British soldiers are expected to arrive in Cyprus to help the estimated 10,000 Brits flee Lebanon as Israeli airstrikes kill more than 560.
The UK is expected to announce that it will send 700 troops to neighbouring Cyprus amid fears of a wider war, according to the BBC.
The prime minister said: “We are ramping up the contingency plans, I think you’d expect that in light of the escalation”, adding that UK citizens should “leave immediately”.
It came after John Healey, the defence secretary, left the Labour conference early to lead a COBRA meeting on the crisis.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that attacks will continue on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
Lebanese authorities said the death toll has reached 569, including 50 children, since Israel launched fresh strikes on Monday, according to the country’s health minister.
Key Points
- UK nationals told to leave Lebanon ‘immediately’ as situation deteriorates
- Lebanon death toll rises to 569 as ‘two dozen killed in Gaza’
- Strikes in Lebanon will continue, Netanyahu says
- Israel-Hezbollah conflict timeline: Everything that’s happened since 7 October
Israel kills top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon
04:00
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Israel says it has killed a top Hezbollah commander during its two-day bombing campaign in Lebanon that has left more than 560 people, including 50 children, dead.
Israel late on Tuesday said it carried out “extensive strikes” targeting Hezbollah weapons and rocket launchers across southern Lebanon.
It said the strikes in Beirut killed Ibrahim Kobeisi – a top commander with the militant group’s rocket and missile unit who allegedly planned a 2000 attack when three Israeli soldiers were abducted and killed.
Lebanon’s health ministry said six people were killed and 15 were wounded in the strike in a southern Beirut suburb, an area where Hezbollah has a strong presence.
British ministers repeat calls for ceasefire in Middle East
03:44
Barney Davis
Ministers say more than 500 people have been killed in the past 24 hours as they echoed calls for ceasefire in Lebanon.
The Defence Secretary John Healey said: “We continue to urge all sides to step back from conflict to prevent further tragic loss of life.
“Our government is ensuring all preparations are in place to support British nationals should the situation deteriorate.
“I want to thank the British personnel who are deploying in the region for their commitment and professionalism.”
A government source told The BBC that the difference between the chaotic 2021 Afghanistan evacuation is there are still commercial flights leaving Lebanon - for now.
Prime minister tells Brits in Lebanon ‘now is the time to leave’
02:35
Barney Davis
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is sending 700 troops to nearby Cyprus and the government “continues to advise against all travel to Lebanon”.
The situation in the country is described as deteriorating “rapidly, with devastating consequences”.
Sir Keir said: “The most important message from me to British nationals in Lebanon is to leave immediately.
“It is important that we’ve been really, really clear: now is the time to leave.”
Lebanon criticises Biden for a weak speech on crisis
01:40
Barney Davis
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib expressed disappointment on Tuesday with President Joe Biden’s remarks about the escalating crisis between Lebanon and Israel, but said he held out hope that Washington could still intervene to help.
“It was not strong. It is not promising and it would not solve this problem,” Habib said of Biden’s speech at the United Nations earlier in the day. “I (am) still hoping. The United States is the only country that can really make a difference in the Middle East and with regard to Lebanon.”
Habib spoke during an event hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Iran wants end to ‘desperate barbarism' in Gaza
Wednesday 25 September 2024 00:33
Barney Davis
Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian told the UN the world is witnessing the “true nature of the Israeli regime” as he urged “an end to the desperate barbarism [in Lebanon] before it engulfs the region and the world”.
The Iranian president said Israeli “state terrorism” over the past few days in Lebanon “cannot go unanswered”.
He said: “The responsibility of all consequences will be borne by those governments who have thwarted all global efforts to end this horrific catastrophe.”
Iran ready to end nuclear standoff with the West
Tuesday 24 September 2024 23:25
Barney Davis
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said the country wants peace for all and is ready to end its nuclear standoff with the West.
Pezeshkian criticized Iran’s arch-foe Israel for what he called “its genocide in Gaza” and said it should stop immediately. Iran’s leaders hope to see an easing of U.S. sanctions over its nuclear programme.
