Middle East Conflict: Series of Explosions Rock Beirut, 30 Projectiles Fired Into Israel

IDF chief Halevi on occasion of October 7 rememberance day said, "We are fighting! For a year now, we have been in the midst of a complex, multi-front war, with many significant and extensive achievements. Many challenges still lie ahead. IDF soldiers are deployed and fighting with strength on all fronts without stopping. This is a long war, measured not only by capabilities but also by the willpower and perseverance over time. For our enemies – every month, every week, and every day is worse than the one before. Even after the campaign ends, we will need to maintain our achievements, and our enemies will know, beyond any doubt, there will be no revival for those who seek to destroy us.

“A year has passed since October 7th, the day we failed in our mission to protect the citizens of the State of Israel. We are now in the Ten Days of Repentance. October 7th is not only a day of remembrance, but also a call for deep introspection.A recognition of our failures and a commitment to learning from them, while assessing the challenges, both those we have faced and those that still await us,” he added.
 

Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority announced that Beirut International Airport canceled all flights from 9:00 PM on Sunday to 6:00 AM on Monday.

The United Nations refugee chief says many air strikes on Lebanon have violated international humanitarian law in a reference to Israel’s bombardment of large parts of the country.

“Unfortunately, [there are] many instances of violations of international humanitarian law in the way the air strikes are conducted that have destroyed or damaged civilian infrastructure, have killed civilians, have impacted humanitarian operations,” Filippo Grandi told media in Beirut.

Netanyahu has told Macron that restrictions on Israel would strengthen Iran’s axis of resistance, a day after France’s president urged a halt to weapon supplies to Israel.

“Just as Iran supports all parts of the Iranian terrorist axis, Israel’s friends are expected to stand behind it, and not impose restrictions on it that will only strengthen the Iranian axis of evil,” Netanyahu told Macron in a phone call, according to a statement published by the Israeli PM’s office.

The Pentagon said in a statement that Lloyd Austin will host Yoav Gallant “to discuss ongoing Middle East security developments”.

The announcement comes as Israel vowed to retaliate for Iran’s missile attack last week where 180 ballistic missiles were launched in response to the killing of Iran’s allies, including Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Amid ongoing conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, rockets from Lebanon were intercepted by Israel, house has been damaged in northern Israel.

The Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Security Committee approved the ban on UNRWA activities in Israel in a meeting on Sunday.

This was due to the numerous UNRWA employees who were found to have participated in the October 7 massacres. The ban will extend to any and all Israeli officials, banning them from meeting UNRWA personnel, providing diplomatic visas, or providing them with economic benefits. Criminal proceedings will be opened against UNRWA employees involved in terror attacks, an offical statement said. 

In a news conference, Lebanon Education Minister Abbas Halabi said his ministry would be postponing the school year start until late October.

Halabi said it was impossible to open public schools as some were located in areas subject to attack or were sheltering displaced people.

He added that private educational institutions willing to start classes according to the original date – October 7 – may do so at their own risk.

“We also hope that the displacement period will not be prolonged and that stability will return and alternative centres will be found instead of public schools to receive the displaced until they return to their homes,” Halabi added.

A spokesman of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization has confirmed to state-run IRNA news agency that flights in “some” of the country’s airports will be halted from 17:30 to 01:30 GMT. 

The spokesman only cited “operational limitations” without elaborating further.

In a statement, the Hezbollah militant group said it had “launched an air assault with a squadron of attack drones on the maintenance and rehabilitation base south of Haifa”.

Israel has increased its span of attacks in Bekaa Valley. Bekaa Valley has been a focal point for the Israeli army since days. 

The Israeli military launched airstrikes and intensified shelling near northern Gaza. 

Pope Francis has called for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza before the first anniversary of the Israeli war on the besieged Palestinian coastal territory.

“Let us pray for the Lebanese, especially for the people in the south who are forced to leave their villages,” Francis told people gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his weekly Angelus prayer.

In a statement, Macron’s office said: “France is Israel’s unfailing friend. Mr Netanyahu’s words are excessive and irrelevant to the friendship between France and Israel. We must return to diplomatic solutions.”

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned Iran that it could face the same fate as Gaza or Beirut if it attempts to harm Israel.

"Whoever thinks that a mere attempt to harm us will deter us from taking action should take a look at Gaza and Beirut," Gallant said in a statement.

"The Iranians did not touch the air force's capabilities – no aircraft was damaged, no squadron was taken out of order," Gallant added, referring to Iran's Oct 1 missile strike on two Israeli air force bases.

“As violence escalates in #Lebanon, around 20,000 Palestine Refugees have been forcibly displaced following Israeli airstrikes on camps. @UNRWA activated emergency shelters for over 4,300 displaced people, including Palestine Refugees, Lebanese and Syrians. The Agency stands ready to open more shelters and address increasing humanitarian needs as the situation worsens,” UNRWA posted on X. 

Israeli Defense Forces said an air attack was carried out on a former school in northern Gaza, claiming it targeted a group of Palestinian fighters.

The Israeli military says Hezbollah launched about 25 rockets and multiple drones over the past few hours. Most were intercepted over Western Galilee, in northern Israel, and others fell in open areas with no deaths.

The army also said it hit 150 sites purportedly used by Hezbollah in the past day alone, including infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has awarded IRGC Air Force Commander Amirali Hajizadeh the "Fat’h Medal" in recognition of Iran’s October 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel, dubbed "Operation True Promise 2."

