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Live blog: At least two Israeli soldiers killed, dozens injured in Lebanon
Israel’s 362-day war on Gaza has killed 41,600+ Palestinians, based on conservative estimates. Separately, Israel’s bombardment across Lebanon since September 23 has left over 1,000 people dead and hundreds more injured.
Lebanese group Hezbollah has said its militants were clashing with Israeli troops who had “infiltrated” a southern border village. / Photo: AP
AP
Lebanese group Hezbollah has said its militants were clashing with Israeli troops who had “infiltrated” a southern border village. / Photo: AP
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
1233 GMT –– At least two Israeli soldiers have been killed and two dozen more injured in Lebanon as Hezbollah confirms first face-to-face fighting with Israeli forces in Odaisseh, according to TRT World.
TRT World correspondent Priyanka Navani has more details from Beirut.
More updates 👇
1211 GMT –– Blasts near Israeli embassy likely caused by hand grenades: Danish police
Two blasts near the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen were likely caused by hand grenades, a Danish police spokesperson has told a press conference.
1145 GMT –– Lebanese army soldier injured in Israeli drone strike
A Lebanese soldier was injured in an Israeli drone strike on southern Lebanon, the Lebanese army said in a statement.
1115 GMT –– Houthi group claims attacking Israeli ‘military targets’ with cruise missiles
The Yemeni Houthi group has claimed attacking Israeli “military targets” with cruise missiles amid ongoing regional tensions as Israel escalates its attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.
In a statement, the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced attacking military targets “in the depth of the Zionist entity (Israel) with three Quds-5 cruise missiles.”
The statement claimed that the missiles “successfully hit their target,” but didn’t specify when.
The Israeli authorities are yet to comment on the Houthi announcement.
1024 GMT –– Hezbollah clashes with Israeli troops who ‘infiltrated’ south Lebanon
Lebanese group Hezbollah has said its militants were clashing with Israeli troops who had “infiltrated” a southern border village, after it said earlier it had repelled an attempted infiltration elsewhere.
Hezbollah “is engaged in clashes with the Israeli enemy’s soldiers who infiltrated the village of Maroun al-Ras from the east”, the Iran-backed group said, adding that the clashes were “ongoing”.
1022 GMT –– Palestinian officials say 51 killed in Israeli strikes on southern Gaza
Israel launched ground assaults and carried out airstrikes in a hard-hit city in southern Gaza overnight, killing at least 51 people, including women and children, Palestinian medical officials said.
Israel has continued striking across Gaza nearly a year after launching a brutal war on the Palestinian enclave, following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, even as attention has shifted to Lebanon and Iran.
1014 GMT –– China expresses concern over Middle East tension, urges powers to be “constructive”
China expressed deep concern over tension in the Middle East and opposes violation of Lebanon’s sovereign rights, while calling for major global powers to play a constructive role to avoid tension escalation, its foreign ministry said.
The remarks came after Iran launched missile attacks on Israel, which vowed to retaliate, and after Israel expanded the presence of its troops on the ground in Lebanon opposing the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.
Failure in reaching a ceasefire in Gaza is the root cause of the tension, the ministry added, calling on all parties to achieve a “comprehensive and lasting” ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible.
0913 GMT –– Israel’s ex-PM calls for destruction of Iran nuclear facilities after attack
Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett called for a decisive strike to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities in the wake of the massive missile barrage fired by Tehran at Israel.
0850 GMT –– S Korea military aircraft ordered to bring back its citizens from war-hit areas of Mideast
South Korea ordered military aircraft to bring home South Koreans from regions affected by the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
President Yoon Suk Yeol issued orders in an emergency meeting with senior officials on safety measures for Korean nationals in the region following Tuesday’s Iranian missile attack on Israel, according to Seoul-based Yonhap news agency,
“The president ordered the immediate dispatch of military transport aircraft to evacuate Korean nationals, saying the protection of our citizens in Israel and in the Middle East is a top priority,” presidential spokesperson Jeong Hye-jeon told a press briefing.
As of Wednesday, approximately 130 Korean nationals were in Lebanon, 110 in Iran, and 480 in Israel, according to the Foreign Ministry.
0804 GMT –– Hezbollah attacks Israeli army soldiers, sites in 4 areas in northern Israel
Lebanese Hezbollah group announced that it targeted Israeli army soldiers, sites and artillery bunkers in four areas in northern Israel, amid ongoing cross-border airstrikes by Tel Aviv.
The group said it targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the settlement of Shtula and artillery bunkers in the south of the Kiryat Shmona settlement with rockets.
Separately, Hezbollah said it attacked an infantry force in the settlement of Misgav Am with rockets and artillery.
In another statement, it said it targeted a group of Israeli soldiers in the Shomera Barracks with a salvo of rockets.
0727 GMT –– Israel kills dozens in Gaza, sends tanks into southern areas, medics say
Israeli military strikes across Gaza killed at least 60 Palestinians overnight, including in a school sheltering displaced families, medics said, as Israeli tanks advanced in areas of Khan Younis in the south of the enclave.
Israeli tanks carried out a raid on several areas in eastern and central Khan Younis in southern Gaza, before partially retreating, leaving at least 40 people killed and dozens wounded, according to the official Voice of Palestine radio and Hamas media.
TRT World’s correspondent in Khan Younis reports that the focus has shifted from the situation in Gaza to Iranian strikes on Israel and Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
“During an Israeli incursion into southeastern Khan Younis, dozens of people were killed and injured. This happened as Israel attacks on tents in western Nusra refugee camp killed at least six people including an attack on an orphanage and a school in Gaza City,” he said.
