Live blog: Guterres warns of regional war amid Israeli attack on Beirut

Friday, September 27, 2024

1936 GMT — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned of the escalating violence in the Middle East, saying "Gaza is key to ending it".

"War in Lebanon could lead to further escalation involving outside powers," Guterres said at a UN Security Council session on Palestine, which was called by Algeria.

Expressing support for a temporary ceasefire for aid delivery in Lebanon, the UN chief said: "We need this ceasefire now."

"We must avoid a regional war at all costs," Guterres said. "Gaza remains the epicentre of the violence."

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1923 GMT — Israel denies, impedes nearly 90% of coordinated aid efforts in Gaza in September: UN

The UN has highlighted the challenges to humanitarian efforts in northern and southern Gaza, with 90 percent of coordinated efforts either denied or impeded so far in September by Israel.

"Humanitarian aid movements in Gaza continue to face significant access constraints," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference.

"Nearly 90 percent of coordinated humanitarian movements between northern and southern Gaza so far in September have been either denied or impeded," said Dujarric.

The spokesman also stated that the "number of internal movement obstacles deployed by Israeli forces, increased by more than 20 percent since June 2023."

1917 GMT — UK government urges British nationals to immediately leave Lebanon

The UK Foreign Ministry has issued an urgent call for all British nationals in Lebanon to leave the country as soon as possible, citing growing concerns over the region's deteriorating security situation.

In a statement, the ministry emphasised the immediate need for British citizens to secure seats on the next available flights out of Lebanon.

"We are working to increase capacity and secure seats for British nationals to leave," it said.

1917 GMT — Israeli military says it has attacked Hezbollah targets in Lebanon

Israeli fighter jets have attacked Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including weapons launchers and weapons storage sites, the military has said, hours after it announced a strike on Beirut.

1847 GMT — Hezbollah says 'no truth to any statement' about Israeli attack on Beirut's southern suburbs

Hezbollah's media office has said that there was "no truth to any statement" about the Israeli attack on Beirut's southern suburbs, without specifying what statements it was referring to.

It said the media office alone would publish in the group's name. Hezbollah has not otherwise made any statement about the Israeli strikes.

1833 GMT — South Lebanon may become 'another Gaza' in Israel-Iran conflict: EU

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has issued a grim warning about the faith of southern Lebanon, which may become another Gaza due to the confrontation between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

"Maybe South Lebanon is also becoming another Gaza, becoming the battlefield of the confrontation between Israel and Iran," Borrell said during his address to the 79th UN General Assembly in New York.

"We will enter into a never-ending spiral," Borrell said, emphasising that the conflict's current path could deepen instability across the region.

1820 GMT — UN 'alarmed' by Israel's heavy airstrike on Beirut's southern suburb

The UN has expressed "great alarm" over the developments in Lebanon's Beirut following the latest heavy Israeli bombardment.

"We are watching the developments unfolding in Beirut with great alarm," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters during a news conference after Israeli army carried out a heavy and unprecedented air strike on Beirut's southern suburb area.

He expressed the UN's deep concern about "the sharp escalation of hostilities across the Blue Line with strikes in Lebanon."

"I can tell you that our peacekeeping mission here, better known as UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), continues to engage actively with the parties to help de-escalate tensions along the Blue Line and avoid further misunderstandings," he added.

1807 GMT — Iran's embassy in Lebanon says Israeli strike in Beirut is 'dangerous game-changing escalation'

Iran's embassy in Lebanon has said on X that the Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs represents a dangerous game-changing escalation that will "bring its perpetrator an appropriate punishment."

1803 GMT — Norway urges countries to be impatient on behalf of Palestinians growing under Israeli occupation

Norway’s foreign minister has urged all countries to be more impatient for Palestinians as multiple generations have grown up under Israeli occupation.

"We must all be more impatient on behalf of the Palestinians. Multiple generations have grown up under occupation,” said Espen Barth Eide during his address at the ministerial meeting on establishing a global coalition for the implementation of the two-state solution in New York.

