Live blog: Israeli attacks in Lebanon may broaden conflict  — US general

Sunday, June 23, 2024

2046 GMT — An Israeli offensive in Lebanon has the potential to increase the risk of a broader conflict that draws in Iran and Iran-aligned groups, particularly if Hezbollah's existence is threatened, the top US general has said.

Air Force General C.Q. Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did not predict Israel's next steps. But he cautioned that a Lebanon offensive "can drive up the potential for a broader conflict."

"Hezbollah is more capable than Hamas as far as overall capability, number rockets and the like. And I would just say I would see Iran be more inclined to provide greater support to Hezbollah," Brown told reporters before stopping in Cape Verde on his way to regional defence talks in Botswana.

"Again, all this could help to broaden the conflict in the region and really have Israel not only be worried about what's happening on their southern part of the country but also now what's happening in the north."

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2048 GMT — Lebanese minister denies Hezbollah weapons at Beirut airport

Lebanon's transport minister has denied that Hezbollah was storing weapons at Beirut airport, as fears grow of all-out war between the group and Israel.

Ali Hamieh called a press conference to deny the allegations of "absurd articles" in the media and attacked the British daily The Telegraph.

The newspaper said the Lebanese group is storing missiles and rockets at the airport, where "whistleblowers" had reported the arrival of "unusually big boxes".

"I am holding this press conference to clarify that everything that has been written in The Telegraph is false and to say that there are no weapons entering or leaving Beirut airport," Hamieh told journalists.

2014 GMT — Illegal Israeli settlers attack Palestinian gathering in eastern West Bank

Illegal Israeli settlers have attacked a settlement of Bedouin or nomadic Palestinian tribes near Jericho in the eastern occupied West Bank, firing gunshots to scare them and stealing several sheep.

According to the Al Baydar Organization for Defending Rights of Bedouins, Israeli settlers stormed the Ras Ein al Auja area in the north of Jericho, for the second consecutive day on Sunday.

During the attack, illegal Israeli settlers searched houses and livestock pens before stealing 10 sheep, the organisation added.

“A group of settlers again raided the gathering in Ras al Ain, searched houses and livestock pens, and took about 10 sheep,” Hassan Mleihat, the organisation official, told Anadolu.

1842 GMT — Netanyahu says intense fighting against Hamas is ending but war to go on

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the phase of intense fighting against Hamas was coming to an end but that the war would not end until the Islamist group no longer controls the Gaza Strip.

Once the intense fighting is over in Gaza, Netanyahu said, it will allow Israel to deploy more forces along the front with Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

1610 GMT — EU warns of escalating conflict in Middle East amid Gaza war

The EU foreign policy chief issued a warning about the escalating violence in the Middle East amid ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza.

"Yesterday (Saturday) has been one of the deadliest days since October with at least 100 Palestinians reportedly killed," Josep Borrell said on X, highlighting severe casualties.

He also stressed that the situation remains dire as "hostages are still held captive," and the risk of a broader conflict "involving Hezbollah" looms large.

"A spillover in Lebanon would seriously impact the region and beyond," Borrell cautioned, noting that in the West Bank, the economic situation is on the brink of "collapse," and "violence is intensifying."

1536 GMT — Hezbollah targets Israeli barracks after Islamist commander's death

Lebanon's Hezbollah group said it targeted two military positions in northern Israel with an armed drone in response to the killing of a commander.

Hezbollah's announcement of the latest cross-border attacks came hours after it published a vide o excerpt purporting to show locations in Israel along with their coordinates.

Hezbollah on Sunday said its fighters launched a strike "with an attack drone" on a military leadership position in northern Israel's Beit Hillel barracks "in response to the assassination carried out by the Israeli enemy in the town of Khiara".

The Israeli military said in a statement that a drone had "crossed from Lebanon and fell in the area of Beit Hillel" but "no injuries were reported".

1328 GMT — 10 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza

At least 10 Palestinians were killed in separate Israeli attacks targeting several areas in Gaza, medical sources told Anadolu Agency.

