Victim of Israeli drone strike this morning is 'one of twenty Hezbollah fighters' killed by Israel 'over the last month,' according to army spokesperson | LIVE

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South Lebanon: Lebanese army deploys in neighborhood where Israeli army was spotted earlier

An Israeli army unit was observed moving in the al Kassayer area, on the eastern outskirts of the town of Mais al-Jabal, toward Lebanese territory, according to our correspondent in the south. A Lebanese Army patrol went to the neighborhood in question after the Israeli incursion as a precautionary measure, according to our correspondent.

Gaza: Israeli army announces handover of hostage's remains to Red Cross

The Israeli army announced on Wednesday that Hamas had handed over a coffin containing the body of a hostage to the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip, as part of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which provides for the exchange of remains.

"According to information provided by the Red Cross, the coffin of a hostage has been transferred into their custody and is on its way to army troops in the Gaza Strip," a military statement said.

Meeting in Istanbul between Ibrahim Kalin and Khalil Hayye

The head of Turkish intelligence, Ibrahim Kalin, met with the head of the Hamas negotiating team, Khalil Hayye, on Wednesday to discuss the implementation of the next steps in the Gaza ceasefire plan, Turkish security sources told Reuters.

According to these sources, the meeting, which took place in Istanbul, also focused on the measures needed to ensure the smooth running of the cease-fire process and overcome existing difficulties.

Further Israeli violations

The Israeli army fired medium-range automatic weapons toward the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil) according to our correspondent in the south.

In addition, Israeli drones are violating Lebanese airspace over several towns in southern Lebanon.

Hussein Jihad Dib, the driver targeted by an Israeli strike on Bourj Rahal (Sour) late this morning, was a fighter with Hezbollah's elite al-Radwan force, according to the party.

Israel's Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed he was one of "about 20 fighters" killed by Israel "over the past month."

South Lebanon: Israeli army advances 1km into Bint Jbeil district

Several Israeli vehicles advanced from the illegally occupied site of Jabal al-Bat, on the outskirts of the town of Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil), one kilometer into Lebanese territory, reaching the al-Ghaba crossroads, according to our correspondent in the region.

Hezbollah announces Israeli strike killed one of its fighters in Burj Rahal

Hezbollah has announced the death of its fighter, Hussein Jihad Dib.

He was killed in this morning's Israeli airstrike on Burj Rahal.

Hospital in Gaza says received bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners

Nasser Hospital, in the southern Gaza Strip, announced Wednesday that it had received the bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners as part of the cease-fire agreement with Israel.

"The tenth batch of remains of Palestinian martyrs, comprising 15 martyrs," arrived "as part of the exchange of remains between the Palestinian side and the Israeli occupation," the hospital said, adding that 285 bodies have been received in the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire came into effect on Oct. 10.

Of the 28 deceased hostages that Hamas agreed to hand over to Israel as part of the agreement, 21 have been returned to date.

Tehran shifts military 'burden' to Iraqi militias after blows in region: Israeli media

Tehran's support for Iranian-backed militias in Iraq has recently increased, with a focus on more advanced weapons, as Iran aims to shift the burden to these militias following setbacks faced by the pro-Iranian axis in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, Israel's public broadcaster Kan reported on Tuesday, citing Iraqi sources familiar with the matter.

According to the Israeli public broadcaster Kan, Iran is supplying Iraqi militias with weapons as part of preparations for a possible future conflict with Israel. "Iran is preparing its representatives in Iraq for action against Israel in the event of a renewed conflict," the Iraqi sources said.

While Iraqi militias have launched several attacks against Israel since the Gaza war began in October 2023, they remained on the sidelines during the Iran-Israel war in June this year.

According to the Israeli broadcaster, Iraqi officials say that while the militias are very afraid of Israeli and American attacks, they are still currently "stronger than the Iraqi Army and listen mainly to those who arm and train them — the Iranian al-Quds Force — and less to the Iraqi Prime Minister, Muhammad al-Sudani."

Parliamentary elections will take place in Iraq on Nov. 11. Regarding the elections, Kan reported that "it is highly doubtful" whether the results will influence the concentration of weapons in the hands of the Iraqi state.

