Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that the latest exchange of strikes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon is “not the end of the story”.
Israel launched a series of nearly 40 airstrikes in southern Lebanon early on Sunday in what it described as a “preemptive attack” to prevent an imminent Hezbollah drone and rocket strike.
The two sides have exchanged messages that neither wants to escalate further, with the main gist being that the exchange was “done”, two diplomats told Reuters.
Hezbollah, which had vowed retaliation for Israel's assassination of one of its top commanders in Beirut last month, responded anyway, hitting military sites and Iron Dome platforms with over 320 drones and rockets.
Speaking in a video message published on X, Mr Netanyahu said that the leaders of Hezbollah and Iran should know that the response was “another step towards changing the situation in the north and returning our residents safely to their homes" and that “this is not the end of the story”.
Leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said: “We will assess the impact of today’s operation. If results are not seen to be enough, we will respond another time.”
Key Points
- Netanyahu says Israeli strikes against Hezbollah 'not the end of the story'
- Hezbollah leader issues warning of future attacks
- Israel launches heavy airstrikes on Lebanon, Hezbollah retaliates
- Hezbollah says it fired over 320 rockets at Israel in a 'successful' attack
Cairo talks over Gaza end without agreement, Egyptian security sources say
Sunday 25 August 2024 23:34
Barney Davis
Talks over a possible Gaza deal ended without agreement in Cairo, with neither Hamas nor Israel agreeing to several comprises presented by mediators, two Egyptian security sources said on Sunday.
Israel and Lebanon back down from all-out war
Sunday 25 August 2024 22:27
Barney Davis
Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah traded heavy fire early Sunday but backed off from sparking a widely feared all-out war, as both sides signaled their most intense exchange in months was over.
The cross-border attacks came as high-level talks resumed in Egypt aimed at a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza that also would ease regional tensions.
The Hamas and Israeli delegations later left Cairo, and an Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss behind-the-scenes diplomacy said the talks were expected to continue.Hezbollah claimed to hit an Israeli military intelligence site near Tel Aviv as part of a barrage of hundreds of rockets and drones, and Israel claimed its dozens of strikes had been preemptive to avert a larger attack. Neither offered evidence.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said the attack, a response to Israel’s killing of a top militant commander in Beirut last month, had been delayed to give the Gaza cease-fire talks a chance, and so fellow Iran-backed groups could discuss with Iran whether to attack Israel all at once. Israeli and U.S. military deployment also played a role.
“We will now reserve the right to respond at a later time” if the results of Sunday’s attack aren’t sufficient, Nasrallah said, adding that allied Houthi rebels in Yemen - and Iran itself - had yet to respond. But he told the Lebanese people: “At this current stage, the country can take a breath and relax.”
Hamas says it rejects new Israeli conditions in Gaza ceasefire talks
Sunday 25 August 2024 21:23
Barney Davis
Hamas said that it rejects new Israeli conditions put forward in Gaza ceasefire talks, casting further doubt on the chances of a breakthrough in the latest U.S.-backed effort to end the 10-month-old war.
Months of on-off talks have failed to produce an agreement to end Israel’s devastating military campaign in Gaza or free the remaining hostages seized by Hamas in the militant group’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war.
Key sticking points in ongoing talks mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar include an Israeli presence in the so-called Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow 14.5 km-long (nine-mile) stretch of land along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt.
Hamas said Israel has backtracked on a commitment to withdraw troops from the Corridor and put forward other new conditions, including the screening of displaced Palestinians as they return to the enclave’s more heavily populated north when the ceasefire begins.
“We will not accept discussions about retractions from what we agreed to on July 2 or new conditions,” Hamas official Osama Hamdan told the group’s Al-Aqsa TV on Sunday.
Israel says more polio vaccines are delivered to Gaza, where aid groups seek pause in fighting
Sunday 25 August 2024 20:30
Barney Davis
Israel’s military on Sunday said polio vaccines for more than 1 million people had been delivered to Gaza, after the first confirmed case of the disease in the territory in a quarter-century.
It was not immediately clear how, or how quickly, the more than 25,000 vials of vaccine would be distributed in Gaza, where ongoing fighting and unrest have challenged humanitarian efforts during more than 10 months of war.
Other polio cases are suspected across the largely devastated territory after the virus was detected in wastewater in six different locations in July.
Aid groups plan to vaccinate more than 600,000 children under age 10 and have called for an urgent pause in the war to increase vaccinations. The World Health Organization and the United Nations children’s agency have said that, at a minimum, a seven-day pause is needed.
