Live blog: Five countries ask citizens to leave Lebanon amid fears of war

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

1821 GMT — Five countries have called on their nationals to leave Lebanon amid growing fears of a full-blown war between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

On Wednesday, the Dutch Foreign Ministry on X urged its citizens to avoid travel to Lebanon and those who live there to leave as commercial flights are still operating.

Germany also issued a travel warning and asked its citizens who are currently in Lebanon to leave the country. "Germans in Lebanon are urgently asked to leave the country. The situation at the border between Israel and Lebanon is very tense," the Foreign Ministry said on its X account.

The Canadian government urged its nationals in Lebanon to leave the country amid an escalation of tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border. "The safety and security of Canadians at home and abroad is Canada's top priority," Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement on Tuesday.

North Macedonia also asked its citizens on Sunday to leave Lebanon as soon as possible due to the worsening security situation there.

The warning came after Kuwait on Friday urged its citizens to avoid travel to Lebanon and those inside the country to leave as soon as possible "in view of the security situation taking place in the region."

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1819 GMT — UN 'not pulling out of Gaza': official

A UN spokesperson said, "we're not pulling out of Gaza," rejecting claims to the contrary.

"We're just trying to find the space in which we operate within conditions that meet," Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

Stressing that the UN is not operating under the protection of the Israeli army, Dujarric said: "We're kind of meandering in different paths, but the road to success here is a ceasefire, is our ability to have a full and unimpeded humanitarian access, to see the immediate release of all the hostages."

1814 GMT — Israel's defence chief calls for solving disputes with US 'behind closed doors'

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called for resolving disputes between Israel and the United States "behind closed doors."

"Israel and the US have the same goals in the war in Gaza," Gallant said during a meeting with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan at the White House as cited by Israeli daily Haaretz.

"Even when we disagree on the path, we resolve it in closed rooms," Gallant said.

The Israeli defence minister said he and Sullivan would "discuss as friends a long list of things — Lebanon, Gaza, Iran, issues related to them and also the issue of American supplies to Israel."

1749 GMT — US involved in discussions with UN agencies, Israel on aid challenges

The United States has been involved in discussions with United Nations agencies and the Israeli government in the past few days to try and work through security challenges the UN is facing to deliver humanitarian aid in Gaza, the State Department said.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters Washington is continuing to push to resolve their "legitimate concerns about the safety and security of their personnel."

1741 GMT — Israeli defence minister sees 'significant progress' on US weapons

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said he achieved "significant progress" in addressing Israel's concerns about the flow of US weapons after talks with top officials in Washington.

"During the meetings we made significant progress, obstacles were removed and bottlenecks were addressed," he said.

Gallant said the progress was on "a variety of issues" including "the topic of force build-up and munition supply that we must bring to the state of Israel."

1718 GMT — Gaza authorities warn Palestinians about 'suspicious' Israeli calls

Authorities in Gaza warned Palestinians about "suspicious" Israeli telephone calls asking them to return to their homes in northern areas.

The Government Media Office warned about the calls that told Palestinians they could return home in northern Gaza "through the military checkpoint erected by the (Israeli) occupation army on the coastal Al-Rasheed Street in the evening hours."

"We urge our people to be extremely cautious from these suspicious and untrusted telephone calls," it said in a statement.

1707 GMT — Gallant threatens Hamas with 'consequences' if it rejects Gaza ceasefire proposal

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant threatened Palestinian resistance group Hamas with "consequences" if it refused to accept a Gaza ceasefire proposal backed by US President Joe Biden.

"We stand firmly behind the President's deal, which Israel has accepted, and now Hamas must accept — or bear the consequences," he said in a recorded statement during his visit to Washington.

Gallant reaffirmed his government's "commitment" to bringing back Israeli hostages from Gaza "with no exception."

1703 GMT — EU summit to address West Bank settler violence: German official

European Union leaders will discuss the ongoing Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank when they meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, a top German official said.

Settler violence in the occupied West Bank will be "discussed again" and there will be "an exchange at the leadership level," the official told media representatives in Berlin, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Asked about what European heads of states and government would specifically discuss on the issue, the official did not elaborate.

1643 GMT — Yemen's Houthis target ship in Haifa port with Islamic Resistance in Iraq

Yemen's Houthis said they targeted a ship in Israel's Haifa port in a joint military operation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq.

The operation targeted the MSC Manzanillo, the Iran-backedHouthi group's military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised speech.

