Israel-Lebanon Latest:
NewsWorldMiddle EastIsrael strikes central Beirut for the first time in 18 years as Hamas’ leader in Lebanon is killed in another round of strikes
Multiple explosions in Beirut during Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets
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Israeli special forces are said to be conducting small-group raids into southern Lebanon to gather intelligence on Hezbollah positions, with Israel’s defence minister hinting at a ground invasion.
Yoav Gallant was quoted by Iasraeli media as telling armoured corps troops near the Lebanon border: “To return the resident of the north safely to their homes we will activate all our capabilities – including you.”
It comes as the deputy leader of Hezbollah vowed that militants are ready for an Israeli invasion and will defeat any forces that cross into Lebanon.
In his first speech since Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah over the weekend, the group’s deputy chief Naim Qassem said the militia was confident they could replicate its success during the 2006 war with Israel and fight invading forces back off its territory.
“We are confident the Israeli enemy will not achieve its aims,” Qassem said. “We will confront any possibility and are ready if Israel decides to enter by land.”
Israel intensified its airstrikes on Monday, hitting central Beirut for the first time since 2006, while also killing Hamas’s leader in Lebanon in the southern city of Tyre.
1727694648Israel special forces ‘conduct raids’ in LebanonIsrael has been launching small special forces raids into southern Lebanon as part of a potential ground offensive, according to a number of reports.
Israel officials told NBC News and The Telegraph that they are designed to gather intelligence and probe Hezbollah’s positions. The official went on to say that such operations have been going on for months and do not necessarily signal the imminent start of a ground assault.
But when taken with the words of Mr Gallant mentioned in the previous post, it is clear that Israel is preparing for some form of operation.
Chris Stevenson30 September 2024 12:10
1727694106Israel defence minister hints at ground operation against Hezbollah – mediaIsraeli defence minister Yoav Gallant appeared to hint on Monday at a possible ground operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to reports in the Israeli media.
Gallant was cited by several news outlets as telling armoured corps troops near the Lebanese border: “Nasrallah’s elimination is an important step but it is not the end – to return the resident of the north safely to their homes we will activate all our capabilities – including you.”
Defence minister Yoav Gallant told Israeli troops that they were in a ‘new phase’ of war (IDF )Tom Watling30 September 2024 12:01
1727692152Berlin says Nasrallah killing was Israeli self defenceIsrael’s killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in a powerful airstrike in Beirut constituted a use of its right to defend itself, a German foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.
“Hezbollah is of course a terrorist organization and it was obviously a meeting of the top leadership of Hezbollah, from which one can assume, even from a distance, that they were planning their further operations,” the spokesperson said.
“So in this respect, there are also reasons to believe that the right to self-defence was exercised here,” he added.
Asked about the civilian deaths in the incident, the spokesperson said “every civilian victim is one civilian victim too many.”
Tom Watling30 September 2024 11:29
1727690592Strike hits central Beirut as Hezbollah reels from Israel’s elimination of much of its top commandTom Watling30 September 2024 11:03
1727689692Lebanon’s Hezbollah will pick new leader at earliest opportunity, says its deputy chiefLebanon’s Hezbollah will choose a successor to its slain secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah “at the earliest opportunity” and will continue the fight against Israel, the Iran-backed group’s deputy chief Naim Qassem said on Monday.
He said the group was continuing its operations, working according to plans already laid out, and described its attacks thus far as the “minimum”, adding that the battle could be long.
Tom Watling30 September 2024 10:48
1727688676Hezbollah is ‘ready’ to fight Israel, vows deputy chief We have some quotes from Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem’s first speech since his superior Hassan Nasrallah was killed over the weekend.
“We are confident the Israeli enemy will not achieve its aims,” Qassem said. “We will confront any possibility and are ready if Israel decides to enter by land.”
Lebanon’s Hezbollah deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem delivers an address from an unknown location, days after Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hussein Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike, (via REUTERS)Tom Watling30 September 2024 10:31
1727688552More than 100,000 people cross from Lebanon into Syria, UN refugee agency saysMore than 100,000 people have crossed into Syria from Lebanon since a conflict between Israeli forces and the Hezbollah militia escalated this month, the United Nations refugee agency chief said on Monday.
Filippo Grandi said on social media platform X that those fleeing included both Lebanese and Syrian nationals. The UN agency is assisting those arriving at four crossing points, he added.
Tom Watling30 September 2024 10:29
1727688023Hezbollah deputy leader speaks for first time since Nasrallah death Hezbollah’s deputy chief Naim Qassem is giving his first public address since the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in a series of Israeli strikes over the weekend.
He has vowed that Hezbollah will defeat Israel and that they are ready to go to war.
Tom Watling30 September 2024 10:20
1727687434Sound of explosions heard on outskirts of Damascus, say witnessesSounds of explosions were heard on the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus on Monday, witnesses told Reuters.
Tom Watling30 September 2024 10:10
1727686692Iran will not leave Israel’s ‘criminal’ acts unanswered, says foreign ministryIran will not leave any of ‘the criminal acts’ of Israel unanswered, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said in a weekly news conference on Monday, referring to the killing of Hezbollah’s chief and Iranian Guard deputy commander in Lebanon.
Tom Watling30 September 2024 09:58