But relations with the West have worsened since the Iranian-backed Hamas militant group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7 and as Tehran has increased its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“We seek peace for all and have no intention of conflict with any country ... Iran opposes war and emphasizes the need for an immediate cessation of military conflict in Ukraine,” Pezeshkian said.
UK nationals told to leave Lebanon ‘immediately’ as situation deteriorates
Tuesday 24 September 2024 23:00
Barney Davis
The UK is sending around 700 troops to Cyprus in case an emergency evacuation of Lebanon is required, as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate.
Britons have been urged to leave Lebanon but with airlines suspending flights to the country because of the escalating violence, commercial escape routes could be cut off as the situation deteriorates.
The deployment to Cyprus comes as the government begins the first stage of its contingency plan, with the military team supported by Border Force and Foreign Office officials.
David Hughes reports:
FCDO confirm plan to send 700 troops to Cyprus
Tuesday 24 September 2024 22:54
Barney Davies
Britain said on Tuesday that its nationals should leave Lebanon and continued to advise against all travel to the country, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said.
“Around 700 UK troops will move to Cyprus in the coming hours, as the Government continues to prepare its contingency plans following significant escalation between Israel and Lebanon in recent days,” the office said in a statement.
Jiyeh latest Lebanese coastal town hit by Israeli airstrike
Tuesday 24 September 2024 22:48
Barney Davis
An Israeli strike hit the Lebanese seaside town of Jiyyeh for the first time early on Wednesday, 75 km north of the border with Israel, two security sources said.
UN secretary general says ‘the world cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza’
Tuesday 24 September 2024 21:42
Barney Davis
The United Nations is shirking its responsibility in preventing rocket attacks into Israel by Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Tuesday.
Gallant said in a statement on the X social-media platform in a response to comments from U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres that Hezbollah has taken “Lebanon hostage.”
“The UN is neither acknowledging their actions, nor fulfilling its fundamental obligation - preventing Hezbollah attacks and demanding the implementation of resolution 1701” he said of the resolution that requires Hezbollah to disarm.
Guterres earlier said, “Lebanon is at the brink. The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel and the people of the world - cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza.”
Defence secretary John Healey urges 10,000 Brits to leave Lebanon
Tuesday 24 September 2024 21:23
Barney Davis
The UK is expected to announce that it will send 700 troops to neighbouring Cyprus amid fears of a wider war, according to the BBC.
In Liverpool, John Healey, the defence secretary, left the Labour conference early today to lead a high-level meeting on the crisis in Lebanon.
“Our concern is always for the safety of British nationals,” he said after leaving the COBRA meeting.
“And our advice to them is to leave Lebanon now, that hasn’t changed.
“And this was a meeting simply to make sure that we’ve got plans in place for future developments.”
IRC urges diplomatic solution to Lebanon as death toll increases
Tuesday 24 September 2024 20:40
Barney Davis
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has released a statement about its deep concern about the escalating conflict in Lebanon, which has left over 500 people killed.
It read: “The IRC has been working in Lebanon since 2012 delivering relief programmes to Lebanese citizens and refugees. IRC teams in Lebanon are now conducting rapid needs assessments which will support our emergency response to support those affected by the ongoing fighting.
“However, ongoing insecurity may significantly hinder our ability to deliver vital assistance to those in need. IRC staff members and partner organisations have already been directly impacted by the attacks which have forced families to flee their homes.”
Amidst the ongoing Israeli airstrikes on the heavily populated areas of Beirut, South and Bekaa, tens of thousands are facing fresh displacement, with over 102,000 people already displaced since October 2023, the charity added.
“In a region already devastated by conflict, displacement, and poverty the last thing civilians need is war. It is essential that humanitarian actors are able to safely assess needs and deliver emergency aid.
“The IRC urges all parties to urgently seek a diplomatic solution and avoid a regional conflagration and more humanitarian suffering. International law must be upheld to protect civilians and aid workers.”