“The Palestinian people have the same right to self-determination as the people of any other nation. This is in line with a number of UN resolutions and with the recent advisory opinion of the UN International Court of Justice on July 19,” he added.

Palestinians should never have had to negotiate for fundamental rights, he stressed.

1733 GMT — Senior Hezbollah official Safieddine alive after Israeli strikes, Hezbollah source says

Senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine is alive, a Hezbollah source has said after several Israeli strikes pounded the Lebanese capital's southern suburbs.

1740 GMT — Two dead, 76 wounded in Israeli strikes

Lebanese Health Ministry has said that at least 2 people have been killed and 76 wounded in massive Israeli strikes in Beirut suburb.

1712 GMT — Netanyahu cuts short New York visit to return to Israel, his office says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will cut short his trip to New York and return to Israel, his office has said in a statement, following an Israeli strike on Lebanon's capital Beirut.

1701 GMT — Israel waging 'genocidal war', Mikati says after Beirut strikes

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has urged the international community to "stop" Israel from waging a "genocidal war" against Lebanon, following a huge Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs.

"This new Israeli aggression proves that the Israeli enemy doesn't care about all the international efforts and calls for a ceasefire," Mikati, who is in New York, said in a statement issued by his office, urging the international community to stop the "genocidal war that it (Israel) is waging on Lebanon".

1652 GMT — Hezbollah's leader Nasrallah alive after Israeli strikes, source close to group

Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah is alive, a source close to the armed group told Reuters, following a series of Israeli air strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs.

1647 GMT — Tehran checking status of Hezbollah's Nasrallah, says senior Iran security official

Tehran is checking the status of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a senior Iranian security official has said, after Axios quoted an Israeli source as saying he was targeted in an Israeli attack on Beirut.

1645 GMT — Hamas slams Netanyahu's 'blatant lies' at UN assembly

Hamas has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of telling "blatant lies" in his speech to the UN General Assembly.

Netanyahu "continued his series of blatant lies and escalated his threats against the peoples of the region, while... expanding his circle of crimes to include our people in Lebanon", a statement from the Palestinian group said.

1627 GMT — Axios citing Israeli source: Hezbollah leader Nasrallah was target of Israeli strikes on Beirut

Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was the target of the latest Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, and the Israeli military is checking whether he was hit or not, US news website Axios has said, citing an Israeli source.

1549 GMT — Israel carries out multiple strikes on Lebanese capital Beirut

The Israeli military has said it carried out a strike on the headquarters of the Lebanese group Hezbollah in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

"The IDF (military) carried out a precise strike on the central headquarters of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah in Dahiyeh," military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a televised statement.

The strikes were the biggest attack on Beirut's southern suburbs, security sources in the country said.

1506 GMT — UN warns Lebanon facing deadliest period in a generation

The UN humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon has warned that the violence engulfing the country has ushered in the deadliest period in a generation, with more than 700 lives lost and over 218,000 people internally displaced following Israeli attacks.

“The surge in violence has extended to previously unaffected areas, leading to widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure across the country. The recent escalations in Lebanon are nothing short of catastrophic," Imran Riza said in a press briefing.

"In less than a week, at least 700 lives have been lost, thousands have been injured, and nearly 120,000 people have been displaced within mere hours, with these numbers continuing to rise as we speak."

1457 GMT — Israel military carrying out new strikes against Hezbollah

The Israeli military has said it was carrying out fresh strikes against Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon, minutes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the UN that operations against the Lebanese armed group will continue.

Israel's military "is currently striking" "targets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organisation in southern Lebanon," the military said in a statement.

1430 GMT — International federation of nurses warns of dangers facing healthcare workers in Lebanon

Howard Catton, CEO of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), has voiced serious concerns over the escalating dangers facing healthcare workers in Lebanon, drawing parallels to the violence experienced by their colleagues in Gaza.

