Target of Beirut strikes presumed Nasrallah successor Hashem Safieddine, say Israeli media reviews
William Christou
According to Israeli media, Hachem Safieddine, the presumed subsequent chief of Hezbollah, was the goal of Israeli airstrikes on Dahiyeh, the southern suburbs of Beirut, midnight on Friday.
Axios’s Barak Ravid, citing Israeli sources, mentioned that Safiedinne was the goal of Friday night time’s assault. Hezbollah had not commented on the claims.
Safieddine, the pinnacle of Hezbollah’s govt council, was mentioned by analysts to be the most probably candidate to exchange the late-secretary common of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah, killed by Israeli aistrikes in Dahiyeh final week.
Friday’s strikes sounded just like the explosions that killed Nasrallah, with a sequence of loud explosions following each other rocking Beirut. Large, crimson smoke plumes have been pictured emanating from the location of the airstrikes.
Israel reportedly used dozens of 2000-lb bunker buster bombs in its strike final week, leaving craters dozens of meters deep.
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Key occasions
4 Oct 2024
Iran’s supreme chief, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to present first public sermon in 5 years
4 Oct 2024
What is Israel’s Dahiyeh doctrine?
4 Oct 2024
‘No motion occurring proper now’, Biden says
3 Oct 2024
Israeli strikes kill 37 individuals in Lebanon in final 24 hours, authorities say
3 Oct 2024
Summary of the day to this point
3 Oct 2024
Target of Beirut strikes presumed Nasrallah successor Hashem Safieddine, say Israeli media reviews
3 Oct 2024
IDF says it killed Hamas chief in Tulkarm
3 Oct 2024
37 individuals killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Thursday, says well being ministry
3 Oct 2024
Israeli strike hits close to perimeter of Beirut airport – report
3 Oct 2024
Huge blasts reported in Beirut
3 Oct 2024
G7 leaders voice ‘deep concern’ over ‘deteriorating state of affairs’ within the Middle East
3 Oct 2024
At least 14 killed by Israeli strike in Tulkarm refugee camp, says Palestinian well being ministry
3 Oct 2024
At least 5 killed in Israeli strike on occupied West Bank metropolis – report
3 Oct 2024
Israel points new evacuation orders for Beirut’s southern suburbs
3 Oct 2024
Israeli military says it has smoke shells that include white phosphorus however would not say in the event that they have been utilized in Beirut
3 Oct 2024
Summary of the day to this point
3 Oct 2024
Iran warns US that any nation that helps Israeli assault can be a ‘reputable goal’
3 Oct 2024
Gaza’s faculties have ‘became hell’, says Unrwa chief after Israeli strikes
3 Oct 2024
Israeli navy says it killed Hezbollah commander chargeable for lethal soccer pitch strike
3 Oct 2024
Biden says he’s ‘discussing’ potential Israeli strikes on Iran oil amenities
3 Oct 2024
Dozens of well being employees killed in Lebanon over previous 24 hours, says WHO
3 Oct 2024
‘Phase of unilateral self-restraint has ended’, Iran reportedly tells US
3 Oct 2024
Israeli assaults have killed 1,974 individuals in Lebanon since final October, well being minister says
3 Oct 2024
Summary of the day to this point …
3 Oct 2024
Lebanese military says it has returned fireplace at Israel for first time
3 Oct 2024
Middle East’s largest airline halts Iran, Iraq and Jordan flights over ‘regional unrest’
3 Oct 2024
Multiple Israeli airstrikes heard in Beirut’s southern suburbs
3 Oct 2024
Lebanese soldier killed by Israeli strike whereas on evacuation and rescue mission
3 Oct 2024
Syrian media: air defences confronting ‘hostile targets’ in skies close to Damascus
3 Oct 2024
Israel orders extra Lebanese residents to flee their houses, together with from the town of Nabatieh
3 Oct 2024
Israel declares that three months in the past it killed three senior Hamas leaders in Gaza with airstrike
3 Oct 2024
Lebanese minister: 1.2 million individuals now displaced by Israeli assaults
3 Oct 2024
Lebanese ambassador to UK repeats declare Hezbollah had agreed to ceasefire earlier than Nasrallah assassination by Israel
3 Oct 2024
Emir of Qatar accuses Israel of finishing up a ‘collective genocide’ within the area
3 Oct 2024
More than 70 killed in Israeli assaults in Gaza on Wednesday, Palestinian officers say
3 Oct 2024
Hezbollah chief had agreed to ceasefire days earlier than assassination, Lebanese minister claims
3 Oct 2024
Analysis: Gulf leaders help Palestine – however many wouldn’t thoughts seeing Israel problem Iran
3 Oct 2024
Six killed in Israeli strike on central Beirut medical centre, Lebanon says
3 Oct 2024
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Patrick Wintour
Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, famously mentioned: “Our future doesn’t rely on what the gentiles will say, however on what the Jews will do.” His argument was that the Jewish individuals might not be depending on others as that they had been for two,000 years. Instead they have been impartial, self-reliant and creators of their very own future.