What is Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese group hit in ‘double tap’ pager attacks?
Tuesday 24 September 2024 20:05
Barney Davis
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has ramped up since thousands of exploding pagers and walkie-talkies killed dozens of Hezbollah operatives and civilians.
Since Monday when Israel began large-scale strikes on Lebanese territory, 558 people have been killed including 50 children and 94 women.
But what is Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group exchanging fire with Israel?
Tom Watling and Andy Gregory report:
Lebanon death toll rises to 569 as ‘two dozen killed in Gaza’
Tuesday 24 September 2024 19:30
Barney Davis
At least 569 people were killed, including 50 children and 94 women, in Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Monday, Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiadtells told Al Jazeera Mubasher TV on Tuesday.
Palestinian officials in Gaza, meanwhile, said new Israeli strikes killed at least two dozen people.
Israel’s military says it will do “whatever is necessary” to push Hezbollah away from Lebanon’s border with Israel. Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire since the Israel-Hamas war began. On Monday, Israel launched hundreds of airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, killing nearly 500 people and wounding more than 1,600 others.
Thousands of people fled southern Lebanon, jamming the main highway to Beirut in the biggest exodus since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.
Hezbollah again launched some 100 projectiles toward Israel on Tuesday, the Israeli military said.
Conflict is spreading “dangerously”, says Brazilian president
Tuesday 24 September 2024 18:40
Alex Croft
In a speech at the UN summit, Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has condemned the “right of revenge” which he believes is hindering peace talks.
He said the war in Gaza is spreading “dangerously” to Lebanon and repeated his longstanding calls for a ceasefire.
"The right of defence has turned into the right of revenge, which prevents an agreement to release hostages and postpones a ceasefire," Lula told the summit.
Lula repeated his call for a reformation of the UN, saying the body was not succeeding in its job of preventing wars.
Israel open to ideas to de-escalate in Lebanon, says Israel’s UN envoy
Tuesday 24 September 2024 18:28
Barney Davis
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon has said the country prefers a diplomatic solution to a ground invasion in Lebanon after the United States said it was exploring some “concrete ideas” with allies and partners to find a solution.
“As we speak there are important forces trying to come up with ideas and we are open-minded for that,” he told reporters. “We are not eager to start any ground invasion anywhere ... We prefer a diplomatic solution.”
Fierce fighting this week between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah has increased fears that nearly a year of conflict will explode and destabilize the Middle East, where a war between Hamas and Israel is already raging in Gaza.
Israel has said it is shifting its focus from Gaza to the northern frontier, where Hezbollah has been firing rockets into Israel in support of Hamas, which is also backed by Iran.
Lebanese minister warns country will pay ‘very big price’ if Hezbollah pursues Israel war
Tuesday 24 September 2024 18:18
Alex Croft
Amin Salam, Lebanon’s economy minister who is not affiliated with Hezbollah, warned against taking a “big risk and gamble”.
He called on the country to make a “wise decision”.
Mr Salam told Sky News: "There needs to be a decision whether we want to drag Lebanon into further escalation and misery or we want to make a wise decision.
He said that taking a “big risk and gamble” in this war will lead to a “very, very, very big”.
It would take Lebanon “many, many years” to get back from the “very difficult place” such a decision would lead the country to.
Oxfam: Lebanon ‘cannot afford’ another crisis
Tuesday 24 September 2024 18:05
Alex Croft
Oxfam has weighed in on events in Lebanon, saying in a statement that Lebanon cannot afford a war on top of existing crises.
The organisation says disastrous conditions will be the result of further war in southern Lebanon, and does not believe the international humanitarian system will have the capacity to meet the needs of an increase in violence.
Oxfam’s Lebanon country director Bachir Ayoub said: “This conflict was predictable and avoidable. It is the result of the failure to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.
“For decades, the people of Lebanon have endured one crisis after another without getting the opportunity to fully recover. This latest emergency will only deepen the existing challenges facing the people of Lebanon and further destabilize an already volatile region.”
