Live updates (closed)
The Times of Israel liveblogged Sunday’s events as they unfolded.
PFLP says three of its leaders killed in Israeli strike on Beirut
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) says in a statement that three of its leaders were killed in an Israeli strike that targeted Beirut’s Kola district after midnight on Monday.
There had been earlier reports claiming that the strike targeted the leadership of another terror organization al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya (Islamic Group), which has issued a denial.
IDF says it hit dozens of Hezbollah sites in Bekaa Valley in overnight strikes
The IDF says its fighter jets have finished striking dozens of Hezbollah sites in the Bekaa Valley region of Lebanon over the past two hours.
Among the sites attacked were rocket launchers and buildings where Hezbollah was storing weapons, the army says.
The IDF also struck other sites in southern Lebanon being used by Hezbollah for terror operations against Israel, it adds.
Senior Democrats call for sanctioning settlement development group Amana
Amana CEO Ze'ev "Zambish" Hever addresses his settlement group's annual conference in Jerusalem on November 14, 2017. (Courtesy: Yesha Council)
Three senior Democratic senators are urging the Biden administration to sanction Amana, the development arm of the settler movement.
Amana is behind the establishment of settlements along with illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are often built on private Palestinian land.
Senior US officials have told The Times of Israel that Amana has already been considered a candidate for previous rounds of sanctions announced following an executive order signed by US President Joe Biden in February that targets extremist individuals and entities destabilizing the West Bank through violent attacks and land grabs.
Sanctioning Amana would likely have major implications on the settler movement whose leaders have been scrambling to try and prevent such a move, the US officials said.
In a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair Ben Cardin, Senate Armed Services Committee Jack Reed and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence chair Mark Warner argue that the step against Amana should be taken.
“We urge you to “follow the money” and consider sanctions against other perpetrators and their supporters like the Amana organization,” the senators write.
“Amana has a long and well-documented history of supporting extremist settlers who expropriate Palestinian land and threaten Palestinian landholders, farmers, and shepherds. Amana has played a central role in forming and sustaining hill-top outposts illegal under Israeli law, often by granting loans to bankroll their start.
IDF says it intercepted suspicious aerial target that crossed into Israeli territory from Lebanon
IDF air defense fighters successfully intercepted a suspicious aerial target that crossed into Israeli territory from Lebanon a short while ago, the army says.
Rocket sirens were activated in the area of the northern border town Ramot Naftali due to falling fragments from the missile interceptor, the IDF adds.
Saudi Arabia calls for Lebanon’s sovereignty to be respected
Saudi Arabia expresses its “great concern” at the conflict in Lebanon, calling for the country’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity” to be respected.
A foreign ministry statement says, “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is following with great concern the developments taking place in the Republic of Lebanon.”
“The Kingdom calls on the international community to assume its responsibilities towards protecting regional peace and security to spare the region and its people the dangers and tragedies of wars,” it adds.
Israel has carried out several days of deadly strikes on targets in Lebanon, killing the leader of the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group Hassan Nasrallah on Friday and other senior figures in the movement.
IDF says it hit Hamas terrorists operating from building previously used as school in north Gaza
Israeli fighter planes targeted Hamas terrorists operating a command center from a building that was previously used as a school in northern Gaza, the IDF says.
The army says it took many steps ahead of time to reduce harm to civilians in the strike, including choosing more precise weapons and conducting aerial observations of the site ahead of time.
“The Hamas terror group systematically violates international law, brutally exploiting civilian institutions and the population as a human shield for terror operations,” the IDF says in a statement.
Israeli drone strike in Beirut said to kill two members of Sunni terror group
Two people were killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut shortly after midnight on Monday, a Lebanese security source says, the first strike in a part of the city that wasn’t in the Dahiyeh Hezbollah stronghold in the southern suburbs.
An Israeli drone targeted an apartment belonging to two members of the Lebanese terror group al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya (Islamic Group), says the source.
Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya, like Hamas, is a Sunni faction that forms part of the broader Muslim Brotherhood political network. The armed wing of the group, the al-Fajr Forces, has repeatedly targeted Israel from Lebanon in the current war, often working in conjunction with the Shi’ite Hezbollah.
The IDF has yet to comment on the strike, but does tweet that the army is targeting Hezbollah sites in the Bekaa Valley region of Lebanon.
Blast heard, smoke seen in southwest Beirut
An Israeli strike early Monday hit an upper floor of an apartment building in the Kola district of Beirut, Reuters witnesses say, in what would be the first Israeli strike within Beirut’s city limits since the escalating hostilities with Hezbollah began earlier this month.
Reuters witnesses heard a bang and saw smoke rise from a hole in the upper floor, which seemed to have been specifically targeted.
לילות ביירות pic.twitter.com/CuRndOKjbu
— roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) September 29, 2024
Jordanian FM: Arab world willing to guarantee Israel’s security if Palestinian state established
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi addresses reporters in New York at the United Nations on September 27, 2024. (Screen capture/X)
In a recent press conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi insisted that Arab and Muslim countries will guarantee Israel’s security if Jerusalem agrees to allow the establishment of a Palestinian state on the pre-1967 lines, while blasting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to do so.
“The Israeli prime minister came here today and said that Israel is surrounded by those who want to destroy it,” Safadi said at a Friday press conference shortly after Netanyahu finished his speech at the UN General Assembly.
“We’re here — members of the Muslim-Arab committee, mandated by 57 Arab and Muslim countries — and I can tell you very unequivocally, all of us are willing to guarantee the security of Israel in the context of Israel ending the occupation and allowing for the emergence of a Palestinian state,” Safadi passionately argued.
Netanyahu “is creating that danger because he simply does not want the two-state solution. If he does not want the two-state solution, can you ask Israeli officials what is their end-game — other than just wars and wars and wars?”
“All of us in the Arab world here, want a peace in which Israel lives in peace and security, accepted, normalized with all Arab countries in the context of ending the occupation, withdrawing from Arab territory, allowing for the emergence of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lies with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Safadi continues.
“The amount of damage that this Israeli government has done — 30 years of efforts to convince people that peace is possible, this Israeli government killed it. The amount of dehumanization, hatred, bitterness, will take generations to navigate through,” the Jordanian foreign minister says. “We have no partner for peace in Israel, there is a partner for peace in the Arab world, and that’s why the international community needs to move.”
Pro-Hezbollah protesters in Pakistan clash with police after being blocked from reaching US consulate
Police fire tear gas to disperse Shiite Muslims during a protest against the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, near the US consulate, in Karachi, Pakistan Sunday, September 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)
Police in Pakistan’s southern city of Karachi say seven officers were injured and receiving treatment in a hospital after protesters pelted them with stones as they attempted to reach the US consulate during a protest over Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Protesters chanted “Death to America,” while carrying posters of Nasrallah.
“Police had to resort to baton charging and tear gas against those who breached the cordons in a bid to disperse the crowd,” says Police Deputy Inspector General Asad Raza, adding that protesters had tried to reach areas beyond cordons agreed upon with organizers in advance.
He says police will register criminal cases against protesters who acted violently.
Pro-Iran Shi’ite religious political party Majlis Wahadatul Muslimeen had organized the rally of around 3,000 people in the country’s most populous city.
Likud and Netanyahu rising in support; Ben Gvir slipping, TV poll finds
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, greets National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir at the Knesset on May 23, 2023. (Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP)
A Channel 12 poll shows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud rising in popularity, and Netanyahu’s personal standing with the public also going up.
