That concludes our live coverage for today, thanks for joining us. We'll be back tomorrow morning with more news updates and analysis. Goodnight!
Israel killed 35 people a wounded more than 130 in its bombardment of Yemen today, in which it struck 15 sites in Sanaa and Jawf province, AFP reports, citing the latest toll published by the Houthis.
The toll included 28 dead and 113 wounded in Sanaa, and seven dead and 18 wounded in Jawf, which borders Saudi Arabia, Health Ministry spokesperson Anees Alasbahi wrote in a post on X.
Last month, Israel killed the Houthis' prime minister, nine minister and two cabinet officials in another major attack. The Houthis have been launching missiles toward Israel and attacking Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians currently facing relentless Israeli aggression.
Regional response to Israeli attack underway, Qatari PM says
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said in an interview with CNN that the response to Israel's attacks on Doha yesterday is under discussion with regional partners, Reuters reports.
Plans are ongoing for a summit to be held in Doha in the near future around these discussions, he said, without giving a specific date.
He is also quoted as saying that Netanyahu had been "wasting Qatar's time" by engaging in mediation, and accused the Israeli prime minister of dragging the region into chaos.
Amid international condemnation of Israel's attack on Doha on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a warning message to the Gulf state — which has been hosting cease-fire negotiations throughout the war — "and all countries that harbor terrorists": "You either expel them or you bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will."
Speaking in an English-language video posted on X on Wednesday evening, Netanyahu compared Israel’s strike on Qatar to U.S. operations after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the Twin Towers. Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly held two phone calls following the Doha attack, about which the latter told reporters he was "very unhappy."
Two senior Hamas officials wounded in Doha strike
Two senior Hamas officials were wounded in Israel's assassination attempt against the group in Doha yesterday, Haaretz, reports, citing a Hamas official quoted in Saudi media. One of the senior officials is in critical condition.
Canada considering changes to Israeli relations
Canada is re-evaluating its relationship with Israel in the wake of its attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand told reporters, without providing further details, Reuters reports.
Anand called the assassination attempt on Hamas' Doha-based leadership “unacceptable.”
Canada is expected to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly later this month.
Israeli bombardment of 15 sites in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, this afternoon killed nine people and wounded 118, according to initial tolls released by the Houthi Health Ministry.
The Israeli attacks on Yemen have killed several people and wounded many others, according to initial reports in Houthi media, cited by AFP.
Israeli army says jets detoured to Yemen to avoid Saudi airspace, marking longest trip of the war
The Israeli army has said its attack on Yemen today marked the longest flight carried out by its air force since the beginning of the war, Times of Israel reports.
Ten fighter jets flew over 2,350 kilometers (1,460 miles) to the targets, according to the military, and dropped some 30 bombs on 15 targets in Sanaa and the al-Jawf area north of the capital.
Today’s strike is not the most distant attack of the war, Times of Israel says. Sanaa is located only some 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) from Israel, but the jets took the long way around, detouring so as to avoid Saudi airspace.
The most distant strike was to attack Iran’s Mashhad Airport in June, some 2,300 kilometers (1,429 miles) from Israel.
BBC reveals members of Islamophobic biker gang hired to run GHF sites
A BBC investigation revealed that the firm guarding sites where the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been distributing aid hired members of an American biker gang known for being Islamophobic to run the sites' armed security.
The BBC confirmed the identities of 10 members of the Infidels Motorcycle Club working in Gaza for UG Solutions, a private contractor providing security at GHF sites, where hundreds of unarmed Palestinians have been shot while seeking aid.
Seven members of the gang are in senior positions overseeing GHF sites, the investigation revealed. GHF is backed by and works with Israel and is funded, at least in part, by the U.S.
Katz says Sanaa attacks reflect 'the long arm' of Israel
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said his country's attack on Yemen a short while ago targeted Houthi military camps, Times of Israel reports.
“We promised more strikes, and today we dealt another painful blow to the Houthi terror organization in Yemen,” Katz said.
“The [Israeli army] has just struck in Sanaa and other locations across Yemen, targeting military camps manned by Houthi operatives, including the Houthi propaganda apparatus,” he announced. “The long arm of the State of Israel will reach and strike terrorism wherever it exists and from wherever a threat is posed to our citizens.”