The umbrella organization of Iran-aligned militias in Iraq has stated three different attacks on Israeli positions in the occupied Golan Heights.

Terror attack in Beer Sheva, southern Israel: 2 people were injured. The terrorists has been eliminated, official statement said.

The area where the massive air strike took place a few hours ago is the same place that the Israeli warplanes have been hitting since Thursday. It’s adjacent to the international airport, though the airport is still working. The whole area was shaking when the attacks happened, and the road that leads to the airport has also been hit twice by Israeli warplanes. Across the southern suburb, there have been several places that were attacked by Israeli drones or aircraft, and still, the emergency services are being prevented from getting close to that area, according to media reports.

The IDF said that it is also preparing for the possibility of increased rocket attacks by IRGC-backed terrorists.

The IDF and Israeli police are on high alert to secure tomorrow’s ceremonies and events in remembrance of the October 7th massacre in southern Israel. The readiness was increased inside Gaza, where IDF forces are currently maneuvering and in communities surrounding the strip.

Israeli Air Force said that Khacher Ali Toil, a Hezbollah company commander in the Kfar Kila region has been eliminated. 

Israeli Air Force has claimed that Kfarkela Company Commander of the Hezbollah terrorist organization has been eliminated in airstrikes. 

“The IAF struck and eliminated the Kfarkela Company Commander of the Hezbollah terrorist organization. Following IDF intelligence, the IAF struck and eliminated the terrorist Hader Ali Taweel, who served as the Kfarkela Company Commander of the Hezbollah terrorist organization. Taweel was responsible for firing hundreds of projectiles and anti-tank missiles toward Israeli communities in northern Israel,” IAF posted on X. 

‘New strike hits Beirut southern suburbs,’ global news agency reported quoting official media.

 An Israeli strike on a mosque in the Gaza Strip early Sunday killed at least 19 people, Palestinian officials said, as Israel intensified its bombardment of northern Gaza and southern Beirut in its widening war on Iran-allied militant groups across the region.

Israel is still battling Hamas in Gaza nearly a year after its Oct 7 attack, and has opened a new front against Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has been trading fire with Israel along the border since the war in Gaza began. Israel has also vowed to strike Iran itself after it launched a ballistic missile attack on the country last week.

 Israel strikes at Hezbollah’s terror stronghold in Dahiyeh, Beirut.

Israel has placed its forces on high alert in anticipation of the anniversary of October 7 attack by Hamas, following a military official's statement that the country was preparing to retaliate against Iran's missile attack. The heightened state of readiness coincides with Israel's escalating conflict with the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which military chief Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi vowed to strike "without concession or respite".

The Israeli military has confirmed it “conducted a series of targeted strikes” in the area of Lebanon’s capital Beirut overnight, saying it targeted “weapons storage facilities” and other parts of Hezbollah’s infrastructure.

The IDF announced the expansion of the humanitarian zone in Mawasi, on Sunday. The expanded humanitarian zone includes field hospitals established since the outbreak of the war, tent complexes and supplies of food, water, medicine and medical equipment
 

External affairs minister S Jaishankar expressed his grave concern over the escalating conflict in the Middle East during an interaction following his delivery of the Sardar Patel Lecture on Governance at the IC Centre for Governance. He emphasized that in today's interconnected world, a conflict in one region inevitably creates challenges globally.

More than 30 raids carried by IDF in the southern suburb in Lebanon.

At least 18 people have been killed in an overnight Israeli strike on Al Aqsa Martyrs Mosque in Deir el Balah in central Gaza, according to Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. The hospital sits right across from the mosque.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Ziad Makary said on Saturday that Lebanon was still “asking for a cease-fire and a diplomatic solution” despite the Israeli onslaught and assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
 

The Israeli Navy and Air Force release footage of intercepted UAVs directed at Israeli civilians.

Explosions lit up the night sky over Beirut as Israel expanded its bombardment in Lebanon on Saturday.

Powerful new and consecutive explosions rocked Beirut's southern suburbs late Saturday.

A series of strong explosions were reported near midnight after Israel's military called on residents to evacuate some areas and building

“President Biden has said that Israel can retaliate against Iran, but must keep the response “proportionate”. The president also urged Israel not to attack Iran’s nuclear program.  Let’s see what “proportionate” would mean, and also what’s going on with the nuclear program", said Neftali Bennet on X. 

As per a global media news agency, Iran's military has been placed on highest level of alert.

All of the Iranian Armed Forces have been placed on their Highest State of Alert, in anticipation for Israel’s Retaliatory Strike possibly Targeting their Oil and Naval Facilities.

 further details are still awaited. 

UK foreign secretary David Lammy expressed huge concerns over Israel over Israeli strikes targeting health facilities and personnel in Lebanon, calling them 'deeply disturbing'.

Israel's military struck outside the gates of a hospital in southern Lebanon without warning on Friday, 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.

Powerful new explosions rocked Beirut's southern suburbs late on Saturday as Israel expanded its bombardment in Lebanon, striking a Palestinian refugee camp deep in the north for the first time as it targeted both Hezbollah and Hamas fighters.

“The command and control complexes were used by Hamas terrorists to plan and carry out terrorist operations against the IDF forces and the State of Israel,” the IAF said in a statement published on the Air Force’s X account.