In an interview with Anadolu, Catton emphasised that healthcare professionals in Lebanon are feeling the same fears as those in Gaza, as the threat of conflict looms over their hospitals and health facilities.

"They have seen what has happened in Gaza, and, of course, they are fearful that this could be repeated in Lebanon," Catton said, stressing the need to prevent such devastation from spreading.

1422 GMT — US Navy warships intercepted projectiles fired by Houthis: official

US Navy warships going through the Bab al-Mandab Strait intercepted a number of projectiles fired by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, a US official has said.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the projectiles included both missiles and drones and there was no damage to any of the three warships in the area. The official was citing initial information, which can change.

1413 GMT — Turkish delegation, others walk out of UN General Assembly in protest of Israeli premier

The Turkish delegation and many others walked out of the UN General Assembly in protest ahead of a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Led by Türkiye's permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz, the delegation left the hall before Netanyahu began his address.

Many other delegations were seen to follow the protest by Türkiye's representatives and also walked out of the hall.

1407 GMT — Slovenian premier to Netanyahu: 'Stop the bloodshed, stop the suffering, end the occupation'

Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob has called on Israel to halt its military operations and end the occupation of Palestinian territories.

During his address at the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, Golob condemned the ongoing violence in a direct message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging an immediate end to the "bloodshed and suffering."

"I want to say this out loud and clear to the Israeli government: Stop the bloodshed, stop the suffering, bring the hostages home, and end the occupation," Golob declared. "Mr. Netanyahu, stop this war now."

1337 GMT — Lebanese prime minister urges UN support amid Israeli bombardment

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has called for urgent humanitarian support from UN bodies during a series of diplomatic meetings in New York, as Israeli aggression against Lebanon escalates.

Mikati’s appeal came as he sought international assistance to halt the ongoing Israeli bombardment.

During his meetings, Mikati spoke with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the importance of implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the role of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in maintaining regional stability.

1322 GMT — Strikes on Lebanon killing children 'at a frightening rate': UN

The UN children's agency has condemned this week's sharp escalation of violence between Israel and Hezbollah, saying that the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon was killing children "at a frightening rate".

"The attacks on Lebanon are killing and injuring children at a frightening rate," UNICEF's Lebanon representative Edouard Beigbeder said, according to the statement.

The situation "has moved from crisis to catastrophe. The suffering of children must stop," Beigbeder said, calling for a halt in the fighting.

1248 GMT — Global alliance a 'must' for implementation of independent Palestine state: EU

A global alliance is a must for the realisation of an independent Palestine state, according to the EU foreign policy chief.

"Almost the entire world calls for the two-state solution," Josep Borrell told a ministerial event on the peace process and the two-state solution on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

"If the two-state solution is not the solution, then which is the solution? Which is the alternative solution?" he asked, speaking almost a year into an unprecedented Israeli offensive into Gaza, killing over 41,000 people.

1235 GMT — Hamas urges world leaders to walk out during Netanyahu's UN speech

To protest Israel’s "ongoing genocide" in Gaza in a high-profile way, during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to the UN General Assembly in New York, world lawmakers should stage a mass walkout from the chamber, a senior Hamas official has urged.

"Walking out is the least that can be done to express rejection and condemnation of the ongoing genocide in Gaza,” Izzat al-Rishq said in a statement.

Rishq called Netanyahu "little Hitler," comparing him to the Nazi dictator and mass murderer, accusing the prime minister of orchestrating the mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and Lebanon.

1204 GMT — Yemen's Houthis claim missile, drone attack on central Israel

Yemen's Houthis have said they had carried out a missile and drone attack on central Israel after Israel's military said air defences intercepted a missile fired from the country.

The Iran-backed Huthis fired a ballistic missile at a "military target" in the Tel Aviv area, and also launched a drone towards Ashkelon just north of Gaza, a statement from the forces said.

1137 GMT — Lebanon ground operation to be 'as short' as possible: Israel official

An Israeli security official has said that any ground operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon would be carried out as swiftly as possible.

