More Israeli troops deployed near Gaza ahead of October 7 anniversary
Updated – October 06, 2024 08:05 pm IST
Israeli soldiers move on armoured personnel carriers (APC) near the Israeli-Gaza border as smoke rises to the sky in the Gaza Strip, seen from southern Israel, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. | Photo Credit: AP
Powerful new explosions rocked Beirut’s southern suburbs late Saturday as Israel expanded its bombardment in Lebanon, also striking a Palestinian refugee camp deep in the north for the first time as it targeted both Hezbollah and Hamas fighters.
About 40,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through central London while thousands also gathered in Paris, Rome, Manila, Cape Town and New York City. Demonstrations were also held near the White House in Washington, protesting U.S. support for its ally Israel in military campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon.
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Thousands of people in Lebanon, including Palestinian refugees, continued to flee the widening conflict in the region, while rallies were held around the world marking the approaching anniversary of the start of the war in Gaza.
The strong explosions began near midnight and continued into Sunday after Israel’s military urged residents to evacuate areas in Dahiyeh, the predominantly Shiite collection of suburbs on Beirut’s southern edge.
Also Read: Top 10 key developments since the October 7 attacks on Israel
Israel’s military confirmed it was striking targets near Beirut and said about 30 projectiles had crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory, with some intercepted.
The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Saturday (October 5, 2024) that at least 41,825 people have been killed in almost a year of war between Israel and Palestinian militants.
The Israeli military said on Sunday it deployed more troops to defend southern communities and areas bordering Gaza, ahead of the anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas, to “dismantle terrorist infrastructure and degrade Hamas’s capabilities”.
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Graphics on Israeli strike on Beirut targeting Hezbollah
See this graphics piece that depicts the mode of Israeli attack that targets Hezbolah
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October 06, 2024 20:01
Israeli strikes batter Beirut in heaviest bombardment so far, witnesses say
Israeli air attacks battered Beirut’s southern suburbs overnight and early on Sunday, the most intense bombardment of the Lebanese capital since Israel sharply escalated its campaign against Iran-backed group Hezbollah last month.
During the night, the blasts sent booms across Beirut and sparked flashes of red and white for nearly 30 minutes visible from several kilometres away.
It was the single biggest attack of Israel’s assault on Beirut so far, witnesses and military analysts on local TV channels said.
– Reuters
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October 06, 2024 19:59
Iran summons Australian ambassador over ‘biased stance,’ Tasnim reports
Iran’s foreign ministry has summoned the Australian ambassador in Tehran over what it said was his country’s biased stance on Iran’s attack against Israel, Iranian news agency Tasnim reported on Sunday.
Ian McConville was summoned due to his country’s repeated bias, including on Iran’s response to what it called “the Zionist regime,” meaning Israel.
Australia’s embassy in Tehran did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
– Reuters
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October 06, 2024 19:25
Rockets fired from north Gaza cross into south Israel: army
The Israeli military said that rockets fired from northern Gaza crossed into southern Israel on Sunday, a day ahead of the first anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attack.
“Several projectiles were identified crossing from the northern Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. One projectile was intercepted, and the rest fell in open areas,” the military said in a statement, with Israeli forces on alert for attacks ahead of the grim anniversary of Palestinian militants’ unprecedented attack.
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 19:24
40% of Lebanese pupils displaced by Israeli bombardment: ministry official
Nearly half of Lebanon’s 1.25 million school pupils have become displaced, a top education ministry official said Sunday, as Israel’s intensifying strikes on Hezbollah strongholds forced more than one million people to flee.
“There are 1.25 million pupils in Lebanese schools,” Director General of Education Imad Achkar said, and “40% of them of them have been displaced” by Israeli bombardment.
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 19:23
Hezbollah says launched ‘attack drones’ at Israeli base south of Haifa
Hezbollah said it launched attack drones at an Israeli military base near the northern city of Haifa, the latest hostilities since Israel began intense air strikes on Lebanon last week.
Fighters from the Iran-backed group “launched an air assault with a squadron of attack drones on the maintenance and rehabilitation base south of Haifa,” the group said in a statement.
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 18:45
Gaza rescuers say at least 17 killed in Israeli strikes in Jabaliya area
Gaza’s civil defence agency said on Sunday that Israeli air strikes in the Jabaliya area in the north of the territory killed at least 17 people, including nine children.
“There are 17 martyrs, including nine children, in Israeli air strikes in Jabaliya,” civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP. Israeli forces have encircled Jabaliya in response to indications that Hamas was rebuilding there.
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 18:24
One dead in shooting attack in southern Israel: police
At least one person was killed and 10 others injured during a shooting in southern Israel’s Beer Sheva, police and emergency responders said, a day before the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack.
“Paramedics have pronounced a 25 year old female deceased, and are evacuating 10 casualties,” emergency service provider Magen David Adom said in a statement.
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 18:23
Israel pounds Lebanon ahead of Hamas attack anniversary
A fireball lit up the sky and smoke billowed over Beirut as Israel unleashed intense strikes targeting Hezbollah, almost a year since the Hamas attack that sparked war in Gaza.
