Israeli strikes have killed 92 people in Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the country’s health ministry said late Thursday.
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 injured.
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 injured.
Earlier on Thursday, an Israeli air strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs targeted a Hezbollah commander, a source close to the group said, as Israel’s army announced it was carrying out precision raids in the Lebanese capital.
“An Israeli strike targeted a Hezbollah commander,” the security source said, requesting anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media. It is the fourth such attack targeting Hezbollah commanders in the area in a week.
Meanwhile in Gaza, Israeli forces killed at least 11 people, including women and children, after it bombed the al-Falouja School in the Jabalia refugee camp.
An Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Thursday killed the head of Hezbollah’s drone unit, the militant group and the Israeli military said.
The Iran-backed Hezbollah said in a statement that the strike killed Mohammed Srur, born in 1973.
The Israeli military earlier said in a statement that its fighter jets had “targeted and eliminated” Srur, identifying him as “the commander of Hezbollah’s air unit”.
It was the fourth attack in a week targeting Hezbollah commanders in the densely populated area.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Thursday for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon to create space for diplomacy to resolve the conflict.
“I call on Israel and Hezbollah to stop the violence, step back from the brink. We need to see animmediate ceasefire to provide space for a diplomatic settlement,” he said in his first speech at the UN General Assembly.
Israel has rejected a ceasefire.
The Israeli army said it intercepted a missile that was fired from Yemen after sirens and explosions were heard early on Friday.
“Following the sirens that sounded in central Israel, the surface-to-surface missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted by an ‘Arrow’ interceptor outside of Israeli territory,” the army said in a statement.
The Israeli military said it had launched new air strikes on south Lebanon on Thursday evening, after top officials flatly rejected a US-backed call for a 21-day ceasefire.
“The (Israeli military) is currently striking Hezbollah terror targets in southern Lebanon,” the military said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday his government had not responded to a US-led push for a 21-day ceasefire in its campaign against Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
“It is an American-French proposal, which the prime minister has not even responded to,” said a statement from Netanyahu’s office, adding that he had ordered the army “to continue the fighting with full force”.
rael said on Thursday it had secured an $8.7 billion aid package from the United States to support its ongoing military efforts and to maintain a qualitative military edge in the region.
The package includes $3.5 billion for essential wartime procurement, which has already been received and earmarked for critical military purchases, and $5.2 billion designated for air defense systems including the Iron Dome anti-missile system, David’s Sling and an advanced laser system.
