Israel continued its targetted killing of Hezbollah leaders on Thursday, striking an underground bunker near the Lebanese capital Beirut, which is said to have killed the militant group’s presumed new chief Hashem Safieddine.

Safieddine was meeting other Hezbollah leaders in an underground bunker bombed by Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and there is no word so far on his fate, according to The New York Times. Both Israel and Hezbollah have so far not responded to the reports.

Hashem Safieddine is the presumed successor of Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Hezbollah’s longtime chief who was assassinated in an airstrike in Lebanon last week. Safieddine is believed to have close links to Iran and its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei.

🇮🇱🇱🇧🚨

IDF has eliminated Sayed Hashem Safieddine, a cousin of Hassan Nasrallah and the new leader of Hezbollah’s Executive Council.

He was reportedly the target of tonight’s Israeli Airstrikes on the Dahieh Suburb of Southern Beirut, eliminated using bunker buster bombs. pic.twitter.com/f6GbMDf6Nr — Menachem Begin 🇮🇱 ✡️ (@lalish1415) October 3, 2024

Also read: Who is Hashem Safieddine? Hassan Nasrallah’s cousin who could lead Hezbollah is a US-designated terrorist

The report added that Hezbollah’s senior leadership was meeting inside the bunker around midnight on Thursday when IDF struck, according to three Israeli officials.

Hours before the strike, Israel had issued an evacuation order for the Burj al-Barajneh neighbourhood in southern Beirut late on Thursday night. Soon afterwards, around midnight, a series of huge explosions rocked the Dahiya. Such was the intensity of the attack that shock waves were felt at least 15 miles away. Lebanese media said this was one of the heaviest bombardments in the area since the war began last October.

More killings

Israel has said it also targeted Hezbollah commander Rashid Shafti on Thursday. Shafti is the group’s official in charge of the telecommunications and computer division in Beirut and was injured in the pager blasts that happened earlier this month.

Also read: Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei had intel on Israel’s plans to kill Nasrallah; warned him to flee Lebanon

The IDF said in a statement on Thursday that it had also killed Mahmoud Yusef Anisi, a Hezbollah official it said had been involved in the group’s precision-guided missile manufacturing chain in Lebanon.

It added that airstrikes were held across 200 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including weapons-storage facilities and observation posts. It had earlier asked people to leave Nabatieh, a provincial capital, and other communities north of the Litani river, which formed the northern edge of the border zone established by the UN Security Council after the two sides fought a war in 2006. Each side accuses the other of violating the resolution.

20:44 (IST) Oct 23

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday that failure by Israel to safeguard civilians in Gaza could create a generational backlash and create more anti-Israel insurgents in the future.

Speaking to reporters in Rome, Austin said he raises the need to address the humanitarian needs of civilians in every call he has with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant.

In each call, Austin said he cites the need for Israel to be more precise during military operations against Palestinian militant group Hamas to limit civilian casualties, and cites the need to get humanitarian assistance to the civilian population.

“Failure to do that will create a generation of Palestinians that really will continue to resist cooperating with Israel in the future. So you’re actually increasing the numbers of insurgents … if you fail to do that,” Austin said.

“It’s a strategic imperative in my view.”

Hamas-led fighters rampaged through Israeli towns on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and capturing around 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel’s subsequent bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 42,500 Palestinians, with another 10,000 unconfirmed dead thought to lie under the rubble, Gaza health authorities say.

Israel has intensified an assault on the northern edge of Gaza since killing Hamas’ leader last week. Health authorities reported on Wednesday at least 20 people killed in fresh Israeli strikes, most in the north.

Aside from mass destruction, Gazans face severe shortages of food, water, fuel, medicine and proper medical care.

The United States is Israel’s closest ally, and it has supported Israel’s effort to go after Hamas, which is backed by Iran.

But a confidential letter from Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israeli officials last week demanded concrete measures to address the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, or face potential restrictions on US military aid.

Austin has declined to publicly discuss the letter.

“The ability to accomplish your goals militarily in terms of achieving the objectives and protecting civilians in the battle space … you can do both of those things. They’re not mutually exclusive,” Austin said.

TEHRAN — Following the assassination of three top Iranian military commanders in recent Israeli attacks, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has appointed their successors in official decrees issued on the eve of Eid al-Ghadir. The appointments also included promotions to the rank of Major General.

In the wake of the assassination of General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, Ayatollah Khamenei appointed Major General Seyyed Abdolrahim Mousavi as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.

In his decree, the Leader described Bagheri’s martyrdom at the hands of the “malicious Zionist regime” as an honorable martyrdom and praised Mousavi’s qualifications and prior service. He called for the strengthening of Iran’s defense and security readiness, including within the Basij forces, and emphasized the need for swift and effective responses to threats against the Islamic Republic through “revolutionary action.”

He also prayed for the elevation of the martyr’s spiritual rank and his companionship with the saints, especially Imam Ali (peace be upon him).

