Israeli strikes kill hundreds in Lebanon, Yemen

Lebanese soldier dies following Israeli strike in Wazzani

A Lebanese army soldier died after sustaining injuries in an Israeli airstrike that targeted an army checkpoint in Wazzani, southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese media outlet An-Nahar.

The report was later confirmed by the Lebanese army.

Kremlin condemns killing of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah

The Kremlin on Monday condemned the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli air attack last week.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Nasrallah's death had led to a serious destabilisation in the broader region. He said the bombing of residential areas in Lebanon had caused heavy casualties and would create a humanitarian catastrophe akin to the one in Gaza. 

(Reuters)

Israel conducts special forces raids into Lebanon

Israel has been conducting special forces raids into Lebanon as part of intelligence gathering amid military preparations for a ground invasion, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. 

According to the WSJ, the raids included entering Hezbollah tunnels located on the border and have been ongoing for months.

Britain repeats ceasefire call as Israel strikes Lebanon

Britain on Monday said that all sides should seek de-escalation and a ceasefire after Israel hit targets in Lebanon with airstrikes, reiterating that those involved in the conflict should step back from the brink.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Britain's support for Israel's right to self-defence was "ironclad" but that only a ceasefire could restore stability and security to the region.

(Reuters)

Lebanon says Israeli weekend strike near Sidon killed 45

Lebanon said Monday that an Israeli strike a day earlier near the southern city of Sidon killed 45 people, raising an earlier toll.

In a statement, the health ministry announced "45 dead and 70 wounded in an updated toll for the Israeli enemy attack on Ain al-Delb" on Sunday, while the official National News Agency said the strike targeted a building which an AFP correspondent said had completely collapsed.

Flydubai cancels Dubai-Beirut flights until 3 October

Flydubai said on Monday its Dubai-Beirut flights have been cancelled until Oct. 3 due to "ongoing developments". "We continue to monitor the situation closely and (will) amend our flight schedule accordingly," it said.

(Reuters)

Israel defence minister hints at ground operation in Lebanon

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant appeared to hint on Monday at a possible ground operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to reports in the Israeli media.

Gallant was cited by several news outlets as telling armoured corps troops near the Lebanese border: "Nasrallah's elimination is an important step but it is not the end - to return the resident of the north safely to their homes we will activate all our capabilities - including you."

(Reuters)

German Foreign Ministry: Nasrallah killing was self defence

Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in a powerful airstrike in Beirut constituted a use of its right to defend itself, a German foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

"Hezbollah is of course a terrorist organization and it was obviously a meeting of the top leadership of Hezbollah, from which one can assume, even from a distance, that they were planning their further operations," the spokesperson said.

"So in this respect, there are also reasons to believe that the right to self-defence was exercised here," he added.

Asked about the civilian deaths in the incident, the spokesperson said "every civilian victim is one civilian victim too many."

(Reuters)

Iran says will not send forces to confront Israel

Iran will not deploy forces to Lebanon or Gaza to confront Israel, its foreign ministry said on Monday, as Israeli strikes target its allies in the region.

"There is no need to send extra or volunteer forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran," said foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani, adding that Lebanon and fighters in the Palestinian territories "have the capability and strength to defend themselves against the aggression."

Lebanese PM Mikati: ready to deploy army to south

The Lebanese caretaker PM Najib Mikati told journalists in Beirut that the Lebanese government was committed to an immediate ceasefire and that the army was ready to deploy to the south of the country. 

He added that after a ceasefire the Lebanese parliament will hold a session to elect a new president.

Gaza toll reaches 41,615 killed by Israel

More than 41,615 Palestinians have been killed and 96,359 injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement on Monday.

(Reuters)

UAE president pledges $100 million aid to Lebanon

The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, pledged on Monday an urgent relief aid package worth $100 million to Lebanon, the state news agency WAM reported.

(Reuters)

Hezbollah deputy chief: will confront Israeli invasion

The deputy chief of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, is giving the first speech by Hezbollah since the assassination of Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.

Qassem said that Israeli forces are killing Lebanese civilians and accused the US of being a partner in the war giving Israel "unlimited military support."

He also said that Hezbollah would confront an Israeli ground invasion. 

"We are quite ready if the Israelis wanted ground incursion, the resistance forces are ready for that. We are prepared and ready. Israeli enemy will not achieve its goals," Qassem said.

He also said that the organisation would pick a new leader soon.

Sound of explosions heard on outskirts of Damascus

Sounds of explosions were heard on the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus on Monday, witnesses told Reuters.

(Reuters)

EU FMs hold emergency meeting to discuss Lebanon response

The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is convening an extraordinary informal meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday to discuss the EU's response to the latest escalation in Lebanon, an EU spokesperson said on Monday.

(Reuters)

Deputy chief of Lebanon's Hezbollah to give speech

The deputy chief of Lebanon's armed group Hezbollah will give an address at 12 pm local time (0900 GMT), the group's media office said on Monday.

It is the first address by a Hezbollah official since the killing of the group's secretary general in an Israeli air attack on Friday. 

(Reuters)

Hamas says its leader in Lebanon killed in air strike

Hamas said Monday its leader in Lebanon had been killed in an air strike in the country's south, as official media reported a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp.

"Fatah Sharif Abu al-Amine, the leader of Hamas... in Lebanon and member of the movement's leadership abroad" was killed in a strike on his "home in the Al-Bass camp in south Lebanon", a Hamas statement said. The official National News Agency reported an air strike on the camp near the southern city of Tyre.

Iran will not leave Israel's 'criminal' acts unanswered

Iran will not leave any of 'the criminal acts' of Israel unanswered, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said in a weekly news conference on Monday, referring to the killing of Hezbollah's chief and Iranian Guard deputy commander in Lebanon.

(Reuters)

100,000 have fled Lebanon for Syria amid Israeli strikes

Some 100,000 Lebanese and Syrian nationals have now fled to Syria from Lebanon amid Israeli airstrikes, the United Nations refugee chief said Monday.

"The number of people who have crossed into Syria from Lebanon fleeing Israeli airstrikes -- Lebanese and Syrian nationals -- has reached 100,000," Filippo Grandi said on X, adding that "the outflow continues".