"We will try to do it as short as we can," the official told journalists, speaking anonymously in line with security rules.

"I think that we are preparing that every day, and for sure that is inside our toolbox."

1114 GMT — Lebanon toll surpasses 700 as new Israeli strikes kill 25 more

At least 25 more people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon since the early hours of Friday, according to Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad, bringing the overall death toll to over 700.

According to Lebanese figures, the unprecedented Israeli offensive has resulted in at least 701 deaths and 2,173 injuries in Lebanon from Monday to Thursday.

This brings the cumulative death toll since the beginning of the conflict with Hezbollah last October to 1,540 fatalities and 5,410 injuries, based on data from the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The ministry reported that 558 people were killed and 1,835 others injured on Monday and Tuesday alone. On Wednesday, there were 51 recorded deaths and 223 injuries, while Thursday saw an additional 92 deaths and 153 injuries.

The ongoing aggression has also displaced approximately 77,100 people, according to the government's Disaster Risk Management Unit. It noted that over the past two days, 15,600 Syrian citizens and 16,130 Lebanese citizens have crossed into Syria.

1052 GMT — Macron says France opposes Lebanon 'becoming a new Gaza'

French President Emmanuel Macron said his country opposes Lebanon "becoming a new Gaza", as Israel continues to conduct extensive strikes on the neighbouring country that has killed hundreds this week, at a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Montreal.

"This intolerable situation must end," Macron said, stressing the importance of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Macron and Trudeau agreed that a political solution is needed to secure lasting peace in the region. "The continuation of the war in Gaza contributes to the spread of the conflict in the region," Macron said. "This is extremely concerning, and the main victim of this situation is Lebanon."

1047 GMT — Japan dispatches aircraft to evacuate citizens from Lebanon

Japan urged its citizens to leave Lebanon and dispatched aircraft to evacuate its citizens, as Israel carries out extensive strikes in the country.

Defence Minister Kihara Minoru ordered the deployment of aircraft to Jordan and Greece to prepare for a possible evacuation of Lebanon-based Japanese nationals as Israel continues large-scale airstrikes on the neighbouring country.

1035 GMT — Israel says detected 10 rockets launched from Lebanon targeting Haifa Bay

Israel said it detected 10 rockets launched from Lebanon targeting the Haifa Bay area, prompting air raid sirens to sound in Haifa, Tiberias, the Galilee, and the Golan Heights.

"Following the alarms in the Haifa Bay area, approximately 10 rockets were detected being launched from Lebanon. Some were intercepted, while others landed in open areas," the army said in a statement.

Israeli Channel 12 reported that two individuals sustained minor injuries while rushing to safe shelters in Haifa after sirens were activated, mentioning multiple shrapnel impact sites.

0830 GMT — Israel claims 3 Hezbollah officials killed in Beirut airstrike

Israel claimed that an air strike it conducted on Tuesday in the southern suburb of Beirut resulted in the deaths of three Hezbollah officials.

"The strike carried out by the army on Tuesday in southern Beirut led to the deaths of Mohammed Qabisi, the commander of the missile unit in Hezbollah, as well as his deputy, Abbas Ibrahim Sharaf al-Din, and Hussein Hani, another official within the missile system," a statement said.

The military said that "in another air strike, Jihad Shafiq Khazal Khanfar, another official in the ground-to-ground missile system of Hezbollah, was eliminated".

0828 GMT — Full-scale war in Lebanon should be avoided 'at all costs': Greek premier

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Mitsotakis said, "A full-scale war in southern Lebanon must be avoided at all costs. People on both sides of the border have a right to live peacefully, free from the threat of rockets or bombs disrupting their lives. Greece fully supports the proposal for an immediate 21-day ceasefire."

He urged all parties, including Iran and those it influences, to step back from perpetuating the current cycle of violence, lower tensions and engage constructively in meaningful de-escalation.