Were elections held today, Likud would win 25 seats in the 120-member Knesset, making it the largest party, followed by Benny Gantz’s National Unity on 21 seats, Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid on 15, Avigdor Liberman’s Israel Beytenu on 14 and the Democrats (a Labor-Meretz alliance) on 11. Likud, Channel 12 says, is rising at the expense of Itamar Ben Gvir’s far-right Otzma Yehudit party, which is down to 6 seats in the poll, from 9 in the previous survey.
As regards the Knesset blocs, these are unchanged since the last Channel 12 poll 10 days ago, with the anti-Netanyahu bloc on 66, the pro-Netanyahu bloc on 49, and the Hadash-Ta’al Arab alliance holding the remaining five seats.
Netanyahu is preferred as prime minister by 38-29% over Gantz, and by 38-27% over Lapid, the poll says. But former prime minister Naftali Bennett is preferred to Netanyahu by 38-35%, which does marks an improvement for Netanyahu, since the gap between them was 11% in the last poll.
The poll also shows rising approval for Netanyahu’s handling of the war. Today, 53% say he’s doing a bad job and 43% say he’s doing a good job. Ten days ago, 60% said he was doing a bad job and 35% said he was doing a good job.
The Midgam poll was taken today by phone and over the internet, among 502 representative respondents, with a 4.4% margin of error.
Thus the survey reflects respondents’ views in the wake of the IDF’s killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut on Friday, but not this evening’s entry of Gideon Sa’ar into Netanyahu’s coalition.
Sa’ar’s New Hope party, in the poll, was shown at 2.4% — below the minimum threshold for getting any Knesset seats.
IDF: Dozens of Hezbollah sites struck by air force, including rocket launchers aimed at Israel
Dozens of Hezbollah sites in Lebanon were struck by Israeli Air Force fighter jets in the past few hours, the IDF says.
According to the military, among the targets was a rocket launcher used to target the northern town of Sde Eliezer earlier today.
Several more rocket launchers aimed at Israel, buildings where Hezbollah stored weapons, and other structures used by the terror group were struck, the IDF adds.
מטוסי קרב של חיל האוויר, בהכוונת פיקוד הצפון, תקפו משעות הצהריים עשרות רבות של מטרות טרור של חיזבאללה ברחבי לבנון, בהן המשגר ממנו בוצעו השיגורים מוקדם יותר היום למרחב שדה אליעזר>> pic.twitter.com/0ORnwhipE9
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) September 29, 2024
Lebanese outlets report renewed airstrikes in Beirut’s Dahiyeh
Lebanese outlets report new Israeli airstrikes in Beirut’s Dahiyeh, a known Hezbollah stronghold.
There is no immediate comment from the IDF on the reports.
Biden to talk to Netanyahu for first time since Nasrallah killed, says all-out war has to be avoided
US President Joe Biden says he’ll soon be talking to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in what will be their first phone call since Israel assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The US has tepidly backed the operation, saying Nasrallah’s death brings a degree of justice to his many victims, while stressing before and after that the administration supports a diplomatic agreement to bring about a ceasefire, rather than further escalating actions by either side.
Asked whether all-out war can be avoided, Biden responds, “It has to be. It really has to be avoided.”
Government approves Sa’ar’s entry into coalition as minister without a portfolio
The government has voted to approve New Hope leader Gideon Sa’ar’s entry into the coalition as a minister without a portfolio, the Prime Minister’s Office says.
Elections for Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi delayed by a week after inconclusive tie
A second election round for Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi will occur next week, after an inconclusive first election round today, the Rabbinate announces.
The long-awaited election, held this afternoon in Jerusalem, resulted in 40 votes for Rabbi Micha Halevi, chief rabbi of Petah Tikva, and 40 votes for Rabbi Kalman Bar, the Ashkenazi city rabbi of Netanya.
Rabbi Meir Kahana, head of the Jewish religious court in Ashkelon, received 30 votes, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Lau, a community rabbi in Netanya from a prominent dynasty, received 23, and Rabbi Eliezer Igra, an experienced religious court judge, received just 6.
But a second round that was expected to be held at 9:30 p.m. appears to have been canceled. It is expected to be pushed back to next week, after Rosh Hashana, but no date has been given.
Earlier, Rabbi David Yosef, son of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, was announced as the new Sephardic Chief Rabbi, continuing the family dynasty.
Sirens in Haifa and across north were caused by single missile from Lebanon, IDF finds
Sirens that sounded in Haifa and numerous other towns in northern Israel were triggered by a single missile launched from Lebanon.
According to the IDF, the missile was successfully intercepted by air defenses.
The large spread of sirens was due to the interception attempts and fears of falling shrapnel.
Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq claims responsibility for drone launched toward Eilat
The Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq takes responsibility for launching a drone at Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat this evening.
An Israeli Navy ship intercepted the drone over the Red Sea, outside of Israel’s borders, according to the military.
Rocket sirens blare across northern Israel, including in city of Haifa
Rocket warning sirens blare across northern Israel, including in the city of Haifa and the surrounding areas.
Sirens also sound in the northern town of Nahariya and surrounding areas, as well as in Acre and dozens of communities close to the Lebanon border.
IDF releases footage of drone interception over the Red Sea
The IDF releases footage of the drone interception over the Red Sea a short while ago by a Navy ship.
According to the military, the drone was launched from the eastern direction, possibly Iraq.
ספינת טילים של חיל הים יירטה בהצלחה, לפני זמן קצר, כלי טיס בלתי מאויש ששוגר מכיוון מזרח.
ספינת הטילים יירטה את הכטב"ם במרחב ים סוף, מחוץ לשטח מדינת ישראל pic.twitter.com/MNhK3RemY0— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) September 29, 2024
Houthi media reports port worker, 3 engineers killed in Hodeidah port strike
An image grab taken from a UGC video posted on social media on September 29, 2024, shows smoke billowing above Yemen's Houthi-held Hodeidah port city following Israeli strikes. (AFP/UGC/Anonymous)
Four people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Houthi-controlled Hodeidah port and power stations in Yemen earlier today, media outlets affiliated with the Iran-backed group report, and more than 30 others are said to have been injured.
The Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV says a port worker and three engineers were killed with 33 wounded in the “initial toll,” adding ambulance and rescue teams were still searching for missing people.
NIS 3.35 billion expansion to 2024 state budget approved in Knesset plenum by 58-52 votes
The Knesset plenum approves a bill expanding the 2024 state budget by NIS 3.35 billion ($906 million) for the second and third readings needed for it to finally pass into law.
The bill is intended to help fund evacuated civilians and reserve soldiers until the end of the year.
The bill passes in the plenum with 58 ministers voting in favor of the expansion and 52 against it, despite voiced criticism by opposition leaders that it fails to curb coalition spending to offset the increased expenditure needs amid the ongoing war.
Israeli Navy ship shoots down drone heading toward Israel over the Red Sea
An Israeli Navy ship shot down a drone heading toward Israel over the Red Sea, the military says.
According to the IDF, the drone was shot down outside of Israeli airspace.
Rabbi David Yosef, son of Ovadia Yosef, selected as Sephardic chief rabbi, continuing dynasty
Son of late Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Rabbi David Yosef, leaves after giving a Torah lesson during a visit to Safed, November 16, 2017. (David Cohen/Flash90)
The next Sephardic chief rabbi is Rabbi David Yosef, the Rabbinate announces.
Yosef is the rabbi of Har Nof, a religious Jerusalem neighborhood, and is a veteran Torah teacher who is supported by Shas. His brother, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, recently completed his tenure in the position and their father, the revered, late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, also influentially served as Sephardic Chief Rabbi.
Some 140 members of the Chief Rabbi Election Assembly voted on Sunday afternoon in Jerusalem, after fierce political battles that marred the race and repeatedly delayed the vote.