Thousands flee Israel airstrikes on Lebanon with what little they can: ‘We’re afraid for a big war’
Tuesday 24 September 2024 17:46
Cosette Molijn in Lebanon, Tom Watling
Thousands of people have arrived in the Lebanese city of Aley, about 12 miles from Beirut, since Israel intensified its airstrikes against Hezbollah – fleeing the south where the bombardment has been focused.
“We smelled the bombs. Then we started to see traffic jams. My children panicked and cried, so we decided to leave.”
Cosette Molijn speaks to the people fleeing Israeli shelling in Lebanon:
Pictured: Medics and authorities gather after Beirut strike
Tuesday 24 September 2024 17:25
Alex Croft
Israel carrying out ‘extensive’ strikes
Tuesday 24 September 2024 17:03
Alex Croft
The Israeli military has said it is carrying out “extensive strikes” on Hezbollah targets around Lebanon.
At least 564 people have been killed, including 50 children and 94 women, since Israel began a heavy round of strikes in southern Lebanon on Monday.
The military did not provide further detail on the strikes currently being conducted.
Israel-Hezbollah conflict timeline: Everything that’s happened since 7 October
Tuesday 24 September 2024 16:45
Alex Croft
Fears of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah are growing, with the Israeli military launching fresh strikes on Lebanon after the deadliest day for the country since at least 2006.
A rapid escalation has taken place following a series of exploding device attacks last week, in which pagers and walkie talkies blew up around Lebanon. Hezbollah has blamed Israel for the attack. Israel has not commented.
Fifty children are among the 558 dead so far this week following Israeli strikes on Lebanon.
The Independent takes a look at the recent timeline of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and an ally of Hamas in Gaza:
Two UN staff killed in strikes on Lebanon
Tuesday 24 September 2024 16:28
Alex Croft
Two UN refugee agency workers were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon on Monday, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said.
Dina Darwiche, who lived with her family and had worked with the agency for 12 years, was killed alongside her son, AP reported. Their bodies were recovered from the rubble today.
The strike, in Lebanon’s Bekaa region, also seriously injured her husband and another child.
Ali Basma who worked for the UNHCR as a cleaner in UNHCR’s Tyre office for seven years, was killed in a separate strike.
Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said: “Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon are now relentlessly claiming hundreds of civilian lives. And I am very saddened to confirm that two UNHCR colleagues were also killed yesterday.
“On behalf of all us at UNHCR, heartfelt condolences to their families, friends and colleagues.”
The UNHCR said it was “outraged and deeply saddened by the killing of two beloved members of the UNHCR family in Lebanon”.
Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon are now relentlessly claiming hundreds of civilian lives.
— Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) September 24, 2024
And I am very saddened to confirm that two UNHCR colleagues were also killed yesterday.
On behalf of all us at UNHCR, heartfelt condolences to their families, friends and colleagues.
Biden says diplomatic solution is “possible” in final UN address
Tuesday 24 September 2024 16:09
Alex Croft
Speaking at his final UN summit, President Joe Biden said full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah is “not in anyone’s interest”.
Biden says the US has been working to bring “peace and stability” to the region, calling for a ceasefire agreement to be signed between Israel and Hamas as it nears one year since Israel invaded Gaza following the October 7 attacks by Hamas.
He added that the US is determined to prevent a wider war across the Middle East.
“Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest … A diplomatic solution is still possible. In fact, it remains the only path to lasting security,” Biden told the summit.
Israel says it has killed senior Hezbollah commander
Tuesday 24 September 2024 16:00
Alex Croft
The Israeli military has echoed reports that Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Qubaisi was killed in a strike on Beirut.
The news was first reported by two Lebanese security sources via Reuters news agency.
According to the Times of IsraeI’s military correspondent, Israeli forces said Qubaisi was killed in an airstrike by two fighter jets in the southern Dahiyeh suburb.
It added that other senior officers in Hezbollah’s rocket division were in the apartment when Qubaisi was killed.
Six people were killed and 15 people injured, Reuters reported.