1630 GMT — Germany, Netherlands ask citizens to leave Lebanon

The German and Dutch governments have issued advisories asking their citizens to leave Lebanon due to the risk of further escalation of conflict in the region.

In a post on X, the Dutch Foreign Ministry urged its citizens to avoid travel to Lebanon and those who live there to leave as commercial flights are still operating.

Mentioning how the current travel warning to the Mideast country is "red," it stressed the situation there remains very "unpredictable." The Dutch Embassy may not be able to help its citizens if they get into trouble, it cautioned.

In a similar move, Germany issued a travel warning and asked its citizens who are currently in Lebanon to leave the country.

"Germans in Lebanon are urgently asked to leave the country. The situation at the border between Israel and Lebanon is very tense," the ministry said on its X account.

It also warned that air traffic from Beirut Rafic Hariri Airport could be completely suspended in the event of further escalation, making it impossible to leave the country by air.

1559 GMT — Labor government suspends Australian senator for supporting recognition of Palestinian state

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the ruling party suspended Labor Senator Fatima Payman for supporting a motion in parliament to recognise a Palestine state, according to media reports.

"I met with Senator Payman earlier today. She will not be attending the Labor caucus this session," Albanese told parliament, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported.

The young senator from Western Australia crossed the floor Tuesday and supported the motion moved by Mehreen Faruqi, deputy leader of the Australian Greens party, in parliament.

1557 GMT — Over 400 killed in Israeli attacks since Oct 8: Lebanon

At least 435 people have been killed and 1,801 others injured in Israeli attacks in Lebanon since October 8, the Health Ministry said.

A ministry statement said that 44 percent of the injuries were due to shock, 35 percent resulted from explosions, and 16 percent were chemical-related.

The ministry said 95 percent of the injured people were Lebanese, without specifying the nationality of the remaining victims.

1535 GMT — Turkish, Egyptian foreign minister discuss war in Gaza

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry discussed over phone the ongoing Israeli war in Gaza, Turkish diplomatic sources said.

Attention was drawn to the risk of the conflict spreading to a regional level, the sources said, referring to the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

It was underlined that the war needs to stop immediately and a permanent ceasefire should be declared, the sources said, adding that the importance of uninterrupted humanitarian aid reaching Gaza was also highlighted.

1439 GMT — Türkiye condemns Israeli foreign minister's remarks targeting Erdogan

Türkiye's Foreign Ministry has condemned a recent social media post by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz targeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, calling it an attempt to cover up Israel's crimes.

"We consider the disrespectful post by the Israeli Foreign Minister targeting our esteemed President as a tone that can only be adopted by an official of a state accused of genocide," said a ministry statement.

It emphasised that such accusations are part of Israel's efforts to obscure its own criminal actions.

Strongly criticising the social media post, the ministry said: "Such slander and lies are part of Israel's efforts to cover up the crimes it has committed."

1435 GMT — Prominent former Israeli officials, academics urge US Congress to reconsider Netanyahu invitation

Former Israeli officials and academics urged the US to withdraw an invitation for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress next month, according to the New York Times.

A group of influential former Israeli leaders in an op-ed piece in the newspaper asked American lawmakers to withdraw the invitation for the address on July 24.

The authors include David Harel, president of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities; Tamir Pardo, former director of Mossad; Talia Sasson, former director of the special tasks department in Israel's State Attorney's Officer; former Prime Minister Ehud Barak; Nobel Laureate Aaron Ciechanover and novelist David Grossman.

1431 GMT — Germany deplores Israeli killing of Doctors Without Borders aid worker

Germany deplored the Israeli killing of a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) staff member in Gaza.

Humanitarian aid workers should "generally not be a target of war," Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said at a news conference in Berlin. "All parties to the conflict are called upon to adhere to international humanitarian law, which sets out certain regulations," he added.

Fischer lamented the fact that too many aid workers had been killed in the Gaza war.

1425 GMT — Israel charges preacher of Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque with 'incitement'

Israel filed incitement charges against the preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, according to his defence lawyer.

"An indictment was filed by the Israeli authorities against Sheikh Ekrima Sabri in the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court," Khaled Zabarqa told Anadolu news agency.

He said Israeli authorities considered Sabri's speech while offering his condolences to the families of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Jerusalem and Jenin as "incitement to terrorism."