General Shadmani appointed commander of Khatam al-Anbiya central HQ

Major General Ali Shadmani was appointed Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, following the assassination of General Gholamali Rashid. The Leader posthumously praised General Rashid’s martyrdom as proud and honorable and recognized Shadmani’s proven leadership and experience.

Ayatollah Khamenei urged the new commander to enhance strategic planning, threat response, and coordination with the General Staff, particularly in evaluating the Armed Forces’ combat readiness.

He also prayed for the exaltation of the martyred commander’s rank and his union with divine figures.

General Pakpour named Commander-in-Chief of IRGC

After the martyrdom of General Hossein Salami, Ayatollah Khamenei appointed Major General Mohammad Pakpour as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC).

In the official decree, the Leader commended Pakpour’s capabilities and emphasized the need for continued development of the IRGC’s overall readiness, spiritual strength, and cultural direction. He highlighted the importance of cultivating both expertise and religious commitment in leadership.

As in the other decrees, the Leader prayed for the elevation of Salami’s soul and his companionship with Imam Ali and other saints, and wished success for Pakpour and his colleagues.

The assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah represents a significant strategic blow not only to the Lebanese terrorist group but also to the broader Iranian axis. This development raises pressing questions about how Iran will navigate its next steps.

2 View gallery Hassan Nasrallah and Ayatollah Khameini

As detailed in the New York Times, which cites insights from four Iranian informants, the assassination of Nasrallah –a long-standing ally of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei – sent shockwaves of anxiety through Tehran’s corridors of power. Iranian officials are reportedly pondering whether Iran itself might be Israel’s subsequent target, with Khamenei – who, according to a recent Reuters report, has been relocated to a secure location – possibly in the crosshairs.

“This loss is devastating and, frankly, we have no means to recover from it,” Mohammed Ali Atbani, a former vice president of Iran, told the New York Times. “We will not engage in war; that’s not an option. Yet, Iran will steadfastly support armed groups in the region and continue efforts to ease tensions with the West. These objectives can be pursued concurrently,” he asserted.

In the wake of Friday’s attack on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut, Khamenei convened an emergency session of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Iranian sources briefing the Times reported that during this meeting, held at Khamenei’s residence, there was significant discord over the nature of Iran’s response.

Conservative council members, including Saeed Jalili, who lost the recent presidential election to Pezeshkian, argued for a rapid move to “restore deterrence” against Israel, fearing Netanyahu might otherwise push the conflict to Tehran’s doorstep, according to a source familiar with the meeting’s details.

Destruction in Beirut after Israeli strikes ( Video: Reuters )

In contrast, Pezeshkian, representing Iran’s reformist camp that seeks to de-escalate tensions with the U.S. and lift sanctions, warned against a harsh and quick response, urging caution to avoid falling into what he claims is Netanyahu’s trap –a bid to provoke a regional war.

Additional moderate council members expressed during the meeting that Israel has “crossed all red lines,” while voicing concerns that an Iranian attack on Israel might invite a direct counterstrike against critical infrastructure within the Islamic Republic. Given its current economic fragility, they argued, Iran cannot afford such a confrontation.

In his first public statement following Nasrallah’s assassination, Khamenei exercised caution, implying that he anticipates Hezbollah will spearhead the retaliation, with Iran playing a supportive role. “All resistance forces in Iran stand alongside Hezbollah,” Khamenei declared. “It will be Hezbollah, leading the resistance forces, that will shape the region’s future.”

Analysts consulting with the New York Times suggested that Khamenei’s remarks indicate that Iran currently lacks an effective strategy to counter Israel’s assaults on its proxies. “Faced with the choice between full-scale war with Israel and ‘lowering its profile’ for self-preservation, it seems to opt for the latter,” they wrote.

2 View gallery President Pezeshkian wary of Netanyahu ‘trap’ ( Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters )

Despite Khamenei’s cautious approach, the Times notes that Iranian state television—controlled by Jalili’s hardline allies – called for the Ayatollah regime to launch a direct attack on Israel. “There is no distinction between Tehran, Baghdad and Beirut,” an Iranian TV host claimed, arguing that Israel aims to harm them all. “Netanyahu understands only one language: that of ballistic missiles and drones.”

The report emphasizes that, before deciding on retribution against Israel, Iran’s primary focus is to rehabilitate Hezbollah after the severe setbacks it has encountered in recent weeks. Two sources from the Revolutionary Guards, including one involved in recent regime discussions on Iran’s response, stated that Iran’s immediate priority is to enable Hezbollah to “regain its footing,” appoint a successor to Nasrallah, establish a renewed command structure, and rebuild a secure communication network (following the beeper and walkie-talkie bombings attributed to Mossad).