The Israeli attack against Sanaa moments ago reportedly targeted the Houthi Ministry of Defense, Reuters says. Sanaa residents told the agency that the attack was on a hideout between two mountains that is used as a command and control headquarters.
A defense source said several sites in Sanaa were attacked, including military camps, fuel depots and the Houthis' media headquarters.
Israel strikes Yemen capital
Israel has bombed the Yemeni capital Sanaa, Reuters reports, citing the Houthi-run Al Masirah TV.
The broadcaster did not immediately give any further details on the attack.
Reports of opposition to Doha attack from Israeli army and Mossad
Israel's public broadcaster, Kan, reported earlier today that the Israeli army's envoy for hostage negotiations, Nitzan Alon, had opposed yesterday's assassination attempt against Hamas' leadership in Doha, and that the Israeli army chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, had also shown reservations.
Anonymous Israeli officials, cited by Times of Israel, said that senior Mossad officials had also been opposed to the move, and noted how comments describing the strike from Israeli officials mentioned the involvement of the military and the Shin Bet, but not the Mossad, which would normally play a key role in operations abroad.
South Lebanon
An Israeli drone crashed in the town of Odaisseh, in the Marjayoun district. The Lebanese Army was deployed to inspect it.
39 Palestinians, including 12 aid seekers, killed by Israeli army in 24 hours
Israeli fire killed 39 Palestinians in Gaza, including 12 aid seekers, and injured 184 others over the past 24 hours, the Gaza Health Ministry reported, according to Haaretz.
The ministry's overall death toll has risen to 64,656 killed and 163,503 wounded since Oct. 7, 2023.
It also noted that five people were killed by hunger and malnutrition, including one child, brought on by Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid, bringing the number up to 404, including 141 children.
Spanish Defense Ministry cancels €237.5 million contract with Israeli defense company
The Spanish Defense Ministry officially canceled a €237.5 million contract yesterday afternoon for the purchase of Spike launchers and missiles from Israeli defense company Rafael, Haaretz reported.
Spanish media had reported that the agreement was frozen in June, but the contract remained in force, as Spain continued to procure the means to use this type of missile on armored vehicles and armored personnel carriers.
Trump and Netanyahu have spoken twice since the strikes in Qatar
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken twice with U.S. President Donald Trump since Israel struck a Hamas target in Doha, Qatar, Haaretz reported. According to the source cited by the Israeli media outlet, “the discussions went very well.”
128 evacuated from Gaza for medical treatments
The Red Crescent and the World Health Organization evacuated 128 people, including 30 patients and 98 companions, out of Gaza for medical treatment.
The patients, some of whom are children, include cancer patients and those injured requiring life-saving treatment.
The delegation left Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City and crossed the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Israel, to reach Jordan then the United Kingdom.
UAE president arrives in Qatar
The president of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has arrived in Qatar, according to the official UAE news agency WAM.
Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah is also expected to visit Qatar today, while Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman will land in Doha tomorrow, an official told Reuters.
Proposed sanctions against Israel: EU sends “wrong message”
Israel has criticized the European Union for sending “the wrong message” after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed sanctions to MEPs, calling the situation in Gaza “unacceptable.”
“The comments made this morning by the President of the European Commission are regrettable (...) Once again, Europe is sending the wrong message, which strengthens Hamas” and its allies in the Middle East, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar wrote on X.
Israel will kill Hamas leaders next time if they survived Qatar attack, Israeli official says
If Israel did not kill Hamas leaders in an air strike on Qatar on Tuesday, it would succeed next time, the Israeli ambassador to the United States said after the operation, which raised concerns it would torpedo efforts to secure a cease-fire in Gaza.
"Right now, we may be subject to a little bit of criticism. They'll get over it. And Israel is being changed for the better," Yechiel Leiter told Fox News' "Special Report" program late last night.
"If we didn't get them this time, we'll get them the next time," said Leiter.
Haaretz reported an Israeli strike on the Taiba 2 building near the Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City, an hour after an evacuation order was issued.
Palestinians flee after Israel’s new forced evacuation order. (Credit: Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters)
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the attack on senior Hamas negotiators in Qatar "shows his country will target enemies wherever they are."