Eight Palestinians were killed and several others injured in an Israeli bombing that targeted a house in the Al-Sabra neighbourhood, south of Gaza City, the sources said.

Official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that “occupation (Israeli) warplanes targeted a house in the Al-Sabra neighbourhood, south of Gaza City, killing eight citizens and wounding dozens.”

1320 GMT — Taiwanese protest attacks on Gaza, urge government to stop selling arms parts to Israeli, US firms

Hundreds of Taiwanese protested on Sunday, demanding an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and urging their government to stop selling weapons parts to Israeli and US companies.

Despite the rain, protesters from various civic groups marched from Liberty Square to the Control Yuan in the Taiwanese capital of Taipe i, TaiwanPlus News reported.

Demonstrators carried Palestinian flags, banners and placards, condemning Israel's attacks on Gaza and chanting slogans such as "Free Palestine" and "Freedom for Gaza." They also called for an "immediate cease-fire" in Gaza.

1156 GMT — 4 Palestinians killed in Israeli strike on UN training centre in Gaza

At least four Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike on a UN training centre west of Gaza City, medical sources said.

Fighter jets struck the headquarters of the Vocational Training College of the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), according to witnesses.

Massive damage was reported at the site.

At least 60 people were killed in relentless Israeli attacks in Gaza in the last 24 hours, according to Palestinian medical sources.

1150 GMT — Israel arrests 20 more Palestinians in West Bank raids

At least 20 more Palestinians were detained by Israeli forces in military raids in the occupied West Bank, according to prisoners’ affairs groups.

A student and several children were among the detainees in the raids that targeted the cities of Nablus, Qalqilya, Tubas, Ramallah, and Jericho, the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a joint statement.

“The detainees were subjected to abuse, severe beatings, and threats against their families, in addition to widespread acts of sabotage and destruction of citizens’ homes,” the statement said.

The new arrests brought to 9,345 the number of Palestinians detained by the Israeli army in the West Bank last October, according to Palestinian figures.

1130 GMT — Gaza death toll nears 37,600 as Israel murders more Palestinians

At least 37,598 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ongoing offensive on Gaza since last October, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said.

A ministry statement added that 86,032 other people have also been injured in the onslaught.

“Israeli attacks killed 47 people and injured 121 others in the last 24 hours,” the statement said.

“Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added.

1041 GMT — Israeli tanks go further into Rafah's Al Mawasi area, residents say

Israeli tanks have advanced to the edge of the Al Mawasi refugee camp in the northwest of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, residents said.

Images of two Israeli tanks stationed on a hilltop overlooking the coastal area went viral on social media, but Reuters could not independently verify them.

"The fighting with the resistance has been intense. The occupation forces are overlooking the Mawasi area now, which forced families there to head for Khan Younis," said one resident, who asked not to be named, on a chat app.

Residents said Israeli tanks had pushed deeper into western and northern Rafah in recent days, blowing up dozens of houses.

1014 GMT — Israeli defence minister heads to US for talks on Gaza war

Israel’s defence minister has called the United States a “pivotal ally,” highlighting upcoming "critical meetings" in Washington to address the war in Gaza and rising tensions between Tel Aviv and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Yoav Gallant’s statements were made shortly before his departure for Washington on an official visit of unspecified duration, amid a crisis in relations between the government of Benjamin Netanyahu and the administration of US President Joe Biden, as reported by the daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

“The meetings with senior (US) government officials are critical for the future of the war,” said Gallant. “We are prepared for any action that may be required in Gaza, Lebanon, and in additional areas,” he added.

He also stressed that "the United States is our most vital and pivotal ally, and our relations are especially crucial at this time, perhaps more so than ever before."

0941 GMT — Israel targeted 69 percent of schools sheltering displaced people in Gaza: UN agency

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has said that the Israeli army bombed 69 percent of schools housing displaced people inside Gaza.