Subsequently, they indicated, Hezbollah could plan its response to Israel. Revolutionary Guards sources added that Iran plans to dispatch a senior Quds Force officer to Beirut, via Syria, to aid in Hezbollah’s recovery efforts.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered his first sermon in almost five years, following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. In his sermon, Khamenei praised Nasrallah, reflecting Nasrallah’s pivotal role in ‘resisting Israel’. He also called Hezbollah’s fight ‘vital service to entire region’ Due to the threat of Israeli attacks on mourners, Nasrallah’s body has been temporarily buried in an undisclosed location, as per AFP sources. His funeral has been delayed until security conditions improve. The situation between Israel and Hezbollah has sharply escalated. Israeli forces have intensified their strikes on Hezbollah targets throughout Lebanon, including key strongholds in southern Beirut and the group’s intelligence headquarters in the Lebanese capital. Israeli airstrikes have further disrupted the region by cutting off a critical highway between Lebanon and Syria, hindering evacuations and the transport of supplies. So far, the violence has claimed over 1,000 lives in Lebanon, displacing hundreds of thousands. In preparation for what appears to be an expanding military campaign, Israel issued evacuation orders to civilians in over 20 towns in southern Lebanon. Iran has taken a central role in this unfolding conflict, standing firm behind Hezbollah. Khamenei justified Iran’s missile attack on Israel as both “legal and legitimate,” reiterating Iran’s support for Hezbollah and vowing that Iran and its allies will not retreat against Israel. The question of who will succeed Nasrallah as Hezbollah’s leader is becoming more urgent. Hashem Safieddine, a senior Hezbollah figure, was widely seen as the likely successor, particularly due to his close connections to Iran. Safieddine’s son is married to the daughter of the late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, strengthening his standing within both Hezbollah and Iran’s power circles. However, Israeli forces claim to have already targeted Safieddine in their strikes. As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, the risk of a broader regional war grows. Israel’s military operations extend beyond Lebanon, with significant action against Hamas in Gaza. Despite Israel’s requests, UN peacekeepers stationed along the Israel-Lebanon border have remained in place, adding to the complexities of the situation. The violence and instability threaten to spiral into a larger regional conflict, drawing in more regional powers and exacerbating tensions across the Middle East.

17:45 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Iran War News Live: Two rockets launched at Israel from Gaza in now rare occurrence Israel’s military reported that two rockets were launched from Gaza into Israeli territory, marking the first instance of rocket fire from the region in approximately a month.

According to the military, “Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system” successfully intercepted one of the rockets, while the other landed in an open area near a kibbutz located across the border from Gaza.

Since the beginning of the war, there has been a significant decrease in the frequency of rocket attacks originating from Gaza and targeting Israel.

17:17 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Iran War Live: Israeli military says for first time in two months, sirens sound in the south The Israeli military reported that sirens were heard in southern Israel, close to the Gaza strip, for the first time in almost two months. “Almost a year after Oct. 7, Hamas is still threatening our civilians with their terrorism and we will continue operating against them,” the army added in a post on X. 17:15 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live: Lebanon receives first UN aid plane since Israel escalation A UN airlift delivered 30 metric tonnes of medical supplies to Beirut, Lebanon, marking the first aid shipment since the recent escalation of violence between Israel and Hezbollah. The supplies, including trauma and surgical kits, are sufficient to treat tens of thousands of people. More flights are expected to deliver additional trauma, cholera, and mental health supplies. Israeli strikes since September 23 have killed over 1,100 people and displaced more than one million in Lebanon. The aid was organized by the WHO and UNHCR, with funding from the UAE, and is crucial for hospitals treating casualties. 16:54 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Iran War Live: Israeli Army destroys 3.5-kilometer smuggling tunnel from Syria to Lebanon The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have reported conducting airstrikes on a tunnel spanning 3.5 kilometers between Lebanon and Syria. According to the military quoted by the Times of Israel, the tunnel was utilised by Hezbollah’s Unit 4400 to transport and smuggle weapons from Iran into Lebanon.

The airstrike resulted in the destruction of the tunnel, which served as a conduit and storage facility for the weapons. Additionally, the surrounding infrastructure, including buildings and weapon depots, was also targeted and destroyed in the attack.

In a separate incident, the IDF targeted “infrastructure” at the Masnaa Border Crossing between Lebanon and Syria. This strike was prompted by intelligence indicating attempts to deliver Iranian weapons to Hezbollah through this route.

The IDF has intensified its efforts to prevent the delivery of weapons from Iran to Hezbollah via Syria. The recent killing of the commander of Hezbollah’s Unit 4400 in an airstrike on Beirut on Tuesday underscores the ongoing conflict and the IDF’s determination to disrupt the weapons supply chain.

16:47 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live: Israel says struck Hezbollah targets ‘adjacent’ to Lebanon-Syria border crossing The Israeli military announced that its warplanes conducted airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in close proximity to the crucial Masnaa border crossing, which connects Lebanon and Syria. The statement released by the army on Friday described the operation as part of an ongoing campaign targeting the Iranian-backed organisation.

According to the military’s statement, “Infrastructure sites adjacent to the Masnaa border crossing between Syria and Lebanon were struck last night.” The strikes, carried out under the cover of darkness, aimed to disrupt Hezbollah’s activities in the region and undermine its operational capabilities near the strategic border area.

