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Middle East: Israel launches ground operations in Lebanon
Published 16 hours agoPublished 16 hours agolast updated 52 minutes agolast updated 52 minutes ago
The Israeli military said it has launched ground raids against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, loud explosions were heard over the Lebanese capital, Beirut. DW has the latest.
https://p.dw.com/p/4lGS2
Israeli armored personnel carriers and tanks maneuver in a staging area in northern Israel near the Israel-Lebanon border
The Israeli army described the operation as ‘limited, localized and targeted’Image: Baz Ratner/AP Photo/picture alliance
Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
Syria said several people have been killed by an Israeli strike in Damascus
Israel’s military has confirmed the launching of “limited” ground raids in southern Lebanon
Large explosions have been heard over Beirut after Israeli authorities warned residents of three districts to evacuate
Here are the main headlines from the Israel-Lebanon escalation, Gaza, Yemen and other parts of the Middle East on Tuesday, October 1:
Skip next section US warns of possible Iranian attack against Israel
52 minutes ago52 minutes ago
US warns of possible Iranian attack against Israel
A White House official told reporters on condition of anonymity that the US has “indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel.”
“We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack,” the official was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency, warning that such an action “will carry severe consequences for Iran.”
In April, Iran launched a drone-and-missile assault on Israel. However most of the slow-moving projectiles were intercepted before reaching their target, as many were shot down by a US-led coalition with the help of several Arab countries.
Since the August assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Iran has threatened revenge and made similar comments after the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last week.
The impact of Israel-Hezbollah conflict on US-Iran relations
04:00
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Skip next section Russia, China condemn Israeli raids in Lebanon
2 hours ago2 hours ago
Russia, China condemn Israeli raids in Lebanon
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has “strongly” condemned Israel’s ground incursion in southern Lebanon and called on Israel to “immediately” withdraw its forces.
Moscow, which launched the war in Ukraine in 2022, urged Israel to engage “in a real search for peaceful ways to resolve the Middle East conflict.”
“We express our solidarity with the leadership and people of friendly Lebanon, which has been subjected to armed aggression,” the ministry said.
Russia maintains close ties with Iran, which backs Hezbollah.
The government in Beijing also said it opposed “infringements on Lebanon’s sovereignty.”
“China is highly concerned about the current situation between Lebanon and Israel and is deeply concerned about the further escalation of regional tensions due to related military actions,” China’s Foreign Ministry said.
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Skip next section Israel expands restrictions on public gatherings
2 hours ago2 hours ago
Israel expands restrictions on public gatherings
Israel’s military has announced tighter restrictions on public gatherings across the country, expanding measures to include Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
The decision limits the number of people that can gather outside ahead of the Jewish new year to up to 30 people in an open area and 300 in a structure.
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, is marked on October 3 this year, with festivities running from October 2-4. Israeli media reported that the measures would be in place until Saturday.
Authorities are also closing beaches, as Hezbollah launches rocket attacks against Israel. On Tuesday, the Israeli army said at least 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon.
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Skip next section Israel says its forces have been carrying out raids in Lebanon for months
3 hours ago3 hours ago
Israel says its forces have been carrying out raids in Lebanon for months
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari told reporters that Israeli troops have carried out several ground operations in Lebanon over the last year, blowing up tunnels and arsenals linked to Hezbollah.
Those missions were on a small scale, Hagari said, with the aim of collecting information on Hezbollah or destroying the militant group’s infrastructure in Lebanon.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israel said it was launching a “limited” ground incursion in southern Lebanon and urged residents to avoid traveling to the region amid what it described as “intense fighting.”
However, Hezbollah later claimed that no Israeli forces had entered Lebanon.
An unnamed Israeli official was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying Tuesday’s operations went only a short distance over the border. The official also said there were no direct clashes with Hezbollah fighters.
Israel says it does not plan to occupy southern Lebanon
05:20
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Skip next section Israel warns several communities in southern Lebanon to evacuate
4 hours ago4 hours ago
Israel warns several communities in southern Lebanon to evacuate
The Israeli military has urged residents in more than 20 areas in southern Lebanon to leave their homes.
The announcement comes hours after Israel announced it was launching ground incursions into Lebanon against Hezbollah.
The evacuation order was posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, by the Israeli military’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee.
