Lebanon receives first UN aid plane since Israel escalation
Updated – October 04, 2024 11:50 pm IST
Smoke billows amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Tyre, southern Lebanon October 4, 2024. | Photo Credit: Reuters
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday that Iran’s recent missile attack on Israel was “legal and legitimate” and was the minimum punishment for Israel’s “crimes.”
Mr. Khamenei was leading Friday prayers and was to deliver a rare public sermon in the Iranian capital, Tehran. In a 40-minute speech, he praised Tuesday’s missile barrage against Israel as a shining job by Iranian armed forces. “It will be done in the future again if it becomes necessary,” he said.
Also Read | Inflection point: On the escalation in the multi-party West Asia conflict
There was a commemoration ceremony for the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah beforehand. Most high-ranking Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and the Revolutionary Guard’s top generals, attended the ceremony.
An Israeli airstrike has cut off a main highway linking Lebanon with Syria, leaving two huge craters on either side of the road. The airstrike Friday rendered the road unusable for cars, leaving people to go on foot to the Masnaa Border Crossing, where tens of thousands of people fleeing war in Lebanon have crossed into Syria over the past two weeks.
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October 04, 2024 23:00
France’s Macron warns against ‘double standards’ in world conflicts
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday urged the international community to avoid “double standards” in global conflicts including the Middle East and Ukraine as he opened a summit of francophone leaders.
Macron insisted that French-speaking countries could together make a major contribution to global peace, even as analysts say France’s global influence is waning especially in Africa.
“I believe deeply that the francophone world is, yes, a place where we can have a diplomacy together that defends the sovereignty and territorial integrity everywhere across the planet,” said Macron.
-AFP
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October 04, 2024 22:50
US-British strikes launched on Yemen’s Sanaa and Hodeidah, Houthi Al Masirah TV says
U.S.-British airstrikes were launched at several parts of Yemen including its capital Sanaa and Hodeidah airport, Al Masirah TV, the main television news outlet run by the Houthi movement controlling much of Yemen, and residents said on Friday.
Strikes also targeted the south of Dhamar city, Al Masirah TV added.
Iran-aligned Houthi militants have launched attacks on international shipping near Yemen since last November in solidarity with Palestinians in Israel’s war with Hamas.
The Houthi attacks have drawn U.S. and British retaliatory strikes and disrupted global trade as ship owners reroute vessels away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal to sail the longer route around the southern tip of Africa.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 22:44
Modi refers to Middle East conflict, says region important for energy security
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday made oblique reference to the widening conflicts in the Middle East and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, saying the two regions were crucial for the global economy and energy security.
His comments came amid fears of further escalation of conflict in the Middle East if Israel were to retaliate and attack Iran, potentially its nuclear and oil facilities. This, analysts fear, could fuel a surge in energy prices and draw the region into a wider conflict.
Speaking at the 3rd edition of the Kautilya Economic Conclave here, Modi on the domestic front committed to continuing structural reforms to help India become a developed nation by 2047.
-PTI
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October 04, 2024 22:38
Erdogan lashes out at Israel for attack on UN chief
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday accused Israel of “shamelessly” attacking UN chief Antonio Guterres by declaring him “persona non grata” for not quickly condemning Iran’s ballistic missile barrage.
Israel “is shamelessly challenging UN Secretary-General Guterres,” Erdogan told an audience at a defence technology fair in the southern province of Adana.
He added that “196 countries in the world will stand by the UN secretary-general” against Israel.
Relations between the UN and Israel have been difficult since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which sparked the Gaza war.
-AFP
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October 04, 2024 22:26
Strikes on Yemen’s Sanaa and Hodeidah, Houthi Al Masirah TV and residents say
Strikes were reported on Yemen’s Sanaa and Hodeidah, Al Masirah TV, the main television news outlet run by Houthi movement, and residents said on Friday.
There were no more details provided about the source of these strikes.
