Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Israel says about 200 projectiles fired by Hezbollah into Israel Saturday

Gaza's civil defence agency said that an Israeli air strike on a residential area killed at least 73 Palestinians in Beit Lahia in the territory's north, with many more feared trapped under the rubble.
"Our civil defence crews recovered 73 martyrs and a large number of wounded as a result of the Israeli air force targeting a residential area... in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza," Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the civil defence agency told AFP. "There are still martyrs under the rubble."

Israel's military said the toll figure given by Gaza authorities "do not align" with the information it possessed.

The Israeli army said about 200 projectiles had been fired on Saturday by Hezbollah targeting the country amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Lebanese armed group.

"As of 23:00 (2000 GMT), approximately 200 projectiles that were fired by the Hezbollah terrorist organisation have crossed from Lebanon into Israel today," the military said in a statement, as sirens blared across northern Israel at regular intervals throughout the day.

Iraq’s commission governing media announced Saturday that it would take steps to revoke the license of a Saudi television station to operate in the country.
That came hours after dozens of supporters of Iraqi militias stormed and looted the office of the broadcaster, MBC, in Baghdad in protest over a report that described a number of Iranian-linked militant figures — including a prominent Iraqi militia leader — as “terrorists.”

The report on “terrorists” who had been killed this century mentioned former al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden alongside a roster of Iran-backed figures.

They included Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a veteran Iraqi militant who was the deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group of mostly Shiite paramilitaries and founder of the Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Brigades.

US defense secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday, reviewing posture adjustments of United States forces, including the recent deployment of an anti-missile system to reinforce Israel’s defenses against regional threats, the Pentagon said in a statement.

Austin also told his Israeli counterpart that he was relieved that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was safe after a drone attack reportedly targeted his holiday home in Caesarea, the Pentagon said.

It also revealed footages of supplies "meant for long stay in Sinwar's underground hideout."

Yahya Sinwar spent years planning the Oct 7 attack, said the IDF official. Each step was planned to maximise harm to Israeli and Gazan civilian, he added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Iranian-backed groups who allegedly attempted to assassinate him and his wife would face serious consequences. This remark followed reports that a drone had targeted his residence in Caesarea. "Iran's proxies who tried to assassinate me and my wife today made a grave mistake," said Netanyahu who, his office said, was not home at the time of the incident.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that the Iranian agents who attempted to assassinate him and his wife made a "bitter mistake."

Israeli forces have stepped up efforts to dismantle Hezbollah's extensive underground network in southern Lebanon, following nearly a year of military operations aimed at Hamas in Gaza. In the wake of last year’s deadly Hamas raid that sparked the Gaza war, Israel is now focused on preventing a similar infiltration by Hezbollah across its northern border.

Over the past two weeks, the Israeli military has been scouring the dense terrain of southern Lebanon, uncovering what they describe as Hezbollah’s sophisticated tunnel system, which includes weapons caches and rocket launchers. Israeli officials claim that these tunnels pose a direct threat to nearby communities.

Israeli airstrikes targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut on Saturday, according to Lebanese state media, shortly after Israel ordered residents to evacuate. This marked the first attacks in three days on Hezbollah's primary stronghold. Footage from AFP captured smoke rising from the area less than an hour after the evacuation order was issued.

Lebanon's official National News Agency reported two strikes on the same building in the Haret Hreik neighborhood, and later indicated that "Israeli warplanes" also hit the Al-Umara neighborhood in nearby Choueifat.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued an "urgent warning" to residents of the southern suburb of Dahiyeh, particularly those in the Haret Hreik area.

Gaza's civil defense agency reported on Saturday that over 400 Palestinians have been killed in the northern part of the territory during the past two weeks amid an ongoing military operation by Israel, which claims the assault is intended to prevent Hamas militants from regrouping.

"We have recovered more than 400 martyrs from the various targeted areas in the northern Gaza Strip, including Jabalia and its camp, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun, since the start of the military operation by the occupation army" on October 6, Gaza civil defence agency spokesman, Mahmud Bassal, told AFP.