The warning focused on almost two dozen communities in Lebanon’s south and ordered people to evacuate north of the Awali River, some 60 kilometers (nearly 40 miles) from the Israeli border.
The area is farther north than the Litani River, which marks the northern edge of a UN-declared zone that was intended to serve as a buffer between Israel and Hezbollah after the 2006 war.
“The IDF [Israeli military] does not want to harm you, and for your own safety you must evacuate your homes immediately. Anyone who is near Hezbollah members, installations and combat equipment is putting his life in danger,” Adraee wrote on X.
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Skip next section Hezbollah says no Israeli troops entered Lebanon
5 hours ago5 hours ago
Hezbollah says no Israeli troops entered Lebanon
Mohammad Afif, the head of Hezbollah’s media office, said the militant group has not engaged in “direct ground clashes” with Israeli troops, denying that Israeli forces had entered Lebanon.
Afif said Hezbollah fighters are ready “to have direct confrontation with enemy forces that dare to or try to enter Lebanon to inflict casualties among them.”
Separately, a spokesperson for UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying there was “no ground incursion right now.”
The remarks come after Israel’s military said it began “limited, localized and targeted raids” against militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Israel also warned residents against traveling to the area, saying “intense fighting” was taking place.
What are Israel’s goals as Lebanon offensive begins?
04:48
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Skip next section Medics say Israeli air raids kill several in Gaza
5 hours ago5 hours ago
Medics say Israeli air raids kill several in Gaza
Palestinian officials in Gaza said at least 21 people in shelters were killed in Israeli airstrikes Tuesday.
According to the civil defense authority in the Hamas-run enclave, an Israeli aid raid killed seven people in a school sheltering displaced Palestinian families in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City.
In a statement, the Israeli military said it had targeted Hamas militants who had allegedly planned and carried out “terrorist attacks” against Israeli soldiers from the school.
Another 13 people, including women and children, were reportedly killed in two Israeli strikes on two houses in Nuseirat, one of Gaza’s built-up refugee camps.
Meanwhile, Hamas and other militant factions in Gaza said in separate statements that they had attacked Israeli forces with anti-tank rockets, mortar fire and explosive devices.
The information provided by both sides could not be independently verified.
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Skip next section Nearly 1 million displaced by war in Lebanon, PM says
7 hours ago7 hours ago
Nearly 1 million displaced by war in Lebanon, PM says
Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, has called on the UN to provide aid as his country faces “one of the most dangerous phases of its history.”
“Around a million of our people have been displaced because of the devastating war that Israel is waging on Lebanon,” the National News Agency quoted him as saying.
“We urgently call for more aid to reinforce our ongoing efforts to provide basic support to displaced civilians,” he added in a meeting with UN representatives.
According to the UN aid coordinating office OCHA, 90% of the 1 million people displaced in Lebanon fled their homes in just the last week.
OCHA, together with Mikati, launched an appeal for a $426 million (€383 million) in humanitarian aid on Tuesday.
“Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Imran Riza today launched a $426 million flash appeal to mobilise urgent resources for civilians affected by the escalating conflict and resulting humanitarian crisis in Lebanon,” the agency said.
Displaced Lebanese families forced to sleep on streets
04:16
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Skip next section UK says ship hit off Yemen as Houthis claim unreported attacks on Israel
7 hours ago7 hours ago
UK says ship hit off Yemen as Houthis claim unreported attacks on Israel
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a drone has hit a ship off the Houthi-controlled Yemeni port city of Hodeida.
“The vessel has been hit by an uncrewed surface vessel. Number 6 port ballast tank has been punctured,” the British military agency said, referring to the tank that controls a ship’s buoyancy.
The suspected Houthi attack and another attempt earlier on Tuesday came after the Shiite militia threatened “escalating military operations” targeting Israel.
The Houthis have not claimed responsibility for the latest Red Sea attack. Instead, a spokesperson for the group said the Houthis had targeted Israeli military posts in Tel Aviv and Eilat with drones.
Israeli media reported that the Houthi statement seemed to be connected to a drone intercepted on Tuesday over the Mediterranean Sea.