-AFP
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October 04, 2024 22:11
Israeli bombardment kills 29 people in Gaza, militants renew rocket fire into Israel
Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip killed at least 29 Palestinians on Friday, medics said, and sirens blared in southern Israel in response to renewed rocket fire from militants in the Palestinian enclave.
The new rocket salvoes indicated that Hamas-led militant factions in Gaza are still able to fire projectiles into Israel despite a year-long Israeli aerial and ground offensive that has turned wide areas of the enclave into wasteland.
On Friday, the Israeli military said sirens sounded in southern Israel for the first time in around two months.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 21:48
Israel says more than 2,000 sites hit during south Lebanon operation
The Israeli army on Friday said its forces had hit more than 2,000 sites during its four-day incursion into southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah positions.
“Over 2,000 military targets have been struck,” including militants, military buildings, weapons and more, the Israeli military said in a statement.
AFP
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October 04, 2024 21:06
German official warns of ‘tsunami of anti-Semitism’
Germany has faced a “tsunami of anti-Semitism” since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, according to the government’s commissioner for the fight against anti-Jewish hatred.
Felix Klein told AFP that “open and aggressive anti-Semitism in all its forms” was “stronger than at any time since 1945”, both in Germany and worldwide.
Klein said that “since October 7 we have experienced a tsunami of anti-Semitism” and that the Hamas attack had led to “further breaches in the existing defences in our society” against such prejudice.
The surge pointed to a “worrying absurdity” as the October 7 attack had killed “more Jews than at any point since the Holocaust”, said Klein, the Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Anti-Semitism.
-AFP
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October 04, 2024 20:44
Two Israeli soldiers killed in combat in northern Israel, military says
Israel’s military announced on Friday that two of its soldiers from the Golani Brigade had been killed in combat, and two others severely injured, in northern Israel.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 20:37
India closely watching developments but not unduly worried about oil prices
The Finance Ministry is closely watching developments in West Asia but is not worried about crude oil prices, government sources said.
The government has tools to deal with volatile crude oil prices, sources said.
India has seen much higher crude oil prices, crude oil prices are still not at those levels, sources said.
Crude oil futures surged as much as 5 per cent in Thursday’s intraday session after US President Joe Biden said his administration would support Israel striking Iran’s oil facilities.
Brent crude for November delivery gained 4.8 per cent to trade at USD 77.44 per barrel.
-PTI
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October 04, 2024 20:24
Three Lebanese hospitals suspend services amid Israeli bombing: statements
Three hospitals in Lebanon including one on the outskirts of Beirut’s southern suburbs announced Friday the suspension of work, amid ongoing Israeli bombardment.
In statements carried by the official National News Agency, Sainte Therese Hospital near Beirut’s southern suburbs reported “huge damage” to the building on Thursday due to Israeli bombardment in the vicinity and the subsequent “halt of hospital services”, while two hospitals in the country’s south also said services had stopped.
-AFP
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October 04, 2024 20:17
UK extends humanitarian support for conflict-torn Lebanon
The UK on Friday said it is boosting its humanitarian support for Lebanon with a further GBP 10 million of “lifesaving aid” to respond to the mass displacement of people and a growing number of civilian casualties amid the ongoing conflict in the region.
The funding comes as the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) continues to urge all British nationals to leave the country as soon as possible, while calling for an immediate ceasefire between Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel. The aid package, to be delivered through “trusted” humanitarian organisations who have a long-established presence delivering aid within Lebanon, is in response to serious concerns over a widespread lack of shelter and reduced access to clean water, hygiene and healthcare.
-PTI
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October 04, 2024 20:05
Israeli military says it has killed around 250 Hezbollah fighters in ground operation
The Israeli military estimates it has killed around 250 Hezbollah fighters, including a number of battalion and company commanders, since the start of its ground operation in Lebanon earlier this week, a military spokesperson said on Friday.
Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said the military was still assessing the damage caused by airstrikes in southern Beirut on Thursday night, which he said targeted Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters.