The race for Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, undertaken in tandem, resulted in a draw, with an additional round to take place tonight, with all the candidates participating. Results for the second round were not expected until after 11 p.m.
Image from meeting held by IDF chief shows picture of Sinwar with question mark over him up on TV screen
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi speaks with officers during a meeting at the IDF HQ in Tel Aviv, September 29, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
In an image released by the IDF this evening from a meeting held by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, a list of terrorists is seen on a TV screen, with a question mark on Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar.
Sinwar has been incommunicado for a relatively long time, and Israel has been investigating the possibility — currently an unlikely speculation and not backed by any hard evidence — that he is dead.
This image released by the IDF on September 29, 2024 from a meeting held by the chief of staff, shows a list of wanted terrorists, including Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar (top right) with a question mark on him. (Israel Defense Forces)
Netanyahu: ‘We are changing the strategic reality in the Middle East’; enemies again see ‘powerful’ Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) shakes hands with New Hope leader Gideon Sa'ar after the latter announces his reentry into government, September 29, 2024. (Chaim Tzach/GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stresses that “difficult days are still ahead” following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut on Friday, and ties New Hope leader Gideon Sa’ar’s reentry into the government to recent developments in the fight against the terror group, as well as the war against Hamas in Gaza.
“We are changing the strategic reality in the Middle East,” Netanyahu says in a joint press conference with Sa’ar. “The change in the balance of power brings with it the possibility of creating new alliances in our region, because Israel is winning. Our enemies and our friends are back to seeing Israel as it is — a strong, determined and powerful country.”
“But I tell you, citizens of Israel, these are also challenging days,” the premier continues. “Because even in these days, we should not forget that we are still in the midst of a difficult war, the costs of which are heavy…the cohesion of the ranks is a necessary condition for us to stand firm in these challenging days.”
Praising Sa’ar for “rising to the magnitude of the hour,” Netanyahu says his decision to rejoin the government as a minister without a portfolio “contributes to internal unity, and unity against our enemies.”
‘This isn’t a message, it’s an action,’ IDF chief says after strikes on Houthis in Yemen
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi speaks with officers during a meeting at the IDF HQ in Tel Aviv, September 29, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi following the Israeli Air Force strikes on the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, some 1,800 kilometers away, says Israel can reach even farther away enemies.
“We know how to reach very far, we know how to reach even farther, and we know how to strike there accurately,” Halevi says during a meeting with senior officers, amid the strike in Yemen.
“This isn’t a message, it’s an action,” he adds.
Elections for Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi go to second round
Committee members at the elections for Israel's new chief rabbis in Jerusalem, September 29, 2024. (Arie Leib Abrams/Flash90)
The elections for Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi will go to a second round, the Rabbinate announces.
The results were 40 votes for Rabbi Micha Halevi, chief rabbi of Petah Tikva, and 40 votes for Rabbi Kalman Bar, the Ashkenazi city rabbi of Netanya.
Rabbi Meir Kahana, head of the Jewish religious court in Ashkelon, received 30 votes, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Lau, a community rabbi in Netanya from a prominent dynasty, received 23, and Rabbi Eliezer Igra, an experienced religious court judge, received just 6.
Some 140 members of the assembly voted on Sunday afternoon in Jerusalem. The next round is to take place tonight, from 9:30-11:00 p.m., with all the candidates participating.
The results for the Sephardic Chief Rabbi position are to be announced shortly, the announcement adds.
IDF says it completed wide wave of strikes on Hezbollah command rooms across Lebanon
The IDF says it has completed a wide wave of strikes on Hezbollah command rooms across Lebanon.
Dozens of fighter jets participated in the strikes, hitting around 120 Hezbollah sites in both southern Lebanon and deep within the country, the IDF says.
The targets included command rooms belonging to various Hezbollah units and other facilities where operatives were planning to carry out attacks, according to the military.
The IDF says the strikes are a “significant blow” to Hezbollah’s command and control.
Sa’ar: Joining government now is ‘the patriotic thing to do’; Netanyahu: ‘We’ve put the grudges of the past behind us’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) shakes hands with New Hope leader Gideon Sa'ar after the latter announces his reentry into government, September 29, 2024. (Chaim Tzach/GPO)
In a joint press statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New Hope leader Gideon Sa’ar announce Sa’ar’s re-entry into the government.
Netanyahu thanks Sa’ar for responding positively to his offer to return to the governing coalition, praising him for his “broad vision and his ability to offer creative solutions to complicated problems.”
“It is no secret that we have had disagreements in the past,” says Netanyahu of Sa’ar, “but since October 7 we have put all the grudges of the past behind us.”
For his part, Sa’ar says that his decision to re-enter the government, despite withdrawing his party from the emergency coalition back in March comes amid “difficult and challenging days.”
“It is important to strengthen Israel, its government, and its unity and cohesion,” he says. “Therefore I acceded to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s request to join the government and contribute to its work in decision-making forums with my experience and abilities. This is the patriotic and right thing to do now.”
Sa’ar makes clear that he is joining the coalition as a minister without portfolio. He said last week he was offered the post of defense minister but turned it down. Netanyahu is widely believed to be determined to fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the near future — and replace him either with Sa’ar or another current minister.
Sa’ar heads a four-strong party, and thus his New Hope’s entry into the coalition raises it to 68 of the 120 Knesset members, solidifying Netanyahu’s governing majority.
Sa’ar expected to announce New Hope party’s entry into government in joint statement with PM
MK Gideon Sa'ar attends a faction meeting of the National Unity Party at the Knesset, July 10, 2023. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New Hope leader Gideon Sa’ar will deliver a joint statement to the press announcing Sa’ar’s decision to bring his party back into the government after splitting from MK Benny Gantz’s National Unity party earlier this year.
Home Front Command eases restrictions in parts of Haifa area, allowing schools to open
The IDF Home Front Command has eased restrictions in some parts of the Haifa area, allowing schools to resume.
The change in guidelines does not apply to the Krayot area, north of Haifa.
Under the new restrictions, schools in Haifa, Daliyat al-Karmel, Isfiya, and other towns in the Haifa Bay area and Carmel region, will be allowed to operate if an adequate shelter is nearby and can be reached in time.
Restrictions on gatherings have also been eased in those areas, to 30 outdoors and 300 indoors.
Some 35 rockets launched from Lebanon at northern Israel in last hour, IDF says
Some 35 rockets were launched from Lebanon at northern Israel in the past hour, the IDF says.
According to the military, 10 rockets were launched toward the Western Galilee. The IDF says several impacts were identified.
Another 25 rockets were launched toward the Haifa Bay area, setting off sirens in Acre. The IDF says the rockets all struck open areas.
There are no reports of injuries in the attacks.
IDF says two drones launched from Lebanon shot down over Israel’s territorial waters
Two drones launched from Lebanon were shot down by a Navy missile boat and an Air Force helicopter over Israel’s territorial waters a short while ago, the IDF says.
There were no injuries in the incident.
After Yemen strike, Gallant says ‘no place is too far’ for Israel to reach
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who observed the Israeli airstrikes on the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen from the IAF’s command room, says on X: “The message is clear, for us, no place is too far.”
אֶרְדּוֹף אוֹיְבַי וְאַשִּׂיגֵם וְלֹא אָשׁוּב עַד כַּלּוֹתָם״ (תהלים, פרק י״ח, פסוק ל״ח).