Today, confronted by mounting diplomatic isolation over its battle in Gaza – to the extent that Israel is now seen by some nations as a pariah state – Ben-Gurion’s maxim has gained renewed traction for a lot of Israelis. These embrace the far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who quoted it when rebutting a world courtroom of justice (ICJ) ruling ordering Israel to stop its navy operation within the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah.
A UK Foreign Office official says that for all Israel’s discuss of public diplomacy, or hasbara, the fact is that the intuition inside its navy has at all times been to depend on itself, and to not wrestle for world opinion. “The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] doesn’t care what individuals take into consideration them. This is a safety state. It doesn’t need to be liked. It needs to be feared and revered. The IDF thinks the Israeli overseas workplace does the yoga, scorching tubs and cleanups, however the IDF has at all times performed hardball, relied on escalation dominance and by no means seen battle as a reputation contest.”
Never has that been extra clear than in latest days with Israel’s demolition of Hezbollah’s management, carried out with out the political help of the US and now portrayed by a resurgent Benjamin Netanyahu as a part of a newly declared goal “to vary the stability of energy within the area for years”.
International relations, like all politics, are a wrestle for energy, and Israel’s prime minister believes he’s profitable that wrestle.
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The Israeli navy has launched airstrikes on the border crossing between Syria and Lebanon, Al Jazeera is reporting, citing Lebanese media.
Israeli navy spokesperson Avichay Adraee had accused Hezbollah of smuggling weapons via the crossing on Thursday, the broadcaster famous.
Tens of 1000’s of individuals have fled Lebanon into Syria since Israel launched its assaults on Lebanon.
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Iran’s supreme chief, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to present first public sermon in 5 years
Iran’s supreme chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is about to steer Friday prayers and ship a public sermon that would make clear the Islamic republic’s plans after a large missile assault on enemy Israel. AFP reviews:
Khamenei’s uncommon Friday sermon – a primary in nearly 5 years – comes three days earlier than the one-year anniversary of the Israel-Hamas battle in Gaza, triggered by the Iran-backed Palestinian group’s 7 October assault.
The prayer will observe “a commemoration ceremony” at 10.30am (0700 GMT) for Hassan Nasrallah, the slain chief of Tehran-backed Lebanese armed motion Hezbollah.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who reply to Khamenei, mentioned Tuesday’s barrages of some 200 missiles have been in retaliation for Israel’s killing of Nasrallah alongside Guards commander Abbas Nilforoushan in a late September strike on Beirut, and of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.
Khamenei final led Friday prayers in January 2020 after Iran fired missiles at a US military base in Iraq, in response to a strike that killed revered Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani.
In Tehran on Thursday, crowds waving Hezbollah and Iran flags gathered outdoors the previous US embassy constructing in Tehran to denounce Israeli “crimes” within the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon, Iranian media reported.
Khamenei had declared public mourning in Iran for Nasrallah and on Wednesday mentioned that the Hezbollah chief’s dying was “not a small matter”.