In a post on X, he wrote, “Israel’s security policy is clear — Israel’s long arm will act against its enemies everywhere. There is no place where they can hide.”
“Anyone who participated in the massacre on Oct. 7 will be brought to justice. Anyone who engages in terrorism against Israel will be targeted,” he added.
Russian diplomats condemned Israel's strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar the previous day, calling it a “flagrant violation” of Qatari sovereignty and international law.
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry also said that the strike was “an action aimed at undermining international efforts” for peace and would lead to a “new escalation” in the Middle East.
The Israeli army issued a new call to evacuate a building in Gaza City ahead of an “imminent attack.”
In a message on X, the army’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee warned Palestinians “who have not yet evacuated the Gaza port area and the Rimal South neighborhood” to leave, specifically mentioning the “Tayba 2 building and the nearby tents.”
As it has done daily in recent days while seeking to take control of the enclave’s largest city, the army said the warning was due to the presence of Hamas infrastructure “inside or near” the identified areas.
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea expressed solidarity with Qatar, saying the Israeli strikes “fall outside the natural and logical framework of things.”
“Qatar has always been a neutral country, making every possible effort whenever a dispute arose between two states. It has never attacked anyone, nor taken part in a conflict. On the contrary, it has always rushed to provide help when needed,” Geagea wrote on X, recalling Qatar’s assistance to Lebanon over the past 20 years.
Von der Leyen proposes sanctions against “extremist” Israeli ministers and partial suspension of EU-Israel association agreement.
“Man-made famine can never be used as a weapon of war,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, referring to the situation in Gaza. The United Nations declared on Aug. 22 that famine was underway in parts of the territory besieged by Israel, a claim rejected by Israel.
She also proposed Wednesday sanctions against “extremist” ministers in Israel. “We will also propose a partial suspension of the association agreement on trade-related issues,” she told European lawmakers in Strasbourg, while acknowledging it would be “difficult” to find a majority of member states to adopt the measures.
Beijing said it “strongly condemns” the Israeli strikes in Doha against Hamas officials.
“China strongly condemns the attack that took place yesterday in the Qatari capital and firmly opposes Israel’s violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and national security,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during a regular press briefing.
Israel “does not always act” according to the interests of its American ally, Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon said today, defending the Israeli strike that targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar yesterday.
“We are coordinated [with Washington], they give us incredible support, we appreciate it, but sometimes we make decisions and then inform the United States,” Danon told Israeli radio station 103 FM.
The Israeli strike on Doha on Tuesday “was not an attack against Qatar, it was an attack against Hamas,” he said, adding, “and this decision was the right one.”
Israeli strikes on Qatar: Salam meets with Qatari PM
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met yesterday afternoon with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, during which he expressed his full solidarity with Doha following the Israeli strikes.
Salam denounced the strikes as “a serious violation of international laws and customs, as well as an attempt to weaken the role played by Qatari leaders in efforts to ease tensions and end the war in Gaza.”
“Lebanon, which itself faces ongoing Israeli aggression, stands with Qatar and its people,” he added during the phone call, calling for “a unified Arab and international position to end these Israeli attacks that threaten the security and stability of the entire region.”
South Lebanon: Machine gun fire targets outskirts of Shebaa and Khiam
Several bursts of Israeli machine gun fire hit southern Lebanon overnight, L'Orient Today's correspondent in the South reported.
Around 10 p.m., fire was directed from the Radar site in the disputed Shebaa Farms toward the village of Shebaa (Hasbaya). At midnight, Israeli forces opened machine gun fire from their position still inside Lebanese territory on Hamames Hill toward the outskirts of Khiam (Marjayoun).
Flotilla for Gaza reports second drone attack on boat at Tunisian port
The Global Sumud flotilla, which is sailing toward Gaza, announced last night that another of its boats, the Alma, was “attacked by a drone while it was docked in Tunisian waters.”
The targeted vessel, flying the British flag, sustained “damage from a fire on its upper deck. The fire has since been contained, and all passengers and crew are safe,” the flotilla said in a statement on its website, adding that an investigation is underway.
This is the second time in two days that the activist coalition, which seeks to “break the Israeli blockade” of the besieged Palestinian enclave, said it had been targeted by drone strikes. The group accused Israel of trying to “divert and sabotage” its mission but vowed to continue “without being intimidated.”