UN chief urges Hezbollah, Israel to cease hostilities
Sunday 25 August 2024 19:30
Barney Davis
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “deeply concerned” by the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah and calls for both parties to immediately return to a cessation of hostilities, his spokesperson said on Sunday.
“These actions put both the Lebanese and Israeli populations at risk, as well as threatening regional security and stability,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
Hezbollah leader makes lengthy speech after rockets fired at Israel
Sunday 25 August 2024 18:29
Tom Watling
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has said that his group would assess the impact of its rocket and drone attack on Israeli military targets earlier in the day before determining whether it would carry out further attacks to avenge a slain commander.
The leader of the Lebanese armed group said in a televised address that it had been able to carry out its attack “as planned,” denying statements by the Israeli military that its pre-emptive strikes had stopped a wider attack by the group.
Nasrallah, speaking about 12 hours after the most intense exchange of fire between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel since hostilities broke out in parallel with the war in Gaza, said the group had intentionally refrained from targeting civilians or public infrastructure, including Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
He said the group’s main target was a military intelligence base about 110 km (70 miles) inside Israeli territory - the deepest attack yet and just 1.5 km north of Tel Aviv.
Nasrallah said the group would assess the results of the operation, a retaliation for Israel‘s killing of top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukron the edges of Beirut last month.
“If the result is not enough, then we retain the right to respond another time,” Nasrallah said.
Nasrallah said Hezbollah had not planned a larger attack, specifically denying Israeli military statements that the group had intended to fire thousands of projectiles.
But he acknowledged that the operation had been delayed for several reasons, including what he called a “mobilization” of Israeli and American military assets in the region.
British Airways and Wizz Air suspend flights to Israel amid regional escalation
Sunday 25 August 2024 18:01
Tom Watling
Israeli military says one navy soldier killed, two wounded in combat in northern Israel
Sunday 25 August 2024 17:30
Tom Watling
One Israel navy soldier was killed and two wounded during combat in northern Israel on Sunday, the Israeli military said.
It gave no details of the circumstances of the soldier’s death but Israeli media reported it occurred on a naval vessel offshore as an interceptor from Israel‘s Iron Dome aerial defence system engaged a drone fired by Hezbollah.
Hezbollah leader issues warning of future attacks
Sunday 25 August 2024 17:00
Tom Watling
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has claimed that Hezbollah did not use precision missiles in their strikes this morning but that they could use them in the near future.
In a lengthy speech, he added that Hezbollah had targeted an Israeli military intelligence base just outside of Tel Aviv and had ruled out targeting civilian infrastructure.
Jordan warns that escalation in lebanon could lead to regional war
Sunday 25 August 2024 16:28
Tom Watling
Jordan has warned that heightened escalation between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah could lead to a “regional war” that would threaten stability.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Sufain Qudah said that Israel‘s relentless “aggression” in Gaza and the failure to reach a ceasefire was exposing the region to the dangers of an expansion of the conflict, Jordanian state media reported.
Israel and Hezbollah traded messages saying neither wants further escalation, two diplomats say
Sunday 25 August 2024 16:01
Tom Watling
Israel and the Lebanon-based group Hezbollah exchanged messages via intermediaries on Sunday in order to prevent further escalation following one of the biggest exchanges of fire between the two foes in 10 months, two diplomats told Reuters.
The main message was that both sides considered that Sunday’s intense exchange of bombardment was “done” and that neither side wanted a full-scale war, one diplomat said. The diplomats spoke on condition they were not identified.
From Hamas to Hezbollah, a look at the Iran-allied groups rallying to arms around Middle East
Sunday 25 August 2024 15:30
Tom Watling
Netanyahu says Israeli strikes against Hezbollah 'not the end of the story'
Sunday 25 August 2024 15:00
Tom Watling
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel took pre-emptive action against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon and said air defences had intercepted all rockets and drones launched against Israel.
He said that the leaders of Hezbollah and Iran should know that the response was “another step towards changing the situation in the north and returning our residents safely to their homes” and that “this is not the end of the story”.
Watch live: Israeli government spokesman David Mencer gives update as Middle East conflict escalates
Sunday 25 August 2024 14:28
Tom Watling
Gallant debriefs US defence sec on Lebanon strikes
Sunday 25 August 2024 14:00
Tom Watling
Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant has debriefed his US counterpart Lloyd Austin on the exchange of rocket fire with the Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon.
Conducted a joint situation assessment and spoke with @SecDef Austin about the precise strikes that the IDF has conducted in Lebanon in order to thwart an imminent threat against the citizens of Israel. We will use all the means at our disposal to defend Israel.