Iran’s supreme chief, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pictured in Tehran on Wednesday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty PhotographsShare
Another image right here reveals a constructing very near Beirut’s worldwide airport going up in flames after being hit by an Israeli strike.
Flames and smoke rise from a constructing that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh. Photograph: Hussein Malla/APShare
We have some footage coming via on the wires from Tulkarm within the occupied West Bank, the place Israel has killed 18 individuals in a strike on a restaurant.
The our bodies of Palestinians who died because of the Israeli airstrike on a restaurant are delivered to the Sabit State hospital morgue for burial in Tulkarm, West Bank within the early hours of Friday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty PhotographsThe our bodies of Palestinians who died because of the Israeli airstrike on a restaurant are delivered to the Sabit State hospital morgue for burial in Tulkarm, West Bank within the early hours of Friday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesRelatives of the Palestinians who died because of the assault on a restaurant by Israeli warplanes mourn as within the Sabit State hospital morgue. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty PhotographsShare
Al Jazeera is reporting {that a} mom and her two kids have been amongst these killed within the Israeli airstrike on a restaurant within the occupied West Bank.
It reported that native hospitals had been overwhelmed with casualties from the assault, which levelled a complete constructing and was reportedly the bloodiest within the West Bank in 24 years.
Citing Palestinian media and a Red Crescent paramedic, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported earlier that many individuals have been nonetheless trapped below the rubble.
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Reporters have been grilling US state division spokesperson Matthew Miller concerning the newest Israeli assaults within the Middle East.
Asked “how lengthy is it okay for them to maintain this sort of degree of assaults up [on Lebanon?]”, Miller replied that Washington was conscious of Israel’s “lengthy historical past” of “restricted operations” turning into for much longer conflicts. He mentioned:
It’s unattainable to know and it’s unattainable to foretell what the end result of the combating that’s occurring in southern Lebanon goes to be over the following few days.
I can inform you that every one of us listed below are very cognizant of the lengthy historical past of Israel launching what on the time have been described as restricted operations … throughout the Lebanese border which have became one thing a lot totally different, which have became full-scale wars, after which at instances occupation.
Asked whether or not Israel was taking the correct precautions to guard medical employees, after 9 have been killed in an Israeli strike on a Beirut well being centre on Thursday, Miller mentioned he couldn’t give an evaluation of Israel’s newest assaults.
He added that after Israeli assaults in Gaza over the previous 12 months: “We did discover that it was affordable to evaluate that Israel had in sure incidences violated worldwide humanitarian legislation.”
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Citing Palestinian media and the Palestinian Information Center, Al Jazeera is reporting that three Palestinians have been killed in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza in an Israeli assault on the Jaber household dwelling.
Gaza’s well being ministry mentioned late on Thursday that 99 Palestinians had been killed within the previous 24 hours and 169 injured.
It famous that there have been “nonetheless a lot of victims below the rubble and on the streets, and ambulance and civil protection crews can’t attain them”.
ShareSmokes and flames rise over the Dahiyeh space after Israeli airstrikes late on Thursday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesSmoke and flames rise over Dahiyeh space after Israeli airstrikes early on Friday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty PhotographsShare
A supply near Hezbollah has informed the information company AFP that Israel carried out 11 consecutive strikes on the group’s south Beirut stronghold, the suburb of Dahiyeh, late on Thursday, in one of the crucial violent raids since Israel intensified its bombardment marketing campaign final week. The information company writes additional:
AFP correspondents within the capital and past heard loud bangs that made automotive alarms go off and constructing shake.
About an hour later, AFP journalists heard a number of explosions coming from the course of the southern suburbs after the Israeli navy ordered residents of the Hadath neighbourhood to evacuate.
“Israel struck the southern suburbs 11 consecutive instances,” the supply mentioned on the situation of anonymity.
