Israel strikes north Lebanon's Tripoli, Beirut under attack

Emirates bans walkie-talkies onboard after Lebanon blasts

Dubai-based airline Emirates has banned pagers and walkie-talkies onboard its planes following sabotage attacks in Lebanon, and extended flight cancellations for Middle East destinations due to regional escalation.

"All Passengers travelling on flights to, from or via Dubai are prohibited from transporting pagers and walkie-talkies in checked or cabin baggage," the carrier said, weeks after a wave of exploding communication devices used by the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, which blamed Israel for the attacks.

In a statement posted on its website on Friday, Emirates said that "such items found in passengers' hand luggage or checked baggage will be confiscated by Dubai Police."

The blasts last month killed at least 37 people and wounded nearly 3,000 across Lebanon.

Israel issues first Gaza evacuation warning in weeks

The Israeli army warned residents to evacuate part of central Gaza on Saturday, saying the military was preparing to use "great force" against Hamas fighters in the area.

The evacuation call is the first in weeks for Gaza as the Israeli military has largely shifted its focus to fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon.

"Hamas and the terrorist organisations continue their terrorist activities within your area and, as a result, the IDF (military) will act with great force against these elements," the evacuation order posted by the Israeli army said, with an attached map listing the blocks to be evacuated.

Palestinians living in areas near the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza have been warned to evacuate under the latest order posted on X.

Israel has destroyed large swathes of Gaza since Hamas's October 7 attack last year, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly pledging to secure total victory over the militants.

Hezbollah's Safieddine 'unreachable' since Friday: source

Israeli air strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs since Friday have kept rescue workers from searching the site of an Israeli strike suspected to have killed Hezbollah’s anticipated next leader, three Lebanese security sources told Reuters on Saturday.

One of the sources said Safieddine, widely expected to succeed slain leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, had been unreachable since the strike on Friday.

Hezbollah says fires rockets at north Israel air base

Hezbollah said its militants launched Fadi-1 rockets on Saturday at Israel's Ramat David air base near the northern city of Haifa, about 45 kilometres (30 miles) from the Lebanese border.

In a statement, the Iran-backed group also said its fighters hit an Israeli tank in south Lebanon, near the border, with a missile.

Israel says struck Hezbollah inside south Lebanon mosque

The Israeli military said Saturday its forces struck Hezbollah fighters inside a south Lebanon mosque overnight, the first such strike since clashes erupted between Israel and the militants last year.

"Overnight, with the direction of IDF (army) intelligence, the IAF (air force) struck Hezbollah terrorists who were operating within a command centre that was located inside a mosque adjacent to the Salah Ghandour Hospital in southern Lebanon," the military said in a statement.

23 killed in Gaza in past 24 hours: Ministry of Health

The death toll in Gaza has risen to 41,825, the health ministry in the territory said on Saturday.

The toll includes 23 deaths in the previous 24 hours, according to the ministry, which said 96,910 people have been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war began on October 7

Iran FM Araghchi arrives in Damascus after Lebanon visit

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Damascus to discuss regional developments and bilateral relations with Syrian officials, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said on Saturday.

South Korea military evacuates 97 citizens from Lebanon

A South Korean military transport aircraft returned 97 citizens and family members from Lebanon on Saturday as Middle East tensions rise, the foreign ministry said.

A KC-330 aircraft left Beirut on Friday afternoon with the evacuees, who include Lebanese family members, and arrived at a military airfield on the south of Seoul, the ministry said.

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday ordered military aircraft to be deployed to evacuate South Korean citizens from parts of the Middle East as conflict escalates between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as the armed group's backer, Iran.

South Korea's defence ministry said it flew a C130J transport plane as backup, which is capable of operating on shorter runways and under fire, as a precaution, and sent 39 military personnel, including mechanics and diplomats.

The government will take further actions to ensure the safety of its citizens, the foreign ministry said without elaborating.

South Korean diplomats stationed in Lebanon remained in the country, Yonhap news agency reported. 

UNIFIL to 'remain in all positions' despite Israel request

The United Nations peacekeeping force it Lebanon said on Saturday it would not leave positions in the country's south despite what it said was an Israeli request to "relocate".

"On September 30, the IDF (Israeli military) notified UNIFIL of their intention to undertake limited ground incursions into Lebanon. They also requested we relocate from some of our positions," the UN Interim Force in Lebanon said in a statement, adding that "peacekeepers remain in all positions and the UN flag continues to fly."

Hamas says Israel Lebanon strike kills commander, family

Palestinian group Hamas said an Israeli strike killed one of its commanders in a refugee camp in north Lebanon Saturday, the first time the area had been hit since the start of the Gaza war.

"Commander" Saeed Attallah Ali, his wife and two daughters were killed in "Zionist bombardment of his house in the Beddawi camp" near the northern city of Tripoli, it said.

Israel has repeatedly targeted Hamas officials in Lebanon since the Gaza war erupted almost a year ago.

Hamas has announced the deaths of at least 18 of its militants in Lebanon since then.