16:33 (IST) Oct 04 ‘Israel will not last long’: Iran Supreme Leader Khamenei’s rare sermon Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Friday delivered a rare prayer sermon in Tehran, where he defended Hamas’ and Iran’s attacks on Israel as “legal and legitimate”. During the sermon attended by thousands at a mosque in Tehran, Khamenei claimed that the US and its allies were preserving Israel’s security to make it an energy exporting gate from the region to the West, and declared that the resistance against the Zionist force would not back down. Read his top quotes 16:23 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Iran War Live: Shia Muslims held a protest march in Baramulla, against the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah by the Israel Defence Force (IDF). — ANI (@ANI) 16:22 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live: MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal speaks on Middle East tensions “We issued a statement a few days back expressing deep concern – we said that the violence and the situation is of deep concern for us. We had reiterated a call for restraint by all concerned and also the protection of civilians. It is important in our opinion that this conflict doesn’t take a wider regional dimension… As of now, from Israel, Iran and other countries, flights are running so people have the option if they want to leave. Families have reached out to us and to our embassies, but at this point, we don’t have any evacuation process going on. We have around 3,000 people in Lebanon, mostly in Beirut… In Iran, we have around 10,000 people, around 5,000 of them are students… In Israel, we have around 30,000 people largely caregivers and workers,” said the MEA spokesperson. 16:17 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Iran War News Live: Hezbollah says Israel strike targeted Beirut rescuers, killing one Israeli air raid in southern Beirut resulted in the death of a rescuer, according to a statement from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The group accused Israel of intentionally targeting civil defence teams who were working at the site of the overnight strike.

Hezbollah claimed that after conducting massive strikes in their stronghold in the Lebanese capital overnight, “Israeli aircraft targeted civil defence teams who were working to remove the rubble and rescue the wounded, leading to the death of a civil defence member.” A source close to the Iran-backed group informed AFP that the strike was carried out using a drone.

16:08 (IST) Oct 04 Sirens blare in Northern Israel amid rocket barrage from Lebanon Rocket sirens echoed across northern Israel as another barrage of rockets was launched from Lebanon soon after Iran supreme leader’s Khamenei’s sermon. Despite the dozens of rockets fired, no casualties have been reported the Times of Israel.

15:59 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Iran War Live: Iran supreme leader Khamenei says Hezbollah’s fight ‘vital service to entire region’ “Hezbollah and the martyred Sayyid Nasrallah have taken steps in defense of Gaza and jihad for Al-Aqsa Mosque, delivering a blow to the usurping, cruel Zionist regime. They have provided a vital service to the entire region and the entire Muslim world,” said Khamenei. 15:45 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live: Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Communications Unit, during a precise, intelligence-based strike in Beirut on Thursday, says IDF “Sakafi was a senior Hezbollah terrorist, who was responsible for the communications unit since 2000. Sakafi invested significant efforts to develop communication capabilities between all of Hezbollah’s units,” said IDF while claiming to have eliminated him. 15:39 (IST) Oct 04 Israeli Airbase Home To F-35 Fighters Hit By 32 Out Of 180 Iranian Missiles | Proof Out 03:16 15:38 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Iran War News Live: Iran leader Khamenei says resistance against Israel won’t back down Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday that the US and its allies were preserving the security of Israel to make it an energy exporting gate from the region to the West, but that the resistance in the region would not back down against Israel. 15:33 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Iran War Live: ‘Our duty and the responsibility of all Muslims to repay our debt to the wounded, bloodied Lebanon,’ says Iran leader Khamenei Khamenei also said, “The consequences of killing civilians & bombardments is an increase in ppl’s anger & motivation, the emergence of ppl willing to sacrifice their lives & a tighter noose around the neck of bloodthirsty Zionist wolf, which will ultimately lead to the elimination of its existence.” 15:20 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live: Khamenei says Iran’s allies ‘will not back down’ after Israel attacks Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that armed groups aligned with Tehran ‘will not back down’ despite recent assassinations of militant leaders by Israel. In a rare sermon delivered primarily in Arabic in Tehran, Khamenei asserted, “The resistance in the region will not back down with these martyrdoms, and will win.”

15:17 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Iran War News Live: In the rare sermon, Iran leader Khamenei shares Nasrallah’s ‘important message’ “Martyr Nasrallah’s most important message during his lifetime to the people of Lebanon was to not despair over the loss of prominent figures such as Imam Musa Sadr, Sayyid Abbas Mousavi; to increase your efforts; to stand up to the aggressive enemy; and to defeat them,” said the Supreme leader. 15:05 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Iran War Live: Iran Supreme leader Khamenei remembers slain Hezbollah chief Nasrallah Khamenei said, “Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah brought assurance and courage to the fighters and seekers of truth. The scope of his popularity and influence extended beyond Lebanon, Iran, and Arab countries, and now his martyrdom will increase his influence even more.” 15:00 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Iran War Live: Iran supreme leader Khamenei speaks on slain Hezbollah leader “Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah is no longer among us physically, but his path and his resonant voice are and will continue to be with us. He was the articulate voice and brave supporter of the oppressed,” said Khamenei 14:57 (IST) Oct 04 Source close to Lebanon’s Hezbollah says slain leader temporarily buried Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, was laid to rest in an undisclosed location following his death in an Israeli airstrike last week, according to AFP sources close to the organisation. The decision to hold a private burial was made due to concerns that Israel might target a public funeral ceremony.

“Hassan Nasrallah has been temporarily buried, until the circumstances allow for a public funeral,” the source stated, emphasizing the need for caution in the face of potential Israeli aggression. The AFP source further explained that a public funeral was deemed too risky, as there were fears that “they would target mourners and the place of his burial”.

In accordance with Shiite Muslim traditions, a temporary burial is permitted when external factors prevent a proper funeral or when the deceased cannot be interred in their desired location.

14:54 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live: Iran’s Khamenei defends Oct 7 Hamas attack on Israel as ‘logical and legal’ Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday defended Iran’s missile attack on Israel as ‘logical and legal’

“The operation of our armed forces a few nights ago was totally legal and legitimate,” he said during a rare Friday prayer sermon.

14:47 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Australia’s prime minister condemns comments by Iranian ambassador praising Hezbollah’s slain leader Australian PM Anthony Albanese denounced the Iranian ambassador’s remarks that commended a recently killed Hezbollah leader. However, he dismissed the opposition’s recommendation to deport the ambassador.

On social media, Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi referred to Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who died in an Israeli missile attack in Lebanon in September, as a “remarkable leader.”

Albanese told reporters in Sydney, “The government condemns any support for terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah. We condemn the ambassador’s comments.”

The Prime Minister further said, “Australia has maintained a relationship with Iran since 1968 that has been continuous. Not because we agree with the regime, but because it’s in Australia’s national interest.”

14:32 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Iran’s Khamenei says missile attack on Israel ‘legal and legitimate’ Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday defended Iran’s missile attack on Israel as “legal and legitimate”. “The operation of our armed forces a few nights ago was totally legal and legitimate,” he said during a rare Friday prayer sermon.

14:18 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Iran’s Khamenei has rifle by side as he delivers rare sermon, says AFP Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, delivered a rare public sermon in Tehran on Friday, just days following the country’s missile strike against Israel. During his address to the gathered worshippers, Khamenei had a rifle positioned next to him.

The sermon, which marked Khamenei’s first in almost five years, was attended by thousands of people. Many of those present carried portraits depicting the deceased leaders of Iran’s “axis of resistance” against both Israel and the United States.

14:17 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Iran leader Khamenei says Muslim nations have to strap the belt of defense from Afghanistan to Yemen, from Iran to Gaza and Lebanon “Muslims should no longer be negligent. We must tighten the belt of defence and independence in all Islamic countries, from Afghanistan to Yemen,” the Iran’s Supreme Leader said while calling for “Muslim Unity”. 13:53 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Massive crowd gathers in Tehran as Imam Khameini to offer Friday prayers following Nasrallah’s killing — IrnaEnglish (@IrnaEnglish) 13:21 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Iran’s foreign minister is in Beirut to meet with Lebanese officials Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beirut where he will discuss with Lebanese officials the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Iran is the main backer of Hezbollah and has sent weapons and billions of dollars to the group over the years.

The Iranian official arrived in Lebanon as Israel launched new airstrikes on different parts of Lebanon, including Beirut’s southern suburb, south Lebanon, and the eastern Bekaa Valley.

Araghchi’s visit to Beirut came after Iran launched at least 180 missiles Tuesday into Israel, part of a series of rapidly escalating attacks that threaten to push the Middle East closer to a regionwide war.

12:30 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Israeli strike cuts a main highway linking Lebanon with Syria Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency says an Israeli airstrike has cut a main highway linking Lebanon with Syria.

The agency gave no further details about Friday’s airstrike that led to the closure of a road near the Masnaa Border Crossing, from where tens of thousands of people fleeing war in Lebanon have crossed into Syria over the past two weeks. It’s the first time this major border crossing has been cut off since the beginning of the war.

Lebanese General Security recorded more than 250,000 Syrian citizens and over 80,000 Lebanese citizens crossing into Syrian territory during the last week of September, after Israel launched a heavy bombardment of southern and eastern Lebanon.

Dama Post, a pro-government Syrian media outlet, said Israeli warplanes fired two missiles and damaged the road between Masnaa Border Crossing in Lebanon and the Syrian crossing point of Jdeidet Yabous.

12:15 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Israeli strike hits Hezbollah-linked rescue workers in Beirut southern suburbs, wounds three, reports Reuters Israeli strike hit Hezbollah-linked rescue workers in Beirut’s southern suburbs, wounding three, a Lebanese security source told Reuters on Friday. 11:56 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Israeli military warns residents of over 20 more southern Lebanese towns to evacuate, spokesperson says 11:51 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Lebanon state media say Israel strike on Syria border cuts off international road Lebanon’s official news agency said on Friday that an Israeli air strike on the Syrian border had cut off the main international road linking the two countries.

Coastal Lebanon shares a border with Israel, with which Hezbollah is at war, and Syria, where tens of thousands of people have taken refuge from the violence engulfing the country.

11:09 (IST) Oct 04 Beirut airport bombed; new Hezbollah chief Safieddine targeted, dozens Killed In Lebanon Strikes 03:43 11:07 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Lebanon state media say Israel strike on Syria border cuts off international road 09:41 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Israel says strikes Hezbollah intel HQ in Beirut The Israeli military said on Thursday that it had targeted Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, while soldiers engaged in combat with militants near the border and warplanes conducted airstrikes on their strongholds throughout the country. Earlier this week, Israel declared that its troops had initiated “ground raids” in certain areas of southern Lebanon, a Hezbollah bastion, following several days of intense shelling across the nation where the group holds influence.

According to the Lebanese health ministry, the bombardment has claimed the lives of over 1,000 individuals and displaced hundreds of thousands in a country already grappling with economic and political turmoil. Israel, which has been at war in Gaza since the October 7 attack by Hamas, stated that it had redirected its attention to securing its northern border and ensuring the safe return of more than 60,000 people who were displaced by Hezbollah’s attacks over the past year.

Regarding the situation in Gaza, the Israeli military reported that an airstrike conducted three months ago resulted in the deaths of three high-ranking Hamas leaders, including Rahwi Mushtaha, who headed the militant movement’s government in the war-torn Palestinian territory. In Lebanon, the Israeli military claimed to have struck “targets belonging to Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in Beirut”.

The state-run National News Agency of Lebanon reported four airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut. A source with close ties to Hezbollah informed AFP that the strikes targeted an evacuated building that previously housed the group’s media relations office and a warehouse in proximity to the airport. Israel instructed Lebanese residents to evacuate more than 20 villages and the city of Nabatiyeh.

“For your own safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and head north of the Awali River. Save your lives,” army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X.

09:27 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: UN peacekeepers will remain in their positions on Lebanon’s southern border UN peacekeepers are remaining in their positions on Lebanon’s southern border despite Israel’s request to vacate some locations before it launched its recent ground operation, the U.N. peacekeeping chief said.

Jean-Pierre LaCroix said the commander and liaison officers from the force, known as UNIFIL, also remain in constant contact with their counterparts in the Israeli Defense Force and the Lebanese Armed Force, which he called “very important” to protect the UN’s more than 10,000 peacekeepers which is paramount.

UNIFIL is also “the only channel of communications between the parties,” he stressed. “The peacekeepers are also working with partners to do what they can to protect the population.”

He told a news conference Thursday that UNIFIL had anticipated the scenario of “a limited, targeted ground operation” by Israel and had thoroughly discussed whether UN peacekeepers should stay or not — and they decided to stay for now.

But LaCroix stressed that “we’re constantly reviewing the situation” and contingency plans are ready, both for good and bad scenarios, which he refused to discuss. He stressed that the parties have an obligation to protect the UN peacekeepers, “and I want to insist on that.”

Israeli ground forces crossed into southern Lebanon early Tuesday, which marked a significant escalation of its offensive against Hezbollah militants. The offensive also marks a new front against Hezbollah’s Iranian backers following the Israeli airstrike that killed the group’s longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.

UNIFIL was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after Israel’s 1978 invasion. The U.N. expanded its mission following the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, allowing peacekeepers to deploy along the Israeli border.

The UN Security Council resolution ending that war demanded that all armed groups — including Hezbollah — be disarmed, and for the Lebanese army to deploy to the Israeli border. After 17 years, neither has happened.

08:58 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: UN council backs Guterres after Israel deems him ‘persona non grata’ The United Nations Security Council on Thursday offered its full support to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, after Israel said he was “persona non grata” for not quickly condemning Iran’s ballistic missile barrage.

Without naming Israel, the council’s five permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — and the 10 non-permanent members “underscored the need for all member states to have a productive and effective relationship with the secretary-general.”

The Council also asked member states to “refrain from any actions that undermine his work and that of his office.”

“Any decision not to engage with the UN secretary-general or the United Nations is counterproductive, especially in the context of escalating tensions in the Middle East,” it said.

Relations between the UN and Israel — a state created by a UN resolution in 1947 — have been difficult since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, which sparked the war in Gaza.

On Wednesday, Guterres was declared persona non grata by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who called him an “anti-Israel secretary-general who lends support to terrorists, rapists, and murderers.”

“Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil,” Katz said in a statement.

That same day, at a tense emergency Security Council meeting on swirling tensions in the Middle East, with both the UN envoys from Iran and Israel in the rooms, Guterres said: “I again strongly condemn yesterday’s massive missile attacks by Iran on Israel.”

08:35 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Iran’s Khamenei to give rare Friday sermon after attack on Israel Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to lead Friday prayers and deliver a public sermon that could shed light on the Islamic republic’s plans after a massive missile attack on enemy Israel.

Khamenei’s rare Friday sermon — a first in almost five years — comes three days before the one-year anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, triggered by the Iran-backed Palestinian group’s October 7 attack.

The supreme leader, who wields the highest authority in Iran, will lead Muslims in prayer at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla mosque in central Tehran, his official website said.

The prayer will follow “a commemoration ceremony” at 10:30 am (0700 GMT) for Hassan Nasrallah, the slain leader of Tehran-backed Lebanese armed movement Hezbollah.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who answer to Khamenei, said Tuesday’s barrages of some 200 missiles were in retaliation for Israel’s killing of Nasrallah alongside Guards commander Abbas Nilforoushan in a late September strike on Beirut, and of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.

08:19 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Who is Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine, targetted by Israel airstrikes? Hashem Safieddine, born in southern Lebanon in the early 1960s, is one of Hezbollah’s founding members. He joined the Shiite Muslim group in the 1980s during Lebanon’s civil war and quickly rose through the ranks alongside Nasrallah. Safieddine held various positions, including political, spiritual, and cultural leadership roles as well as overseeing the group’s military activities at one point.

Like Nasrallah, Safieddine often wore a black turban, signifying his status as a revered Shiite cleric. In 1995, he was promoted to the group’s highest council and soon after he was appointed the head of the military operations of Hezbollah. In 1998, Safieddine was elected to lead the party’s executive council, a position previously held by Nasrallah before his appointment as Hezbollah’s secretary-general in 1992.

Like Nasrallah, Safieddine studied in Iran, forming strong ties with Tehran during his religious studies in Qom before returning to Lebanon to work for Hezbollah.

Safieddine’s son Reza Hashem Safieddine married Zeinab Suleimani, daughter of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, an Iranian commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ Quds Force, who was killed by a US airstrike in Baghdad in 2020. The wedding was highly publicized and was largely viewed as a symbol of Iran’s deep involvement in Hezbollah.

READ FULL STORY 07:38 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Israel extends evacuation warnings in Lebanon, signaling a wider offensive The Israeli military on Thursday warned people to evacuate communities in southern Lebanon that are outside a U.N.-declared buffer zone, signaling that it may widen a ground operation launched earlier this week against the Hezbollah militant group.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces said they had struck around 200 Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, including weapons storage facilities and observation posts. Strikes continued overnight when a series of massive blasts rocked Beirut’s southern suburbs. It was not immediately clear what was targeted or if there were casualties.

The fighting has driven nearly 1.2 million people from their homes in Lebanon, the country’s crisis unit said Thursday.

At least nine Israeli soldiers have been killed in clashes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, where Israel announced the start of what it says is a limited ground incursion earlier this week. The fighting comes as the region braces for Israel’s response to an Iranian ballistic missile attack.

06:53 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Operation targeting Hezbollah’s new leader, Hashem Safieddine, successful, says Israel The target for the Israeli strike in Beirut was Hezbollah senior leader Hashem Safi a-Din, who was Hassan Nasrallah’s likely successor, according to an Axios reporter citing two Israeli officials 06:19 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Israel launches 11 consecutive strikes on south Beirut, Hezbollah source says A source affiliated with Lebanon’s Hezbollah reported that Israel launched 11 consecutive strikes on the group’s stronghold in southern Beirut. AFP correspondents in the capital and surrounding areas heard the loud explosions. The source, who requested anonymity, stated, “Israel struck the southern suburbs 11 consecutives times.” The intensity of the bombardment set off car alarms and caused buildings to shake in Beirut and its outskirts. 06:15 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Israel extends evacuation warnings in Lebanon, signalling wider offensive The Israeli military urged residents to evacuate communities in southern Lebanon outside a UN-declared buffer zone, indicating a potential expansion of its ground operations against the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli forces reported striking around 200 Hezbollah targets throughout Lebanon, including weapons-storage facilities and observation posts. Overnight, a series of massive explosions were heard in Beirut’s southern suburbs, though the specific targets and potential casualties remain unclear.

Israel has advised people to leave Nabatieh, a provincial capital, and other areas north of the Litani River, which marks the northern boundary of the buffer zone established by the UN Security Council following the 2006 war. Both sides accuse each other of violating the resolution.

At least nine Israeli soldiers have died in confrontations with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, where Israel recently announced the initiation of a limited ground incursion. This escalation occurs as the region anticipates Israel’s response to an Iranian ballistic missile attack.

02:11 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Yazidi woman rescued from Gaza after decade in captivity, Israel army says The Israeli army announced that its troops had rescued a Yazidi woman who had been held in Gaza after being captured by Islamic State militants a decade ago and subsequently trafficked to the region. The army reported that the 21-year-old Yazidi woman was freed during a complex, coordinated operation this week involving collaboration with the United States, Jordan, and other international partners. “She was recently rescued in a secret mission from the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing,” the military said in a statement. “Upon her entry into Israel, she continued to Jordan through the Allenby Bridge crossing and from there returned to her family in Iraq.”

01:31 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: US does not believe Israel has decided whether to hit Iran oil facilities, official says A US official stated on Thursday that the United States does not believe Israel has made a decision on how to respond to Iran’s attack, including the possibility of targeting its oil facilities. “As the president said, we continue to have discussions with the Israelis about their response to Tuesday’s attack and we understand that they are still determining what exactly they will do,” the source said. 00:25 (IST) Oct 04 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: We have a lot of options with Iran, says Israel’s ambassador to UN Israel has various options for retaliating against Iran following the missile attacks earlier this week, the country’s ambassador to the United Nations stated in an interview with CNN on Thursday. “We have a lot of options … so it’s (up to) us to decide where and when we want to attack, but they are vulnerable. They know that,” said Danny Danon. 23:24 (IST) Oct 03 Killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah’s burial ceremony to take place on Friday: Report The burial ceremony of assassinated Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah will be held on Friday, even as Israel continues to pound Lebanon, where the Shiite militant operated.

A report published by Iranian state media IRNA has confirmed that Nasrallah’s burial ceremony will take place on Friday. Read full story

22:58 (IST) Oct 03 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: PM Modi chairs Cabinet Committee on Security meet amid West Asia crisis Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security on Thursday to discuss the outbreak of fresh hostilities in West Asia, sources told news agency PTI.

The sources said the West Asia conflict and its impact on trade and supply of petroleum products was discussed in the meeting.

India has voiced deep concern over the escalation of the security situation in West Asia and said the conflict must not take a wider regional dimension.

It has also called for addressing all issues through dialogue and diplomacy.

22:54 (IST) Oct 03 Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: Northern Israeli residents told to stay near bomb shelters ahead of potential Hezbollah rocket barrage The Israel Defense Forces has issued orders to the residents of the upper and western Galilee regions, as well as various communities in the northern Golan Heights. These directives instruct residents to stay in close proximity to bomb shelters until they receive further instructions from the military.

The advisory comes admif intelligence on the likelihood of significant rocket attacks by Hezbollah.

Based on information provided by the IDF, northern Israel has been targeted by close to 200 rockets over the course of the day.

22:52 (IST) Oct 03 ‘I think that would be a little …’: Biden ‘discussing’ possible Israeli strikes on Iran oil facilities US President Joe Biden revealed that he is in talks about potential Israeli strikes on Iranian oil facilities, causing oil prices to surge by five per cent on Thursday, just a month before the US presidential election. Biden clarified to reporters at the White House that he did not anticipate Israel launching any retaliation for Tehran’s missile barrage on Israel before Thursday at the earliest. Read full story 22:44 (IST) Oct 03 Missile barrage against Israel exposes Iran’s limitations: Analysts Iran’s missile barrage at Israel this week was meant as a warning that the Islamic republic can hit Israeli territory, but has instead exposed Iranian military limitations, analysts say.

In its second-ever direct attack on Israel, Iran launched some 200 missiles on Tuesday, with most of them — but not all — intercepted by Israeli air defences with help from allies. Read full story

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Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered his first sermon in almost five years, following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. In his sermon, Khamenei praised Nasrallah, reflecting Nasrallah’s pivotal role in ‘resisting Israel’. He also called Hezbollah’s fight ‘vital service to entire region’

Due to the threat of Israeli attacks on mourners, Nasrallah’s body has been temporarily buried in an undisclosed location, as per AFP sources. His funeral has been delayed until security conditions improve.

The situation between Israel and Hezbollah has sharply escalated. Israeli forces have intensified their strikes on Hezbollah targets throughout Lebanon, including key strongholds in southern Beirut and the group’s intelligence headquarters in the Lebanese capital. Israeli airstrikes have further disrupted the region by cutting off a critical highway between Lebanon and Syria, hindering evacuations and the transport of supplies. So far, the violence has claimed over 1,000 lives in Lebanon, displacing hundreds of thousands. In preparation for what appears to be an expanding military campaign, Israel issued evacuation orders to civilians in over 20 towns in southern Lebanon.

Iran has taken a central role in this unfolding conflict, standing firm behind Hezbollah. Khamenei justified Iran’s missile attack on Israel as both “legal and legitimate,” reiterating Iran’s support for Hezbollah and vowing that Iran and its allies will not retreat against Israel.

The question of who will succeed Nasrallah as Hezbollah’s leader is becoming more urgent. Hashem Safieddine, a senior Hezbollah figure, was widely seen as the likely successor, particularly due to his close connections to Iran. Safieddine’s son is married to the daughter of the late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, strengthening his standing within both Hezbollah and Iran’s power circles. However, Israeli forces claim to have already targeted Safieddine in their strikes.

As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, the risk of a broader regional war grows. Israel’s military operations extend beyond Lebanon, with significant action against Hamas in Gaza. Despite Israel’s requests, UN peacekeepers stationed along the Israel-Lebanon border have remained in place, adding to the complexities of the situation. The violence and instability threaten to spiral into a larger regional conflict, drawing in more regional powers and exacerbating tensions across the Middle East.