Reuters
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October 04, 2024 19:41
Iran FM says backs efforts for simultaneous Gaza-Lebanon ceasefire
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday said his country backed efforts for a simultaneous ceasefire with Israel in both the Palestinian territory of Gaza and Lebanon.
“We support the efforts for a ceasefire, provided that first, the rights of the Lebanese people are respected and it is accepted by the (Hezbollah) resistance, and second, that it comes simultaneously with a ceasefire in Gaza,” he said during a visit to Beirut.
-AFP
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October 04, 2024 19:27
UN raises plight of migrant domestic workers in Lebanon
Some migrant domestic workers in Lebanon have been locked in homes while their employers flee from Israel’s air strikes, the United Nations said Friday.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration said foreign domestic staff were increasingly being abandoned by the Lebanese families to face heightened danger in the conflict.
The IOM raised the plight of Lebanon’s 170,000 migrant workers, many of whom are women from countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Bangladesh and the Philippines.
He said the IOM was receiving increasing requests from migrants seeking help to go home. Many countries have also sought the agency’s help to evacuate citizens.
-AFP
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October 04, 2024 19:15
IATA emphasises need to protect civil aviation amid rising tensions in West Asia
Amid escalating tensions in West Asia, global airlines’ grouping IATA on Friday said it should be ensured that flight operations remain safe and that airports and air navigation infrastructure are not targeted in any hostilities.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents around 330 airlines, including Indian carriers, that account for over 80 per cent of the global air traffic.
While stressing that civil aviation does not take sides in political conflicts, IATA Director General Willie Walsh said it is necessary to remind all involved in conflict of the need to ensure that flights are safe, and that critical airport and air navigation infrastructure is not targeted in any hostilities.
-PTI
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October 04, 2024 19:00
WHO hopes to start Gaza polio vaccination second round on October 14
The World Health Organization said on Friday it hopes to give hundreds of thousands of children in war-stricken Gaza, where diseases are spreading rapidly, a second dose of polio vaccine from October 14.
The WHO said it was in talks on the date with Israel, which has been waging war in the densely-populated Gaza Strip since Hamas’s October 7, 2024 attack.
Much of the territory lies in ruins and the majority of its 2.4 million residents have been forced to flee their homes due to Israel’s military assault — often taking refuge in cramped and unsanitary conditions.
-AFP
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October 04, 2024 18:51
Iran says any Lebanon ceasefire should be simultaneous with Gaza
Tehran backs efforts for a ceasefire in Lebanon on the condition it would be backed by Hezbollah and simultaneous with a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said in Beirut on Friday.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 18:35
Israeli military says for first time in two months, sirens sound in the south
The Israeli military said on Friday that for the first time in nearly two months, there were sirens sounding in southern Israel, near the Gaza strip.
“Almost a year after Oct. 7, Hamas is still threatening our civilians with their terrorism and we will continue operating against them,” the army added in a post on X.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 18:30
Iran to hit Israeli energy, gas sites if attacked, Guards commander says
Iran will target Israeli energy and gas installations if Israel attacks it, the semi-official Iranian news agency SNN quoted Revolutionary Guards deputy commander Ali Fadavi as saying on Friday.
“If the occupiers make such a mistake, we will target all their energy sources, installations and all refineries and gas fields,” Fadavi said.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 17:53
Iran FM in Beirut visit says ‘firmly’ supports Lebanon
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday vowed support for Tehran’s “friends” in Lebanon, on his first visit to Beirut since fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants intensified last month.
“Be sure that the Islamic Republic of Iran is and will be firmly standing by the friends in Lebanon,” Araghchi told reporters, adding that Tehran supports Lebanon, its Shiite Muslim community and Hezbollah, “and it was necessary to say this in person”.
-AFP
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October 04, 2024 17:44
Lebanon receives first UN aid plane since Israel escalation
A delivery of medical supplies from the United Nations reached Lebanon on Friday, a first since last week’s escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, said a UN agency and a Lebanese minister.
“An airlift… landed in Beirut earlier this morning with 30 metric tonnes of trauma and surgical supplies, enough to treat tens of thousands people,” the World Health Organization’s regional director Hanan Balkhy said on social media platform X.
“More flights are arriving later today and tomorrow, carrying trauma supplies, cholera supplies and mental health supplies,” she added.
Rapidly esclating Israeli strikes since September 23, targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, have killed more than 1,100 people in Lebanon and wounded hundreds more, according to an AFP tally of official figures.
-AP
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October 04, 2024 17:29
41,802 Palestinians killed in Gaza offensive since Oct. 7, health ministry says
More than 41,802 Palestinians have been killed and 96,844 injured in Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, Gaza’s health ministry said in a statement on Friday.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 17:21
Israeli airstrikes rock southern suburbs of Beirut and cut off key crossing into Syria
Israel carried out a series of massive airstrikes overnight in southern suburbs of Beirut and another that cut off the main border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, a main crossing point for tens of thousands of people fleeing Israeli bombardment.
The blasts in the Beirut suburbs sent huge plumes of smoke and flames into the night sky and shook buildings km (miles) away in the Lebanese capital. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on what the intended target was, and there was no information immediately available on casualties. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported there were more than 10 consecutive airstrikes in the area.
Friday’s strike about 60 km (37 miles) to the east along the Lebanon-Syria border led to the closure of the road near the busy Masnaa Border Crossing.
The airstrike came a day after an Israeli military spokesperson said Hezbollah has been trying to transport military equipment through the border crossing.
-AP
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October 04, 2024 17:08
Israeli strike near south Lebanon hospital puts it out of service temporarily, hospital director says
An Israeli strike on the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun on Friday hit around five metres from the entrance of its main hospital and medical staff have decided to temporarily evacuate, the hospital director Mounes Klakesh told Reuters.
“No one was wounded from the medical staff but we have decided to evacuate temporarily until the security situation becomes clearer,” Klakesh said.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 16:58
UK PM says doing everything possible to help de-escalate Middle East situation
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday he is doing everything he can to help de-escalate the situation in the Middle East.
“I am concerned that we do everything we can to de-escalate the situation,” he told a press conference in Liverpool, northwest England.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 16:07
IDF continues assault on Southern Lebanon as Hezbollah launches rockets into Israel
RIHANIYA ISRAEL – OCTOBER 04: Smoke rises from a village across the border of Lebanon following a strike by the Israeli air force on October 04, 2024 in Rihaniya, Israel. The war between Israel and Hezbollah has entered a new phase as Israel has launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon and escalated its aerial campaign there. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has continued firing rockets into northern Israel, a regular occurrence since Oct. 7 of last year, when the Iran-backed militant group said it was attacking Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
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October 04, 2024 16:02
Iran’s Foreign Minister arrives in Beirut
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beirut where he will discuss with Lebanese officials the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The Iranian official arrived in Lebanon as Israel launched new airstrikes on different parts of Lebanon, including Beirut’s southern suburb, south Lebanon, and the eastern Bekaa Valley.
Mr. Araghchi’s visit to Beirut came after Iran launched at least 180 missiles Tuesday into Israel, part of a series of rapidly escalating attacks that threaten to push the Middle East closer to a region wide war.
– AP
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October 04, 2024 15:27
Khamenei defends Oct 7 Hamas attack on Israel as ‘logical and legal’
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that last year’s Hamas attack on Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza, was “logical and legal”.
“The Al-Aqsa Flood attacks that took place around this time last year were a logical and legal international move and the Palestinians were right,” Mr. Khamenei said.
– AFP
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October 04, 2024 15:14
Hezbollah says shelled Israel troops in Lebanon border area
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said it shelled Israeli troops in a border area of south Lebanon Friday, in the latest such clash on the frontier.
The Iran-backed group said its fighters targeted “Israeli enemy troops in the Maroun al-Ras plain with artillery”.