Macron to meet families of hostages held in Gaza
French President Emmanuel Macron will meet today with families of hostages held in Gaza, as his initiative in favor of recognizing a Palestinian state has drawn criticism from Israeli authorities, the Élysée announced.
Macron will reiterate “France’s sadness and compassion following the barbaric acts committed by the terrorist group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, in Israel” and express “unwavering support for the families of the hostages,” who have been held “in inhumane conditions for more than 700 days,” the presidency said.
“He will stress that France, together with its partners and within the framework of the initiatives it has launched, is doing everything possible to achieve the release of all remaining hostages, in support of Qatari, Egyptian and American mediation efforts,” it added.
Among those attending will be the mother of Guy Gilboa Dalal, the father of Guy Iluz, the brother of Nimrod Cohen and the mother of Evyatar David.
Qatar says it will continue mediation role in Gaza despite Israeli attack
Qatar will continue to act as a mediator in the Gaza war despite an unprecedented Israeli strike on Doha targeting Hamas officials, its prime minister said last night.
Israel carried out strikes on a complex housing members of the Palestinian movement, which reported six dead, including a Qatari security officer, but said the targeted negotiators survived.
“Mediation is part of [Qatar’s] identity, and nothing will prevent us from continuing to play this role in all issues concerning us in the region,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said at a press conference.
The Qatari prime minister also said his country reserved “the right to respond to this blatant attack.” He added, “We believe we have now reached a turning point. There must be a response from the entire region.”
Decision to attack in Qatar made by Netanyahu, ‘not by me,’ Trump says
Donald Trump wrote yesterday on his Truth Social platform that the decision to launch an attack in Qatar “was made by Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, not by me,” calling it a “regrettable incident.” The U.S. president said Washington had warned Qatar, but that the alert “unfortunately arrived too late to stop the attack.”
Good morning and welcome to today's live coverage of events in the region, notably Israel's ongoing onslaught against Palestinians in Gaza and its attacks against Lebanon, despite an ostensible cease-fire.
☕ Read our Morning Brief here to catch up on yesterday's key events.
That concludes our live coverage for today, thanks for joining us. We'll be back tomorrow morning with more news updates and analysis. Goodnight!
Israel killed 35 people a wounded more than 130 in its bombardment of Yemen today, in which it struck 15 sites in Sanaa and Jawf province, AFP reports, citing the latest toll published by the Houthis.
The toll included 28 dead and 113 wounded in Sanaa, and seven dead and 18 wounded in Jawf, which borders Saudi Arabia, Health Ministry spokesperson Anees Alasbahi wrote in a post on X.
Last month, Israel killed the Houthis' prime minister, nine minister and two cabinet officials in another major attack. The Houthis have been launching missiles toward Israel and attacking Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians currently facing relentless Israeli aggression.
Regional response to Israeli attack underway, Qatari PM says
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said in an interview with CNN that the response to Israel's attacks on Doha yesterday is under discussion with regional partners, Reuters reports.
Plans are ongoing for a summit to be held in Doha in the near future around these discussions, he said, without giving a specific date.
He is also quoted as saying that Netanyahu had been "wasting Qatar's time" by engaging in mediation, and accused the Israeli prime minister of dragging the region into chaos.
Amid international condemnation of Israel's attack on Doha on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a warning message to the Gulf state — which has been hosting cease-fire negotiations throughout the war — "and all countries that harbor terrorists": "You either expel them or you bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will."
Speaking in an English-language video posted on X on Wednesday evening, Netanyahu compared Israel’s strike on Qatar to U.S. operations after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the Twin Towers. Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly held two phone calls following the Doha attack, about which the latter told reporters he was "very unhappy."
Two senior Hamas officials wounded in Doha strike
Two senior Hamas officials were wounded in Israel's assassination attempt against the group in Doha yesterday, Haaretz, reports, citing a Hamas official quoted in Saudi media. One of the senior officials is in critical condition.
Canada considering changes to Israeli relations
Canada is re-evaluating its relationship with Israel in the wake of its attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand told reporters, without providing further details, Reuters reports.
Anand called the assassination attempt on Hamas' Doha-based leadership “unacceptable.”
Canada is expected to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly later this month.