Mapped: Where have Israel’s missiles hit Lebanon as nearly 500 die in one day
Tuesday 24 September 2024 15:46
Tom Watling
Israel says Hezbollah has launched some 9,000 rockets and drones into Israel since last October, and has increased its capacity to 150,000 rockets in total.
Below, we look at where the strikes have hit over the past few days.
The Independent’s Tom Watling reports:
UN Chief: “We can’t go on like this”
Tuesday 24 September 2024 15:30
Alex Croft
António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, said we “can’t go on like this” as the General Assembly’s annual debate between world leaders began.
A growing number of countries believe they should have a “get out of jail free” card, Guterres said according to Reuters.
Guterres did not specify which countries he was referring to, but said: “They can trample international law. They can violate the United Nations Charter.
“They can invade another country, lay waste to whole societies, or utterly disregard the welfare of their own people.
“And nothing will happen. The level of impunity in the world is politically indefensible and morally intolerable.”
Guterres also spoke on Lebanon specifically, stating that Lebanese and Israelis “cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza.”
Many children ‘missing under rubble’, UNICEF says
Tuesday 24 September 2024 15:15
Alex Croft
After the deadliest day of airstrikes in Lebanon since 2006, UNICEF warns that many children remain “missing under rubble” and stuck “on dangerous roads”.
More children were killed in Lebanon on Monday than in the entire year leading up to it, UNICEF Deputy Representative for Lebanon Ettie Higgins told a UN briefing, according to CNN.
The UN’s children’s agency said it had received reports of Lebanese children sleeping in cars and on the sides of roads after being displaced from their homes in southern Lebanon.
“We’re also getting reports that hundreds of children are caught en route across dangerous roads across the country.
“If we return to a conflict like those dark days of 2006, we really fear as UNICEF that this time, it could be even worse for the children of Lebanon,” Higgins stressed.
Hezbollah commander killed in Beirut strike which killed six, sources say
Tuesday 24 September 2024 15:09
Alex Croft
The Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut killed Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Qubaisi, sources told Reuters.
Qubaisi was a leading figure in Hezbollah’s rocket division, the sources said.
Six people were killed and 15 injured in the strike, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
It is the second consecutive day that Israel has struck the Hezbollah-controlled area of Beirut.
Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 22 Palestinians
Tuesday 24 September 2024 14:55
Alex Croft
Medics announced that at least 22 Palestinians have been killed on Tuesday by several Israeli airstrikes.
Six people, including three women, were killed in a strike on a house in Nuseirat, one of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps, health officials said.
It comes as Israeli forces battle Hamas-led fighters in Rafah, near Gaza’s Egypt border.
Israeli tanks advanced in northern and western areas of Rafah. Residents in the area said the Israeli army blew up several homes in eastern and central areas, Reuters news agency reports.
Biden ‘hasn’t given up’ on Gaza ceasefire
Tuesday 24 September 2024 14:33
Alex Croft
US President Joe Biden “hasn’t given up” on bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday that the US is “determined to keep at it”.
Biden will gather with world leaders in New York to work on a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, alongside their attempts to avoid an all-out war in the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah ramps up.
More images of damage following Beirut strike
Tuesday 24 September 2024 14:10
Alex Croft
Israeli spokesperson David Mencer holds press conference
Tuesday 24 September 2024 13:51
Alex Croft
As Israel strikes Beirut for the second time in two days, Israeli spokesperson David Mencer is holding a press conference.
"Lebanon should take this warning extremely seriously," he tells reporters.
"The prime minister has also made clear that once our operation is over, they will be able to return safely to their homes."
Pictured: Israel strikes Beirut
Tuesday 24 September 2024 13:45
Alex Croft
Israel conducts strike on Beirut
Tuesday 24 September 2024 13:26
Alex Croft
The Israeli military says it has carried out a “targeted” strike on Beirut.
Security sources in Lebanon said Israel targeted a Hezbollah commander in the capital’s southern suburbs, Reuters news agency reported.
It is the second consecutive day that Israel has struck the Hezbollah-controlled area of the capital.
