Live blog: Israeli bombs rain down on Beirut as evacuation orders continue

Friday, October 4, 2024

0204 GMT –– Massive explosions shook Beirut overnight in one of the strongest Israeli assaults on the Lebanese city yet, with the country's Health Ministry reporting 37 deaths and over 151 injured in bombings across the country over the past 24 hours.

Since Thursday, the Israeli military has been warning people to evacuate communities in southern Lebanon that lie outside a UN-declared buffer zone, signalling that it may expand a ground offensive launched earlier this week that Tel Aviv claims is targeting the Hezbollah group.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces said they had struck around 200 Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, including weapons storage facilities and observation posts.

More updates 👇

0348 GMT –– Israeli strike in Beirut kills 9 as troops battle Hezbollah in southern Lebanon

An Israeli air strike on an apartment building in the Lebanese capital killed nine people, according to Lebanon's health ministry.

There was no warning before the strike late Wednesday, which hit the building close to the United Nations headquarters, the prime minister’s office and parliament. Hezbollah’s civil defense unit said seven of its members were killed.

Israel is also conducting a ground incursion into Lebanon against Hezbollah, while also conducting strikes in Gaza that killed dozens, including children. The Israeli military said nine soldiers have died in the conflict in southern Lebanon.

2318 GMT –– Influential US Republican urges Biden to speed Israel arms sales, letter says

The chairman of the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee urged President Joe Biden on Thursday to speed up weapons shipments to Israel, including 2000-pound (907 kg) bombs that have been held up for months over human rights concerns.

"I urge you to act today to ensure all weapons shipments to Israel, including 2,000-pound bombs, are expedited to support our ally," Representative Michael McCaul said in a letter sent to Biden and seen by Reuters on Thursday.

McCaul, who reviews a ll major foreign US weapons sales in his position as committee chairman, said he was also aware of more than 10 other planned weapons sales to Israel that have been awaiting final approval for more than four months and urged that they proceed quickly.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

2223 GMT –– Palestinian health ministry says 18 killed in Israeli strike on West Bank

At least 18 people were killed in the occupied West Bank refugee camp of Tulkarem, the Palestinian health ministry said late Thursday, following an air strike that the Israeli military claimed killed a local Hamas leader.

A source within the Palestinian security services told AFP that the air raid was the deadliest in the West Bank since 2000.

"Eighteen martyrs following the bombing of the Tulkarem camp by the occupation," the Palestinian health ministry said on its Telegram account.

The Israeli army confirmed the strike on the town in the northern West Bank, describing it as a joint operation carried out by the Shin Bet internal security service and the air force, according to a brief statement by the military.

The Israeli military later said the strike had killed a Hamas leader in Tulkarm –– Zahi Yaser Abd al-Razeq Oufi.

The army accused Oufi participating in numerous attacks in the West Bank and said he was in the process of planning another assault.

2130 GMT — Israel kills 37 people in Lebanon in 24 hours

Israel has killed at least 37 people and wounded another 151 in its strikes across Lebanon in the past 24 hours, the Lebanese Health ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Israel missile hit outside the perimetre of Beirut airport, according to Reuters news agency.

Israel strikes also hit southern Beirut suburbs "11 consecutive times", AFP news agency reported, saying car alarms went off and buildings shook in the Lebanese capital.

2100 GMT — US backs Israel's invasion of Lebanon as bombs rattle Beirut

Biden administration believes it is appropriate for Israel to continue with its ground and air attacks on Lebanon for now, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, even as he acknowledged the risk of the invasion in Lebanon expanding beyond Israel's current aims.

Israel sent troops into southern Lebanon this week after a fortnight of intense air strikes in a worsening conflict that has drawn in Iran and risks sucking in the United States.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Miller said the nature of all conflicts was "fluid" and "unpredictable" and therefore it was impossible to say how long it would take Israel to achieve its stated goal of clearing Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon, allowing it to return Israelis displaced from their homes across the border by months of rocket fire.

2030 GMT — Lebanon files complaint against Israel at UN for ground incursion

Lebanon submitted a formal complaint on Thursday to the UN Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for Israel's incursion into its territory and violating the Blue Line separating the two countries.

A statement by Lebanon's permanent mission to the UN, relayed by the country's official news agency, said the complaint condemns Israel's "aggression against Lebanon's sovereignty and the incursion of its forces within Lebanese borders" since the night of Oct 1.

On Thursday, Hezbollah repelled six Israeli infiltration attempts in southern Lebanon.

2005 GMT — US speaking to Israel about its response to Iranian attack: Pentagon

US has been in touch with Israel about its possible response to Iran's missile attack, Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh has said.

"We are talking to them about their response ... But you know, I certainly think that any response from Israel to Iran, you know, we will be part of those discussions," Singh told the reporters wi thout giving further details.

Asked whether the US is coordinating details of the response, she said: "I think without going into private conversations, what I could tell you, it's more about trying to understand what their response might be."

She said the US will continue to engage with Israel.

"In terms of the, you know, advanced notice. Again, we're talking to them in terms of targets, what they might, you know, what a response might look like," she added.

1940 GMT — FIFA opts not to suspend Israel but will investigate discrimination claims

FIFA has stopped short of suspending the Israeli football federation but asked for a disciplinary investigation of possible discrimination alleged by Palestinian football officials.

A senior FIFA panel overseeing governance will separately investigate "the participation in Israeli competitions of Israeli football teams allegedly based in the territory of Palestine," football's governing body said after a meeting of its ruling Council.

The Palestinian football federation has consistently asked FIFA for more than a decade to take action against the Israeli soccer body for incorporating teams from West Bank settlements in its leagues.

The request to FIFA's congress in May also cited "international law violations" in Gaza during Israel's war on Gaza. It directed the football body to its statutory commitments on human rights and against discrimination.

For our live updates from Thursday, October 3, 2024, click here.