Israeli planes dropped leaflets over southern Gaza featuring a photo of the deceased Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, accompanied by the message that "Hamas will no longer rule Gaza," echoing statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This action coincided with Israeli military strikes that reportedly killed at least 32 people across the Gaza Strip and intensified the siege around hospitals in Jabalia, according to Palestinian health officials.

“Whoever drops the weapon and hands over the hostages will be allowed to leave and live in peace," the leaflet, written in Arabic, read, according to residents of the southern city of Khan Younis and images circulating online, Reuters reported.

The Israeli military asked residents to evacuate certain areas of southern Beirut, a warning that typically precedes airstrikes in those parts of the Lebanese capital. "Urgent warning to residents of the southern suburb (of Dahiyeh), specifically those in ...Haret Hreik neighbourhood: You are located near facilities and interests belonging to Hezbollah, against which the IDF (Israeli military) will be operating in the near future," military spokesman Avichay Adraee wrote in Arabic on X.

“You know, two days ago we eliminated the mass murder [Hamas leader] Yahya Sinwar, as I’ve said, we’re in an existential war, and we’re continuing to the end.” “And I want to say something else, I’m proud of our soldiers, I’m proud of our commanders, and I’m proud of you, the citizens of Israel,” he said as quoted by Times of Israel.

Israeli emergency services reported that a man was killed by shrapnel near the port city of Acre on Saturday, following a barrage of rockets launched from Lebanon into northern Israel. "Paramedics have pronounced the death of a man, around 50 years old, who was struck by shrapnel while sitting in his vehicle," the Magen David Adom emergency service said in a statement.

The Israeli army reported that at least 115 projectiles were launched from Lebanon on Saturday, targeting northern Israel amid the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah. Sirens sounded repeatedly across the region in response to the barrage. This figure was compiled by AFP based on various statements released by the Israeli military throughout the day.

Earlier, Israel reported that a drone targeted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence on Saturday amid escalating tensions with Hezbollah, which launched a series of projectiles into Israel from Lebanon.

Simultaneously, Israeli forces conducted airstrikes on Gaza, including an overnight raid on Jabalia that resulted in the deaths of 33 people, according to Gaza's civil defense agency.

Netanyahu's office confirmed that both he and his wife were not at their Caesarea home during the drone attack, and there were no reported injuries. Earlier, the military stated that a drone fired from Lebanon had struck a structure in a central Israeli town.

Throughout the morning, sirens sounded across Israel as Hezbollah militants continued their barrage from various locations in Lebanon.

Hezbollah said it fired rockets on Saturday towards a region north of Israel's Haifa in response to Israeli attacks on its strongholds in southern Lebanon.

"The large rocket salvo" came in retaliation for Israeli attacks on south Lebanon villages, Hezbollah announced after the Israeli army said a barrage of projectiles was fired from Lebanon into northern Israel, with sirens blaring at regular intervals.

The attacks triggered sirens across cities and towns in the Upper, Western, and Central Galilee areas.

The IDF reported that 20 rockets were launched between 10:22 and 10:23 am, followed by an additional 35 rockets between 10:35 and 10:37 am. While some were intercepted, others landed in open areas. Hebrew media indicates that two people sustained minor injuries near Haifa during the barrage, according to IDF.

The IDF reported that its fighter jets successfully targeted and eliminated a Hezbollah deputy commander, Nasser Abd Elaziz Rashid, in Southern Lebanon's Bint Jbeil district, as reported by the Times of Israel. Rashid was allegedly responsible for orchestrating recent rocket attacks on Israel from various locations in the region.

According to the IDF’s operational update, the strikes were part of ongoing military actions against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Over the past 24 hours, Israeli forces also located and destroyed a significant cache of weapons, including a Kornet anti-tank missile launcher that had been prepared for an attack on northern Israeli communities.

Sirens rang out again across several northern Israeli communities in the Haifa Bay region, warning of incoming rocket fire from Lebanon. The alerts sounded in multiple cities and towns, including Kiryat Haim, Kiryat Shmuel, Nesher, Kiryat Motzkin, Kiryat Yam, Kiryat Atta, Kfar Biyalik, Haifa Bay, Usha, Shfaram, Tamra, and others, as reported by the Times of Israel.

The ongoing rocket fire comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah along the northern border.

