Israel Hezbollah War Highlights: Israel says struck Hezbollah targets 'adjacent' to Lebanon-Syria border crossing
THE TIMES OF INDIA | Oct 04, 2024, 18:55:10 IST
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Israel Hezbollah War Highlights: Israel says struck Hezbollah targets 'adjacent' to Lebanon-Syria border crossing

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered his first sermon in almost five years, following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. In his sermon, Khamenei praised Nasrallah, reflecting Nasrallah's pivotal role in ‘resisting Israel’. He also called Hezbollah's fight 'vital service to entire region'

Due to the threat of Israeli attacks on mourners, Nasrallah's body has been temporarily buried in an undisclosed location, as per AFP sources. His funeral has been delayed until security conditions improve.

The situation between Israel and Hezbollah has sharply escalated. Israeli forces have intensified their strikes on Hezbollah targets throughout Lebanon, including key strongholds in southern Beirut and the group’s intelligence headquarters in the Lebanese capital. Israeli airstrikes have further disrupted the region by cutting off a critical highway between Lebanon and Syria, hindering evacuations and the transport of supplies. So far, the violence has claimed over 1,000 lives in Lebanon, displacing hundreds of thousands. In preparation for what appears to be an expanding military campaign, Israel issued evacuation orders to civilians in over 20 towns in southern Lebanon.

Iran has taken a central role in this unfolding conflict, standing firm behind Hezbollah. Khamenei justified Iran's missile attack on Israel as both “legal and legitimate,” reiterating Iran’s support for Hezbollah and vowing that Iran and its allies will not retreat against Israel.

The question of who will succeed Nasrallah as Hezbollah’s leader is becoming more urgent. Hashem Safieddine, a senior Hezbollah figure, was widely seen as the likely successor, particularly due to his close connections to Iran. Safieddine’s son is married to the daughter of the late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, strengthening his standing within both Hezbollah and Iran’s power circles. However, Israeli forces claim to have already targeted Safieddine in their strikes.

As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, the risk of a broader regional war grows. Israel's military operations extend beyond Lebanon, with significant action against Hamas in Gaza. Despite Israel’s requests, UN peacekeepers stationed along the Israel-Lebanon border have remained in place, adding to the complexities of the situation. The violence and instability threaten to spiral into a larger regional conflict, drawing in more regional powers and exacerbating tensions across the Middle East.
08:49 (IST) Oct 03
Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: China urges UN Security Council to de-escalate Middle East crisis
China has called upon the United Nations Security Council to take immediate measures to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East following Israel's recent air strikes in Lebanon. Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, emphasised during a Security Council briefing on Wednesday that clear and unambiguous demands must be made to halt the cycle of violence in the Israeli-Lebanon conflict.

Fu stressed that the Security Council has the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, and urged all parties involved to return to the path of political and diplomatic solutions. The latest missile strikes by Israel in central Beirut come in response to Iran's firing of more than 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday. Additionally, Israel has deployed infantry and armoured units into Lebanon, with reports of clashes with the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah.

Although Iran stated on Wednesday that its missile volley, the largest attack on Israel to date, was over unless further provocation occurred, both Israel and the United States have vowed to respond forcefully. The missile attack by Iran and Israel's promise of retaliation have raised fears that the oil-rich Middle East could become embroiled in a broader conflict.

Fu warned that the current situation is "hanging by a thread" and that any "passive procrastination would be irresponsible, and any rhetoric of condoning further military adventurism would send a wrong message." He also highlighted the unprecedented humanitarian crisis caused by the spreading Middle East conflict, with Gaza becoming a "hell on earth" and over 1.2 million people displaced in Lebanon.
08:27 (IST) Oct 03
Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Israel strikes heart of Beirut, killing six
In the early hours of Thursday, Israel conducted an air strike on central Beirut, resulting in the deaths of at least six people and injuring seven others, according to Lebanese health officials. The attack came after Israel suffered its highest number of casualties on the Lebanese front in a year of clashes against the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah. Reuters witnesses reported hearing a massive blast, and a security source said the strike targeted a building in the Bachoura neighbourhood, close to the parliament, marking the closest Israeli strikes have come to Lebanon's seat of government.