עקבתי מתא השליטה של חיל האוויר אחרי התקיפה כנגד החות׳ים. המסר ברור – עבורנו, אין מקום רחוק מידי. pic.twitter.com/1VcS8UvxzW
— יואב גלנט – Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) September 29, 2024
Austria’s far-right Freedom Party headed for historic win in general elections
Michael Schnedlitz, right, and Christian Hafenecker of the Freedom Party of Austria cheer at the party headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, September 29, 2024 upon seeing initial electoral projections. (AP Photo/Heinz-Peter Bader)
Austrian voters have handed a first-ever general election victory to the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) on Sunday, vote projections show, underlining rising support for hard-right parties in Europe fueled by concern over immigration levels.
The Eurosceptic, Russia-friendly FPO held a slim lead in opinion polls for months over Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s ruling conservative Austrian People’s Party (OVP) in a campaign dominated by immigration and worries about the economy.
Led by Herbert Kickl, the FPO is projected to secure 29.1% of the vote, ahead of the OVP on 26.2%, and the center-left Social Democrats on 20.4%, a projection by pollster Foresight for broadcaster ORF shows after polls closed.
A separate projection by pollster Arge Wahlen also has the FPO coming first, winning by around 4 percentage points.
The winner will fall short of an absolute majority, but will claim the right to lead a coalition.
If confirmed, Kickl’s victory may prove pyrrhic, as the 55-year-old is a polarising figure under whom other party leaders have refused to serve.
He has given no indication so far he could step aside to ensure his party leads the government.
“What’s at stake is whether the FPO will appoint the chancellor or not,” explains Kathrin Stainer-Haemmerle, a political science professor at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences.
“Should that happen, then I have to say the role of Austria in the European Union would be significantly different. Kickl has often said that (Hungarian Prime Minister) Viktor Orban is a role model for him and he will stand by him.”
Russian PM to travel to Iran Monday for meeting with president
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will visit Iran on Monday and meet Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, the Russian government says.
“Special attention” will be paid to implementation of large-scale joint projects in the sphere of transport, energy, industry, agriculture and other areas, it says in a statement.
IDF confirms launching strikes on Houthi-controlled port, power plants in Yemen
Fire and smoke can be seen rising in the distance in a video captured in Yemen following an Israeli strike on the Houthi-controlled Hodeidah port, September 29, 2024. (Screenshot, X, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
The IDF confirms launching airstrikes against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen a short while ago.
According to the military, dozens of Israeli Air Force aircraft, including fighter jets, refuelers, and spy planes, participated in the strikes some 1,800 kilometers from Israel.
The strikes targeted sites used by the Houthi regime for military purposes at Hodeidah and the nearby Ras Isa port in western Yemen, the IDF says.
“The IDF attacked power plants and a port, which are used to import oil. Through the targeted infrastructure and ports, the Houthi regime transfers Iranian weapons to the region, and supplies for military purposes, including oil,” the military says.
The IDF says the strikes were carried out in response to the Houthis recent ballistic missile attacks on Israel, including three this month.
Alleged Israeli strike on Yemen’s Hodeidah port said to have targeted power plant
The Saudi Al-Arabiya outlet reports that the alleged Israeli airstrike on the port of Hodeidah in Yemen a short while ago targeted a power plant.
The strikes come as a response to recent Houthi missile attacks on Israel, the report adds.
The Iran-backed Houthis launched three ballistic missiles at Israel this month.
#اليمن.. لحظة انفجار خزان النفط في الحديدة بعد الغارة pic.twitter.com/B5yb2BCunf
— الثانية (@AlthanytA) September 29, 2024
Courts Administration legal adviser dismisses Levin’s ‘ridiculous’ idea to nominate all Supreme Court judges for court president
The legal adviser to the Israel Courts Administration Barak Laser says the idea that the Judicial Selection Committee could hold a hearing to discuss the candidacy of justices nominated for Supreme Court president without their consent is “ridiculous” and has “no legal basis.”
His comments come in a letter to attorney and legal activist Shachar Ben Meir in response to Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s decision to nominate all 12 serving Supreme Court justices for president of the court and hold hearings on their candidacies, including on submissions from the general public expressing opposition to their appointment.
Laser’s position likely presages a dispute between Levin and the court administration ahead of the Judicial Selection Committee’s first hearing on Supreme Court president candidates at some point after November 6, or a clash in the committee itself when the hearing is held.
In Laser’s letter, he says that nominating someone for a public position without their consent was simply not possible.
“These are ridiculous claims without legal foundation,” writes Laser.
“The claim that you can appoint someone to a public position without their consent is not only disconnected from reality, but also contravenes the principles of administrative law which requires public trust in those who hold an office,” he continued.
Laser also insists that it would not be possible to hear in the committee the written objections to candidates who did not consent to be nominated, and said those submissions would not be passed on to the members of the committee.
Levin nominated all 12 justices in protest at being ordered by the High Court of Justice to call a vote for a new president in short order. The justice minister refused to call a vote because he does not have the votes in committee either to stop the appointment of liberal justice Isaac Amit as president or get conservative justice Yosef Elron appointed to the position.
Israeli airstrikes reported at Yemen’s Hodeidah port in wake of recent Houthi missile attacks
Reports from Yemen suggest the Israeli Air Force has carried out airstrikes in the coastal city of Hodeidah.
Footage posted to social media shows smoke rising from the area.
The alleged strikes come after the Iran-backed Houthis launched three ballistic missiles at Israel this month.
More footage from the alleged Israeli strike on Hodeidah pic.twitter.com/w4XinIGBxc
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 29, 2024
IDF says some 20 rockets fired at Upper Galilee in last hour, Hezbollah takes responsibility
A barrage of some 20 rockets was fired from Lebanon at the Upper Galilee in the past hour, the IDF says.
According to the military, most of the rockets were intercepted by air defenses.
There are no reports of injuries or major damage.
Hezbollah takes responsibility for the rocket fire, claiming to have targeted Rosh Pina and Safed.
IDF says fighter jets struck some 45 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon
Israeli fighter jets struck some 45 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon’s Kafra a short while ago, the military says.
According to the IDF, the sites included weapons depots and other infrastructure.
Footage purports to show moment Nasrallah’s body was recovered from Hezbollah headquarters
A hole in the ground near the site of the assassination of Hezbollah terror group leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, September 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
A short clip circulated by Lebanese media outlets purports to show the moment the body of Hezbollah terror chief Hassan Nasrallah was recovered from the terror group’s underground headquarters in Beirut.
A medical source and a security source told Reuters earlier today that Nasrallah’s body had been removed from the site of the Israeli airstrike on Friday.
Hezbollah confirmed Nasrallah’s death yesterday, after the IDF bombed the terror group’s main headquarters in the Lebanese capital on Friday.
فيديو للحظة إنتشال جثة الامين العام لحزب الله السيّد حسن نصرالله من موقع الضربة الإسرائيلية في الضاحية الجنوبية pic.twitter.com/RVrFFRJrNc
— Lebanon 24 (@Lebanon24) September 29, 2024
US boosts ‘defensive’ air support and hikes troops’ readiness to deploy for Middle East
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has authorized the military to reinforce its presence in the Middle East with “defensive” air-support capabilities and put other forces on a heightened readiness status, the Pentagon says.
Austin has “increased the readiness of additional US forces to deploy, elevating our preparedness to respond to various contingencies,” Pentagon spokesman Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder says in a statement.
The statement does not detail what new aircraft will be deploying to the region.
“Secretary Austin made clear that should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every necessary measure to defend our people,” Ryder adds.
Kirby: All-out war with Hezbollah won’t bring safety to Israel’s northern residents
Israel will not be able to safely get people back into their homes in the north of the country by waging an all-out war with Hezbollah or Iran, White House national security spokesman John Kirby says.
Kirby also tells CNN that the United States is continuing to talk to Israel about what the right next steps in Lebanon are.