Sources have not confirmed who was the target of the strike, and that the fate of the target is not known.
The strike hit a building in the typically busy Ghobeiry neighbourhood.
Defence Secretary leaves party conference for emergency meeting on Middle East
Tuesday 24 September 2024 12:51
Alex Croft
Defence Secretary John Healey has left the Labour Party conference early to chair an emergency Cobra meeting, Sky News reports.
The meeting is believed to be concerning escalating tensions in the Middle East, as Israel kills hundreds with a fresh wave of strikes in Lebanon since yesterday.
Israel aiming to deter Iran, Israeli media reports
Tuesday 24 September 2024 12:30
Alex Croft
A source told Israeli outlet Haaretz that part of the aim of Israel’s airstrike was to signal to the “Iranian axis that Israel is unafraid to act decisively to prevent further escalation”.
They added: “Israel has additional potential targets in Lebanon and will not hesitate to strike if Hezbollah does not grasp the message.”
After arriving at the UN summit in New York, Iranian president said: "We do not wish to be the cause of instability in the Middle East as its consequences would be irreversible.”
"It’s Israel that wants to drag everyone into war and destabilise the region… They are dragging us to a point where we do not wish to go."
Foreign Secretary calls for ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon
Tuesday 24 September 2024 12:15
Harry Taylor
The Government has urged a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, as the death toll from Israeli strikes targeting the terrorist group Hezbollah rose to nearly 500 people.
Thousands of people have been fleeing southern Lebanon since the attacks from Israel began on Monday, according to Associated Press.
Full report by Harry Taylor:
Around 100 projectiles fired by Hezbollah, Israeli military says
Tuesday 24 September 2024 11:28
Alex Croft
Around 100 projectiles, including rockets, were launched towards Israel by Hezbollah since midnight, the Israeli military says.
Lower Galilee and HaAmakim appear to be the targets of most of the rockets, a spokesperson told CNN.
Upper Galilee and Haifa were both also targeted, with buildings damaged and fires started in the north.
Most of the projectiles fired at Israel were intercepted by the Israeli military, it claims.
It comes as Israel continues to strike Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, having ramped up strikes once again in the last couple of hours.
Breaking: Number killed in Lebanon rises to 558 including 50 children
Tuesday 24 September 2024 11:23
Alex Croft
The number killed by Israeli strikes on Lebanon this week has risen to 558 including 50 children, the Lebanese health minister said.
Firass Abiad added that 94 women were included in the dead, and 1,835 have been injured.
The death count was last counted at 492 and 1,645 wounded yesterday.
Nearly 50 flights cancelled in and out of Beirut
Tuesday 24 September 2024 11:07
Alex Croft
Beirut’s main airport, Rafic Hariri, has announced that at least 40 flights were cancelled as of Tuesday morning.
The airport’s website shows dozens of cancelations including for trips between Germany, France, Turkey, Iraq and Qatar.
Aviation authorities in Lebanon have denied that any full flight suspensions are taking place, and confirmed cancellations by certain airlines due to Israeli strikes.
Tuesday 24 September 2024 10:47
Alex Croft
Iranian president arrives at UN summit
The leaders of 193 countries have been invited to New York for the UN’s highest-level annual summit.
The Middle East will be high on the agenda following the most deadly day of Israeli strikes on Lebanon in decades.
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New York yesterday. It is his first summit as president after the helicopter crash in May which killed former President Ebrahim Raisi - who many touted to be Iran’s next Supreme Leader.
Upon his arrival, Pezeshkian said: "We do not wish to be the cause of instability in the Middle East as its consequences would be irreversible.”
"It’s Israel that wants to drag everyone into war and destabilise the region… They are dragging us to a point where we do not wish to go."
Pictured: Thousands in Lebanon struck in gridlock traffic as they flee homes
Tuesday 24 September 2024 10:24
Alex Croft
Another wave of Israeli strikes begins
Tuesday 24 September 2024 10:01
Alex Croft
Israeli airstrikes are building up again on Lebanon, according to reports on Israeli radio.