Three missiles also struck the southern suburb of Dahiyeh, where Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed last week, and loud explosions were heard, as reported by Lebanese security officials. The southern suburbs were subjected to more than a dozen Israeli strikes on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Israel reported that eight of its soldiers were killed in ground combat in southern Lebanon as its forces advanced into the country. This came a day after Iran fired more than 180 missiles into Israel, prompting Israel to promise retaliation and raising concerns about the possibility of a wider conflict in the oil-producing Middle East.

Hezbollah claimed that its fighters engaged Israeli forces inside Lebanon, marking the first reported ground clashes since Israeli forces crossed the border on Monday. The movement also stated that it had destroyed three Israeli Merkava tanks with rockets near the border town of Maroun El Ras.
08:26 (IST) Oct 03
Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Hezbollah fires 240 rockets on Israel; IDF admits to heavy losses In Lebanon - video
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08:25 (IST) Oct 03
Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: American killed in Israel's military campaign in Lebanon, family and US lawmaker say
Kamel Ahmad Jawad, a US citizen from Dearborn, Michigan, lost his life in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon, as confirmed by his daughter Nadine Jawad, friend Hamzah Raza, and Representative Rashida Tlaib, who represents Jawad's constituency in Congress.

Nadine Jawad stated, "We are deeply saddened by the death of Kamel Ahmad Jawad and our hearts go out to his family and friends. His death is a tragedy, as are the deaths of many civilians in Lebanon." She explained that her father had chosen to remain near a hospital in his final days to assist the elderly and disabled.

The White House expressed condolences, acknowledging the tragedy of Jawad's death and the loss of many civilian lives in Lebanon. Israel's military campaign has resulted in hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries, and the displacement of over a million people, with Israel stating its target as Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.

According to the Detroit News, Jawad was in Lebanon caring for his elderly mother. Raza and local Dearborn groups described Jawad as "one of the kindest and most generous humans." However, Reuters could not independently verify the circumstances surrounding Jawad's death.

The United States has faced criticism for its support of Israel, which is also engaged in a war in Gaza that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million. Dearborn, Jawad's hometown, has a significant Arab American community.
08:24 (IST) Oct 03
Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Pope Francis calls for fasting and prayer on October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel last year
Pope Francis has called for a worldwide day of prayer and fasting for peace on October 7, the anniversary of Hamas' attacks on Israel in the previous year. The Pope urged everyone to participate in this collective act of prayer for global peace.

In a post on X, Pope Francis said, "On October 7, I ask everyone to take part in a day of prayer and fasting for peace in the world. Pray together."

The conflict in Middle East intensified after Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles at targets in Israel, with the United States military working closely with the Israeli Defence Forces to defend against the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Iran's actions as a "big mistake" and vowed that Tehran would face consequences. The IDF spokesperson, RAdm. Daniel Hagari, characterized Iran's attack as a severe and dangerous escalation of the conflict.

In response to Iran's aggression against Israel, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin issued a statement condemning the attack. President Joe Biden discussed the situation with G7 leaders, coordinating a response that included new sanctions against Iran. Biden also reaffirmed the United States' unwavering commitment to Israel's security.
08:22 (IST) Oct 03
Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Harris adviser meets US Muslim, Arab leaders angry at support for Israel
On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris' senior adviser engaged in a virtual meeting with American Muslim and Arab leaders as her presidential campaign aims to regain the support of voters displeased with US backing of Israel's military actions in Gaza and Lebanon.

According to the vice president's office, Phil Gordan, Harris' national security adviser, informed the community leaders during the meeting that the administration supports a ceasefire in Gaza, diplomatic efforts in Lebanon, and stability in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

However, Lebanese-American attorney and community leader Ali Dagher, who did not attend the meeting, expressed that the outreach from Harris' office was insufficient, stating, "It's too little, too late."

Polls indicate a close presidential race between Democrat Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump, with the election scheduled for Nov. 5.