In a statement, the agency said that “according to Global Education Cluster, 69% of school buildings where displaced families were seeking shelter have been directly hit or damaged.”

“This blatant disregard of humanitarian law must stop. We need a ceasefire now,” it added.

On Friday, the UNRWA noted that in Gaza, over 76 percent of schools require reconstruction or major rehabilitation to be operational again, according to the Global Education Cluster.

0933 GMT — Netanyahu says US arms delay row to be 'resolved in near future'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a row with the United States over weapons delays relating to the Gaza war would be resolved soon, amid simmering tensions between the allies.

"About four months ago, there was a dramatic drop in the supply of armaments arriving from the US to Israel. We got all sorts of explanations, but... the basic situation didn't change. In light of what I have heard in the last day, I hope and believe that this issue will be resolved in the near future," he told a cabinet meeting on Sunday.

The Israeli PM said in a video posted last week on X that it is "inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunition to Israel."

His claim was rebuffed later by the National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.

0926 GMT — Israel carries out more strikes in Gaza killing 10 Palestinians

At least 10 Palestinians have been killed in separate Israeli attacks targeting several areas in Gaza.

Medical sources told Anadolu eight Palestinians were killed and several others injured in an Israeli bombing that targeted a house in the Al Sabra neighbourhood, south of Gaza City.

Official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that “occupation (Israeli) warplanes targeted a house in the Al Sabra neighbourhood, south of Gaza City, killing eight citizens and wounding dozens.”

“The occupation warplanes targeted a group of citizens near the power station north of the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, killing two Palestinians and injuring others,” Wafa reported.

0911 GMT — Houthis report targeting five ships in conjunction with Iraqi militia

Yemeni Houthis have announced that their forces, in coordination with an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, targeted five ships in the northern Israeli port of Haifa and the Mediterranean Sea.

In a statement, the Houthis said: “The first operation targeted four ships in the port of Haifa, including two cement tankers and two general cargo ships, belonging to companies that violated the ban on entry to the ports of occupied Palestine, using several drones."

“The second operation targeted the Shorthorn Express ship (identity not determined) in the Mediterranean Sea as it was heading to the port of Haifa, using several drones,” the group said, adding that “both operations successfully achieved their objectives, with precise casualties.”

“The Yemeni armed forces will continue joint military operations with the Iraqi Islamic Resistance in support of the Palestinian people until the aggression ceases and the siege on the Gaza Strip is lifted,” it added.

0810 GMT — Hezbollah reports targeting Israeli barracks near Lebanese border

The Lebanese group Hezbollah has said that its fighters had launched an air attack on Israeli barracks near the Lebanese border, killing and wounding Israeli soldiers.

In a statement, the group said that its fighters launched "an air attack with an assault drone on the headquarters of the Al Sahel Battalion in the Beit Hilal barracks, and targeted the locations and settlements of its officers and soldiers."

It added that it had achieved a direct hit, resulting in injury or death to Israeli soldiers. The group said the attack comes in response to "the assassination carried out by the Israeli enemy in the town of Al Khayara in eastern Lebanon."

There was no immediate comment from Tel Aviv on Hezbollah's statements.

On Saturday, at least one person was killed after Israel targeted a car in the town of Al Khayara in Bekaa, eastern Lebanon.

0645 GMT — Israeli army admit troops tied wounded Palestinian to jeep

Israeli troops have tied a wounded Palestinian man to a military vehicle during a raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, the army said, admitting that soldiers had violated operational procedures.

Footage of the incident, which occurred on Saturday, has gone viral and shows a Jenin resident strapped horizontally to the bonnet of a military jeep as it passes through a narrow alley.

The military said the Palestinian was wounded during a "counterterrorism operation" launched to apprehend wanted suspects.

"In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle," the statement said.

"The conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the IDF (military)," it said, adding that "the incident will be investigated and dealt with accordingly."

0457 GMT — Israeli air strikes kill five and wound others

At least five Palestinian civilians have been killed and several others wounded in the early morning following Israeli air and artillery strikes targeting central and western areas of Gaza City.