Israeli bombardment of 15 sites in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, this afternoon killed nine people and wounded 118, according to initial tolls released by the Houthi Health Ministry.
The Israeli attacks on Yemen have killed several people and wounded many others, according to initial reports in Houthi media, cited by AFP.
Israeli army says jets detoured to Yemen to avoid Saudi airspace, marking longest trip of the war
The Israeli army has said its attack on Yemen today marked the longest flight carried out by its air force since the beginning of the war, Times of Israel reports.
Ten fighter jets flew over 2,350 kilometers (1,460 miles) to the targets, according to the military, and dropped some 30 bombs on 15 targets in Sanaa and the al-Jawf area north of the capital.
Today’s strike is not the most distant attack of the war, Times of Israel says. Sanaa is located only some 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) from Israel, but the jets took the long way around, detouring so as to avoid Saudi airspace.
The most distant strike was to attack Iran’s Mashhad Airport in June, some 2,300 kilometers (1,429 miles) from Israel.
BBC reveals members of Islamophobic biker gang hired to run GHF sites
A BBC investigation revealed that the firm guarding sites where the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been distributing aid hired members of an American biker gang known for being Islamophobic to run the sites' armed security.
The BBC confirmed the identities of 10 members of the Infidels Motorcycle Club working in Gaza for UG Solutions, a private contractor providing security at GHF sites, where hundreds of unarmed Palestinians have been shot while seeking aid.
Seven members of the gang are in senior positions overseeing GHF sites, the investigation revealed. GHF is backed by and works with Israel and is funded, at least in part, by the U.S.
Katz says Sanaa attacks reflect 'the long arm' of Israel
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said his country's attack on Yemen a short while ago targeted Houthi military camps, Times of Israel reports.
“We promised more strikes, and today we dealt another painful blow to the Houthi terror organization in Yemen,” Katz said.
“The [Israeli army] has just struck in Sanaa and other locations across Yemen, targeting military camps manned by Houthi operatives, including the Houthi propaganda apparatus,” he announced. “The long arm of the State of Israel will reach and strike terrorism wherever it exists and from wherever a threat is posed to our citizens.”
The Israeli attack against Sanaa moments ago reportedly targeted the Houthi Ministry of Defense, Reuters says. Sanaa residents told the agency that the attack was on a hideout between two mountains that is used as a command and control headquarters.
A defense source said several sites in Sanaa were attacked, including military camps, fuel depots and the Houthis' media headquarters.
Israel strikes Yemen capital
Israel has bombed the Yemeni capital Sanaa, Reuters reports, citing the Houthi-run Al Masirah TV.
The broadcaster did not immediately give any further details on the attack.
Reports of opposition to Doha attack from Israeli army and Mossad
Israel's public broadcaster, Kan, reported earlier today that the Israeli army's envoy for hostage negotiations, Nitzan Alon, had opposed yesterday's assassination attempt against Hamas' leadership in Doha, and that the Israeli army chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, had also shown reservations.
Anonymous Israeli officials, cited by Times of Israel, said that senior Mossad officials had also been opposed to the move, and noted how comments describing the strike from Israeli officials mentioned the involvement of the military and the Shin Bet, but not the Mossad, which would normally play a key role in operations abroad.
South Lebanon
An Israeli drone crashed in the town of Odaisseh, in the Marjayoun district. The Lebanese Army was deployed to inspect it.
39 Palestinians, including 12 aid seekers, killed by Israeli army in 24 hours
Israeli fire killed 39 Palestinians in Gaza, including 12 aid seekers, and injured 184 others over the past 24 hours, the Gaza Health Ministry reported, according to Haaretz.
The ministry's overall death toll has risen to 64,656 killed and 163,503 wounded since Oct. 7, 2023.
It also noted that five people were killed by hunger and malnutrition, including one child, brought on by Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid, bringing the number up to 404, including 141 children.
Spanish Defense Ministry cancels €237.5 million contract with Israeli defense company
The Spanish Defense Ministry officially canceled a €237.5 million contract yesterday afternoon for the purchase of Spike launchers and missiles from Israeli defense company Rafael, Haaretz reported.
Spanish media had reported that the agreement was frozen in June, but the contract remained in force, as Spain continued to procure the means to use this type of missile on armored vehicles and armored personnel carriers.