Rocket sirens sound in Safed and surrounding areas
Sirens sound in Safed and the surrounding area in the Upper Galilee, warning of incoming rocket fire from Lebanon.
Hezbollah confirms senior official Nabil Qaouk killed in Israeli airsrike
In this January 26, 2010, Sheik Nabil Qaouk, a member of Hezbollah's Central Council, attends the funeral of prominent businessman Hassan Tajeddine, in the southern village of Hanaway, Lebanon (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
The Hezbollah terror group confirms the death of senior official Nabil Qaouk in an Israeli airstrike yesterday.
The IDF struck Qaouk, a member of Hezbollah’s central council, last night, and this morning confirmed he had been killed.
IDF names key operatives killed alongside Nasrallah in Beirut strike, says Hezbollah HQ was near UN school
People check the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
More than 20 Hezbollah operatives were killed alongside the leader of the terror group, Hassan Nasrallah, in the Israeli airstrike on Beirut on Friday, the IDF says.
According to the military, among those killed at Hezbollah’s underground headquarters in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut were:
- Ali Karaki, the commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front.
- Ibrahim Hussein Jazini, head of Nasrallah’s personal security unit.
- Samir Tawfiq Deeb, an adviser to Nasrallah.
- Abd al-Amir Muhammad Sablini, responsible for Hezbollah’s force buildup.
- Ali Nayef Ayoub, responsible for Hezbollah’s firepower.
The IDF says that Jazini and Deeb were among the closest people to Nasrallah, and as such were “a significant source of knowledge regarding the ongoing functioning of the Hezbollah terror organization and Nasrallah in particular.”
The Hezbollah commanders and Nasrallah had been gathered in their main underground command center in Beirut when they were struck.
The IDF says the site was located beneath residential buildings, close to a United Nations-run school.
53 meters. That’s the distance between a @UN school and Hezbollah’s underground headquarters where Hassan Nasrallah was eliminated alongside 20+ additional terrorists.
The terrorists were in Hezbollah’s central headquarters, located in the heart of Beirut, embedded beneath… pic.twitter.com/eTor8mBGhU
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 29, 2024
IDF: 10 rockets fired from Lebanon at Afula, Nazareth, surrounding towns in recent barrage
A barrage of some 10 rockets was fired from Lebanon at northern Israel a short while ago, setting off sirens in Afula, Nazareth, and numerous other towns in the Jezreel Valley.
According to the IDF, some of the rockets were intercepted by air defenses.
There are no reports of injuries or major damage in the attack.
Blasts heard near Damascus, Syrian state media reports
Blasts were heard in the vicinity of Damascus, Syrian state media reports.
There are no further details on the cause of the explosions near the Syrian capital.
IDF confirms carrying out new ‘targeted’ airstrike in Beirut
The IDF confirms carrying out an airstrike in the Lebanese capital of Beirut a short while ago.
The military describes the strike as “targeted” and says further details will be provided soon.
US airstrikes in Syria kill 37 terror operatives affiliated with ISIS and al-Qaeda-linked group
In Syria, 37 terror operatives affiliated to the jihadist Islamic State group and an al-Qaeda-linked group were killed in two strikes, the United States military says.
Two of the dead were senior leaders in terror groups, it says.
US Central Command says it struck northwestern Syria on Tuesday, targeting a senior member from the al-Qaeda-linked Hurras al-Deen group and eight others. They say he was responsible for overseeing military operations.
They also announce a strike from Sept. 16, in which they conducted a “large-scale airstrike” on an ISIS training camp in a remote undisclosed location in central Syria. That attack killed 28 militants, including “at least four Syrian leaders.”
“The airstrike will disrupt ISIS’ capability to conduct operations against US interests, as well as our allies and partners,” the statement reads.
There are some 900 US forces in Syria, along with an undisclosed number of contractors, mostly trying to prevent any comeback by ISIS, which swept through Iraq and Syria in 2014, taking control of large swaths of territory.
US forces advise and assist their key allies in northeastern Syria, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, located not far from strategic areas where Iran-backed terror groups are present, including a key border crossing with Iraq.
Lebanese media reports new Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s Dahiyeh
Lebanese media report a new Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as the Dahiyeh, a Hezbollah stronghold.
There is no immediate comment from the IDF on the strike.
غارتين على الضاحية الجنوبية لبيروت pic.twitter.com/bV3c0SYEko
— Ali Bk (@Bk_Hanas) September 29, 2024
IDF says jets hit Hezbollah targets across Lebanon including rocket launchers, weapon depots
The aftermath of an Israeli airstrike which it said was carried out against Hezbollah targets in Tayr Dibba, on September 29, 2024 (AFP)
In the past few hours, the IDF says fighter jets struck Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, including rocket launchers, weapon depots, and other buildings used by the terror group.
The military says the airstrikes, aimed at degrading Hezbollah’s capabilities, continue.
Hezbollah confirms commander of Southern Front, Ali Karaki, killed alongside Nasrallah
A hole in the ground near the site of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Hezbollah confirms the death of Ali Karaki, the commander of the Southern Front, responsible for the terror group’s military activity in south Lebanon.
Karaki was killed alongside Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in the IDF strike on Beirut on Friday. He had survived an Israeli assassination attempt earlier last week.
الله بلم المشهد
خذ حتى ترضى
الشهيد القائد الجهادي الكبير الحاج علي كركي
ابو الفضل pic.twitter.com/UlTyEKV23j— محمد علي خليل (@khalil_mohmdali) September 29, 2024
Sirens sound in Nazareth, Afula, Nahariya and surrounding towns amid apparent barrage
Sirens are sounding in Nazareth, Afula, Nahariya and multiple towns across northern Israel as the area apparently comes under heavy rocket fire from Lebanon.
Nasrallah’s body found; he was apparently killed by blunt trauma from force of strike blast
A man points to a television set displaying an image of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah with a black stripe for mourning during a broadcast from the private Lebanese station NBN in Beirut on September 28, 2024 (JOSEPH EID / AFP)
The body of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has been recovered from the site of an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs and is intact, a medical source and a security source tell Reuters.
While Hezbollah’s statement on Saturday confirming Nasrallah’s death did not say how exactly he was killed nor when his funeral would be, the two sources say his body had no direct wounds and that it appeared the cause of death was blunt trauma from the force of the blast.
Yesterday, The New York Times reported Hezbollah members found and identified Nasrallah’s body on Saturday morning along with that of the terror group’s southern front commander, Ali Karaki.
Lebanon’s caretaker PM: ‘We have no option but the diplomatic option’
This handout picture provided by the Lebanese Prime Minister's press office shows Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati delivering a statement to the press in Beirut on September 29, 2024 (Lebanese Prime Minister's Press Office / AFP)
Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati says in a televised speech that his country had “no option but the diplomatic option,” in response to a question about diplomatic efforts to end fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah terror group.
He also says the intensified fighting may have forced up to a million people to flee parts of Lebanon in possibly the worst displacement crisis in the country’s history.
Mikati tells reporters that “the estimated number is very high and may reach one million” — which would amount to roughly a sixth of Lebanon’s population.
“It is the largest displacement movement that may have happened… in Lebanon,” he says.
IDF says it hit Hamas members operating out of former school serving as shelter in north Gaza
The IDF says it carried out an airstrike against a group of Hamas operatives operating out of a former school in the northern Gaza Strip a short while ago.
According to the military, Hamas was using the Umm al-Fahm School in Beit Lahiya to plan and carry out attacks against IDF troops and against Israel.
The school has been serving as a shelter for displaced Palestinians.
The IDF says it took steps to mitigate civilian harm in the strike, and accuses Hamas of “systematically” using civilian sites for terror.