Driver targeted in Israeli airstrike in Burj Rahal died from injuries

The driver targeted in the Israeli airstrike in Burj Rahal, in the Sour district, has died from his injuries, according to our correspondent.

Hussein Dib, originally from the village of Shahour, lived in Maarakeh.

Qobeissi: State must file complaint with Security Council regarding Israeli killings in South

Amal Movement MP Hani Qobeissi called on "the state to assume its responsibilities in the face of the daily killings perpetrated by the Zionist enemy in the southern region," stressing "the need to adopt a comprehensive national position that expresses the rejection of the repeated aggression against Lebanese civilians," reports the National News Agency (NNA).

"Israel continues to kill innocent civilians in towns and villages with the brutal determination to commit crimes, the whole world watches and no one does anything," he lamented, accusing Israel of "crimes against humanity."

"The state must assume its responsibility and file a complaint with the United Nations Security Council regarding Israel's daily killings," he insisted, urging the authorities to assume their full responsibility at the political level and not just the military level.

Car targeted by Israeli airstrike in Burj Rahal, driver seriously injured

An Israeli drone targeted a car in Burj Rahal, in the Sour district, seriously injuring its driver, reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

The strike took place near the Mohammad Saad Secondary School.

Israeli drone dropped sonic bomb between Wata al-Khiam and Wadi al-Assafir

An Israeli drone dropped a sonic bomb between the Wata al-Khiam and Wadi al-Assafir areas while a team from the Southern Council, accompanied by the Lebanese Army, was inspecting destroyed houses in Wadi al-Assafir, according to our correspondent.

No injuries were reported.

Israeli drones fly over villages in Hasbaya district

Three Israeli drones flew this morning over the town of Kfar Shuba in the Hasbaya district, at low altitude, after flying over villages in the district since dawn, reports our correspondent.

Intense Israeli artillery bombardments, demolitions in southern Gaza

Israeli forces are conducting intensive raids, artillery bombardments and demolition operations east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, according to Al Jazeera.

The Walla news site adds that the Israeli army also targeted areas east of Khan Younis from the air and struck sites near the Bureij refugee camp overnight.

Palestinians in Gaza are suffering from famine despite truce

Humanitarian agencies are engaged in a "race against time" to deliver food and other humanitarian supplies to Gaza, a U.N. official told Al Jazeera, as restrictions imposed by Israel continue to hamper deliveries to the bombed enclave.

Speaking on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) said aid deliveries had increased since the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas came into effect last month.

But only two crossings into Gaza are open, which "significantly limits the amount of aid" that the WFP and other agencies can deliver, said Abeer Etefa.

"We need full access. We need everything to happen quickly. We are in a race against time. The winter months are approaching." “People are still suffering from hunger and the needs are immense,” she said.

Guterres calls for Security Council Mandate for any future governance in Gaza

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has stated that any governmental institution established in Gaza should have a legitimate mandate from the U.N. Security Council.

Speaking yesterday at the World Social Summit in Doha, Guterres said: "We believe that any entity created in Gaza should have the legitimacy of a Security Council mandate."

He added that local Palestinian police forces would need training and that a transitional period should ultimately lead to the reunification of Gaza and the occupied West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.

Israel: Body returned Tuesday by Hamas is that of soldier Itay Chen

Israeli authorities announced Wednesday that they had identified the body returned Tuesday by Hamas as that of Israeli-American soldier Itay Chen, who was kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023, AFP reports.

After the National Institute of Forensic Medicine completed the identification process, the army "informed the family of the hostage killed in action, Sergeant Itay Chen, that their loved one had been repatriated to Israel and identified," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

"He was 19 years old at the time of his death. His death was officially recorded on March 10, 2024," the Israeli army said in a statement.

This identification brings to seven the number of hostage bodies that Hamas has yet to return to Israel.

Itay Chen was stationed at the border with the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas and its allies launched their attack, which triggered the war. He was in a tank.

Good morning! We are now launching our live coverage of the situation in Lebanon, where Israeli military and rhetoric continues to escalate in an effort to pressure Hezbollah and the authorities.

We will also be covering developments in Gaza, which remains under Israeli bombardment despite the cease-fire.