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Skip next section Israel warns against travel to southern Lebanon amid ‘intense fighting’
7 hours ago7 hours ago
Israel warns against travel to southern Lebanon amid ‘intense fighting’
This photo taken on September 22, 2024 from Marjeyoun shows the smoke caused by an Israeli airstrike in Litani, in southern LebanonThis photo taken on September 22, 2024 from Marjeyoun shows the smoke caused by an Israeli airstrike in Litani, in southern Lebanon
Litani had been hit by airtstrikes before Israel launched the ground raids on southern LebanonImage: Ali Hashisho/Xinhua/picture alliance
Avichay Adraee, a spokesman for the Israeli military, said “intense fighting” was taking place in southern Lebanon after Israel started ground raids.
“For your personal safety, we ask you not to travel by vehicles from the north to the south of the Litani River” in Lebanon’s south, he said in a message published in Arabic on Telegram.
Adraee said Hezbollah members in the area were “using the civilian environment and you as a human shield to organize to carry out attacks,” a claim Israel has repeatedly made about Hamas, the Islamist militant group ruling Gaza.
Israel considers Hezbollah and Hamas, both backed by Iran, as terrorist organizations and has vowed to keep fighting until it destroys them.
The warning against travel to southern Lebanon “is valid until further notice,” Adraee said.
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Skip next section Hezbollah says it targeted Israeli soldiers twice with artillery, rocket fire
8 hours ago8 hours ago
Hezbollah says it targeted Israeli soldiers twice with artillery, rocket fire
Hezbollah said Tuesday it had targeted Israeli troops with artillery and rocket fire in Metula, in northern Israel.
The Iran-backed militant group said it targeted a “movement of enemy soldiers in Metula with artillery shells” and a “gathering of enemy soldiers” in the same area with rockets.
The Lebanese group made no mention of Israel’s cross-border ground operation into southern Lebanon.
Israel’s military reported several projectiles being fired from across the border into Metula and Avivim. The military said some of them were intercepted, while others fell in open areas.
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Skip next section US Pentagon backs dismantling of Hezbollah ‘attack infrastructure’
12 hours ago12 hours ago
US Pentagon backs dismantling of Hezbollah ‘attack infrastructure’
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expressed support for disarming Hezbollah’s “attack infrastructure” along the Israel-Lebanon border during a phone call with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant on Monday.
“Secretary Austin reaffirmed US support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and other Iran-backed terrorist organizations,” the Pentagon said overnight.
“They agreed on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border to ensure that Lebanese Hezbollah cannot conduct October 7-style attacks on Israel’s northern communities.”
Austin also stressed the importance of “pivoting from military operations to a diplomatic pathway” to ultimately resolve the conflict.
The Biden administration had previously appeared to demonstrate knowledge of Israel’s planned incursion. Calls by Washington, and others, for a cease-fire in Lebanon have been rejected by Israel.
Israel rejects Lebanon cease-fire plan
03:39
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Skip next section Israeli strike hits Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon
14 hours ago14 hours ago
Israeli strike hits Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon
An Israeli strike has hit a building in a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, Palestinian sources told the Reuters and AFP news agencies.
The strike reportedly hit a building in the crowded Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp near the Lebanese city of Sidon.
Palestinian security officials said the strike had targeted Mounir al-Maqdah, head of the Lebanese branch of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.
The group has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and other governments.
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Skip next section Israeli strikes kill several in Damascus — Syrian state media
15 hours ago15 hours ago
Israeli strikes kill several in Damascus — Syrian state media
At least three people were killed and nine others were injured in Israeli strikes in Damascus in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Syrian state media reported.
“The Israeli enemy launched an air aggression with warplanes and drones from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting several points in Damascus,” Syria’s state-run SANA news agency said.
A television presenter was reportedly among those killed.
Syrian state television said in a statement that it “mourns anchor Safaa Ahmad who was martyred in the Israeli aggression on the capital Damascus.”
Israel did not immediately comment on the reports.
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Skip next section Rockets fired at US facility near Baghdad airport
15 hours ago15 hours ago
Rockets fired at US facility near Baghdad airport
Rockets were fired at a military base in Baghdad housing US troops in the early hours of Tuesday morning, according to reports.
Multiple Iraqi security sources told The Associated Press, Reuters and AFP news agencies that three rockets had been fired during the incident.
No casualties were reported.
“The Victory Base at Baghdad Airport was targeted with three rockets, two of which were shot down by the base’s special defenses, while the third fell near the headquarters of the Counter Terrorism Service Command,” a security source told AFP, requesting anonymity.
Since the outbreak of war in Gaza on October 7, militant factions have targeted bases in Iraq and Syria housing US troops over Washington’s military support for Israel.