AFP footage confirmed large balls of flame rising from the focused website with thick smoke billowing and flares capturing out.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) mentioned “greater than 10 consecutive strikes have been recorded to this point, in one of many strongest raids on the southern suburbs of Beirut for the reason that begin of the Israeli battle on Lebanon”.
The strikes echoed to mountain areas outdoors Beirut, the NNA mentioned.
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The Israeli navy says it has efficiently intercepted a “hostile plane” that crossed into the nation from the east.
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What is Israel’s Dahiyeh doctrine?
One of the areas being focused by Israel in Beirut tonight is Dahiyeh, the place Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah died final week. The space has given its title to Israel’s notorious Dahiyeh doctrine, which is claimed to have originated within the 2006 battle in Lebanon.
At the top of final 12 months, emeritus professor of peace research at Bradford University Paul Rogers wrote a remark piece for the Guardian on the technique, which emphasises using disproportionate pressure. Here’s an extract and the hyperlink to the complete article beneath:
In July of that 12 months [2006], going through salvoes of rockets fired from southern Lebanon by Hezbollah militias, the IDF fought an intense air and floor battle. Neither succeeded, and the bottom troops took heavy casualties; however the significance of the battle lies within the nature of the air assaults.
It was directed at centres of Hezbollah energy within the Dahiyeh space, within the southern suburbs of Beirut, but additionally on the Lebanese financial infrastructure.
Towns and villages have been decreased to rubble; bridges, sewage remedy vegetation, port amenities and electrical energy vegetation have been crippled or destroyed.”
Two years after that battle, the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University printed Disproportionate Force: Israel’s Concept of Response in Light of the Second Lebanon War. Written by IDF reserve Col Gabi Siboni, it promoted the Dahiya doctrine as the best way ahead in response to paramilitary assaults.
The head of the Israeli navy forces in Lebanon throughout the battle, and overseeing the doctrine, was General Gadi Eizenkot. He went on to be the IDF chief of common employees, retiring in 2019, however was introduced again as an adviser to Netanyahu’s battle cupboard in October.
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‘No motion occurring proper now’, Biden says
Some extra feedback from Joe Biden, courtesy of the White House press pool.
Asked why he had not spoken to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in latest days after he mentioned he would on Sunday he replied:
Because there’s no motion occurring proper now.
Asked if he frightened an Israeli strike on Iran’s oil amenities would elevate oil costs, he mentioned;
If a hurricane hits, costs are going to go up. I don’t know; who is aware of.
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Some extra feedback from US President Joe Biden, who after being requested how assured he was that an all-out battle may very well be averted within the Middle East by the White House press pool, reportedly replied:
How assured are you it’s not going to rain? Look, I don’t consider there may be going to be an all-out battle. I feel we are able to keep away from it. But there’s a lot to do but, lots to do but.
Asked if he would ship American troops to assist Israel, the president mentioned: “We have already helped Israel. We are going to guard Israel.”
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The newest obvious Israeli assault on Hezbollah management, wherein Hachem Safieddine, the presumed subsequent chief of Hezbollah, was reportedly the goal, comes nearly precisely every week after chief Hassan Nasrallah was killed in a large Israeli strike on Beirut that flattened a number of house blocks.
Israel has a protracted historical past of assassinating its enemies, usually inflicting civilian casualties, and has additionally killed round 20 different senior Hezbollah figures in latest weeks and months.
The embrace Ibrahim Aqil, reportly killed by an airstrike in Beirut in September, who was one of many final founder members of Hezbollah’s navy wing to have survived greater than 40 years of battle with Israel.
Fuad Shukur, whom Israel mentioned was chargeable for most of Hezbollah’s superior weaponry, together with precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets, and UAVs, was killed in a strike on Beirut in July.
Nabil Qaouk, who held a sequence of navy command positions and had just lately begun travelling to Iran, was killed in a strike earlier this week.
Ali Karaki, who had duty for navy operations alongside the contested border with Israel, was killed alongside Nasrallah, as was Ibrahim Jazini, who was chargeable for inner safety inside Hezbollah.
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Updated at 20.15 EDT