Trump and Netanyahu have spoken twice since the strikes in Qatar
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken twice with U.S. President Donald Trump since Israel struck a Hamas target in Doha, Qatar, Haaretz reported. According to the source cited by the Israeli media outlet, “the discussions went very well.”
128 evacuated from Gaza for medical treatments
The Red Crescent and the World Health Organization evacuated 128 people, including 30 patients and 98 companions, out of Gaza for medical treatment.
The patients, some of whom are children, include cancer patients and those injured requiring life-saving treatment.
The delegation left Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City and crossed the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Israel, to reach Jordan then the United Kingdom.
UAE president arrives in Qatar
The president of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has arrived in Qatar, according to the official UAE news agency WAM.
Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah is also expected to visit Qatar today, while Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman will land in Doha tomorrow, an official told Reuters.
Proposed sanctions against Israel: EU sends “wrong message”
Israel has criticized the European Union for sending “the wrong message” after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed sanctions to MEPs, calling the situation in Gaza “unacceptable.”
“The comments made this morning by the President of the European Commission are regrettable (...) Once again, Europe is sending the wrong message, which strengthens Hamas” and its allies in the Middle East, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar wrote on X.
Israel will kill Hamas leaders next time if they survived Qatar attack, Israeli official says
If Israel did not kill Hamas leaders in an air strike on Qatar on Tuesday, it would succeed next time, the Israeli ambassador to the United States said after the operation, which raised concerns it would torpedo efforts to secure a cease-fire in Gaza.
"Right now, we may be subject to a little bit of criticism. They'll get over it. And Israel is being changed for the better," Yechiel Leiter told Fox News' "Special Report" program late last night.
"If we didn't get them this time, we'll get them the next time," said Leiter.
Haaretz reported an Israeli strike on the Taiba 2 building near the Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City, an hour after an evacuation order was issued.
Palestinians flee after Israel’s new forced evacuation order. (Credit: Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters)
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the attack on senior Hamas negotiators in Qatar "shows his country will target enemies wherever they are."
In a post on X, he wrote, “Israel’s security policy is clear — Israel’s long arm will act against its enemies everywhere. There is no place where they can hide.”
“Anyone who participated in the massacre on Oct. 7 will be brought to justice. Anyone who engages in terrorism against Israel will be targeted,” he added.
Russian diplomats condemned Israel's strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar the previous day, calling it a “flagrant violation” of Qatari sovereignty and international law.
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry also said that the strike was “an action aimed at undermining international efforts” for peace and would lead to a “new escalation” in the Middle East.
The Israeli army issued a new call to evacuate a building in Gaza City ahead of an “imminent attack.”
In a message on X, the army’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee warned Palestinians “who have not yet evacuated the Gaza port area and the Rimal South neighborhood” to leave, specifically mentioning the “Tayba 2 building and the nearby tents.”
As it has done daily in recent days while seeking to take control of the enclave’s largest city, the army said the warning was due to the presence of Hamas infrastructure “inside or near” the identified areas.
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea expressed solidarity with Qatar, saying the Israeli strikes “fall outside the natural and logical framework of things.”
“Qatar has always been a neutral country, making every possible effort whenever a dispute arose between two states. It has never attacked anyone, nor taken part in a conflict. On the contrary, it has always rushed to provide help when needed,” Geagea wrote on X, recalling Qatar’s assistance to Lebanon over the past 20 years.
Von der Leyen proposes sanctions against “extremist” Israeli ministers and partial suspension of EU-Israel association agreement.
“Man-made famine can never be used as a weapon of war,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, referring to the situation in Gaza. The United Nations declared on Aug. 22 that famine was underway in parts of the territory besieged by Israel, a claim rejected by Israel.
She also proposed Wednesday sanctions against “extremist” ministers in Israel. “We will also propose a partial suspension of the association agreement on trade-related issues,” she told European lawmakers in Strasbourg, while acknowledging it would be “difficult” to find a majority of member states to adopt the measures.
Beijing said it “strongly condemns” the Israeli strikes in Doha against Hamas officials.
“China strongly condemns the attack that took place yesterday in the Qatari capital and firmly opposes Israel’s violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and national security,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during a regular press briefing.
