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Middle East latest: Israeli jets hits Lebanon with ‘extensive strikes’; grieving families holding memorial in Tel Aviv
Today is the first anniversary of the 7 October attacks, when Hamas militants stormed into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. A memorial is under way in Tel Aviv to those killed in the attacks.
Monday 7 October 2024 17:32, UK
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Key points
Israel marks year since 7 October massacre in which Hamas killed 1,200 and took 251 hostage View post
‘He lied to save us’: Father recalls son’s death in music festival dumpster View post
Watch:IDF releases new footage of 7 October attacks View post
Deborah Haynes:Israel fighting seven fronts – and growing censure View post
Alistair Bunkall:Hamas fired 4,000 missiles a year ago – today they fired four View post
Israeli jets hit Lebanon with ‘extensive strikes’ View post
John Sparks:Beirut under attack – and emergency services can’t work quickly enough View post
Gaza destroyed: The story of a society on brink of oblivion View post
Updates from Yalda Hakim, Alistair Bunkall in Re’im, Deborah Haynes in northern Israel and Anna Botting in Tel Aviv; John Sparks and Mark Austin in Beirut. Live reporting by Brad Young and Mark Wyatt
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9m ago
12:25
Minute’s silence at memorial in Tel Aviv
A minute’s silence has just been held in Tel Aviv, Israel, to remember those who were killed on 7 October last year.
The memorial event has been organised in HaYarkon Park by someone bereaved in the Hamas attacks, which took the lives of approximately 1,200 people.
It had been hoped that tens of thousands of people could attend the park, but the security situation is such that only bereaved families have been able to join.
It is just one of many sombre ceremonies being held today in the country.
A pre-recorded, official state ceremony is set to air without an audience – reportedly to avoid potential disruptions – in the southern city of Ofakim, which was among several communities and army bases that were attacked a year ago.
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12m ago
12:22
Biden lights candle as world remembers 7 October attacks
Vigils and services have been held across the globe today marking the year anniversary of the 7 October attacks.
In Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu’s office flew its flag at half-mast, while the prime minister lit a candle led a special meeting of government to commemorate the lives of those killed (see 16.24 post).
In the US, Joe Biden lit a candle in the White House alongside first lady Jill Biden and Rabbi Aaron Alexander to mark the occasion.
The candles will burn for 24 hours to commemorate the anniversary.
Earlier, Mr Biden said “far too many civilians have suffered” during this year of conflict” and that he will “not stop working to achieve a ceasefire deal in Gaza that brings the hostages home”.
There have also been services held in Melbourne, New York, Berlin, and in Buenos Aires, where gatherers also remembered Palestinians that have died in fighting over the past 12 months.
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
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New York
Pics: Reuters
Melbourne
Melbourne
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Berlin
Pics: AP
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18m ago
12:17
100 Israeli jets strike ‘120 terror targets’ in Lebanon in one hour
The Israeli military says its air force conducted an “extensive aerial operation” in southern Lebanon this evening and struck more than 120 terror targets.
It said around 100 jets were used in the operation, which lasted approximately one hour.
The Israel Defence Forces added the targets were to different units of Hezbollah, including its intelligence forces and its elite Radwan Force.
“This operation follows a series of strikes aimed at degrading Hezbollah’s command, control, and firing capabilities, as well as assisting ground forces in achieving their operational goals,” the IDF said.
The military included the below map to show the locations of its strikes in Lebanon.
IDF
IDF
Earlier, the IDF said it intercepted a missile fired at Israel from Yemen.
It also reported that around 135 rockets have been fired from Lebanon into Israel so far today.
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36m ago
11:59
Analysis: New footage shows confused Israeli troops on 7 October
The Israeli military has released new footage today showing its response to Hamas’s 7 October attack.
Captured by a drone, the footage shows Israeli troops encountering Hamas militants.
Our defence and security analyst Michael Clarke says the footage highlights just how much of a surprise the Hamas attacks were for Israel, with its troops visibly confused by the situation.
“They didn’t really understand what they were up against,” says Clarke.
“You can clearly see, if you look at the way these soldiers are behaving, they’re doing the best they can in the circumstances.
“But their body language and the way they’re deployed in the numbers they deployed in, as it were, shows that they were having to make it up as they went along. They really didn’t know what was happening.
“Most of us at that time thought this was a ground invasion and a terrorist attack,” Clarke adds.
“They thought they would deal with it quickly in the way they normally do. It only became clear after about six or eight hours to the rest of us that this was a very big attack.”