— יואב גלנט - Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) August 25, 2024
Discussed the…
Suspended flights at Beirut international airport following Israel-Hezbollah exchange
Sunday 25 August 2024 13:29
Tom Watling
Hamas issue statement after Hezbollah attack on Israel
Sunday 25 August 2024 13:00
Tom Watling
Fellow Iran-backed militia Hamas have released a message in support of Hezbollah’s attack on Israel.
“We praise and bless the great qualitative response carried out by Hezbollah against vital and strategic targets deep within [Israel].
“We condemn the occupation’s escalation of its brutal aggression against the sisterly Lebanese Republic in flagrant violation of international conventions
“[Israeli] intransigence reveals once again that it is a rogue entity that poses a threat to the region and international security and stability."
Updated: What is Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed group that could go to all-out war against Israel?
Sunday 25 August 2024 12:30
Tom Watling
Updated: Death toll in Gaza
Sunday 25 August 2024 12:07
Tom Watling
More than 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its retaliatory offensive in the Strip last October, the local health ministry has reported.
The Hamas-run body reported that 40,405 Palestinians have been killed while a further 93,468 have been injured.
Air France cancels flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut
Sunday 25 August 2024 11:47
Tom Watling
Air France has cancelled its flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut until Monday at least, the company said after Hezbollah launched rockets and drones at Israel on Sunday and Israel’s military said it struck Lebanon with about 100 jets.
Israel residents assess damage to their homes after Hezbollah rocket attack
Sunday 25 August 2024 11:30
Tom Watling
What to know about the heavy exchange of fire between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah
Sunday 25 August 2024 11:15
Tom Watling
Israel enters a state of emergency
Sunday 25 August 2024 11:00
Tom Watling
Israeli president praises ‘decisive action’ of military
Sunday 25 August 2024 10:50
Tom Watling
The decisive action we witnessed early this morning epitomizes Israel's right and duty to defend itself and its citizens against the threat of terrorism.
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) August 25, 2024
This is once again an opportunity to express our gratitude and support for our daughters and sons in the Israel Defense…
Pictures from inside Gaza
Sunday 25 August 2024 10:42
Tom Watling
While the main story this morning involves the exchange of rocket fire between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, the situation in Gaza remains difficult.
Below we have some pictures from the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza.
Egypt warns against dangers of opening new war front in Lebanon
Sunday 25 August 2024 10:30
Tom Watling
Egypt warned against the dangers of opening a new war front in Lebanon, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday, and called for stability in the country as Hezbollah and Israel clashed again.
UN officials say developments on Lebanese-Israeli border 'worrying', UN agencies say
Sunday 25 August 2024 10:20
Tom Watling
The Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) described the developments on the Lebanese-Israeli border as “worrying”, and called on all parties to cease fire and refrain from further escalation, they said in a statement.
A view shows smoke on the Lebanese side of the border with Israel
Sunday 25 August 2024 10:15
Tom Watling
What is Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed group that could go to all-out war against Israel?
Sunday 25 August 2024 10:07
Tom Watling
Video: Blasts and missiles rocket across sky in northern Israel after Hezbollah retaliates
Sunday 25 August 2024 10:00
Stuti Mishra
What is the difference between Hamas and Hezbollah?
Sunday 25 August 2024 09:49
Tom Watling
Hamas and Hezbollah are allies both fighting against Israel. They are both also backed by Iran, who has been fighting a shadow war with Israel for decades.
Tehran also supports militias in Iraq, Syria and the Houthis in Yemen, who have been attacking Israel-bound ships in the Red Sea for months.
While Hamas controls the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah controls southern Lebanon. After Hamas launched its incursion into Israel on 7 October, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage, around half of which remain in Gaza, Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel in support of Hamas. It has continued to do so while Israel prosecutes its offensive in Gaza.
Several senior Hamas personnel have either been killed, targeted or spotted in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, technically outside of Hezbollah’s control but used as a HQ for their operations, since 7 October.
UK 'very concerned' about Israel-Lebanon escalation
Sunday 25 August 2024 09:45
Tom Watling
The UK is "very concerned" about the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, a cabinet minister said as he urged all parties to avoid a major regional war.
Pat McFadden, the chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, told Sky News: "This is a major escalation, that's the word that's always used about these things in terms of what's been happening between Israel and Hamas in Gaza over the past year, and there's been a fear of a major escalation.
"Even as this unfolds, the UK Government and the international community would urge all parties not to escalate further and to avoid a major regional war. That is the real danger facing the area.
"We hope this doesn't turn out to be that and we hope that afterwards we can de-escalate the situation.
"But we're very concerned about what's happening there, very concerned for the people there, and we hope this is not a long-term outbreak in major hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah."