Anti-Israel protesters demonstrate outside British military base in Cyprus
A car exits the gate of the Akrotiri royal air forces in a British military base near coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel campaigners protest at the gates of RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, accusing Britain of offering tacit support to Israel’s ongoing operations in Gaza and elsewhere.
Chanting “Out with the bases of death,” a couple of hundred people holding Palestinian and Cypriot flags peacefully protest outside the locked gates of the facility, Britain’s largest in the Middle East.
Britain last week sent additional troops to Cyprus to be in position to assist any potential evacuation of nationals trapped in Lebanon.
The UK has two military bases on Cyprus, a former British colony. RAF Akrotiri has been used in the past as a staging point for airstrikes in the Middle East. The base was also reportedly used during the defense of Israel during Iran’s unprecedented direct attack in April.
“This is an issue of independence and sovereignty for Cyprus,” says Peter Iosif, a member of the Cyprus Peace Council, an organizer of the demonstration.
“At this time it becomes even more obvious how the British bases are acting against the will of the Cyprus people,” he says.
In response to the protests, a British bases spokesperson says: “No RAF flights have transported lethal cargo to the Israeli Defense Forces.”
“In addition, it is standard practice for the UK Ministry of Defence to routinely authorize requests for (a) limited number of allies and partners to access the UK’s air bases. Such activity must be in line with UK policy for evacuation and humanitarian purposes only.”
Israeli airstrike reported near western Syrian city of al-Qusayr
An Israeli airstrike was carried out near the western Syrian city of al-Qusayr a short while ago, according to various Arab media outlets, citing reports in Syria.
Al-Qusayr is located close to the border with Lebanon, and the reported strike comes as Israel has vowed to prevent arms smuggling from Iran to Hezbollah.
In recent days, several IDF strikes have been carried out on the Syria-Lebanon border, aimed at preventing weapons from being transferred to Hezbollah.
Rocket sirens sound in Galilee communities
Sirens sound in Sde Eliezer and Yesud Hama’ala in the Galilee, warning of incoming rocket fire from Lebanon.
Iran says killing of IRGC officer in Beirut strike targeting Nasrallah ‘will not go unanswered’
In this photo provided by Fars News Agency, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Abbas Nilforoushan addresses a meeting in Tehran, Iran, February 5, 2024. (Elaheh Javan, Fars News Agency via AP)
Israel’s killing of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Deputy Commander Abbas Nilforoushan in Lebanon “will not go unanswered,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says in a statement.
Nilforoushan, deputy commander of IRGC operations, was killed Friday in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut that targeted Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Tehran-backed Hezbollah terror group.
The New York Times reported earlier that the Iranian leadership is divided on how to respond to the strike.
The US sanctioned Nilforoushan in 2022 and said he was “directly in charge of protest suppression” amid demonstrations in Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini following her arrest for allegedly not wearing her headscarf to the liking of police.
Nilforoushan also served in Syria, backing Syrian President Bashar Assad in the country’s devastating years-long civil war that grew out of the 2011 Arab Spring.
In 2020, Iranian state television called him a “comrade” of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of its expeditionary Quds Force who was killed in a US drone attack in Baghdad that year.
Lebanese minister: Diplomatic efforts for ceasefire with Israel still ‘underway’
Israeli army tanks are deployed in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon on September 29, 2024 (Menahem KAHANA / AFP)
Lebanon’s Information Minister Ziad Makary says during a cabinet session that diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire with Israel were still “underway.”
“It is certain that the Lebanese government wants a ceasefire, and everyone knows that [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu went to New York based on the premise of a ceasefire, but the decision was made to assassinate Nasrallah,” Makary says, referring to the killing of the chief of the Hezbollah terror group in a Beirut airstrike on Friday.
“Diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire are ongoing. The prime minister is not falling short, but the matter is not that easy,” Makary says.
The US was reportedly angered by the IDF airstrike that targeted Nasrallah because it had been engaging with Israel on the specifics of a potential ceasefire over the course of the week and felt it had been misled.
On Saturday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s office said he met with IDF head Herzi Halevi and other top generals to discuss expanding the offensive in Lebanon.
US President Joe Biden said yesterday, “It’s time for a ceasefire.”
IDF: Troops destroyed kilometer-long tunnel with rooms in central Gaza Strip
A kilometer-long tunnel was recently located and demolished in the central Gaza Strip, the IDF announces.
The tunnel, which the military says was built under a civilian area and close to several homes, was found by troops of the 5th Brigade and combat engineers, including members of the elite Yahalom Combat Engineering Unit.
Inside the tunnel, the IDF says troops found several rooms, equipment, and weapons belonging to Hamas operatives.
Zelensky on 83rd anniversary of massacre of Jews at Babyn Yar: ‘Heinous crimes occur when world stays silent’
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a press conference in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus on September 26, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Drew ANGERER / AFP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky marks the 83rd anniversary of the Nazi massacre of more than 30,000 Jews at the Babyn Yar ravine near Kyiv in 1941.
It was the largest massacre by the Germans and their local collaborators of Jewish people in Ukraine during World War II.
“Babyn Yar is a terrifying symbol, showing that the most heinous crimes occur when the world chooses to ignore, remain silent, stay indifferent, and lacks the determination to stand up against evil,” Zelensky, who is himself Jewish, says on social media site X.
According to official figures, between 100,000 and 150,000 people — including Jews, Roma people, Soviet prisoners of war and other Ukrainians — were killed at Babyn Yar between 1941 and 1942, during the Nazi occupation of Ukraine.
“Babyn Yar is vivid proof of the atrocities that regimes are capable of when led by leaders who rely on intimidation and violence,” adds Zelensky, in what appeared to be a reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who in February 2022 ordered the invasion of Ukraine.
“At any time, they are no different. But the world’s response should be different. This is the lesson the world should have learned.”
West Nile virus found in Eilat; cases since June at 916, with 71 deaths
Illustrative: Mosquitoes cling to the inside of a jar loaded with repellent during a test as part of a tour of the Centers for Disease Control laboratory, April 4, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colorado. (David Zalubowski/AP)
The Environmental Protection Ministry reports mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus were caught in Eilat, the Eilot Regional Council, the Jezreel Valley Regional Council, and the Kafr Manda Local Council.
The ministry instructs all authorities to further expand monitoring and pest control efforts in urban areas and non-populated areas within their jurisdiction.
The ministry also requests the public to protect themselves to avoid unnecessary bites and illness.
According to the Health Ministry’s latest figures, the number of patients diagnosed with the West Nile virus rose to 916.
A total of 71 people who were diagnosed with the virus have died since the outbreak began in June.
Infected mosquitoes transmit the West Nile virus to humans. The virus does not spread from person to person.
About 80% of people infected with West Nile virus show no symptoms at all. About 20% may experience varying symptoms, including fever, headaches, and body aches.
Less than 1% of those infected will have possible rare complications such as acute inflammation of the brain or meningitis. The risk of significant illness is higher among the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
World Food Programme launches emergency op to provide food for 1 million Lebanese
People who fled the southern suburb of Beirut amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, sit at a park in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
The World Food Programme says it launched an emergency operation to provide meals for one million people affected by the escalating conflict in Lebanon amid intensified fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah terror group.
“A further acceleration of the conflict this weekend underscored the need for an immediate humanitarian response,” the Rome-based agency says in a statement, announcing that it was distributing ready-to-eat food rations, bread, hot meals and food parcels to shelters across the country.
Israel on Sunday said that it was carrying out new airstrikes on dozens of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, two days after killing the Iran-backed terror group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
His killing marked a sharp escalation in nearly a year of tit-for-tat cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah that started when the latter began launching rockets and drones, one day after its Palestinian ally Hamas staged its unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The bombing in Lebanon is “compounding the fragility of a population burdened by accumulated crises,” the WFP says.
