A participant shows a photo of a family taken hostage by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. (Image: AFP)
Israel’s war with its neighbor Lebanon and against Hamas continues as Iran threatens more attacks. Israel remains on high alert ahead of the October 7 anniversary of the Hamas attack.
As Israeli forces remain on alert ahead of the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei warned Israel on Sunday that he would launch attacks against Israel once again if necessary.
Meanwhile, Israel intercepted rockets fired from northern Gaza and neutralized a gunman in Beersheba.
Khamenei, in a series of tweets, also appeared to attack the US and other Muslim nations in the West Asian region, mocking those who have normalized relations with Israel.
The unprecedented Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian group left 1,205 people dead, mostly civilians, according to AFP figures based on Israeli official figures that included hostages killed in captivity.
One year later, the war in Gaza continues as Israel shifts its focus north to Lebanon and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah.
Israel’s military said it had killed around 440 Hezbollah fighters “from the ground and from the air” since Monday when troops began “targeted” ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Israel says it aims to allow tens of thousands of Israelis displaced by almost a year of Hezbollah rocket fire into northern Israel to return home.
Here are the latest updates from the Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah war:
- That’s what the Israeli military said rockets fired from northern Gaza crossed into southern Israel on Sunday, a day before the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack.
- Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said in a post on social media that it has the need to strengthen the defense and safeguard the independence and dignity of all Islamic nationsfrom Afghanistan to Yemen, Iran to Gaza and Lebanon. He said Iran’s enemies are the same as those of the Palestinians, Lebanese, Iraqis, Egyptians, Syrians and Yemenis, although their tactics differ from country to country.
- “Chases politicians with a smile”: Khamenei, in an apparent reference to Arab nations that have normalized relations with Israel, said Israel uses different methods from country to country. “In some they use 2-ton bombs. But in others they lead policies with smiles,” he said.
- Unified Command Center: In what may be an obvious reference to the US, Khamenei said “the command center is one place” and “they receive orders to attack Muslims from one place”.
- This was reported by the Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom one person was killed and 10 others were injured in a knife attack and shooting in the southern city of Beersheba.
- French President Emmanuel Macron called for a “stop to arms exports for use in Gaza”, saying it was urgent to avoid an escalation of tensions in the region, his office announced.
- Based on IDF intelligence, The Israeli Air Force (IAF) attacked and eliminated Hader Ali Tawel, the commander of Hezbollah’s Kfarqela Company. Taweel was responsible for firing hundreds of projectiles and anti-tank missiles at Israeli communities in northern Israel.
- Ann An apparent Israeli airstrike early Sunday killed at least 18 people in central GazaPalestinian medical officials said. The strike hit a mosque housing displaced people near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah city.
- Lebanon has reported an Israeli airstrike on the Syrian border cut off the main international road connecting the two countries. Israel has repeatedly attacked the border area in recent days because it claims Hezbollah is bringing weapons across the border from ally Syria.
- The Israeli army said on Sunday that its forces had surrounded the Jabalia area of northern Gaza in response to indications that Hamas was recovering despite almost a year of strikes and fighting.