In Gaza, Israel’s military said it had encircled the northern area of Jabaliya after indications Hamas was rebuilding despite nearly a year of devastating air strikes and fighting.
As another strike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati appealed to the international community to put pressure on Israel for a ceasefire.
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 18:22
Iran’s Khamenei decorates commander for Israel attack
Iran’s supreme leader has decorated the Revolutionary Guards aerospace commander for the Islamic republic’s missile attacks on arch-foe Israel, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s website said on Sunday.
“Ayatollah Khamenei presented the Order of Fath (“Conquest” in Farsi) to General Amirali Hajizadeh, commander of the Guards Aerospace Force,” it said.
The decoration was bestowed because of “the brilliant ‘Honest Promise’ operation”, the website said.
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 18:12
Israeli strike hits car factory in Syria: monitor
An Israeli strike in Syria targeted trucks transporting aid for Lebanese people, wounding three aid workers, a war monitor said, the latest such attack on the country.
Israeli aircraft launched “air strikes with three missiles targeting… three trucks loaded with food and medical supplies inside an Iranian car factory… in southern Homs,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The attack destroyed the trucks and wounded three aid workers, said the British-based monitor with a network of sources inside Syria.
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 17:52
Israel’s Netanyahu visits troops along Lebanese border area
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops along the border with Lebanon on Sunday, his office said, nearly a week after the Israeli military launched ground operations against Hezbollah inside southern Lebanon.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today visited the 36th Division base in the Lebanese border area,” his office said in a statement.
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 17:51
Israel defence minister warns Iran it may end up like Gaza, Beirut
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned Iran that it might end up looking like Gaza or Beirut if the Islamic republic was considering an attempt to harm Israel.
“The Iranians did not touch the air force’s capabilities — no aircraft was damaged, no squadron was taken out of order,” Gallant said in a statement, referring to Iran’s recent missile strike on Israel that hit two bases of the Israeli air force.
“Whoever thinks that a mere attempt to harm us will deter us from taking action should take a look at (our achievements) in Gaza and Beirut.”
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 16:42
Blast heard in Syria’s Homs, cause being investigated, state news agency says
A blast was heard in a factory in the Syrian city of Homs, the state news agency reported today, adding that the cause is still being investigated.
– Reuters
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October 06, 2024 16:27
Israel army says more troops deployed near Gaza ahead of October 7 anniversary
The Israeli military said today it deployed more troops to defend southern communities and areas bordering Gaza, ahead of the anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas.
“The IDF’s (army) Gaza Division has been reinforced with several platoons, with forces stationed to defend both the communities and the border area,” the military said. “The soldiers are fully equipped to defend the region in coordination with local security forces,” it said in a statement.
Inside Gaza, the military said three divisions were working to “dismantle terrorist infrastructure and degrade Hamas’s capabilities”. “The Southern Command remains at a heightened state of vigilance and readiness for the coming days,” commanding officer Major General Yaron Finkelman was quoted as saying.
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 15:48
IDF asks residents of 25 southern Lebanese villages to evacuate
Israel Defence Forces (IDF) asked the residents of 25 Lebanese villages to evacuate for safety. IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee conveyed the information through his official X handle.
People from about 50 villages were asked to evacuate earlier in the past days. They are asked to evacuate their houses and move immediately north of the Awali River.
The people are also asked not to move anywhere towards the south of the country as it could put their life in danger.
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October 06, 2024 15:12
Germany’s Scholz urges ceasefire ahead of Gaza war anniversary
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz again called for a ceasefire today ahead of the first anniversary of the war in Gaza, and warned against rising anti-Semitism in society.
“Unfortunately, on this first anniversary of Hamas’s terror attack on Israel, peace or even reconciliation in the Middle East seem more distant than ever,” Mr. Scholz said in a video message.
The German government “continues to persistently advocate for a ceasefire, which must now finally come about”, he added. “So that the civilian population in the Gaza Strip can be better protected and, of course, better cared for. And so that the Israeli hostages can finally be released.”
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 14:30
23 killed in Israeli strikes across Lebanon on Saturday: health ministry
Israeli strikes killed 23 people across Lebanon yesterday, the health ministry has said.
“Israeli strikes yesterday on towns and villages of southern Lebanon” and other parts of the country “killed 23 people and wounded 93 others,” it said today, without including casualties in more recent bombardment on Beirut’s southern suburbs after midnight.
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October 06, 2024 13:29
Lebanon PM urge ‘pressure on Israel’ for ceasefire as new strike hits
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for “pressure on Israel” for a ceasefire as a new Israeli strike hit the capital’s southern suburbs today.
Mikati said he backed US and French efforts for a truce, as the official National News Agency reported a strike south of Beirut. An AFP journalist heard a huge blast and saw columns of smoke billowing above the site of the hit.
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 13:10
Iran’s oil minister visits key oil terminal amid Israel strike fears
Iran’s Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad landed on Kharg island, the oil ministry’s news website Shana reported today, amid concerns that Israel could target Iran’s largest oil terminal there.