“In just a few days, WFP assistance has reached thousands of newly displaced people,” the program’s country director for Lebanon, Matthew Hollingworth, says in the statement.
“As the crisis deepens, we are preparing to assist up to one million people through a mix of cash and food support,” he adds, calling on the international community to mobilize $105 million to fund the operation through to the end of the year.
UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi has said “well over 200,000 people are displaced inside Lebanon” and more than 50,000 have fled to neighboring Syria.
Some 60,000 Israelis have been forced to leave their homes in northern Israel amid near-daily rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah since October 8.
IDF says senior Hezbollah official Nabil Qaouk killed in Beirut airstrike last night
In this January 26, 2010, Sheik Nabil Qaouk, a member of Hezbollah's Central Council, attends the funeral of prominent businessman Hassan Tajeddine, in the southern village of Hanaway, Lebanon (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
The IDF announces that senior Hezbollah official Nabil Qaouk was killed in an airstrike last night in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.
According to the IDF, Qaouk was the commander of Hezbollah’s “preventive security unit” and a senior member of the terror group’s central council.
Qaouk was considered to be close to Hezbollah’s leadership, “and was directly involved in advancing terror attacks against the State of Israel and its citizens, including in recent days,” the military says.
He joined Hezbollah in the 1980s, and served as a deputy head and later the head of the southern Lebanon area in the executive council, as well as the deputy head of the executive council.
Fighter jets struck and killed Qaouk in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut, a known Hezbollah stronghold, last night.
Lebanese report: 11 killed in Israeli airstrike on village in northeast Lebanon
Lebanon’s state news agency says an Israeli airstrike earlier today on a village in northeast Lebanon killed 11 people.
The report does not specify if any of those killed in the village of al-Ain were members of the Hezbollah terror group.
The Israel Defense Forces has said it is continuing to strike Hezbollah targets across Lebanon.
Israel confirms bunker-buster bombs used in attack on Nasrallah
An F-15I fighter jet of the IAF's 69th Squadron takes off from the Hatzerim Airbase in southern Israel to carry out a strike in Beirut against Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, September 27, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
The IDF releases images showing F-15i fighter jets of the Israeli Air Force’s 69th Squadron taking off from Hatzerim Airbase to carry out the assassination of Hezbollah terror chief Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut on Friday.
Dozens of bunker-busting bombs were dropped by the fighter jets on Hezbollah’s underground headquarters in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut in the attack, according to the military.
According to an analyst cited by the New York Times, the eight F-15I jets were equipped with at least 15 2,000-pound munitions with an American-made precision guidance system that attaches to bombs.
An F-15I fighter jet of the IAF’s 69th Squadron is seen at Hatzerim Airbase in southern Israel before a strike in Beirut against Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, September 27, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
After killing of Nasrallah, China says it opposes any violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty
A man points to a television set displaying an image of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah with a black stripe for mourning during a broadcast from the private Lebanese station NBN in Beirut on September 28, 2024 (JOSEPH EID / AFP)
China says it opposes any violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, according to a post on the country’s foreign ministry website.
The statement comes after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike
Beijing says it is “deeply concerned” and “closely following” soaring tensions in the Middle East in the wake of the killing of the terror chief.
“China is closely following this incident and deeply concerned about the escalation of tensions in the region,” Beijing’s foreign ministry says in a statement, urging “all parties, particularly Israel, to take immediate steps to cool down the situation.”
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Iran parliament speaker: Proxies will continue to confront Israel with Tehran’s backing
Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, in comments on the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, says that what Iran terms “resistance groups” will continue to confront Israel with the help of Tehran, according to Iranian state media.
Terror chief Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday.
IDF says 8 rockets fired from Lebanon toward Tiberias; no injuries
A barrage of eight rockets was launched from Lebanon at the Tiberias area this morning, setting off sirens in the city and several other towns near the Sea of Galilee, the military says.
According to the IDF, the rockets struck open areas, causing no injuries.
Footage shared on social media shows that at least one of the rockets landed in the Sea of Galilee.
Footage shared on social media shows that at least one of the rockets landed in the Sea of Galilee. pic.twitter.com/w07G4cHVZD
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 29, 2024
Rockets fired toward Tiberias, Sea of Galilee – reports
A number of rockets were fired toward Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee a short time ago, Hebrew-language media reports.
The rockets triggered sirens in the area.
According to the reports, the rockets hit open ground. There were no reports of injuries or damage.
Rocket sirens sound in Tiberias, communities surrounding Sea of Galilee
Sirens sound in Tiberias and communities surrounding the Sea of Galilee, warning of incoming rocket fire.
Divisions within Iranian government over how to respond to Nasrallah’s killing – NYT
Demonstrators gather for an anti-Israel protest in Tehran's Palestine Square on September 28, 2024, after the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah group confirmed reports of the killing of its leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut the previous day. (ATTA KENARE / AFP)
There are divisions within Iran’s government over how to respond to Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the New York Times reports.
The detailed report says conservatives within the Iranian leadership are pushing for a strong response to the killing of the leader of Tehran’s strongest proxy, while moderates, led by new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, are arguing for restraint.
Hardliners want Tehran to respond to the killing with a strike that would deter Israel from potentially hitting Iran, while Pezeshkian reportedly argued that doing so would mean they would be falling into a trap laid by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to widen the war.
Citing four unnamed Iranian officials who knew Nasrallah, the newspaper reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “had been deeply shaken by his friend’s death and was in mourning, but had assumed a calm and pragmatic posture.”
The report notes that Khamenei appeared to signal that a response may come directly from the Hezbollah terror organization rather than Tehran.
IDF says it shot down drone over Red Sea overnight
The Israel Defense Forces says a Navy Sa’ar 4.5-class missile boat intercepted a drone over the Red Sea overnight.
The military says the UAV was shot down before it reached Israel’s border, and releases footage of the interception.
The drone triggered sirens in resort city of Eilat and surrounding areas.
מוקדם יותר היום, ספינת טילים של חיל הים מסוג ״סער 4.5״ יירטה בהצלחה מחוץ לגבולות המדינה, כלי טיס בלתי מאויש שעשה את דרכו לשטח הארץ במרחב ים סוף pic.twitter.com/SXkKEhvOtN
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) September 29, 2024
The Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq took responsibility for launching a drone at Eilat this morning.
NYT: Israel has sent undercover commandos deep into Lebanon for ‘sensitive intelligence missions’
The New York Times says that Israel has worked since the conclusion of the Second Lebanon War in 2006 to build up a formidable intelligence apparatus that deeply penetrated the Hezbollah terror organization.
The report says Israel has sent undercover commandos “deep into the country” to carry out “sensitive intelligence missions.”
Officials tell the outlet that Israel’s willingness to carry out daring missions sets it apart from the intelligence agencies and units of other countries.
The report additionally says the focus of the IDF’s signals intelligence Unit 8200 on Hezbollah meant that the military could pass information to the US that resulted in the airstrike that killed General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq in January 2020.
IDF may have begun small operations across Lebanon border to take out Hezbollah positions – report
Smoke billows from the sites of Israeli airstrikes in Aramti, near the Lebanon-Israel border, on September 23, 2024 (Rabih DAHER / AFP)
The Israel Defense Forces may have begun, or is about to begin, small operations across the Lebanon border to take out nearby Hezbollah positions, two US officials tell ABC.
The report refers to small-scale “border movements.”
The officials tell the US outlet that Israel does not appear to have decided whether to launch a full ground operation into Lebanon, but that it would likely be limited in scope if it does.