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53m ago
11:42
Israeli air force intercepts missile fired from Yemen, says military
Israel’s military says it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen at central Israel today.
The surface-to-surface missile set off air raid sirens across central Israel, it added. The statement did not say who fired the missile.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who govern swathes of Yemen, have frequently attacked Israel over the past year in what it says is solidarity with Palestinians.
It has blamed Israel for instability in the Middle East, saying the “circle of conflict” in the region was driven by its “continued crimes”.
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1h ago
11:24
Netanyahu: ‘War of revival’ will end only once Israel’s goals are met
Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at a special government meeting today to mark the anniversary of the 7 October massacre.
The Israeli prime minister referred to the attacks as a “black day” and “the most horrific attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust”.
But, “unlike in the Holocaust”, he added, “we rose up against our enemies and fought a fierce war”.
Mr Netanyahu said the subsequent “war of revival” will only end once Israel’s goals were completed.
These include overthrowing Hamas, returning hostages home, “thwarting any future threat from Gaza to Israel” and returning Israelis safely to their homes in the north and south.
“We are changing the security reality in our region,” he said.
“For the sake of our children, for the sake of our future, to ensure that what happened on the seventh of October will not happen again. Never again.”
Mr Netanyahu also shared his condolences for those Israelis who have died in battle “in Gaza, Lebanon and other arenas” since 7 October.
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1h ago
11:03
‘Day of sorrow,’ Starmer says as he pays tribute to ‘all innocent victims’ in Middle East
Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to those killed on 7 October last year and spoken on the Middle East conflict in the Commons.
Today is “a day of sorrow, a day of grief”, he says, marking a year since the worst killing of Jews since the Holocaust.
The prime minister notes that 15 Britons were killed on that day, and another has died since in captivity.
Sir Keir says he spoke to the families of those hostages still being kept hostage – and shares how he can “hardly imagine” what they are going through.
Speaking about the wider conflict, the prime minister says the “human toll among innocent civilians in Gaza is truly devastating”, with more than 41,000 Palestinians killed, tens of thousands orphaned and almost two million displaced.
“We stand with all innocent victims in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and beyond.
“And we stand with all communities here in the United Kingdom against hatred of Jews or Muslims,” he adds.
The situation in Gaza is a “living nightmare, and it must end”, he says.
Sir Keir renewed calls for a ceasefire
Sir Keir renewed calls for a ceasefire
Parliament
Calls for ceasefire
Sir Keir says the Middle East is “close to the brink” and condemns Iran’s attack on Israel last week.
He then says the region “cannot endure” another year like the last, and all sides “must now step back from the brink and find the courage of restraint”.
The diplomatic efforts of the UK included discussions with Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, the G7 and the EU.
The prime minister redoubles on his calls for British citizens to leave Lebanon “immediately”.
He also says efforts to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza must be renewed, but aid must also be supplied.
And a third piece of action Sir Keir wants to see is a “solutions for the long term to break the relentless cycle of violence” – including the Palestinian Authority filling the power vacuum in Gaza.
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1h ago
10:53
Israeli defence minister ignores hostage deal question
Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant declined to answer questions from Sky News over a potential hostage deal.
The Israeli minister was visiting the site of Nova music festival on the year anniversary of the 7 October attack.
Lead world news presenter Yalda Hakim asked Mr Gallant if a hostage deal would be taking place, but he refused to answer.
Around 250 hostages were taken to Gaza following last year’s attack from Hamas. A total of 97 hostages remain unaccounted for.
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2h ago
10:30
Hezbollah has fired 132 rockets at Israel today, IDF says
The Israel Defence Forces says around 135 rockets have been fired from Lebanon into Israel so far today.
“The IDF will continue to operate against the threat of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation in defence of the state of Israel and its residents,” it said.
Earlier, we reported that Israel’s air force was carrying out “extensive” strikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, with rockets also fired back over the border into northern Israel, setting off air raid sirens.
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2h ago
09:52
US spent record amount on Israeli military aid in past year
The US has spent a record amount of at least $17.9bn dollars (£13.6bn) on military aid to Israel since the war in Gaza began, according to a study.
An additional $4.86bn (£3.7bn) has gone into stepped-up US military operations in the region since the 7 October 2023 attacks, researchers from Brown University’s Costs of War project found.
That includes the costs of a Navy-led campaign to quell strikes on commercial shipping by Yemen’s Houthis, who are carrying them out in solidarity with Hamas.