A brief lull in strikes appears to have ended, after nearly 500 people were killed on Monday.
Lebanese state news agency NNA said on Tuesday: “Hostile airstrikes resumed on Baalbek and its surrounding areas, targeting Al-Tal Al-Abyad district at the northern entrance of Baalbek, the town of Talia, and the outskirts of Shamstar.”
Sky News reports that four strikes hit the area around Tyre, southern Lebanon, within a few minutes.
Israeli army radio confirmed that another wave of strikes is underway.
What is Israel planning?
Tuesday 24 September 2024 09:42
Barney Davis
Israeli officials say they have not yet made an official decision to expand military operations against Hezbollah - and have not said publicly what those operations might be. Last week, however, the head of Israel’s Northern Command was quoted in local media as advocating for a ground invasion of Lebanon.
Meanwhile, as fighting in Gaza has slowed, Israel has increased its forces along the Lebanese border, including the arrival of a powerful army division believed to include thousands of troops.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant last week declared the start of a “new phase” of the war as Israel turns its focus towards Hezbollah.
“The centre of gravity is shifting to the north,” he said.
A UN-brokered truce to the 2006 war called on Hezbollah to pull back 29 kilometres (18 miles) from the border, but it has refused, accusing Israel of also failing to carry out some provisions.
Israel is now demanding Hezbollah withdraw eight to 10 kilometres (five to six miles) from the border - the range of Hezbollah’s anti-tank guided missiles.
US sends troops to the Middle East
Tuesday 24 September 2024 09:20
Alex Croft
A small number of US troops will be sent to the MIddle East following escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, the Pentagon said.
It is unclear how many troops will be deployed and whether they have a specific mission, The Guardian reports.
Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder told reporters: “Out of an abundance of caution, we are sending a small number of additional US military personnel forward to augment our forces that are already in the region.”
“We have more capability in the region today than we did on April 14th when Iran conducted its drone and missile attack against Israel.”
Ryder referred to a 300-missile attack by Iran which sustained modest damage inside Israel after being intercepted by western air defence.
Saudi Arabia concerned with Lebanon airstrikes
Tuesday 24 September 2024 09:00
Barney Davis
Saudi Arabia expressed deep concern in a statement on Monday over security developments in Lebanon, warning of escalating violence and urging all parties to exercise restraint, state news agency SPA reported.
Israel launched hundreds of airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon on Monday, killing 492 people, including 35 children and 58 women, as the Israeli military called on residents to immediately evacuate places where it claimed the Hezbollah militant group stores weapons.
Thousands of people fled southern Lebanon, jamming the main highway to Beirut in the biggest exodus since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.
More than 1,645 people were wounded in the strikes, the Health Ministry said, a staggering one-day toll for the country.
Mapped: Israel strikes southern Lebanon
Tuesday 24 September 2024 08:52
Tom Watling
Below we take a look at where Israel struck southern Lebanon throughout yesterday.
Almost 500 people were killed in the strikes, the deadliest in nearly two decades.
Israel ‘considering siege’ on Hamas in northern Gaza
Tuesday 24 September 2024 08:30
Maroosha Muzaffar
Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly considering a plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians from northern Gaza and impose a military siege on Hamas militants who remain in the area.
The plan, endorsed by some Israeli military figures, suggests designating the area as a “closed military zone” and forcing all civilians to leave, The Guardian reported.
The Likud MP Avichai Boaron said the plan was ‘‘currently being evaluated by the government”.
“According to the plan, the IDF will evacuate all the civilians who are in the north of Gaza, from the border to the Gaza River,” Boaron was quoted as saying by the outlet. ‘‘And after they will evacuate, the IDF will assume that only the terrorists will remain. When the civilian population has left, you can find and kill all the terrorists without harming the civilians.”
The goal is said to be to isolate and target Hamas fighters without civilian casualties, pressuring them to surrender or face starvation.
Watch: Heavy barrage of missiles from Lebanon intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome
Tuesday 24 September 2024 08:00