Israel attacked ‘several areas in southern Lebanon again
Sunday 25 August 2024 09:30
Tom Watling
The Israeli military have launched a second wave of attacks on southern Lebanon.
In a message on X, formerly Twitter, they wrote: “In the last hour, the IDF attacked to remove threats launched by the terrorist organization Hezbollah in several areas in southern Lebanon.
“The 91st Division forces identified a terrorist squad operating in the Al-Khyam area in southern Lebanon, and in a quick closing of the circle, an Air Force aircraft attacked the terrorists.”
בשעה האחרונה, צה"ל תקף להסרת איומים משגרים של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במספר מרחבים בדרום לבנון.
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) August 25, 2024
כוחות אוגדה 91 זיהו חוליית מחבלים פועלים במרחב אל-חיאם שבדרום לבנון, ובסגירת מעגל מהירה כלי טיס של חיל האוויר תקף את המחבלים pic.twitter.com/hYb8PTOq74
Today's escalation between Israel and Hezbollah 'unlikely' to lead to war, says expert
Sunday 25 August 2024 09:10
Stuti Mishra
Randa Slim, a senior fellow at the Washington, DC-based Middle East Institute, told The Associated Press that this morning’s exchange was “still within the rules of engagement and unlikely at this point to lead to an all out war.”
Recap: What has happened so far between Israel and Lebanon today
Sunday 25 August 2024 08:50
Stuti Mishra
Israel's military launched a series of airstrikes across southern Lebanon early this morning. The airstrikes, it claimed, were a "preemptive attack" to deter Hezbollah from launching rockets and drones at Israel.
Hezbollah went ahead anyway, firing over 320 drones and missiles. The Lebanese group said the attack was also in retaliation for Israel's assassination of one of its top commanders in Beirut last month.
The latest exchange threatens to escalate into a regional war, complicating an ongoing effort to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza.
Here's all that has happened so far:
Israeli airstrikes: Israel struck southern Lebanon in a "preemptive attack" on Hezbollah. The military claimed Hezbollah was planning a significant rocket attack on Israel.
Hezbollah's response: Hezbollah retaliated with a barrage of over 320 rockets and numerous drones, targeting Israeli military positions and infrastructure.
Casualties: At least three people were killed in Lebanon, including a fighter from the Amal group, allied with Hezbollah. Initial reports indicate no significant damage, Israel claims.
The Hezbollah chief is expected to address a press conference at 3pm GMT to provide details of the attack.
Flight disruptions: Israel's Ben-Gurion airport diverted flights and closed temporarily due to air raid threats. It later resumed operations.
Military on alert: Israel's Home Front Command raised alert levels, urging citizens to stay near bomb shelters.
Diplomatic efforts: The conflict comes as Egypt hosts talks to end the Israel-Hamas war. The US and European diplomats are involved in efforts to prevent a wider regional conflict.
International reactions: US National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett confirmed president Joe Biden is closely monitoring the situation and reaffirmed support for Israel's right to defend itself. The Pentagon's Lloyd Austin discussed Israel's defence needs with his Israeli counterpart.
Potential for wider conflict: The exchange of fire raises concerns of regional escalation involving Iran and other militant groups. Hezbollah is considered highly capable, with extensive rocket and drone arsenals.
Ongoing negotiations: High-level talks in Cairo aim to address the Gaza conflict and hostages held by Hamas. Key figures from the US, Qatar, and Egypt are participating, though the situation remains fluid.
'Very little damage' from Hezbollah strikes, says Israel
Sunday 25 August 2024 08:30
Stuti Mishra
Israel sustained “very little damage” from Hezbollah’s rocket attacks this morning, the military said after an initial assessment.
“We’re still in a situation assessment of the aftermath of the attack... there is still some fire happening,” Israeli military spokesperson lieutenant-colonel Nadav Shoshani said, adding that the military remained on high alert.
“But I can tell you there was a little damage... very little damage.” He said around 100 Israeli aircraft took part in Sunday’s strikes.
Hezbollah is also expected to issue a statement soon to provide more details on what it says it hit.
Live view of Beirut as Hezbollah retaliates with rocket barrage after Israeli strikes
Sunday 25 August 2024 08:10
Stuti Mishra
Israeli delegation will attend Gaza ceasefire talks in Cairo today despite escalation
Sunday 25 August 2024 07:50
Stuti Mishra
Israel’s spy chief David Barnea will head an Israeli delegation to the Gaza ceasefire talks in Cairo today, Israel’s Army Radio reported, citing diplomatic officials.
The fresh round of ceasefire talks aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas war will be taking place hours after Israel and Hezbollah exchanged heavy strikes this morning, marking an escalation.