The US aid also includes military financing, arms sales, at least $4.4bn (£3.5bn) in drawdowns from US stockpiles and used equipment, the report found.
The Biden administration has bolstered its military strength in the region since the conflict erupted, aiming to deter and respond to any attacks on Israeli and American forces.
Israel is the biggest recipient of US military aid in history, getting $251.2bn (£191.4bn) in inflation-adjusted dollars since 1959, the report added.
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3h ago
09:22
Israel is battling conflict on seven fronts – and growing censure of its conduct
By Deborah Haynes, security and defence editor
Israel has fought a shadow war against Iran and its proxies for decades, but the past year has seen hostilities erupt into open conflict on seven fronts.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, listed the battlegrounds as Iran, Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Shia militants in Iraq, militant groups in Syria as well as Palestinian fighters in the West Bank.
“In defending ourselves against this barbarism, Israel is defending civilisation against those who seek to impose a dark age of fanaticism on all of us,” he said in a statement over the weekend.
“Rest assured, Israel will fight until the battle is won – for our sake and for the sake of peace and security in the world.”
But while this country has a hugely powerful military, equipped with the most modern weapons and technology, it is only finite in size and strength.
It is why Israeli commanders did not immediately start a major offensive against Hezbollah on 8 October last year when the paramilitary group began launching rockets into northern Israel.
That attack was in solidarity with Hamas after Israeli forces started their assault on Gaza in response to the 7 October atrocities.
At that time, Israel knew it would be difficult to prosecute two large-scale wars simultaneously, especially as Hezbollah is also far bigger, better trained and better armed than Hamas.
Read on here:
The challenges facing Israel as it battles conflict on seven fronts
Sky News
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3h ago
08:59
Sirens in northern Israel as jets strike southern Lebanon
Over the past hour and a half, rocket sirens have been sounding in northern Israel.
The Israel Defence Forces has noted the alerts in Malkia and Yiftah.
At the same time, Israeli air force jets have been striking “extensively” in southern Lebanon, the IDF said.
“The IAF is currently conducting extensive strikes on Hezbollah terror targets in southern Lebanon,” it said.
Local media reports the strike was on Sidon, though this is unconfirmed.
Sidon is about halfway between Tyre and Beirut on the Mediterranean coast.
Security and defence editor Deborah Haynes is reporting from the Israel-Lebanon border and describes going to a shelter as air raid sirens go off:
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3h ago
08:47
‘Urgent’ unplanned security meeting called by Netanyahu – reports
Benjamin Netanyahu has called an unplanned security briefing with the country’s top officials, according to local media.
The meeting seems to be urgent, the Times of Israel says, noting that a scheduled meeting between strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer and french foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot was postponed at the last minute.
We’ll bring you more on this when we get it.
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3h ago
08:43
IDF: ‘Israel fighting just war against vicious terrorists’
In Tel Aviv, Israel Defence Forces spokesman David Mencer is holding a news briefing.
“On this sad day, we begin with sad news of fallen Israeli soldiers – IDF casualties since the start of the war have unfortunately risen to 728,” he says.
He lists several names of casualties from the past day, including two aged 19.
“These boys were killed fighting Hezbollah in our north and in southern Lebanon.”
Turning to the anniversary of the 7 October attacks, he says the state of Israel is “still shaken”.
“Following that Hamas campaign of mass murder, rape, kidnapping and looting, Israel is still fighting a just war against a vicious terrorist organisation which has committed horrific genocidal acts, acts and crimes against humanity,” he says.
“It is Israel’s obligation, and it is Israel’s right to operate, to protect our sovereignty and citizens in accordance with international law.
“None of us will forget that day.”
Israel ‘still allowing aid into Gaza’
He says he has spoken with Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), amid “lies” being spread in the media that Israel is blocking aid for Gaza.
“The truth is precisely the opposite,” he says.
“Since the start of this war, we have coordinated over 1,060,000 tons on over 54,000 trucks into Gaza – Israel does not block aid going in.
“We are happy to facilitate whatever is coordinated [by aid organisations],” he adds.
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4h ago
08:20
US remains ‘fully committed’ to Israel’s security, says Biden
The US president has issued a statement to mark the first anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel.
Joe Biden says the militant group launched “unspeakable brutality” on the country, and the US remains “fully committed” to ensuring Israel’s security.
“The October 7th attack brought to the surface painful memories left by millennia of hatred and violence against the Jewish people,” he says.