1422 GMT — Spread of Israel's war to Lebanon 'potentially apocalyptic': UN

The UN humanitarian chief has voiced alarm at the prospect of Israel's war on Gaza spreading to Lebanon, warning that it was "potentially apocalyptic."

As the war in Gaza nears its 10th month, Israel's top ally the United States has warned of the risk of a major conflict against the Iran-aligned militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon following an escalation in cross-border fire.

Martin Griffiths, the UN humanitarian coordinator, told reporters in Geneva that he saw Lebanon as "the flashpoint beyond all flashpoints," pointing to southern Lebanon in particular.

He said he had been discussing with colleagues in Tel Aviv about the prospects of what might happen there. "It's beyond planning. It's potentially apocalyptic," he said.

1414 GMT — Israeli forces demolish residential apartment in East Jerusalem

Israeli forces demolished a residential apartment in the town of Silwan in occupied East Jerusalem, according to witnesses.

Municipal teams backed by police cited the lack of a building permit for the demolition, witnesses said.

Israel has demolished 92 Palestinian buildings in East Jerusalem since the beginning of 2024 under the pretext of "unlicensed construction," according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

1252 GMT — Jordan won't deploy troops in Gaza to replace Israeli forces: FM

Jordan said it will not send troops to Gaza to replace Israeli forces in the Palestinian enclave.

"We will not clean up after (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu," Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis in Athens.

"We will not deploy troops to Gaza as a substitute for Israeli forces or place ourselves in the catastrophic reality he (Netanyahu) has created," he added.

1246 GMT — Fatalities as Israeli warplanes hit residential buildings in central Gaza

Several people were reported dead in fresh Israeli air strikes on residential buildings in central Gaza, according to medical sources.

The attacks targeted a building and two apartments in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, witnesses said.

Medical sources said a number of Palestinians were killed and their bodies were admitted to the Al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza.

Fatalities were also reported when Israeli forces shelled a group of civilians in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, local sources said.

The Health Ministry has yet to issue an exact death toll from the attacks.

1203 GMT — Netanyahu fears potential ICC arrest warrants for Gaza crimes by July 24

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expects the issuance of arrest warrants by the International Court of Justice (ICC) for him and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant by July 24, according to Israeli media.

On May 20, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

"Netanyahu convened a high-stakes discussion on Tuesday evening about the looming possibility that the ICC might heed the request of its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, and soon issue arrest warrants against him and Gallant," Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said.

1202 GMT — Israeli forces pound north and south Gaza, battle Hamas in Rafah

Israeli forces pounded several areas across Gaza, and residents reported fierce fighting overnight in Rafah in the south of the Palestinian enclave.

Residents said fighting intensified in the Tel Al-Sultan neighbourhood in western Rafah, where tanks were also trying to force their way north amid heavy clashes.

The armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad said they attacked Israeli forces with anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs.

Since early May, ground fighting has focused on Rafah, abutting Egypt on Gaza's southern edge, where around half of the enclave's 2.3 million people had been sheltering after fleeing other areas. Most have since had to flee again.

Later on Wednesday, an Israeli strike killed three Palestinians and wounded others near the northern Jabalia camp, one of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps, medics said.

1156 GMT — Israelis block main highway in Tel Aviv demanding prisoner swap

Israeli protesters blocked a main highway in Tel Aviv, central Israel, demanding the government reach a prisoner swap deal with Palestinians to secure the release of captives in Gaza.

According to the Israeli state broadcaster KAN, the protesters holding photos of the captives in Gaza blocked Dizengoff Street in central Tel Aviv. KAN added that protests are taking place in other locations across Israel, demanding the release of the captives.

The Haaretz daily reported that another massive protest will be held in the evening.

1143 GMT — Israeli jets hit southern Lebanon town with white phosphorus bombs

Israeli warplanes struck a town in southern Lebanon with white phosphorus bombs, according to Lebanese media.

The attack targeted Mtolleh in the border town of Khiyam, the state-run National News Agency reported. No reports were yet available about casualties.

Under international humanitarian law, the use of airburst white phosphorus is unlawfully indiscriminate in populated areas.

Three homes were also destroyed in Israeli air strikes in the occupied Shebaa Farms in southern Lebanon, according to an Anadolu news agency reporter.

Israeli artillery shelling was also reported in Wazzani, Wadi Hamoul and Dhayra in southern Lebanon.

1113 GMT — Gaza death toll in Israel's war surpasses 37,700

At least 60 more Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, pushing up the overall death toll to 37,718 since October 7 last year, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said.