Although President Joe Biden secured the majority of Muslim and Arab votes in 2020, their support for Democrats has significantly declined during nearly a year of Israel's ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Activists argue that Biden and Harris have not done enough to halt Israel's military campaign in the Palestinian enclave.

According to Palestinian health authorities, the Israeli military offensive in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 41,000 Palestinians. Israel claims to have been responding to an incursion by Hamas gunmen on Oct. 7, 2023, which Israel says killed around 1,200 people and involved the abduction of about 250 hostages. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has left nearly all of its 2 million residents displaced and facing widespread hunger.

In Lebanon, government statistics reveal that more than 1,900 people have been killed and 9,000 wounded during almost a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, with the majority of the deaths occurring in the past two weeks.
08:20 (IST) Oct 03
Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: 'Nasrallah's son-in-law killed in Israeli raid in Damascus,' report claims
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Hassan Jaafar al-Qasir, the son-in-law of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli raid on an apartment in the Mazze district of Damascus on Wednesday. Another Lebanese individual also died in the attack.

"Hassan Jaafar al-Qasir, the son-in-law of Hassan Nasrallah, was among two Lebanese victims of the Israeli raid which targeted an apartment in a residential building in the Mazze district of Damascus," confirmed an AFP source close to Hezbollah.

In a separate incident last week, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced that Hassan Nasrallah had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, shortly after strikes targeted Hezbollah's headquarters. IDF spokesperson Nadav Shoshani stated, "Hassan Nasrallah is dead," implying a significant reduction in his regional influence.

The region remains tense as Israel escalates its military actions on two fronts. On Wednesday, an Israeli ground incursion into southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of eight Israeli soldiers, including a 22-year-old captain, the first Israeli combat casualty in Lebanon since the operation began. In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes in Khan Younis killed at least 51 people, including women and children, amidst ongoing hostilities spanning nearly a year.

The escalation follows an Iranian ballistic missile attack on Israel, with Iran supporting both Hezbollah and Hamas. The Israeli military warned of "repercussions" in response to the missile strikes. Late Wednesday, an Israeli airstrike hit a residential building near central Beirut, causing at least six deaths and additional injuries, with allegations of banned phosphorus munitions being used.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered his first sermon in almost five years, following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. In his sermon, Khamenei praised Nasrallah, reflecting Nasrallah's pivotal role in ‘resisting Israel’. He also called Hezbollah's fight 'vital service to entire region'

Due to the threat of Israeli attacks on mourners, Nasrallah's body has been temporarily buried in an undisclosed location, as per AFP sources. His funeral has been delayed until security conditions improve.

The situation between Israel and Hezbollah has sharply escalated. Israeli forces have intensified their strikes on Hezbollah targets throughout Lebanon, including key strongholds in southern Beirut and the group’s intelligence headquarters in the Lebanese capital. Israeli airstrikes have further disrupted the region by cutting off a critical highway between Lebanon and Syria, hindering evacuations and the transport of supplies. So far, the violence has claimed over 1,000 lives in Lebanon, displacing hundreds of thousands. In preparation for what appears to be an expanding military campaign, Israel issued evacuation orders to civilians in over 20 towns in southern Lebanon.

Iran has taken a central role in this unfolding conflict, standing firm behind Hezbollah. Khamenei justified Iran's missile attack on Israel as both “legal and legitimate,” reiterating Iran’s support for Hezbollah and vowing that Iran and its allies will not retreat against Israel.

The question of who will succeed Nasrallah as Hezbollah’s leader is becoming more urgent. Hashem Safieddine, a senior Hezbollah figure, was widely seen as the likely successor, particularly due to his close connections to Iran. Safieddine’s son is married to the daughter of the late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, strengthening his standing within both Hezbollah and Iran’s power circles. However, Israeli forces claim to have already targeted Safieddine in their strikes.

As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, the risk of a broader regional war grows. Israel's military operations extend beyond Lebanon, with significant action against Hamas in Gaza. Despite Israel’s requests, UN peacekeepers stationed along the Israel-Lebanon border have remained in place, adding to the complexities of the situation. The violence and instability threaten to spiral into a larger regional conflict, drawing in more regional powers and exacerbating tensions across the Middle East.