Reuters
Reuters
“I made clear then to the people of Israel: you are not alone.
“One year later, vice president Harris and I remain fully committed to the safety of the Jewish people, the security of Israel, and its right to exist.”
He adds that the US will “not stop working” to achieve a ceasefire deal that sees hostages returned to Israel, a surge in aid to people in Gaza and an end to the war.
“Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve to live in security, dignity, and peace,” Mr Biden says.
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4h ago
08:00
Watch: IDF releases new footage of 7 October attack
To mark the first anniversary of Hamas’s 7 October attack, the Israeli military has released previously unseen footage of the assault.
Captured by a drone, the footage shows various encounters with Hamas militants – including the moment one tried to shoot the camera.
Grenades are thrown, soldiers are given first aid and a fire burns through a police station in the clip.
You can watch it below…
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4h ago
07:50
‘The life we live now is unbearable’
By Michael Drummond, foreign news reporter
A grandmother who was displaced from her home in northern Gaza says the war “took us decades back in time”.
Amara, 57, now lives in a tent in the south and has two daughters, a son and a new grandson.
“We have nothing,” she says. “This life we live now is unbearable.
“We can’t even dream of having tea because we don’t have sugar. We cannot buy sugar for 75 shekels [£16] a kilo.”
Her grandson was born during the war.
“His father cannot buy him baby formula. No nappies either. I told his mum to use cloth instead. We cannot afford nappies for my grandchild,” she said.
“I’m not young. I fetch water several times a day. But [the] young men here never leave me, and they help me since I don’t have my son with me. They help me with these water bottles.”
ActionAid UK
ActionAid UK
She says she has no idea where life is taking her family.
“We wake up every morning and thank God that we’re still alive. We do not know if we’ll live to see another day.”
Hannah Bond, co-chief executive of ActionAid UK, says an immediate, permanent ceasefire and the release of hostages taken by Hamas is crucial.
“It has never been more urgent, for the hostages, for the people of Gaza and for everyone in the region who continues to face overwhelming fear and loss.”
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4h ago
07:43
Israel conducting strikes against Hezbollah
Israel’s air force is carrying out “extensive” strike against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, its military has said.
In a post on Telegram five minutes ago, the Israel Defence Forces said the strikes were taking place now.
We’ll bring you more information as we get it.
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5h ago
07:35
Explained: What happened on 7 October last year?
On the morning of 7 October 2023, Israel was caught off guard by a barrage of more than 4,000 rockets fired by Hamas.
As the wave of missiles struck, militants breached Israel’s border at Kisufim Outpost, with some flying into the country on paragliders.
A short time later, at Zikim Beach, fighters started streaming in by boat.
Once inside Israel, Hamas went on a rampage, killing more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and dragging 251 people into Gaza as hostages.
In the video below, our lead world presenter Yalda Hakim explains how the deadly attack unfolded…
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5h ago
07:19
20,000 Hamas fighters killed in Gaza, Israeli military claims
The Israeli military has killed around 20,000 Hamas fighters since launching its ground operation in Gaza, an IDF spokesman has told Sky News.
Peter Lerner said those killed were the people “planning, conducting and continuing” the fight against Israel.
The IDF estimated in August that more than 17,000 Hamas militants had been killed.
Peter Lerner
Peter Lerner
Earlier today, the Hamas-run health ministry in the enclave said 41,909 Palestinians had been killed since last year’s 7 October attacks.
Another 97,303 people have been injured, it added.
The ministry’s figures do not differentiate between fighters and civilians.
“Every civilian caught up in this war is a true tragedy for the communities on both sides of the fence,” Mr Lerner said.
“It was Hamas that initiated ‘engage’ as a strategy, and so it is only a reasonable and logical conclusion that Hamas can no longer have the power to govern the Gaza Strip.”
Aftermath of Israel strikes in southern Gaza
Aftermath of Israel strikes in southern Gaza
Reuters
What about the operation in Lebanon?
On the situation in Lebanon, where Israeli forces recently started a ground operation against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, Mr Lerner said there needed to be a safer border for the conflict to end.
“We will need to make sure that those weapons, the rockets, the cruise missiles, do not exist in the hands of a terrorist army,” he added.
“Hezbollah was born and raised and cultivated by Iran as a proxy for their interest, and they cannot wield that power over us or anybody else in the region.
“The endgame for Lebanon needs to be one where Hezbollah is weak.”