A ministry statement added that some 86,377 other people have been injured in the onslaught.

"Israeli forces killed 60 people and injured 140 others in four 'massacres' against families in the last 24 hours," the ministry said.

1012 GMT — Illegal Israeli settlers storm into Al Aqsa Mosque complex

Dozens of illegal Israeli settlers have forced their way into the Al Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem under the protection of the Israeli security forces.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa quoted witnesses in the mosque who said dozens of settlers broke into the mosque in groups, made provocative tours inside and performed Talmudic rituals.

The Israeli forces imposed tightened restrictions on the entry of worshippers to the mosque, while hundreds of Israeli forces were deployed in Jerusalem's Old City area leading to Al Aqsa Mosque, Wafa added.

0946 GMT — ‘Türkiye stands with brotherly Lebanese people,’ says President Erdogan amid Israel's invasion plan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on all regional countries to stand with Lebanon against Israel's invasion plan.

In an address to the parliamentary group of his Justice and Development (AK) Party in the capital Ankara, Erdogan said: “Israel, which has devastated Gaza, is now setting its sights on Lebanon. We see that western powers are supporting Israel behind the scenes.”

“Türkiye stands with brotherly Lebanese people and state and I invite other countries in the region to stand in solidarity with Lebanon as well,” said Erdogan.

"Netanyahu's plans to spread the war across the region will lead to a major catastrophe,” he warned, adding: “Islamic world and Middle Eastern countries should be the first to react to these bloody plans."

“It is extremely dire, pathetic that states, which talk about freedom, human rights, and justice, are held captive by a madman like Netanyahu,” the president added.

0941 GMT — Palestinian Red Crescent says thousands of Gazans face risk of famine

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society has warned that thousands of people in Gaza are facing the risk of famine amid ongoing Israeli devastating onslaught.

In a statement cited by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the Red Crescent called for the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza's northern areas, stressing that aid airdropping operations didn't meet the required needs in decreasing the percentage of hunger.

It also called for opening the crossings with Gaza to allow the entry of humanitarian aid into all areas of Gaza, confirming that the Israeli army continues to target relief workers in a deliberate manner.

0844 GMT — Israel abducts 20 more Palestinians across occupied West Bank

The Israeli army has abducted 20 more Palestinians during raids across the occupied West Bank, prisoners’ affairs groups said.

This brings the total number of Palestinians abducted by the Israeli army in the West Bank since October last year to 9,400, including those who were released after being abducted, according to Palestinian figures.

Over the past few years, the Israeli military has conducted regular raids in the occupied West Bank, which have escalated with the beginning of the war on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinians have also been violently attacked by illegal Israeli settlers.

At least 553 Palestinians, including 133 children, have since been killed and nearly 5,200 others wounded by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory, according to the Health Ministry.

0750 GMT — Israel pounds several areas across Gaza as Rafah fighting rages

Israeli forces have pounded several areas across Gaza, and residents have reported fierce fighting overnight in Rafah in the south of the Palestinian enclave.

Residents said fighting intensified in the Tel Al Sultan neighbourhood in western Rafah, where tanks were also trying to force their way north amid heavy clashes. The armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad said fighters attacked Israeli forces with anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs.

Since early May, ground fighting has focused on Rafah, abutting Egypt on Gaza's southern edge, where around half of the enclave's 2.3 million people had been sheltering after fleeing other areas. Most have since had to flee again.

Medics said two Palestinians were killed in one Israeli missile strike in Rafah earlier on Wednesday.

0640 GMT — Iraqi group carries out drone attack on southern Israel

An Iraqi resistance group has announced that a combat drone had struck a target in Eilat, southern Israel.

In a statement, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said it hit a vital “target in occupied Umm Al Rashrash 'Eilat' by the use of drones."

The group, however, did not disclose the nature of the target, but stressed that it will "continue to destroy enemy (Israeli) strongholds."

0540 GMT — Gaza face dire hunger emergency as Israeli strikes continue

At least 96 percent of Gaza’s population – 2.15 million people – face high levels of acute food insecurity through September, according to a newly published report.

The latest analysis projects fewer people will face catastrophic levels of hunger in the coming months – 495,000 compared to the previously projected 1.1 million. However, there remains a high risk of famine amidst a deteriorating health and humanitarian situation across Gaza.

