Sir Keir Starmer has urged Britons in Lebanon to “leave immediately” as Israel intensifies its bombing campaign against Hezbollah.
Speaking on a flight to the United Nations HQ in New York, 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.”
It comes as hundreds of British troops are being sent to Cyprus to prepare for a possible evacuation of Britons from Lebanon.
Around 700 soldiers are deploying imminently to assist hundreds of those already in Cyprus and waiting to help stranded British citizens. Government officials fear that there may be more than 10,000 British citizens still in Lebanon.
Rocket sirens were sounded across Tel Aviv this morning as the Israeli military said it intercepted a surface-to-surface missile fired from Lebanon.
This is the first time Hezbollah has targeted Tel Aviv, in central Israel, since near-daily rocket fire across the border late last year following the 7 October Hamas attack and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s retaliatory war on Gaza.
Key Points
- UK nationals told to leave Lebanon ‘immediately’ as situation deteriorates
- Hezbollah confirms death of missile chief in Israeli strike
- Hezbollah fires ballistic missile targeting Mossad headquarters near Tel Aviv
- Lebanon death toll rises to 569 as ‘two dozen killed in Gaza’
Hezbollah confirms death of missile chief in Israeli strike
07:27
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A top Hezbollah commander was killed during Israel’s airstrikes on Lebanon, the militia group confirmed this morning.
The Iran-backed group said Ibrahim Mohammad Qobeissi, the alleged commander of Hezbollah’s rocket and missile unit, was killed in a strike on a southern suburb of Beirut. He was 62.
The group in a statement said Qobeissi “achieved martyrdom on the path to Jerusalem”.Israel said Qobeissi had orchestrated a 2000 attack when three Israeli soldiers were abducted and killed.
Israel-Hezbollah conflict timeline: Everything that’s happened since 7 October
07:15
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
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.
Fifty children are among more than 560 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.
Senior Hezbollah commander killed in rocket strike
06:55
Barney Davis
An Israeli airstrike on Beirut killed a senior commander of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon on Tuesday as cross-border rocket attacks by both sides increased fears of a full-fledged war.
“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.
Russia has cultivated closer ties with Iran since the start of its war with Ukraine and has said it is preparing to sign a wide-ranging cooperation agreement with the Islamic state.
Iran has brokered secret talks between Russia and Yemen’s Houthi rebels to transfer anti-ship missiles to that militant group, three Western and regional sources said, a development that highlights Tehran’s deepening ties to Moscow.
Hezbollah confirms launching missile at Tel Aviv
06:51
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Hezbollah said it launched a surface-to-surface rocket targeting Mossad headquarters near Tel Aviv, saying the Israeli intelligence agency was responsible for assassinating its commanders and blowing up its pagers and walkie-talkies.
The Iran-backed group said it fired a Qadr-110 medium-range ballistic missile to target the headquarters this morning, in its first attack on central Israel since the Gaza war began last October.
Israel said the projectile was intercepted by its air defences.
The Israeli military has been conducting its heaviest airstrikes of the war this week on Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah leaders and hitting hundreds of targets deep inside the country. More than 560 people were killed and 1,800 wounded in strikes on Monday and Tuesday alone.
Turkey’s Erdogan compares Netanyahu to Hitler
06:45
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has compared Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler at the UN General Assembly, urging world leaders to stop what he described as the Israeli prime minister’s aggression in the Middle East.
“Just as Hitler was stopped by the alliance of humanity 70 years ago, Netanyahu and his murder network must also be stopped by the alliance of humanity,” Mr Erdogan said yesterday as he criticised the UN for becoming “a dysfunctional structure”.
“I call out the United Nations Security Council, what are you waiting for to prevent the genocide in Gaza? To put a stop to this cruelty and this barbarianism?” he asked.
Israel’s airstrikes have killed more than 41,400 Palestinians and injured over 95,800 others in Gaza in 11 months. The war began in retaliation against Hamas’s surprise attack on southern Israel on 7 October, which killed nearly 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians.
Lebanon journalist hit by Israeli airstrike during live broadcast
06:30
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A journalist in Lebanon sustained injuries after his house was struck by an Israeli projectile while he was broadcasting live.
Fadi Boudia, the editor-in-chief of the Maraya International network, suffered injuries when the blast shattered the windows of his house in eastern Lebanon’s Al-Bekaa region.
The video of the incident is now viral on social media.