– AFP
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October 04, 2024 15:10
Mohammad Rashid Sakafi eliminated, says Israeli military
Israel’s military said on Friday (October 4, 2024) that it had eliminated the head of Hezbollah’s communication networks, Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, by conducting a “precise, intelligence-based strike” in Beirut on Thursday (October 3, 2024)
– Reuters
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October 04, 2024 14:58
Khamenei says resistance against Israel won’t back down
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed in a rare address on Friday (October 4, 2024) that his allies around the region would keep fighting Israel, as he defended his country’s missile strike on his country’s arch-foe.
The Iran Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had a rifle by his side as he addressed worshippers in Tehran in a rare public sermon, days after Iran’s missile attack on Israel.
Mr. Khamenei delivered the sermon — his first in nearly five year — to thousands of worshippers carrying portraits of slain leaders of Iran’s “axis of resistance” against Israel and the United States.
Click below to read the full story
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says Iran’s allies ‘will not back down’ in war with Israel
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vows to continue fighting Israel, defending missile strikes, amid escalating tensions in the region.
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October 04, 2024 14:44
Iran will not delay nor rush to confront Israel: Khamenei
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday that his country would not “procrastinate or rush to carry out its duty” in confronting Israel.
“The brilliant action of our armed forces a couple of nights ago was completely legal and legitimate,” he said, referring to Iran’s missile attack on Israel.
– Reuters
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October 04, 2024 14:33
Khamenei calls for Defense unity across Muslim nations
Iran leader Khamenei says Muslim nations have to strap the belt of defense from Afghanistan to Yemen, from Iran to Gaza and Lebanon.
– Reuters
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October 04, 2024 14:13
Israeli airstrikes hits Beirut; cut off key crossing into Syria
Israel carried out a series of massive airstrikes overnight in southern suburbs of Beirut and another that cut off the main border crossing between Lebanon and Syria.
The new wave of strikes came after Israel warned people to evacuate communities in southern Lebanon that are outside a United Nations-declared buffer zone, as the yearlong conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah escalates.
The blasts overnight rocked Beirut’s southern suburbs, sending huge plumes of smoke and flames into the night sky and shaking buildings kilometers (miles) away in the Lebanese capital. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on what the intended target was, and there was no information immediately available on casualties.
– AP
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October 04, 2024 14:11
Slain chief Nasrallah temporarily buried: Source close to Hezbollah
A source close to Hezbollah said Friday the Lebanese militant group’s slain chief Hassan Nasrallah has been temporarily buried in a secret location fearing Israel would target a large funeral.
“Hassan Nasrallah has been temporarily buried, until the circumstances allow for a public funeral,” the source said, after an Israeli strike killed the leader last week.
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October 04, 2024 13:54
Britain hands Lebanon extra $13 mln in humanitarian support
Britain said it would provide an additional 10 million pounds ($13 million) of humanitarian support to Lebanon to help the country deal with the mass displacement of people and the growing number of civilian casualties. – Reuters
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October 04, 2024 13:51
People fleeing Lebanon at Masnaa border crossing with Syria
People carry their belongings while walking on the rubble, after an Israeli strike, as they flee Lebanon due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, at Masnaa border crossing with Syria, in Lebanon on October 4, 2024.
Lebanon said an Israeli strike on Friday cut off the main international road to Syria, after Israel alleged that Hezbollah was transporting weapons through the tiny Mediterranean country’s principal land border crossing.
People carry their belongings while walking on the rubble, after an Israeli strike, as they flee Lebanon due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, at Masnaa border crossing with Syria, in Lebanon, October 4, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
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October 04, 2024 13:30
More than 690 children reportedly injured in Lebanon in last six weeks
Adele Khodr, UNICEF’s regional director for Middle East and North Africa has said more than 690 children reportedly injured in Lebanon in last six weeks. She appealed for an immediate ceasefire as cases of physical suffering and trauma are mounting among children.