He advocated for a ceasefire in Gaza, stating, "The humanitarian catastrophe there cannot continue. Safe access to food, water, shelter, clothing, and medicines must be ensured, and international humanitarian law must be respected."

0751 GMT — Hezbollah says fired rocket salvo at Israel's Tiberias

Lebanon's Hezbollah said its forces fired a salvo of rockets at the Israeli city of Tiberias.

In a statement, Hezbollah said it was responding to Israel's "savage" strikes on Lebanese towns and civilians. The Israeli military said drones and projectiles had crossed its territory from Lebanon.

0747 GMT — Drones, projectiles from Lebanon cross into Israel, some intercepted: army

The Israeli military said drones and rockets crossed into Israeli territory from Lebanon, as Hezbollah claimed a rocket attack on the Israeli city of Tiberias.

The drones infiltrated the coastal area of Rosh HaNikra and were intercepted by the military's defences, the military said, adding several rockets were also intercepted.

0745 GMT — British premier urges immediate ceasefire in Gaza, regional peace in Middle East

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlighted the critical need for global unity to prevent further escalation of conflicts in the Middle East and beyond, at the 79th UN General Assembly on Thursday in New York

"We need to see an immediate ceasefire to provide space for a diplomatic settlement," he stated, adding: "It shames us all that the suffering in Gaza continues to grow."

"It offers nothing but more suffering for innocent people on all sides and the prospect of a wider war that no one can control and with consequences that none of us can foresee," he warned.

0730 GMT — Israel strike kills 5 Syrian soldiers on Lebanon border

An Israeli air strike killed five regime soldiers near the border with Lebanon, Anadolu reported.

"The Israeli enemy carried out an aerial attack... on one of our military positions near Kfar Yabus on the Syrian-Lebanese border," Anadolu quoted a local news agency as saying, adding that five Syrian regime soldiers were killed and one was wounded.

0703 GMT — Nine of family, others killed in Israeli hits on Lebanon, Gaza

An Israeli strike around 3 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) killed nine members of the same family in the southern Lebanese border town of Shebaa, including four children, Mayor Mohammad Saab told Reuters.

In a separate air strike targeting a tent sheltering displaced people at a hospital in central Gaza, at least three more Palestinians were killed, with several others injured.

The Civil Defence Agency in Gaza reported, "A Palestinian was martyred, and others were injured in an Israeli air strike on a tent sheltering displaced persons at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al Balah, central Gaza."

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that the attack caused panic and fear among patients, medical staff, and displaced families, including children, both inside and outside the hospital.

Hospitals, schools, mosques, and churches have all been targeted by Israel during its nearly year-long offensive, despite being off-limits under the rules of war.

Israel has also been relentlessly bombing southern Lebanon since Monday, ignoring repeated calls for a ceasefire, which has thus far claimed over 700 lives.

0501 GMT — Israeli teams will continue meetings on US ceasefire proposals: Netanyahu

Israeli teams had meetings to discuss the US ceasefire proposals with Lebanon on Thursday and will continue discussions in the days ahead, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, adding that he appreciated the US efforts.

"Our teams met (Thursday, Sept. 26) to discuss the US initiative and how we can advance the shared goal of returning people safely to their homes. We will continue those discussions in the coming days," he said in a statement.

The comments came after Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday there would be no ceasefire in the north, where Israeli jets have been carrying out the heaviest bombardment in decades.

0438 GMT — Israel defies ceasefire calls ahead of Netanyahu's UN address

Israel has rejected a push by allies for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon and vowed to keep fighting Hezbollah "until victory", ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's expected address to the UN General Assembly.

The United States, France and other allies unveiled the truce proposal on Wednesday, after President Joe Biden and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

But Israeli leader Netanyahu flatly rejected the ceasefire proposal on Thursday, ordering the military to continue "fighting with full force".

The White House expressed frustration at the rejection, saying the truce proposal had taken "a lot of care and effort".