The officials say that in order for Israel to fulfill its aim of enabling the some 60,000 displaced Israelis to return home, decapitating the Hezbollah leadership will not be enough.
Pentagon chief Austin tells Gallant US committed to deterring Iran
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testifies before a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the Department of Defense fiscal 2025 budget request on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Against the backdrop of Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in a phone call Saturday that the US supports Israel’s right to defend itself and that the US is committed to deterring Iran and its proxies, the Pentagon says.
Austin also emphasized on the call that the United States “remains postured to defend its forces in the region,” the Pentagon adds.
Notably, the Pentagon statement on the call does not include mention of a ceasefire in Lebanon, which US President Joe Biden has repeatedly urged.
IDF says launchers among dozens of Hezbollah sites hit overnight
Overnight, Israeli fighter jets struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, the IDF says.
The targets included rocket launchers aimed at Israel and buildings used by Hezbollah, including where it stored weapons, according to the military.
It releases footage of some of the strikes.
צה"ל ממשיך לתקוף בשטח לבנון מטרות טרור של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה.
מטוסי קרב של חיל האוויר, בהכוונת פיקוד הצפון, תקפו בשעות האחרונות עשרות מטרות טרור בשטח לבנון.בין המטרות שהותקפו משגרים שכוונו לעבר עורף מדינת ישראל, מבנים בהם אוחסנו אמצעי לחימה ומבנים צבאיים של הארגון.
במהלך… pic.twitter.com/9ZtdHrP90R
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) September 29, 2024
Trump whisperer Kushner says Israel must be allowed to finish off Hezbollah
Former president Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, an ex-White House senior adviser, says Israel must be allowed to finish off Hezbollah after assassinating its leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday, rejecting calls for a ceasefire which have been voiced by the Biden administration.
“Anyone who has been calling for a ceasefire in the north is wrong. There is no going back for Israel. They cannot afford now to not finish the job and completely dismantle the arsenal that has been aimed at them. They will never get another chance,” Kushner tweets in rare public comments.
The post is quickly retweeted by former ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who is likely to seek a spot in the administration, as well as Wyoming Senator John Barrosso, senior Fox News analyst Brit Hume and and other influential Trump-world voices.
Kushner has said he doesn’t plan to return to the White House if his father-in-law is re-elected, but his voice still has weight among Trump backers, if not the Republican candidate for president.
In the lengthy X post, Kushner brands September 27 — the date Israel killed Nasrallah — as “the most important day in the Middle East since the Abraham Accords breakthrough.”
“Iran is now fully exposed. The reason why their nuclear facilities have not been destroyed, despite weak air defense systems, is because Hezbollah has been a loaded gun pointed at Israel. Iran spent the last forty years building this capability as its deterrent,” he argues.
September 27th is the most important day in the Middle East since the Abraham Accords breakthrough.
I have spent countless hours studying Hezbollah and there is not an expert on earth who thought that what Israel has done to decapitate and degrade them was possible.
This is…
— Jared Kushner (@jaredkushner) September 29, 2024
“Israel now finds itself with the threat from Gaza mostly neutralized and the opportunity to neutralize Hezbollah in the north. It’s unfortunate how we got here but maybe there can be a silver lining in the end,” Kushner continues.
He argues that with Hezbollah and Iran reeling, “failing to take full advantage of this opportunity to neutralize the threat is irresponsible.”
“The right move now for America would be to tell Israel to finish the job. It’s long overdue. And it’s not only Israel’s fight,” Kushner adds, noting that Hezbollah has the blood of hundreds of Americans on its hands.
Drone alert sounds in Eilat, Iraqi group claims it fired at ‘vital target’
A drone infiltration alert has sounded in the Red Sea resort city of Eilat and surrounding areas.
The alarm comes days after a UAV launched from Iraq crashed into the city’s port, injuring two people.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a group of Iran-backed militias, says it launched a drone at a “vital target” in the city.
In a video purporting to show the launch, members of the group hold up a picture of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, indicating the attack is revenge for his killing.
🇮🇶The Islamic Resistance in Iraq:
Launch of a drone towards a vital target in Umm al-Rashash "Eilat" in our occupied territories…
Date 9/29/2024 pic.twitter.com/U8R3KRQcT5
— Ellen Jean Abare (@EllenJeanAbare) September 29, 2024
Overnight strikes reported to hit northern Gaza, southern Lebanon
Palestinian reports say at least three people were killed in two separate Israeli strikes in the northern Gaza Strip.
The overnight strikes are said to have occurred in Gaza City and Jabaliya.
Elsewhere, reports in Arabic media claim that Israel is carrying out airstrikes and shelling areas of southern Lebanon.
There is no comment on either front from the Israel Defense Forces.
Monitor claims 12 Iran-backed fighters killed in Deir Ezzor strikes
A Syria-based war monitor claims 12 pro-Iran fighters were killed in airstrikes of unknown origin in eastern Syria, and a large number of people were wounded.
“Twelve pro-Iranian fighters were killed in air strikes of unknown origin targeting their positions in the city of Deir Ezzor and to the east of the city, as well as the Boukamal region, near the border with Iraq,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.
Five of the strikes targeted military positions near Deir Ezzor airport, it adds.
The Observatory, which says it relies on a network of sources on the ground, has been accused of inflating casualty numbers in the past.
The origin of the strikes are unknown, with widespread speculation they were carried out by Israel or the US.
Iran asks Security Council for urgent meeting over Nasrallah killing
A man stands in the rain with an Iranian and a Palestinian flag during an anti-Israel protest in Tehran's Palestine Square on September 28, 2024. (ATTA KENARE / AFP)
Iran is calling for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to protest the killing of Hezbollah terror group chief Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli air strike in Lebanon, according to a letter to the Council.
In the letter, Iran’s UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani calls on the Council to “take immediate and decisive action to stop Israel’s ongoing aggression and prevent… from dragging the region into full-scale war.”
“Using US-supplied thousand-pound bunker busters,” he writes, Israel killed Nasrallah and Iranian Gen. Abbas Nilforushan, among others.
He warns Israel not to attack any of its diplomatic or consular premises, or its representatives.
“Iran will not hesitate to exercise its inherent rights under international law to take every measure in defense of its vital national and security interests,” Iravani writes.
Airstrikes reported on Syria-Iraq border
Initial reports claim an airstrike attack has just taken place near Albukamal on the Iraqi-Syrian border, along with other areas in Styria’s northeastern Deir Ezzor region.
Syria’s Sham FM says locals in Deir Ezzor reported hearing loud explosions in the desert east of the Euphrates River city.
The reports cannot be verified.
Imagine shows smoke rising from Albukamal, on the Iraqi/Syrian borders. 👀 pic.twitter.com/1jawkDVcPb
— Tammuz Intel (@Tammuz_Intel) September 28, 2024
Albukamal is thought to be on a major smuggling route used by Shiite groups, including Hezbollah, to transport weapons from Iran. Attacks in the past there have been attributed to the US military.
Israel’s army said earlier it was concentrating its efforts in Lebanon on imposing a blockade aimed at keeping Iranian weapons from entering the country.
Jordan says rocket fired from Lebanon lands outside Amman
The Jordanian army says a grad rocket from southern Lebanon fell this evening in an uninhabited desert area near Muwaqqar, a town southeast of Amman.
No people were hurt in the attack and there was no damage, it says in a statement.
Muwaqqar is about 160 kilometers (100 miles) from the Lebanese border.
Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces said a missile fired from Lebanon landed in the West Bank near Jerusalem, marking what appeared to be the deepest rocket fire carried out by Hezbollah since intense fighting began earlier this month.
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