Lebanese authorities reported that an Israeli airstrike on Saturday killed two people in Jounieh, a city north of Beirut. This marks the first attack in the area since hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel began last year.

According to Lebanon's health ministry, an "Israeli enemy raid" targeted a vehicle in Jounieh. State media further specified that the strike took place on a major highway connecting the capital to northern Lebanon. The escalation follows ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and Israel along the border.

The Prime Minister’s Office has confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea was targeted in a drone attack from Lebanon earlier today but the PM and his wife, Sara, were not at home during the attack, and no injuries were reported.

Additionally, two other drones launched from Lebanon were intercepted by Israeli air defenses, which triggered warning sirens in the Tel Aviv region. The incident underscores the ongoing escalation along Israel’s northern border.

A drone launched from Lebanon reportedly targeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's private residence in the coastal city of Caesarea earlier today, according to Saudi outlet Al-Hadath. Social media posts also claim that the building struck in the attack was part of Netanyahu's home. There were no reported injuries, and it remains unclear if the prime minister was present during the incident.

At least 11 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a home in central Gaza's Al Maghazi refugee camp, the Palestinian official news agency WAFA said on Saturday, adding that there are still missing people under the rubble.

The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards issued a stern warning to Israel on Thursday, cautioning against any attacks on the Islamic Republic in response to a recent missile barrage. This statement comes as the Israeli military intensified its operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah, an Iran-supported group. In a televised address, Hossein Salami said, “We tell you (Israel) that if you commit any aggression against any point, we will painfully attack the same point of yours.” He further asserted that Iran possesses the capability to breach Israel's defences.

The Israeli military said a drone spotted crossing into the country from Lebanon on Saturday struck the central town of Caesarea, while two others were intercepted.

The drone "hit a structure in the area of Caesarea" without causing any casualties, the military said, without elaborating. It added that two other drones were intercepted.

Health authorities in Gaza reported that Israeli forces surrounded and shelled the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia at dawn on Saturday. Marwan Sultan, the hospital's director, described a situation where "Israeli tanks have completely surrounded the hospital, cut off electricity and shelled the hospital, targeting the second and third floors with artillery." He warned of "serious risks to medical staff and patients" as the attack escalated. The Gaza health ministry confirmed that more than 40 patients and medical staff were present during the shelling.

Israel's new offensive in northern Gaza began earlier this month, aiming to target Hamas fighters believed to be regrouping in the region. The Israeli strike the previous night in nearby Jabalia reportedly killed 33 people. The UN humanitarian agency has warned of the "increasingly dire and dangerous situation" facing civilians in northern Gaza, as families attempt to survive under heavy bombardment.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that Hamas was alive and well despite the death of its leader Yahya Sinwar in an Israeli military operation in Gaza.

"His loss is certainly painful for the resistance front" against Israel, "but it will not end at all with the martyrdom of Sinwar", Khamenei said in a statement.

Liutenant Colonel Iltamar Eitram reflects on his emotional encounter after the Israeli mission that killed Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar. Found with a bulletproof vest and grenades, Sinwar's death is confirmed amidst escalating tensions, cited as a pivotal moment in the ongoing conflict.

In its ongoing military campaign, Israel has shifted focus from Gaza to dismantling Hezbollah's extensive tunnel system in southern Lebanon. Following Hamas's October 7 attack that triggered the Gaza war, Israel aims to prevent a similar incursion from its northern border. Over the past two weeks, Israeli forces have combed through southern Lebanon's dense terrain, uncovering significant Hezbollah infrastructure, including weapon caches and rocket launchers. With airstrikes resulting in over 1,700 casualties, including women and children, Israel's ground operations target narrow areas along the border where Hezbollah has entrenched itself. The Israeli military's strategy involves “limited, localized and targeted ground raids” to dismantle Hezbollah's capabilities while facilitating the return of displaced Israeli citizens.