0328 GMT — Israel hits Gaza school, killing 11 people in devastating strike

An Israeli airstrike on a school sheltering thousands of displaced Palestinians in northern Gaza has killed at least 11 people and wounding 22, including women and children, the territory’s Health Ministry said.

The Israeli military confirmed it struck the school in the Jabalia refugee camp, AFP reported.

Footage from the Al Falouja School showed rescue workers rushing casualties out of the school compound amid widespread debris and crowds of people.

One video showed men wrapping a mangled, severed torso in a plastic sheet and putting body parts into a cooler.

0250 GMT — Israel kills 92 people in latest Lebanon strikes

The Lebanese Health Ministry has said that Israel killed 92 people in its strikes on several parts of Lebanon in the past 24 hours.

The ministry said in a series of statements that Israeli raids killed 40 people in towns and villages in the south, 48 in two eastern regions and four in the east of central Mount Lebanon Governorate. Overall, it said 153 people were wounded.

Meanwhile, the death toll from Israeli assaults across the country hit 1,540 since last October.

0205 GMT — Gaza Contact Group proposes global alliance to implement two-state solution

The Gaza Contact Group proposed the establishment of a Global Alliance dedicated to advancing the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, following a ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

"Today, we convened to propose a Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-state solution, with a focus on establishing the Palestinian state," Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud announced following the meeting.

Key participants in the session included Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa, Türkiye's Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, and other representatives from various nations.

In his remarks, the Saudi foreign minister emphasised that follow-up meetings will be held in several capitals, including Riyadh, Brussels, Cairo, Oslo, Amman, and Ankara, to advance the discussions from the New York session.

These follow-ups will focus on practical action points to bolster ongoing UN peace efforts to achieve the two-state solution.

0152 GMT — Kuwait warns of 'serious escalation' in Israeli aggression against Lebanon

Kuwait has raised alarms about the "serious escalation" of Israeli aggression against Lebanon, emphasising the need for a "genuine political commitment to reform the United Nations Security Council in order to avert global instability".

Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah made these remarks during his address to the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Crown Prince Al-Sabah condemned Israeli air strikes and military aggression against Lebanon, which have resulted in significant civilian casualties, describing the ongoing escalation as a blatant violation of international laws and norms.

He also criticised Israel for violating Lebanese sovereignty and attempting to drag Lebanon into the regional conflict.

2208 GMT — Israel kills two people in Lebanon in air strike on Beirut's suburb

Israel has killed two people and wounded 15 others in its air strike targeting a Hezbollah commander in the southern suburb of Beirut, the Lebanese Health Ministry and Israeli army said.

Lebanon's state news agency, NNA, said three missiles were fired into a residential apartment in a 10-story building in the al-Qaem neighbourhood in the capital, Beirut.

The Israeli army confirmed that the strike targeted Mohammed Hussein Sarour, who it said was the head of Hezbollah's aerial force unit.

Later in the evening, Hezbollah issued a statement confirming that Sarour, 51, was killed in the Israeli strike, bringing the group's total death toll to 511 since October of last year.

2112 GMT — France says it would be 'huge mistake' if Israel invades Lebanon

French President Emmanuel Macron has said in an interview with CBC that "Israel cannot invade Lebanon today… it would be a huge mistake".

Macron also said that he opposes Lebanon becoming a new Gaza, saying Israel has to stop its strikes and Lebanon has to stop retaliating.

2059 GMT — Netanyahu dims hopes for ceasefire, vows to use 'full force' against Hezbollah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to carry out "full force" strikes against Hezbollah, dimming hopes for a ceasefire proposal put forth by US and European officials.

Netanyahu spoke as he landed in New York to attend the annual UN General Assembly meeting, where US and European officials were putting heavy pressure on both sides to accept a proposed 21-day halt in the fighting to give time for diplomacy and avert all-out war.

Israel's "policy is clear," Netanyahu said. "We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force. And we will not stop until we reach all our goals, chief among them the return of the residents of the north securely to their homes."

For our live updates from Thursday, September 26, 2024, click here.