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October 04, 2024 13:21
Israeli army carried out a strike in Tulkarem, a militant stronghold in the West Bank; 18 people killed
The Israeli army said it carried out a strike on Thursday (October 3, 2024) in Tulkarem, a militant stronghold in the West Bank, in coordination with the Shin Bet internal security service.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said 18 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a refugee camp there.
Violence has flared across the Israeli-occupied territory since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October 2023. Tulkarem and other northern cities have seen some of the worst violence. – AP
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October 04, 2024 12:57
What to know about Hezbollah’s capabilities after its recent losses
The Lebanese militant group has lost nearly 500 fighters since it started attacking Israeli military posts in support of its ally, Hamas, last October. And hundreds more were likely killed in Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon over the past week, which has killed a number of high-ranking commanders and officials.
Read the full story,
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October 04, 2024 12:37
Iran’s foreign minister lands in Beirut
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi landed in Lebanon’s capital on Friday (October 4, 2024), official media said, as Israel intensifies its air strikes against the Tehran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
“An Iranian plan has landed at the Rafik Hariri International Airport with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on board,” the Lebanese National News Agency said of the first visit by a top Iranian official since an Israeli strike killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last week.- AFP
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October 04, 2024 12:33
Hezbollah says it killed 17 Israeli military personnel in combat in southern Lebanon
Hezbollah says it has repelled several land operations by Israeli troops, with measures such as ambushes and direct clashes.
The group said it killed 17 Israeli military personnel in combat in southern Lebanon on Thursday (October 3, 2024) citing its field and security sources. Israeli forces did not comment on the claim.- Reuters
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October 04, 2024 12:30
Israeli evacuation order in 20 more southern Lebanese towns
The Israeli military on Friday (October 4, 2024) told the residents of over 20 more southern towns in Lebanon to evacuate immediately, spokesperson Avichay Adraee said.
Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiye, a stronghold of the Iran-backed Hezbollah, came under renewed strikes near midnight on Thursday after Israel ordered people to leave their homes in some areas, residents and security sources said.
Israel Army also claimed to attack Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut. Sources related to Hezbollah said three of their rescue workers got wounded from airstrikes.- Reuters
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October 04, 2024 12:20
Israeli strikes hits Hezbollah linked rescue workers in Beirut
An Israeli strike hit Hezbollah-linked rescue workers in Beirut’s southern suburbs, wounding three, a Lebanese security source told Reuters on Friday (October 4, 2024).
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October 04, 2024 11:36
U.N. peacekeepers are not moving from Lebanon’s southern border despite Israel’s request
U.N. peacekeepers are remaining in their positions on Lebanon’s southern border despite Israel’s request to vacate some locations before it launched its recent ground operation, the U.N. peacekeeping chief said.
Jean-Pierre LaCroix said the UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon), is in constant contact with their counterparts in the Israeli Defense Force and the Lebanese Armed Force, which he called “very important” to protect the U.N.’s more than 10,000 peacekeepers which is paramount.
UNIFIL was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after Israel’s 1978 invasion. The U.N. expanded its mission following the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, allowing peacekeepers to deploy along the Israeli border.- AP
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October 04, 2024 11:10
We don’t want to die here’, says Sierra Leone migrants trapped in Lebanon
When an Israeli air strike killed her employer and destroyed nearly everything she owned in southern Lebanon, it also crushed Fatima Samuella Tholley’s hopes of returning home to Sierra Leone to escape the spiralling violence.
“I have nothing… no passport, no documents,” she said.
The spike in violence in Lebanon since mid-September has killed more than 1,000 people and forced hundreds of thousands more to flee their homes, as Israel bombards Hezbollah strongholds around the country.- AFP
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October 04, 2024 10:52
Israeli strike closes off road used to flee Lebanon to Syria
An Israeli strike on Friday morning near Lebanon’s Masnaa border crossing with Syria cut off a road used by hundreds of thousands of people to flee Israeli bombardments in recent days, Lebanon Transport Minister Ali Hamieh told Reuters.