Hezbollah has said it will halt the fighting if there is a cease-fire in Gaza.
Israel announces death of soldier in Gaza
Sunday 25 August 2024 07:30
Stuti Mishra
A 20-year-old Sergeant, Amit Tsadikov, has been killed in combat in southern Gaza, according to Israeli military.
According to Israel’s Ynetnews, approximately 337 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive on the Palestinian enclave since 7 October.
Netanyahu: 'Determined to do everything possible to defend our country'
Sunday 25 August 2024 07:13
Stuti Mishra
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel would take all measures necessary to defend itself, after the Iranian-backed Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel in retaliation for the killing of a senior commander.
"We are determined to do everything possible to defend our country, to return the residents of the north safely to their homes and to continue to uphold a simple rule: Whoever harms us, we harm him," he said in a statement.
One confirmed dead in Lebanon after Israeli strikes
Sunday 25 August 2024 07:03
Stuti Mishra
One person has died after an Israeli airstrike hit a car in the southern Lebanese town of Khiam on Sunday, according to Lebanon's state news agency and a security source.
The strike was part of broader Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah launched a missile barrage across the border in retaliation for the assassination of one of its top commanders in an Israeli strike last month.
Israel does not seek ‘full-scale war', says Israeli foreign minister
Sunday 25 August 2024 06:36
Stuti Mishra
“Israel does not seek a full-scale war but will act according to development on the ground,” Israel’s foreign minister Israel Katz has said, according to the Reuters news agency.
In photos: Hezbollah UAV intercepted by Israeli air force
Sunday 25 August 2024 06:30
Stuti Mishra
Hezbollah says it fired over 320 rockets at Israel in a 'successful' attack
Sunday 25 August 2024 06:18
Stuti Mishra
Hezbollah said it fired more than 320 Katyusha rockets at 11 Israeli military bases and barracks, including the Meron base and four sites in the occupied Golan Heights.
It targeted Israeli military bases to “facilitate the passage of drones” towards their desired targets deep inside Israel.
"The first phase has been completed with complete success," the statement reads.
"This phase involved targeting zionist barracks and sites to facilitate the passage of attack drones towards their intended targets deep within the entity."
“And the drones have passed as planned,” it said.
Biden ‘closely monitoring’ events in Israel and Lebanon
Sunday 25 August 2024 05:54
Stuti Mishra
In the US, a spokesman for the National Security Council, Sean Savett, said president Joe Biden was "closely monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon.
"At his direction, senior US officials have been communicating continuously with their Israeli counterparts," Savett said. "We will keep supporting Israel's right to defend itself, and we will keep working for regional stability."
In recent weeks, diplomats from the US and Europe have made numerous visits to Israel and Lebanon, trying to prevent the escalation from spiralling into a regional war that could draw in the US and Iran.
Israel's main international airport returns to operations after shutdown
Sunday 25 August 2024 05:45
Stuti Mishra
Israel's main international airport, Ben Gurion, was returning to normal operations early on Sunday, a spokesperson for the Israeli Airport Authority said in a statement.
“According to the assessment of the situation, Israel Airport is expected to return to operations ... including takeoffs and landings," the spokesperson said.
The airport was shut down temporarily amid the strikes between Israel and Hezbollah, during which time some planes were diverted to alternative airports, the spokesperson said.
Israel launches heavy airstrikes on Lebanon, Hezbollah retaliates
Sunday 25 August 2024 05:40
Stuti Mishra
Israel launched intense airstrikes in southern Lebanon early Sunday, targeting Hezbollah in what it described as a pre-emptive strike to prevent a large-scale attack on Israeli civilians.
“In a self-defence act to remove these threats, the (Israeli military) is striking terror targets in Lebanon, from which Hezbollah was planning to launch their attacks on Israeli civilians,” Rear adm Daniel Hagari of the Israeli military said.
“We can see that Hezbollah is preparing to launch an extensive attack on Israel, while endangering the Lebanese civilians.”
Hezbollah, which had vowed retaliation for Israel’s assassination of a top commander last month, responded with a drone assault on Israel, targeting military sites and Iron Dome platforms.
The escalation has raised fears of a broader war in the region, potentially undermining cease-fire talks in Gaza.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defense minister Yoav Gallant are overseeing the operation from Tel Aviv, with Gallant declaring a “special situation on the home front.”
Both Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire almost daily since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, displacing tens of thousands on both sides and edging closer to all-out war.
Sunday 25 August 2024 05:37
Stuti Mishra
Welcome to The Independent’s live blog with all the latest updates from the Middle East where Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged strikes. Stay tuned for the latest!
