 am.
The group also said that it fired rockets at the cities of Ma'alot-Tarshiha and Karmielin in northern Israel, at 9:30 a.m. and 2:10 p.m. respectively.
Hezbollah announced that it fired rockets at a group of Israeli soldiers in the eastern outskirts of Markaba (Marjeyoun district) at 8:15 and 9:15 a.m. According to the party, it caused casualties among the Israeli group in the attack that took place at 9:15.
Hezbollah said that at 10:10 a.m., it fired rockets at Israeli soldiers while they were trying to evacuate the wounded and dead soldiers in the eastern outskirts of Markaba.
Hezbollah said it fired rockets at a group of Israeli soldiers in the eastern outskirts of Markaba for the third time at 10:50 a.m.
The party also said that it fired artillery shells at a movement of Israeli soldiers in the Kfar Kila crossing (Marjeyoun) at 12:15 p.m.
Finally, Hezbollah said that it fired a large rocket salvo at Israeli soldiers in an area that links the villages of Robb Thalathin, Odaisseh and Markaba at 1:30 p.m.
Germany expects the Israeli government to "clarify every incident" involving the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and has "urged" it to investigate the destruction of an observation tower and fence in southern Lebanon.
According to UNIFIL, an Israeli army "bulldozer deliberately demolished" an "observation tower and fence" at a UNIFIL position on Sunday, which has caused "great concern" in Berlin, a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said during a regular press briefing.
Several dozen rockets have been fired from southern Lebanon toward Israeli positions since the morning. According to Haaretz, some were intercepted, while others landed in northern Israel, slightly injuring a man in his 40s.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel today to Israel and several Arab countries to once again push for a cease-fire in Gaza after the death of a Hamas leader, the State Department announced.
Blinken's trip, expected to last until Friday, "will focus on ending the war in Gaza, securing the release of all hostages, and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people," the State Department said in a statement.
Seven Israelis were arrested for providing Iran with intelligence, including on IDF bases, Iron Dome batteries, Haaretz reported.
British Airways announced on Monday that it will suspend all flights to and from Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport, through the end of March 2025, due to the ongoing security situation in Israel, according to Haaretz.
Israeli airstrikes have targeted the area of al-Housh in the outskirts of the city of Sour, the villages of Maaroub, Maarakeh, Jannata (Sour district), Haddatha, Beit Lif, Yater, Kafra, Rachaf (Bint Jbeil) and Arab Salim (Nabatieh), according to our correspondent in the South.
Latest updates from South Lebanon and the Bekaa, according to our correspondents in both regions:
* An Israeli airstrike has targeted a coffee shop in the village of Kharayeb (Saida district), killing three people and wounding at least seven.
* Israeli warplanes have struck the area of al-Housh in the outskirts of the city of Sour.
* Two Israeli airstrikes have targeted the village of Yohmor in the Western Bekaa, leaving an undetermined number of casualties.
🔴 Several Israeli tanks have entered Aita al-Shaab, where fighting continues to rage between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, according to sources familiar with developments on the ground quoted by our correspondent. Tanks have also crossed the border in the valley between Rmeish and Aita al-Shaab.
An Israeli force is trying to advance towards Aita al-Shaab under heavy artillery cover amid continuous clashes between the force and Hezbollah, according to our correspondent in the area.
Latest updates from southern Lebanon, according to our correspondent in the region:
* Israeli warplanes have struck the villages of Yohmor al-Shaqif (Nabatieh district) and Deir Serian (Marjeyoun).
* An Israeli force has been blowing up houses in the village of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil).
* Israeli artillery shelling has been targeting the village of Qouzah (Bint Jbeil).
The Amal-affiliated al-Rissala Scouts Association announced the death of one of its members; Sadek Chahine, 17 years old.
According to our correspondent in the South, he was killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted the village of Bablieh (Saida district).
Iran rejected the accusations made by Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, claiming that the Islamic Republic was interfering in Lebanon's internal affairs, following statements attributed to the Iranian Parliament speaker.
"Iran has never intended to interfere in Lebanon’s internal affairs and has never acted in this way," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei during his weekly press briefing.
The situation in southern Lebanon, according to information from our correspondent:
A strike earlier this morning on Kfar Hatta (Saida) destroyed a two-story building and shops, killing at least two people.
Bombardments were reported between Ain Baal and Bazourieh (Sour) and on Kafra (Bint Jbeil).
This morning’s strike on Ansar (Nabatieh) targeted a gathering point of paramedics from the Islamic Health Committee (affiliated with Hezbollah), severely damaging several vehicles.
The earlier strike on Anqoun targeted a center of the Islamic Mission Scouts, linked to Amal's paramedics.
Iran has written to the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog to complain about Israel’s threats against its nuclear sites, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said at a weekly press conference, according to Reuters.
"Threats to attack nuclear sites go against U.N. resolutions ... and we condemn them. We have sent a letter on this to the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog," Baghaei said during the televised press conference. He also stated that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would visit Bahrain and Kuwait on Monday as part of Iran’s efforts to reduce regional tensions.