Mr. Hamieh said the strike hit inside Lebanese territory near the border crossing, creating a four-metre (12 feet) wide crater.
An Israel Defence Forces (IDF) military spokesman had accused Lebanese armed group Hezbollah on Thursday of using the crossing to transport military equipment into Lebanon.
“The IDF will not allow the smuggling of these weapons and will not hesitate to act if forced to do so, as it has done throughout this war,” IDF spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 10:26
Turkey asks the U.N. to take action to prevent further Israeli violence
Turkey is urging the United Nations Security Council and other “actors” shaping global politics to take swift action to prevent further Israeli attacks that it says are escalating conflict in West Asia.
In a statement, Turkey says it will stand by the people and government of Lebanon against “Israel’s inhumane attacks.”
The statement also condemns Israel’s decision to ban U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from entering the country as the latest example of “Israel’s lawlessness.”
-AP
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October 04, 2024 10:02
Israel says it has killed another senior Hezbollah leader
The Israeli military says it has killed a senior Hezbollah militant involved in the group’s development of precision guided missiles.
It says Mohammed Anisi was killed in a recent airstrike that targeted the militant group’s intelligence branch in Beirut.
Hezbollah has not commented on the Israeli military’s claim. If it is true, it would mark the latest in a string of assassinations of top Hezbollah officials in recent weeks, including its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.
-AP
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October 04, 2024 09:37
Israeli strike in Beirut kills 9
An Israeli airstrike on an apartment building in the Lebanese capital killed nine people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
There was no warning before the strike late Wednesday, which hit the building close to the United Nations headquarters, the prime minister’s office and parliament. Hezbollah’s civil defence unit said seven of its members were killed.
-AP
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October 04, 2024 09:12
18 killed in Israeli strike on Tulkarem refugee camp: Palestinian Health Ministry
The Palestinian Health Ministry said 18 people were killed Thursday in an Israeli strike on the Tulkarem refugee camp in the West Bank. It was the deadliest strike in the occupied territory since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last October.
The Israeli army said the strike killed Hamas’ leader in Tulkarem. Hamas condemned the strike but did not confirm if any of its members were killed.
The military said the strike was carried out in coordination with the Shin Bet internal security service, but it gave no details on the target. Tulkarem is a militant stronghold in the northern West Bank.
-AP
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October 04, 2024 08:57
Australia tightens security ahead of Oct 6-7 pro-Palestine protests
Australian authorities said on Friday they would deploy more police personnel and tighten security measures ahead of pro-Palestine rallies in Sydney and Melbourne on Oct. 6, warning protesters there would be no tolerance of violence.
The Israel-Hamas conflict has triggered protests from both Jewish and Palestinian groups across the world, including in Australia, as the government raised concerns that the protests could inflame community tensions and disrupt social harmony.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 08:34
Biden says he does not believe there will be ‘all-out war’ in Middle East
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday he did not believe there is going to be an “all-out war” in the Middle East.
Asked how confident he was that such a war can be averted, he paused and told reporters: “How confident are you it’s not going to rain? Look, I don’t believe there is going to be an all-out war. I think we can avoid it.”
He added: “But there is a lot to do yet, a lot to do yet.”
When asked if he would send American troops to help Israel, he responded: “We have already helped Israel. We are going to protect Israel.”
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 08:24
U.N. peacekeepers stay on Lebanon’s border despite Israeli ground incursion
U.N. peacekeepers are staying in their positions on Lebanon’s southern border despite Israel’s request to vacate some areas before it launched its ground operation against Hezbollah militants, the U.N. peacekeeping chief said Thursday.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix said the commander and liaison officers from the U.N. force, known as UNIFIL, also are in constant contact with their counterparts in the Israeli and Lebanese militaries. He called that key to protecting the U.N.’s more than 10,000 peacekeepers.