Three Palestinians were killed, and others, including children and women, were wounded in an Israeli air strike on a residential building near Al Jawhara Tower in central Gaza City, WAFA news agency reported this morning.

In a similar attack, two citizens were killed and others injured when an Israeli air strike hit a house in Al Shati refugee camp in western Gaza City.

Additionally, Israeli artillery intermittently shelled central and southern Rafah, while Israeli warplanes targeted a house in northern Rafah.

0511 GMT — Merchant ship damaged by drone attack in Red Sea: UK agency

A merchant ship has been damaged by a drone attack in the Red Sea near Yemen early morning, though no injuries were reported, according to the British maritime security agency UKMTO.

"The Master of a merchant vessel reports being hit by uncrewed aerial system (UAS), resulting in damage to the vessel. All crew members are reported safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call," said a bulletin from UKMTO, which is run by the British navy.

The Yemeni Houthis have been targeting Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in solidarity with Gaza, which has been under an Israeli onslaught since October 7.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.

0056 GMT — Death toll rises after Israeli warplanes bombed homes in Gaza City

The death toll from the Israeli air strikes that targeted two homes in Gaza City has risen to at least 43, according to the Gaza Civil Defense.

It announced earlier on Saturday that three bodies, including two children and a woman, were recovered after an Israeli warplane targeted a home in Gaza City, raising the death toll in the city to 43, along with dozens of injuries.

Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for the Civil Defense (Civil Protection), told Anadolu: "Warplanes destroyed residential buildings in the Al Shati Camp, Al Tuffah, Al Shujaiyya and Al Zaytoun neighbourhoods in Gaza City."

The Israeli army acknowledged targeting Gaza City but claimed it bombed "two military structures belonging to Hamas in Gaza."

2231 GMT — EU urges investigation over shelling of ICRC office in Gaza

The EU has condemned the recent shelling in Gaza that damaged the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) office, resulting in dozens of casualties.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stressed the necessity of holding those responsible accountable through an independent investigation.

"The EU condemns the shelling which damaged the ICRC office in Gaza and led to dozens of casualties," Borrell wrote on X.

"An independent investigation is needed and those responsible must be held accountable.”

Borrell reiterated the importance of protecting civilians, highlighting that such protection is an "obligation under the Geneva Conventions," which "all parties in conflict are bound to" uphold.

2226 GMT — London activists vow to protest until Gaza 'genocide' ends

Palestine activists have staged a demonstration in solidarity with people in Gaza, vowing to keep protesting until "the genocide ends and Palestine is free."

Gathering at the Victoria Embankment Gardens, a group of protesters decried Western governments’ "silence" in the face of ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza, where more than 37,500 Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 7.

Speaking at the rally, Hala, a protester from Gaza, touched on the worsening situation in the enclave, where people are facing hunger and disease.

Criticising the UK government's stance, she noted that so far the government has not accepted any injured Palestinian for treatment.

"The UK until today has taken zero patients from Gaza. Here we are eight months later in supposedly one of the most developed countries in the world, and not one single person is getting treatments in this country… not one," she said as the crowd chanted, "Shame."

2204 GMT — US airmen seek conscientious objector status over Washington’s Gaza policy

US Air Force members Larry Hebert and Juan Bettancourt have announced that they can no longer ignore the US policy concerning Gaza and requested to exercise their conscientious objector rights.

A report by NBC News said the servicemen expressed their protest because of the US’ support for Israel.

Hebert said the turning point for him was the story of 6-year-old Hind Rajab, who was trapped in a vehicle targeted by Israel in Gaza and begged for her life.

"It’s wholly unjustified to support what’s happening," said Hebert, noting that Hind resembled his daughter.

He said he was part of an operation that provided weapons to Israel.

Bettancourt, overwhelmed by the images he witnessed, said: "The world is witnessing the massacre of thousands of innocent civilians through their smartphones."

For our live updates from Saturday, June 22, 2024, click here.