Hezbollah, recognized as a formidable paramilitary group, has established a robust underground network to evade Israeli military actions. Its tunnel systems, intricately built into solid rock, are said to stretch from southern Lebanon to strategic locations like the suburbs of Beirut and along the Syrian border. With ongoing military operations, Israeli forces are reportedly discovering numerous underground positions stocked with supplies and weaponry. Israeli officials assert that Hezbollah's network poses a significant threat, with plans for potential attacks mirroring Hamas's deadly strategy. Despite the destruction, Hezbollah maintains broad support among Lebanese citizens, who view the group as a protector against Israeli incursions. As Israel pushes deeper into Lebanese territory, the ramifications of these conflicts continue to unfold, with fears of further escalations in the region.

Hamas has said that it will not release hostages taken during its October 7 attack on Israel until the war in Gaza concludes. This comes as the group mourns the death of its leader, Yahya Sinwar, killed by Israeli forces. Sinwar had orchestrated the deadliest attack in Israel’s history, raising hopes that his death might signal a turning point for both Israelis and Gazans. Khalil al-Hayya, a Qatar-based Hamas official, reiterated that hostages would only be freed if Israeli "aggression" ceased. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continued, resulting in heavy casualties, including 33 deaths in Jabalia. The humanitarian situation remains dire as civilians, including children, face ongoing devastation.

Sinwar’s death was seen as a significant blow to Hamas, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describing it as an "important landmark" in the group’s decline. US President Joe Biden called it an "opportunity" for a future in Gaza without Hamas. However, the war rages on, with Hezbollah intensifying rocket attacks from Lebanon, as regional instability grows with involvement from Iran and other allied groups.

At least 30 people were killed and dozens more wounded in Israeli strikes on Friday that targeted multiple houses at a square in Jabalia, Gaza’s largest refugee camp, according to medics. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that among the dead were at least 20 women and children, with 50 others injured.

Before this attack, Gaza’s health ministry had already reported 39 Palestinian deaths from Israeli strikes earlier in the day, including 20 from Jabalia alone.

Residents of the camp, located in northern Gaza, said Israeli tanks advanced into the heart of Jabalia, destroying homes and roads with heavy air and ground fire. They accused Israeli forces of remotely detonating explosives placed in buildings to level them.

The Israeli military stated its operations in Jabalia over the past two weeks were focused on neutralizing militants and dismantling Hamas infrastructure. Israeli forces also claimed to have killed dozens of militants in combat on Thursday and carried out aerial strikes in the area.

By Friday, communication and internet services in Jabalia and nearby towns were reportedly cut off, severely hindering rescue operations.

The intensification of Israeli operations in Jabalia follows Israel’s announcement that it killed Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s chief, whom they hold responsible for the Oct. 7 attack on Israel — the deadliest attack in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israeli forces have effectively isolated Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahiya from Gaza City, barring most movement except for families following evacuation orders.

A UN expert on Friday condemned Western nations and Israel for widespread violations of freedom of speech in the year since the Gaza war erupted. Irene Khan, the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression, presented a report titled 'Global Threats to Freedom of Expression Arising from the Conflict in Gaza'. Khan said the Gaza war has "threatened freedom of expression more seriously and on a broader scale than any recent conflict."

Khan raised concerns about attacks on media workers in Gaza and the West Bank, calling them "war crimes." She highlighted the targeted killing of journalists, destruction of press facilities, and restrictions on international media, stating these actions by Israeli authorities seem intended to "silence critical journalism" and obstruct investigations of potential war crimes, as reported by AFP news agency.

Khan, a Bangladeshi human rights lawyer, highlighted severe crackdowns on pro-Palestinian protests across Western democracies during the initial months of the war. She cited the use of riot police to suppress protests on US university campuses and noted Germany’s ban on pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which remains partially in place. France also attempted a similar ban, which was overruled by courts, while Belgium and Canada adopted selective approaches.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group on Friday said that it is entering a new phase in its battle against Israeli forces. This statement comes amid widespread regional unrest following the death of Yahya Sinwar, a senior Hamas leader, who was killed in clashes with Israeli forces in Gaza.

While some governments allied with Israel and many weary residents of Gaza expressed hope that Sinwar's death might lead to a resolution, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned otherwise. In a speech following the announcement of Sinwar’s death, Netanyahu emphasised, “Our war is not yet ended.”