An Israeli military spokesman said on Saturday that Israel would retaliate, following last week’s missile attack by Tehran, “when the time is right.”
Following Iran’s attack, Axios cited Israeli officials as saying that Iran’s oil facilities could be hit in response. U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday that he did not think Israel had yet concluded how to respond.
“Paknejad arrived this morning in order to visit the oil facilities and meet operational staff located on Kharg island,” Shana reported, adding that the oil terminal there can store 23 million barrels of crude.
– Ruters
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October 06, 2024 12:32
Israel army says encircles Gaza’s Jabaliya as Hamas rebuilds
The Israeli military said Sunday its forces surrounded the Jabaliya area of northern Gaza in response to indications Hamas was rebuilding despite nearly a year of strikes and fighting.
“The troops of the 401st Brigade and the 460th Brigade have successfully encircled the area and are currently continuing to operate in the area,” the military said in a statement.
The military said it had intelligence indicating the “presence of terrorists and terror infrastructure in the area of Jabaliya… as well as efforts by Hamas to rebuild its operational capabilities in the area”.
“Prior to and during the operation, the IAF (air force) struck dozens of military targets in the area to assist IDF (army) ground troops,” the military said, adding targets hit were weapons storage facilities, underground infrastructure sites and other militant infrastructure sites.
– AFP
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October 06, 2024 11:57
Israeli army intercepted two surface-to-surface missiles in Lebanon
Israel Defence Force announced on social media platform X that they intercepted two surface-to-surface missiles in Lebanon.
According to them, the missiles were launched from Lebanon.
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October 06, 2024 11:35
Thousands join pro-Palestinian rallies around the globe as October 7 anniversary nears
Huge rallies were held in several European cities, with gatherings expected to continue over the weekend and peak on Monday (October 7, 2024) the anniversary date.
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October 06, 2024 11:16
Israel expands its bombardment in Lebanon
Powerful new explosions rocked Beirut’s southern suburbs by the end of yesterday, as Israel expanded its bombardment in Lebanon, also striking a Palestinian refugee camp deep in the north for the first time as it targeted both Hezbollah and Hamas fighters.
Thousands of people in Lebanon, including Palestinian refugees, continued to flee the widening conflict in the region, while rallies were held around the world marking the approaching anniversary of the start of the war in Gaza.
The strong explosions began near last midnight and continued today after Israel’s military urged residents to evacuate areas in Dahiyeh, the predominantly Shiite collection of suburbs on Beirut’s southern edge.
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October 06, 2024 10:51
Hezbollah source says contact ‘lost’ with top figure Safieddine following Israeli strikes in Beirut
A high-level Hezbollah source said on Saturday (October 5, 2024) that contact with Hashem Safieddine, widely touted as potentially the group’s next leader, had been lost following Israeli strikes this week.
“Contact with Sayyed Safieddine has been lost since the violent strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs” early on Friday (October 4, 2024), the official told AFP.
“We don’t know if he was at the targeted site, or who may have been there with him,” he added.
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October 06, 2024 10:51
Gaza rescuers say 21 killed in Israel strike on mosque
Gaza’s civil defence agency said Sunday an Israeli strike on a mosque-turned-shelter in central Deir al-Balah killed 21 people, while Israel’s military said it had targeted Hamas militants.
“The number of deaths rose to 21 and a large number of wounded as a result of the occupation (Israel) bombing of a mosque sheltering displaced people in front of the gate of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip,” said agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal.
The Israeli military said in a statement that it had “conducted a precise strike on Hamas terrorists who were operating within a command and control centre” at the mosque.
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October 06, 2024 10:05
‘Shame’ on Emmanuel Macron for urging halt to arms supply to Israel, says Benjamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday (October 5, 2024) slammed French President Emmanuel Macron for calling for a halt to arms supplies to Israel, which is fighting wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
“As Israel fights the forces of barbarism led by Iran, all civilised countries should be standing firmly by Israel’s side. Yet, President Macron and other Western leaders are now calling for arms embargoes against Israel. Shame on them,” Mr. Netanyahu said in a statement issued by his office.
Mr. Netanyahu said Israel was fighting a war on several fronts against groups backed by arch-foe Iran.
“Is Iran imposing an arms embargo on Hezbollah, on the Huthis, on Hamas and on its other proxies? Of course not,” he said. All three groups are backed by Tehran and form part of its “axis of resistance” against Israel.
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October 06, 2024 09:51
Deadly Israeli attacks on health workers in Lebanon; hospital shuts down
Israel’s military struck outside the gates of a hospital in southern Lebanon without warning on Friday (October 4, 2024) killing seven paramedics and forcing the facility to close, the hospital director told The Associated Press a day after one of the most deadly attacks on health workers in the weeks since fighting escalated between Israel and Hezbollah.
The account of the Friday (October 4, 2024) airstrikes that flung hospital doors off their hinges and shattered glass was the latest to detail attacks that Lebanon’s health ministry says have killed dozens of health workers.
Published – October 06, 2024 09:51 am IST
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