Up to 1,000 women and children who are injured or ill will soon be evacuated from Gaza, announced the World Health Organization's Europe Director in an interview with AFP.
Israel has committed to "1,000 additional medical evacuations to the European Union in the coming months," Hans Kluge said, noting that the evacuations will be facilitated by the WHO in collaboration with the concerned countries.
The Lebanese Army paid tribute to three of its soldiers killed the previous day in an Israeli strike near Ain Ibl, southern Lebanon.
According to the Lebanese Army, the three soldiers killed were Chief Warrant Officer Tarek Sobho, Sergeant Ahmad Haidar, and Private Jaafar Jaafar.
After the bombing of a military vehicle, the Israeli army expressed its "regrets." According to the daily Haaretz, it stated that the vehicle struck was traveling in a combat zone, clarifying that the Lebanese Army is not a target of the Israeli military.
"Hezbollah has paid and will continue to pay a heavy price for its attacks on northern Israel and its rocket fire," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on X. "We will continue to strike the Iranian proxy (Hezbollah) until it collapses," he added.
These statements came after Israeli airstrikes on Lebanese territory Sunday night, claiming to target branches of Qard al-Hassan, Hezbollah's financial agency.
The morning remains violent in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa, where Israeli aircraft are pounding villages, according to various sources from our local correspondents.
In the south, the following localities were hit:
Kfar Tebnit, where a house was completely destroyed, Nabatieh al-Fawqa, and Zawtar; Several villages east of Saida, including an area behind the municipality of Anqoun; Ansar, where a house and a café were targeted on the main street, where an ambulance from the Islamic Health Committee was passing, injuring at least two people; Kfar Hitti and the outskirts of Kfar Melki.
A drone strike also targeted a utility truck in Debaal.
In the Bekaa, the earlier reported strike on the Bednayel plain hit a farm, killing a Syrian national.
In southern Lebanon, two airstrikes were launched on the heights of Jabbour, and a third strike targeted Sajad (Jezzine). Another strike hit Habboush, in the Nabatieh district.
In the Bekaa, the Bednayel plain was bombarded by Israeli aircraft, as were Temnin, west of Baalbeck, and Sohmor.
The U.S. has urgently deployed its advanced missile defense system to Israel, and it is now "in place," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, as cited by Reuters.
Austin declined to say whether the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system was operational but added: "We have the capability to bring it online very quickly, and we are aligned with our expectations," Reuters continued.
This morning’s Israeli strike on Baalbeck killed at least six people, according to our correspondent. The NNA reports that the six victims of the drone strike were women and children, with eight others wounded.
In northern Israel, a military training exercise will take place near Nahariya this morning; the presence of the army "will be felt," the Israeli army announced, as cited by Haaretz.
Since this morning, several rocket barrages have also been fired from southern Lebanon, according to security sources cited by our correspondent. Haaretz reports that about 25 rockets were fired at northern Israel.
The Israeli army, in a statement, announced that it targeted a "Hezbollah terrorist group" that fired rockets at northern Israel and claimed to have destroyed "dozens of rocket launchers" in southern Lebanon overnight. Haaretz reports that a Hezbollah weapons depot was also destroyed.
In addition to these deadly strikes, Israeli artillery repeatedly shelled Khiam (Marjayoun district) this morning.
An Israeli drone targeted the outskirts of Ansar, Nabatieh district. Shortly afterward, the air force carried out raids on the towns of Yater (Bint Jbeil) and Siddiqine (Sour), while drones bombarded Malkieh (Sour).
Shortly before 8 a.m., two raids targeted the towns of Toul and Kfar Joz, in the vicinity of Nabatieh.
In the Bekaa, a strike on Baalbeck at dawn killed at least three people, according to local sources cited by our correspondent.
Although no information is available so far on the toll from these strikes, and while Israel had called for the evacuation of about 20 buildings beforehand, several other deadly bombings occurred overnight and in the early hours of the day.
During the night, a paramedic from the Islamic Health Committee (affiliated with Hezbollah) was killed in an air raid on an ambulance near Bir al-Salassel, in the Bint Jbeil district, southern Lebanon. Nearly 150 paramedics and health workers have been killed since the war began on Oct. 8, 2023.
This morning, an airstrike on Srifa, west of Sour, killed two people, Ali Kachmar and Ali Eid, according to information from our correspondent.
The Israeli army stated in a press release that its air force struck dozens of Hezbollah command centers and "financial infrastructures" across Lebanon overnight, including in Beirut, Haaretz reports. The army struck branches of Qard al-Hassan, a financial institution linked to Hezbollah, in southern Beirut, in the Bekaa and southern Lebanon until after 2 a.m.
In southern Beirut, at least 12 airstrikes were conducted by fighter jets on various neighborhoods, with some landing near Beirut airport.
The Israeli army claims that "millions of dollars used to finance Hezbollah’s activities," including "the purchase of weapons," were in these Qard al-Hassan branches.
Good morning, thank you for joining us for today's live coverage of the Gaza and Lebanon wars.
Make sure to read today's Morning Brief to catch up with the weekend's key events.
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