Hamas confirmed Sinwar’s death, referring to him as a martyr. Sinwar was one of the masterminds behind the October attack on southern Israel that sparked the latest wave of conflict across the Middle East.

The current escalation traces back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants breached Israel’s security fence, launching a deadly attack that killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and led to the abduction of 250 others. Israel’s ongoing military response in Gaza has resulted in over 42,000 Palestinian deaths, according to local health authorities, though they do not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The conflict has left large parts of Gaza in ruins, displacing about 90% of the population of 2.3 million.

Afghanistan's Taliban government expressed "profound sorrow" on Friday regarding the killing of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader who was credited with orchestrating the militant group's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

"It is with profound sorrow that we have received the news of the martyrdom of Yahya Sinwar," government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.

Lebanon's Hezbollah group announced that it launched rockets at the Israeli city of Haifa and the surrounding northern areas, dedicating one of the attacks to their deceased leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

Hezbollah fighters said that they launched "a salvo of rockets targeting the city of Haifa," describing the attack as being "in the service of" their leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike last month. Additionally, they announced that another "rocket salvo" was fired at regions north of Haifa.

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Friday that she intends to have discussions with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu following her visit to Lebanon and Jordan.

"I think that at the end of my trip I will call Prime Minister Netanyahu", she said.

US President Joe Biden indicated on Friday that a ceasefire in Lebanon could be feasible, though he noted that achieving one in Gaza would be more challenging. During his visit to Berlin, he also shared that he is aware of how and when Israel plans to respond to missile attacks from Iran, but he refrained from providing further details.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated during a visit to Berlin on Friday that the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israel could potentially lead to a resolution of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.

"I do think the death of Sinwar provides an opportunity for a step towards that ceasefire that we've long called for," he said.

"There is great damage, an entire chain of command is being wiped out, Hezbollah is hiding its fatalities, it is hiding dead commanders. We estimate that we are at around 1,500 Hezbollah operatives killed and our estimates are conservative, I assume there are more we don't know of, (killed) in many airstrikes," Halevi told ground troops in southern Lebanon.

Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels expressed their condolences on Friday for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar following his death at the hands of the Israeli military in Gaza.

"My sincere condolences and great blessings to the Hamas movement and the dear Palestinian people for the great leader Yahya Sinwar receiving the medal of martyrdom," a spokesman said on X, adding that "Gaza and the Palestinian cause are destined for victory, no matter how great the sacrifices".

"The humanitarian aid has flooded Lebanon since the aggression started. We have, thankfully, great friends in the world. On top of them is India. India is our good friend. We enjoyed very good relations, excellent relations since maybe the independence of both countries dated 70 or more than 80 years back," he said.

"India, even before asking, has rushed to propose humanitarian aid. India has offered about 30 tonnes of medicines. India has already been supporting us. We have been exchanging good relations in the international arena," he added.

He further said that after the death of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas was "dramatically weakened but still lethal."

“The occupation prisoners will not return unless the aggression on Gaza stops, there is a complete withdrawal from [Gaza], and our prisoners are released from the prisons,” Hayya said. “Hamas will continue until the establishment of the Palestinian state on all Palestinian soil with Jerusalem as its capital.”

Speaking in a televised address, Khalil Hayya spoke of “the memory of the fallen martyr, Yahya Sinwar”.

Describing him as “steadfast, brave and intrepid”, Hayya said Sinwar “sacrificed his life to the cause of our liberation”.

“He met his end standing brave, with his head held high, holding his firearm, firing until the last breath, until the last moment of his life.
“[Sinwar] has lived his whole life as a holy fighter. Since his early days, he was engaged in his struggle as a resistant fighter. He stood defiant behind Israeli bars and after his release in a swapped deal, he continued with his struggle and his dedication to the cause.”

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the group's deadly cross-border raids in 2023, was killed in combat, as confirmed by Khalil Al-Hayya, deputy chief of Hamas in Gaza. Sinwar's death comes amid a series of Israeli assassinations of Hamas leaders and commanders, further weakening the group, which has been under constant air strikes since its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people, according to Israeli reports.

This situation has also led to approximately 250 individuals being taken back to Gaza, creating a hostage crisis for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government, which has pledged to eradicate Hamas.