Israel “does not always act” according to the interests of its American ally, Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon said today, defending the Israeli strike that targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar yesterday.
“We are coordinated [with Washington], they give us incredible support, we appreciate it, but sometimes we make decisions and then inform the United States,” Danon told Israeli radio station 103 FM.
The Israeli strike on Doha on Tuesday “was not an attack against Qatar, it was an attack against Hamas,” he said, adding, “and this decision was the right one.”
Israeli strikes on Qatar: Salam meets with Qatari PM
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met yesterday afternoon with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, during which he expressed his full solidarity with Doha following the Israeli strikes.
Salam denounced the strikes as “a serious violation of international laws and customs, as well as an attempt to weaken the role played by Qatari leaders in efforts to ease tensions and end the war in Gaza.”
“Lebanon, which itself faces ongoing Israeli aggression, stands with Qatar and its people,” he added during the phone call, calling for “a unified Arab and international position to end these Israeli attacks that threaten the security and stability of the entire region.”
South Lebanon: Machine gun fire targets outskirts of Shebaa and Khiam
Several bursts of Israeli machine gun fire hit southern Lebanon overnight, L'Orient Today's correspondent in the South reported.
Around 10 p.m., fire was directed from the Radar site in the disputed Shebaa Farms toward the village of Shebaa (Hasbaya). At midnight, Israeli forces opened machine gun fire from their position still inside Lebanese territory on Hamames Hill toward the outskirts of Khiam (Marjayoun).
Flotilla for Gaza reports second drone attack on boat at Tunisian port
The Global Sumud flotilla, which is sailing toward Gaza, announced last night that another of its boats, the Alma, was “attacked by a drone while it was docked in Tunisian waters.”
The targeted vessel, flying the British flag, sustained “damage from a fire on its upper deck. The fire has since been contained, and all passengers and crew are safe,” the flotilla said in a statement on its website, adding that an investigation is underway.
This is the second time in two days that the activist coalition, which seeks to “break the Israeli blockade” of the besieged Palestinian enclave, said it had been targeted by drone strikes. The group accused Israel of trying to “divert and sabotage” its mission but vowed to continue “without being intimidated.”
Macron to meet families of hostages held in Gaza
French President Emmanuel Macron will meet today with families of hostages held in Gaza, as his initiative in favor of recognizing a Palestinian state has drawn criticism from Israeli authorities, the Élysée announced.
Macron will reiterate “France’s sadness and compassion following the barbaric acts committed by the terrorist group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, in Israel” and express “unwavering support for the families of the hostages,” who have been held “in inhumane conditions for more than 700 days,” the presidency said.
“He will stress that France, together with its partners and within the framework of the initiatives it has launched, is doing everything possible to achieve the release of all remaining hostages, in support of Qatari, Egyptian and American mediation efforts,” it added.
Among those attending will be the mother of Guy Gilboa Dalal, the father of Guy Iluz, the brother of Nimrod Cohen and the mother of Evyatar David.
Qatar says it will continue mediation role in Gaza despite Israeli attack
Qatar will continue to act as a mediator in the Gaza war despite an unprecedented Israeli strike on Doha targeting Hamas officials, its prime minister said last night.
Israel carried out strikes on a complex housing members of the Palestinian movement, which reported six dead, including a Qatari security officer, but said the targeted negotiators survived.
“Mediation is part of [Qatar’s] identity, and nothing will prevent us from continuing to play this role in all issues concerning us in the region,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said at a press conference.
The Qatari prime minister also said his country reserved “the right to respond to this blatant attack.” He added, “We believe we have now reached a turning point. There must be a response from the entire region.”
Decision to attack in Qatar made by Netanyahu, ‘not by me,’ Trump says
Donald Trump wrote yesterday on his Truth Social platform that the decision to launch an attack in Qatar “was made by Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, not by me,” calling it a “regrettable incident.” The U.S. president said Washington had warned Qatar, but that the alert “unfortunately arrived too late to stop the attack.”
Good morning and welcome to today's live coverage of events in the region, notably Israel's ongoing onslaught against Palestinians in Gaza and its attacks against Lebanon, despite an ostensible cease-fire.
☕ Read our Morning Brief here to catch up on yesterday's key events.
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Iran-US-Lebanon: Everything can change in an instant.
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