-AP
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October 04, 2024 08:15
Khamenei to give rare Friday sermon after attack on Israel
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to lead Friday prayers and deliver a public sermon that could shed light on the Islamic republic’s plans after a massive missile attack on enemy Israel.
Khamenei’s rare Friday sermon — a first in almost five years — comes three days before the one-year anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, triggered by the Iran-backed Palestinian group’s October 7 attack.
The supreme leader, who wields the highest authority in Iran, will lead Muslims in prayer at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla mosque in central Tehran, his official website said.
The prayer will follow “a commemoration ceremony” at 10:30 am (0700 GMT) for Hassan Nasrallah, the slain leader of Tehran-backed Lebanese armed movement Hezbollah.
-AFP
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October 04, 2024 08:07
FIFA opts not to suspend Israel but will investigate Palestinian claims of discrimination
FIFA stopped short of suspending the Israeli football federation on Thursday, but asked for a disciplinary investigation of possible discrimination alleged by Palestinian football officials.
A senior FIFA panel overseeing governance will separately investigate “the participation in Israeli competitions of Israeli football teams allegedly based in the territory of Palestine,” the governing body said after a meeting of its ruling Council.
The Palestinian football federation has consistently asked FIFA for more than a decade to take action against the Israeli football body for incorporating teams from West Bank settlements in its leagues.
-AP
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October 04, 2024 07:50
U.N. Security Council backs Guterres after Israel bars him from country
The United Nations Security Council on Thursday expressed its full support for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres after Israel’s foreign minister said he was barring him from entering the country.
The 15-member council said in a statement that “any decision not to engage with the U.N. Secretary-General or the United Nations is counterproductive, especially in the context of escalating tensions in the Middle East.”
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 07:37
U.S. arranges flights to bring Americans out of Lebanon as others seek escape
U.S.-arranged flights have brought about 250 Americans and their relatives out of Lebanon this week during escalated fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, while thousands of others still there face airstrikes and diminishing commercial flights.
In Washington, senior State Department and White House officials met Thursday with two top Arab American officials to discuss U.S. efforts to help American citizens leave Lebanon. The two leaders also separately met with officials from the Department of Homeland Security.
-AP
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October 04, 2024 07:25
Joe Biden declines public negotiation on Israel’s stance on Iranian oil sites
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday he will not negotiate in public when asked if he had urged Israel not to attack Iran’s oil facilities.
Mr. Biden earlier in the day contributed to a surge in global oil prices when he said Washington was discussing strikes on Iran’s oil facilities. A U.S. official later said Washington does not believe Israel has decided yet how to respond to Iran.
Mr. Biden on Wednesday said the U.S. did not support any Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear sites.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 07:07
PM Modi chairs Cabinet Committee on Security meet amid West Asia crisis
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security on Thursday (October 3, 2024) to discuss the outbreak of fresh hostilities in West Asia, sources said.
The sources said the West Asia conflict and its impact on trade and supply of petroleum products was discussed in the meeting.
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October 04, 2024 07:06
Oil edges up on West Asia conflict but supply outlook limits gains
Oil prices inched up in early Asian trading hours on Friday, holding on to their strong weekly gains, as investors weighed the West Asia conflict and the potential disruption in crude flows against an amply-supplied global market.
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday the U.S. was discussing strikes on Iran’s oil facilities as retaliation for Tehran’s missile attack on Israel. The comments contributed to a 5% rally in oil prices.
-Reuters
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October 04, 2024 07:06
Israel extends evacuation warnings in Lebanon
The Israeli military on Thursday warned people to evacuate communities in southern Lebanon that are outside a U.N.-declared buffer zone, signalling that it may widen a ground operation launched earlier this week against the Hezbollah militant group.
Israel told people to leave Nabatieh, a provincial capital, and other communities north of the Litani river, which formed the northern edge of the border zone established by the UN Security Council after the two sides fought a war in 2006.
-AP
Published – October 04, 2024 07:06 am IST
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