Israel-Lebanon latest: Israeli military fires dozens more missiles as thousands forced to flee homes
Israel says it’s ‘not looking for wars’ but army is ‘in full readiness’ to push Hezbollah back from border
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Israel has fired dozens more rockets at what it says are Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon after the deadliest day of strikes in the area in nearly two decades.
After almost a year of war against Hamas in Gaza on its southern border, Israel is shifting its focus to the northern frontier, where Hezbollah has been firing rockets into Israel in support of Hamas, also backed by Iran.
The Israeli military said it struck a Hezbollah militant cell and its artillery and tanks hit other Hezbollah targets in the south overnight in the latest round of strikes.
Hezbollah on Tuesday morning said it had attacked several Israeli military targets, including an explosives factory 60 km (37 miles) into Israel.
It comes as thousands were pictured fleeing southern Lebanon in loaded cars, vans and trucks. Highways north were gridlocked. Images also showed scores of civilians sleeping on beaches and walkways after having fled last night.
Lebanese authorities said Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon on Monday had killed nearly 500 people and sent tens of thousands fleeing for safety.
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‘I woke up to the sound of bombing’: Lebanese describe moments of desperation
In southern Lebanon, families fled north by cars, trucks, and motorcycles as the Israeli military targeted areas linked to Hezbollah on Monday.
Some residents reported receiving warnings from the Israeli military via text messages and voice recordings, urging them to leave areas near Hezbollah positions.
Zahra Sawli, a student, told BBC’s Newshour programme: “I woke up at 6am to the sound of bombing. By noon it started to get really intense and I saw a lot of strikes in my area.
“I heard a lot of glass shattering.”
She said: “Where are we supposed to go? A lot of people are still stuck on the streets. A lot of my friends are still stuck in traffic because a lot of people are trying to flee.”
The Lebanese health ministry said that 492 people had been killed and more than 1,600 injured in the Israeli bombardment on Monday.
Irish president accuses Israeli embassy of circulating his letter to Iran
The president of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, accused the Israeli embassy in Dublin of circulating a letter he wrote to Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, after Mr Pezeshkian’s election.
The letter, which offered congratulations and expressed condolences over the death of Mr Pezeshkian’s predecessor, drew criticism — both in the UK and Ireland — once it became public. “You should ask where the criticism came from and how the letter was circulated and by whom and for what purpose,” Mr Higgins said.
He suggested the Israeli embassy was responsible for circulating it, something the embassy denied, calling his accusation “baseless” and “highly inflammatory and potentially slanderous”.
His letter to Mr Pezeshkian mentioned that Iran had a “crucial role” to play in the Middle East after Ebrahim Raisi’s death in a helicopter crash in May.
“I regret of course the circumstances that brought about the election, and take the opportunity to repeat the condolences of the people of Ireland for the death of your predecessor President Raisi,” the letter read.
In pictures: Israeli airstrikes in Beirut's southern suburbs
Israel ‘considering siege’ on Hamas in northern Gaza
Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly considering a plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians from northern Gaza and impose a military siege on Hamas militants who remain in the area.
The plan, endorsed by some Israeli military figures, suggests designating the area as a “closed military zone” and forcing all civilians to leave, The Guardian reported.
The Likud MP Avichai Boaron said the plan was ‘‘currently being evaluated by the government”.
“According to the plan, the IDF will evacuate all the civilians who are in the north of Gaza, from the border to the Gaza River,” Boaron was quoted as saying by the outlet. ‘‘And after they will evacuate, the IDF will assume that only the terrorists will remain. When the civilian population has left, you can find and kill all the terrorists without harming the civilians.”
The goal is said to be to isolate and target Hamas fighters without civilian casualties, pressuring them to surrender or face starvation.
Israel prepared for ground invasion of Lebanon if necessary, IDF says
Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that the Israeli Defense Forces are fully prepared for a ground invasion of Lebanon if necessary.
While reiterating that Israel is “not looking for wars”, Hagari emphasised that the army will take all necessary steps to secure the northern border and ensure the safe return of citizens.
“The army is in full readiness, and we will do whatever is necessary to bring back home all our citizens to the northern border safely,” he said during a televised press conference.
Meanwhile, the death toll from Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon on Monday rose to 492 people, including 90 women and children. Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister condemned the attacks as “genocide in every sense of the word”.
Hagari defended the IDF’s actions, saying efforts are made to avoid civilian casualties, while also highlighting that many of those killed were Hezbollah militants. The IDF claimed to have hit 1,300 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon within the past 24 hours.
Iran president accuses Israel of fanning flames of war in the Middle East
Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, accused Israel of provoking war in the Middle East during his first official visit to the US.
“We know more than anyone else that if a larger war were to erupt in the Middle East, it will not benefit anyone throughout the world. It is Israel that seeks to create this wider conflict,” he said.
He expressed frustration over Israel’s actions, especially the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
“There is no winner in warfare, everyone loses in war and conflict. We are only deluding ourselves if we think someone will be victorious in a regional war.”
He added: “Every day Israel is committing more atrocities and killing more and more people – old, young, men, women, children, hospitals, other facilities.”
Mr Pezeshkian also criticised the West for its double standards on human rights and reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to nuclear talks, denying any missile supplies to Russia during his presidency.
“We are prepared, and if the other parties are also prepared, we can have another beginning of the talks during this trip,” he said.
He also dismissed claims that Iran funds anti-Israel protests.
Netanyahu compells people of Lebanon to leave homes in video warning
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sent a video message to the people of Lebanon urging them to heed IDF warnings and evacuate their homes after airstrikes killed 274. He said: “I have a message for the people of Lebanon: Israel’s war is not with you. It’s with Hezbollah. For too long, Hezbollah has been using you as human shields.
“It placed rockets in your living rooms and missiles in your garage. Those rockets and missiles are aimed directly at our cities, directly at our citizens.
“To defend our people against Hezbollah strikes, we must take out those weapons.
“Starting this morning, the IDF has warned you to get out of harm’s way.
“I urge you – take this warning seriously. Don’t let Hezbollah endanger your lives and the lives of your loved ones. Don’t let Hezbollah endanger Lebanon.
“Please, get out of harm’s way now.
“Once our operation is finished, you can come back safely to your homes.”
90 women and children among dead in Israeli airstrikes that killed nearly 500 in Lebanon
Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon resulted in 492 deaths on Monday, including 90 women and children, in the deadliest attack since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.
Israel says its strikes are targeting Hezbollah, which has launched thousands of rockets into Israel.
Israel warned Lebanese civilians to evacuate, with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu urging them to “get out of harm’s way”.
He asked residents to “take this warning seriously”.“Please get out of harm’s way now,” Mr Netanyahu said. “Once our operation is finished, you can come back safely to your homes.”
Israeli war commander says country ‘not looking for wars’
Israel’s military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said the army will do “whatever is necessary” to push Hezbollah from Lebanon’s border with Israel.
Rear Admiral Hagari claimed Monday’s widespread airstrikes had inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah.
But he would not give a timeline for the ongoing operation and said Israel was prepared to launch a ground invasion of Lebanon if needed.
“We are not looking for wars. We are looking to take down the threats,” he said. “We will do whatever is necessary to do to achieve this mission. We hope to do it as shortly as we can.”
Rear Admiral Hagari said Hezbollah has launched some 9,000 rockets and drones into Israel since last October, including 250 on Monday alone.
Hamas armed wing says field commander killed in Israeli strike on Lebanon on Monday
Hamas’ armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, said that its field commander in southern Lebanon, Mahmoud al Nader, was killed in an Israeli strike on Lebanon on Monday.
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