As long as Israel's war on the enclave continues and humanitarian access is restricted, the IPC acute food security report warns, the dire situation in Gaza is unlikely to improve.

0537 GMT — Suspected Houthi attack targets a ship in the Gulf of Aden

Suspected attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a ship in the Gulf of Aden, authorities have said.

The attacks follow the departure of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower after an eight-month deployment in which the aircraft carrier led the American response to the Houthi assaults.

Those attacks have reduced shipping drastically through the route crucial to Asian, Middle Eastern and European markets in a campaign the Houthis say will continue as long as Israel's brutal war on Gaza continues.

0500 GMT — Norwegian fund blacklists Caterpillar over Gaza fears

Norway's largest pension fund has said it had divested from US industrial group Caterpillar because of the risk its equipment was being used by the Israeli army in Gaza.

"For a long time, Caterpillar has supplied bulldozers and other equipment that has been used to demolish Palestinian homes and infrastructure to clear the way for Israeli settlements," Kiran Aziz, head of responsible investments at KLP, said in a statement.

"It has also been alleged that the company's equipment is being used by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) in connection with its military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas operation on October 7 last year," she added.

0238 GMT — Large fire breaks out near Israeli military base in occupied East Jerusalem‎

A large fire has broken out near an Israeli military base on Mount Scopus in occupied East Jerusalem.

Israel's Army Radio said firefighters worked to contain it. Authorities are investigating the suspected arson, it added.

Police in a separate statement confirmed their collaboration with firefighting teams following the outbreak of the blaze in an open area near the Ofrit base and Hebrew University.

At this stage, there is no danger to residents of the area, the military base, road users or university buildings, the police said.

0223 GMT — German FM warns of regional war during visit to Lebanon

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has warned that a "miscalculation" could trigger a full-blown war between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah and called for restraint during her visit to Beirut, where she met her Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib.

Baerbock expressed "Germany's concern about the current tensions in the area and cautioned against reaching a deadlock, particularly if both Hezbollah and Israel reject a ceasefire."

She warned that "failure to reach an agreement on a ceasefire would pose a danger to everyone, as it could escalate into a regional war, affecting not only Lebanon and Israel but the entire region."

0043 GMT — Palestine says Armenia's recognition a step to end Israeli occupation

Armenia's decision to recognise the State of Palestine "represents progress in acknowledging the Palestinian people's right to their land and the necessity of ending the Israeli occupation," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said.

Abbas expressed his gratitude to Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan for the significant step in a letter he sent to his Armenian counterpart, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Armenia's recognition "reflects its commitment to achieving justice, belief in human rights, and the depth of the friendly and respectful relations between the Palestinian and Armenian peoples," Abbas added.

Abbas expressed hope that other countries that have not yet recognised an independent State of Palestine would follow Armenia's lead to achieve security, peace and coexistence in the region.

2225 GMT — US military invites reporters to Gaza pier project

After several fits and starts, the $230 million pier is up and running again.

The US military invited reporters for a tour of it, marking the first time international media has witnessed its operations firsthand.

As journalists looked, US soldiers with machine guns directed the pier's operations. US vessels carrying trucks loaded with humanitarian aid docked at the pier.

Israel has barred foreign journalists from covering the Gaza war and most of the coverage has been led by local Palestinians journalists. Israel has killed more than 150 local journalists and wounded dozens others since October last year.

2139 GMT — WFP economist pleads for action to help Gaza's dire food crisis

The UN food agency's chief economist has said designations about whether there's a famine in besieged Gaza miss the point, because the situation is dire, with nearly all 2.3 million Palestinians facing acute hunger.

The world needs to take action now, said Arif Husain of the World Food Program, citing the example of Somalia's massive famine in 2011, where 250,000 people died.

"Half of those people died before famine was declared," Husain said.

He stressed to reporters that averting famine requires more than food — it requires clean water, sanitation, health care and medicine on a sustained basis.

2123 GMT — Houthis claim 'accurate' hit on Israeli ship in Arabian Sea

Yemen's Houthis have said that they used a new ballistic missile to hit the MSC Sarah V vessel in the Arabian Sea, claiming responsibility for an attack reported a day earlier.

Yahya Sarea, the Yemeni group's spokesperson, claimed an "accurate and direct" hit on the ship, describing the vessel as "Israeli."

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations has said the crew were reported safe and that the vessel was heading to its next port of call.

For our live updates from Tuesday, June 25, 2024, click here.