0439 GMT –– Hezbollah reports 1st direct clash with Israeli ground forces in southern Lebanon
Hezbollah said that its fighters clashed with an Israeli infantry force trying to infiltrate the town of Odaisseh in southern Lebanon.
In a statement, the Lebanese group said it inflicted losses on the Israeli force and forced it to retreat.
It marked the first reported direct clash between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces since Israel launched a ground operation in southern Lebanon on Tuesday.
0352 GMT –– Bodies of 20 Palestinians recovered in Khan Younis
Bodies of 20 Palestinians were recovered after Israeli attacks on homes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, a medical source tells Anadolu news agency.
0341 GMT –– Pentagon chief tells Israel that US is ‘well-postured’ against Iran
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke to his Israeli counterpart late on Tuesday, hours after Iran’s missile attack on Israel following Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon, and said Washington was “well-postured” to defend its interests in the Middle East.
“The Secretary (Austin) reaffirmed that the United States remains well postured to defend US personnel, allies, and partners in the face of threats from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist organizations,” the Pentagon said in a statement after Austin’s call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
0300 GMT — Iran, Israel swap threats; Hezbollah repels Tel Aviv ground raid
Hezbollah has said it clashed with Israeli soldiers who tried to invade into Lebanon, and also targeted Israeli troops across the border, according to statements from the group.
Hezbollah also said its fighters targeted “a large infantry force” in Misgav Am across the border with “rockets and artillery”, as well as troop gatherings in three other locations, one with Burkan rockets.
In Iran, its chief of staff has vowed to hit infrastructure across Israel if its territory is attacked after Tehran fired around 200 missiles at its arch-foe, which is carrying out its war in besieged Gaza and striking Lebanon relentlessly.
The barrage “will be repeated with bigger intensity and all infrastructure of the regime will be targeted,” Major General Mohammad Bagheri said on state TV.
Bagheri said Tehran showed restraint after US and EU promised Gaza ceasefire following Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination, adding “the situation was no longer tolerable” after Israel killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan.
0040 GMT –– Russia says US responsible for the escalation of tensions in the Middle East
Russia has said that the US is responsible for the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, calling the Biden administration’s efforts in the region “a complete failure.”
Commenting on Iran’s retaliation for the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Israel, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the latest White House statements on the matter “demonstrate complete helplessness in crisis resolution.”
“The complete failure of the Biden administration in the Middle East. A bloody drama that is only gaining momentum. The White House’s inarticulate statements demonstrate complete helplessness in resolving crises. The efforts of (US Secretary of State) Blinken have led to tens of thousands of victims and a stalemate,” she said.
0025 GMT –– Israel launches new air strikes on Beirut
Israel again has launched air strikes in a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut.
Warplanes carried out strikes in several neighborhoods in southern Beirut, including Haret Hreik, Chyah, Choueifat, Er-Rouaiss and Jamous, according to an Anadolu Agency reporter. No information was immediately available on casualties or damage.
The strikes followed immediately after an ultimatum by the Israeli army to civilians to flee.
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0010 GMT –– Israel kills 10 Palestinians in Gaza school bombardment
At least 10 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes on an institute in Gaza City that was providing shelter for displaced civilians, according to the Civil Defence Service.
The agency said five people lost their lives when Israeli forces struck Al-Amal Orphanage.
Five more people, including three children, were killed in a strike targeting the Muscat School in Gaza City, a medical source said.
Several other children were seriously wounded in the attack, according to the source. Witnesses said that civil defence teams were searching through the rubble for survivors.
Israel has systematically targeted civilian facilities including schools, hospitals and places of worship amid its ongoing war on Gaza. Under the rules of war, targeting such civilian facilities can constitute a war crime.
2220 GMT –– Netanyahu says Iran will ‘pay for’ missile strikes on Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called Iran’s massive missile attack on Israel “a big mistake” and vowed to make Tehran “pay for it”.
“Iran made a big mistake tonight and will pay for it,” said Netanyahu hours after the attack, and warned: “Whoever attacks us, we attack them.”
In a separate statement, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who was at the command and control centre monitoring the interception of Iranian missiles, also vowed to punish Iran for the attack.
“Iran has not learned a simple lesson — those who attack the state of Israel, pay a heavy price,” he said in a statement issued by his office.
2205 GMT –– Israel orders residents of southern Beirut to flee, bombing begins
The Israeli military warned residents in southern Beirut to flee before launching its strikes on alleged Hezbollah sites in the Lebanese armed group’s bastion.
“You are located near dangerous Hezbollah facilities, which the IDF (Israeli military) will act against with force in the near future,” military spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X, specifically mentioning the area of Haret Hreik in south Beirut. Minutes later, Israel began bombing the area.
2154 GMT –– Israel kills 55 people in Lebanon in 24 hours
Israeli strikes in several regions of Lebanon killed 55 people and wounded 156 in 24 hours, the country’s Health Ministry said.
Lebanon’s disaster management agency had said earlier that 1,873 people had been killed since Israel and Hezbollah began trading cross-border fire after the Gaza war erupted on October 7, 2023.
2107 GMT –– Iran warns against any direct military intervention in support of Israel
Iran’s armed forces have warned against any direct military intervention in support of Israel in response to Iran’s missile attack.
“In the event of direct intervention by countries supporting the regime (Israel)… their centres and interests in the region will also face a powerful attack by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the armed forces said in a statement quoted by Fars news agency.
For our live updates from Tuesday, October 1, 2024, click here.
SOURCE: TRTWORLD AND AGENCIES