Mr Boudia was speaking live on the Iraqi channel iNews about Israel’s bombings in Lebanon, which has killed more than 560 people, Middle East Monitor reported.
BREAKING:
— sarah (@sahouraxo) September 23, 2024
Lebanese journalist Fadi Boudia was hit by Israel while reporting live on air. pic.twitter.com/5U3SWkXXly
Protests in US over Biden’s support for Israel
06:15
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Protesters in some US cities demonstrated yesterday against American military support for Israel amid concerns of a wider war in the Middle East, with anti-war activists demanding an arms embargo against the US ally.
Dozens of protesters gathered in Herald Square in New York City on Tuesday evening and carried banners that read “Hands off Lebanon now” and “no US-Israeli war on Lebanon,” according to the ANSWER coalition group, which stands for “Act Now to Stop War and End Racism”.
Protesters chanted “Hands off the Middle East”, “Free Palestine” and “Biden, Harris, Trump and Bibi; none are welcome in our city,” referring to US president Joe Biden, vice president Kamala Harris, former president Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A smaller protest with similar slogans and banners was also seen near the White House in Washington last evening.
“Israel’s attacks in Lebanon and the ongoing siege and genocide in Gaza are made possible by the huge amount of bombs, missiles and warplanes provided by the US government,” the ANSWER coalition group said in a statement.
It said protests were also being organised in other cities including San Francisco, Seattle, San Antonio and Phoenix.
Which bases will 700 troops go to to help Brits evacuate?
06:00
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The UK already has a significant diplomatic and military presence in the region, including RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and British ships RFA Mounts Bay and HMS Duncan, which have remained in the eastern Mediterranean over the summer.
The Royal Air Force has planes and transport helicopters on standby to provide support if necessary.
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.
Mapped: Where have Israel’s missiles hit Lebanon as nearly 500 die in one day
05:45
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire of thousands of rockets, forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes, with the Israeli strikes on Lebanon being particularly intense, leaving more than 550 people dead and 1,800 injured in less than two days.
The Israeli military said warplanes struck 1,600 targets on Monday, claiming that they were being used by the Iran-backed Hezbollah Many, the military said, were hidden in residential areas and they called on resiudents to evacuate. Israeli warplanes resumed aerial attacks in the early hours of Tuesday.
Pictured: Scenes on the ground in Lebanon
05:30
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Breaking: Israel intercepts ‘missile fired from Lebanon’
05:09
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Rocket sirens were sounded across Tel Aviv this morning as the Israeli military said it intercepted a surface-to-surface missile fired from Lebanon.
This is the first time Hezbollah has targeted Tel Aviv in central Israel since it began launching attacks on the north of Israel this year following Benjamin Netanyahu’s war on Gaza.
Israel’s two-day-long bombing of Lebanon has killed more than 560 people, including 50 children, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Israel claims it was targeting Hezbollah hideouts.
Lebanon’s health minister says Israeli strikes causing ‘carnage’
05:00
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Lebanon’s health minister has described the incessant Israeli airstrikes as “carnage”, which killed more than 560 people, including 50 children in just two days.
Firass Abiad said it was “clear” that about 550 people killed on Monday were civilians and not Hezbollah militants.
“If you look at the people who were brought to the emergency rooms it’s clear that they’re civilians. They are not the combatants that the Israelis claim they are,” he told BBC.
“We know about the victims of the attacks because our ambulances are the ones that transferred them to hospitals,” he added.
“[They were] civilians who were doing their normal things.”
Israel says it is acting in self defence against Hezbollah, which has been firing rockets into northern Israel for almost a year now since the start of the Gaza war.
Thousands flee Lebanon as Israel vows to continue strikes
04:30
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Tens of thousands of people have fled southern Lebanon after Israel’s two-day-long incessant bombing killed more than 560 people, including 50 children, according to the health minister.
Families that fled southern Lebanon flocked to Beirut and the coastal city of Sidon, sleeping in schools turned into shelters, as well as in cars, parks and along the beach.
Some sought to leave the country, causing a traffic jam at the border with Syria, Associated Press reported.
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that attacks will continue on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. But a military spokesperson said Israel aims to keep them “as short as possible, that’s why we’re attacking with great force”.
“At the same time, we must be prepared for it to take longer,” he said.
The UN’s high commissioner for refugees in Lebanon said one of its staffers and her young son were among those killed on Monday in the Bekaa region, while a cleaner under contract was killed in a strike in the south.
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:
