Intense Israeli bombing rocks Beirut ahead of Gaza war anniversary
The Gaza health ministry reports 41,870 killed in year-long war
Beirut: A huge fireball lit up the night sky and plumes of smoke rose over south Beirut early Sunday as Israel unleashed intense air strikes targeting Hezbollah, nearly a year since the Gaza war erupted.
Israeli forces were on high alert ahead of Monday's anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attack, which sparked the war.
After a devastating year-long conflict in Gaza, Israel has now shifted its focus to northwards to Hezbollah, Hamas's Iran-backed ally in Lebanon.
Lebanon's official National News Agency said the Hezbollah stronghold in south Beirut was hit by more than 30 strikes, which were heard across the city. Targets included a petrol station.
"The number of martyrs brought to hospitals as a result of the occupation's targeting of displaced people in the Ibn Rushd school and Al Aqsa Martyrs mosque reached 26, with several more wounded," the health ministry said in a statement.
The Gaza civil defence agency had earlier said 21 people had been killed in the pre-dawn strike in central Gaza's Deir El-Balah area.
The Israeli military said in a statement that it had "conducted a precise strike on Hamas who were operating within a command and control centre" at the mosque. It did not give any specific toll.
Israel's military said it "conducted a series of strikes on a number of weapons storage facilities" and infrastructure, stressing it had taken "numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians".
AFPTV footage showed a massive fireball over a residential area of south Beirut, followed by a loud bang and secondary explosions. Smoke still billowed from the site after dawn.
In the Sabra area, near the southern suburbs, dozens of people, some carrying bags on foot and others on motorbikes, fled one of the most intense bombardments of the Israel-Hezbollah war.
Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli forces with artillery after they tried to infiltrate towards Khallat Shuaib in Blida, in southern Lebanon.
A statement said fighters fired a rocket barrage at Israeli troops during the evacuation of "dead and wounded soldiers" in the Menara border area shortly after midnight.
Hezbollah also said it launched assault drones against an Israeli military base.
Khamenei decorates commander for Israel attack
Iran's supreme leader has decorated the Revolutionary Guards aerospace commander for the Islamic republic's missile attacks on arch-foe Israel, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's website said on Sunday.
"Ayatollah Khamenei presented the Order of Fath ("Conquest" in Farsi) to General Amirali Hajizadeh, commander of the Guards Aerospace Force," it said.
The decoration was bestowed because of "the brilliant 'Honest Promise' operation", the website said.
Hajizadeh, 62, has headed the Guards aerospace unit since its creation in 2009.
Netanyahu visits troops along Lebanese border area
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops stationed along the Lebanese border on Sunday, nearly a week after Israel's military launched ground operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, according to a statement from his office.
During his visit, Netanyahu vowed victory over the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
"The world is amazed by the blows you're delivering to our enemies. I salute you... Together we will fight, and together we will win," he told the soldiers.
Israel defence minister warns Iran it may end up like Gaza, Beirut
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned Iran on Sunday that it might end up looking like Gaza or Beirut if the Islamic republic was considering an attempt to harm Israel.
"The Iranians did not touch the air force's capabilities - no aircraft was damaged, no squadron was taken out of order," Gallant said in a statement, referring to Iran's recent missile strike on Israel that hit two bases of the Israeli air force.
"Whoever thinks that a mere attempt to harm us will deter us from taking action should take a look at (our achievements) in Gaza and Beirut."
Iran has prepared response to any Israeli attack
Iran has prepared a plan to respond to a possible Israeli attack following the Islamic republic's retaliatory missile strike against it last week, local media reported on Sunday.
"The plan for the necessary response to a possible action by the Zionists (Israel) has been fully prepared," Tasnim news agency said, quoting "an informed source" in the armed forces.
On Tuesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired some 200 missiles at Israel in retaliation after the leaders of groups allied to Tehran were killed in attacks.
"If Israel takes action, there will be no doubt that an Iranian counterattack will be carried out," said Tasnim.
It added that Iran "has a list of many Israeli targets", and said Iran's attack on Tuesday "showed that we can level to the ground any place it desires".
More Israeli troops deployed near Gaza
The Israeli military said Sunday it deployed more troops to defend southern communities and areas bordering Gaza ahead of the anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas.
"The IDF's (army) Gaza Division has been reinforced with several platoons, with forces stationed to defend both the communities and the border area. The soldiers are fully equipped to defend the region in coordination with local security forces," the military said in a statement.
Lebanon postpones start of school year
Lebanon on Sunday said the country would be postponing the start of the school year as Israel escalates its air strikes against Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Education Minister Abbas Halabi said the new start date for more than one million students would be November 4, because of "security risks".
'Ongoing threat'
Ahead of Monday's grim anniversary, Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said at a televised briefing: "We are prepared with increased forces in anticipation for this day", when there could be "attacks on the home front".
Last year's unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel by Palestinian militants resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures that include hostages killed in captivity.
One year later, Israel's war in Gaza against Hamas continues despite having shifted its focus to Lebanon and Hezbollah.
Israel's military said it had killed around 440 Hezbollah fighters "from the ground and from the air" since Monday, when troops began "targeted" ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Israel says it aims to allow tens of thousands of Israelis displaced by almost a year of Hezbollah rocket fire into northern Israel to return home.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Iran an "ongoing threat" after Tehran on Tuesday launched around 200 missiles at Israel in revenge for Israeli killings of militant leaders including Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.
The missile attack killed a Palestinian in the West Bank and damaged an Israeli air base, according to satellite images.
It came the same day Israeli ground forces began their raids into Lebanon after days of intense strikes on Hezbollah strongholds across Lebanon.
'Resistance won't back down'
One Israeli military official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to discuss the issue publicly, said the army "is preparing a response" to Iran's attack.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted Iran had twice launched "hundreds of missiles" at Israel since April.
"Israel has the duty and the right to defend itself and to respond to these attacks and that is what we will do," he said in a statement.
Netanyahu's critics accuse him of obstructing efforts to reach a Gaza ceasefire and deal to free hostages still held by Hamas.
A senior Hezbollah source said Saturday the group had lost contact with Hashem Safieddine, widely tipped to be the next Hezbollah leader, after air strikes in Beirut.
The movement is yet to name a new chief after Israel assassinated Nasrallah late last month in a massive strike in Lebanon's capital.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday that "the resistance in the region will not back down".
Late Saturday Israel issued a new order for residents of southern Beirut to evacuate.
Across Lebanon, strikes against Hezbollah have killed more than 1,110 people since September 23, according to a tally based on official figures.
'Never-ending nightmare'
UN's refugee agency head Filippo Grandi said Lebanon "faces a terrible crisis" and warned "hundreds of thousands of people are left destitute or displaced by Israeli air strikes".
Israeli bombardment has put at least four hospitals in Lebanon out of service, the facilities said.
The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon said it rejected a request by the Israeli military to "relocate some of our positions" in south Lebanon.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in Damascus Saturday after visiting Beirut, renewed his call for ceasefires in both Gaza and Lebanon, while threatening Israel with an "even stronger" reaction to any attack on Iran.
French President Emmanuel Macron said it was time "that we stop delivering weapons to fight in Gaza" and criticised Israel's decision to send ground troops into Lebanon.
US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators tried unsuccessfully for months to reach a Gaza truce and secure the release of 97 hostages still held there.
Gaza's civil defence agency said Sunday an Israeli strike on a mosque-turned-shelter in central Deir al-Balah killed 21 people, while Israel's military said it had targeted Hamas militants.
Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 41,825 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures provided by the Hamas-run territory's health ministry and described as reliable by the UN.
Ahead of the October 7 anniversary, thousands joined pro-Palestinian rallies in London, Paris, Cape Town and other cities.
Israel's President Herzog said his country's October 7 "wounds still cannot fully heal".