17 killed as Israel intensifies raids on Lebanon, Gaza following Iran strikes
Emergency Security Council meeting will take place on Monday at Iran’s request
Dubai: Israel intensified attacks on Lebanon and Gaza a day after its strikes on Iran fed fears that the region was spiralling towards a wider conflict.
Israeli raids on a Gaza school sheltering the displaced, and on Sidon in southern Lebanon left at least 17 dead and 25 wounded on Sunday.
Near Tel Aviv, a driver rammed his truck into a crowd at a bus stop, killing one and injuring at least 29.
Israel said that five soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon, raising the total death toll to 37 since ground operations began on September 30.
Hezbollah said it fired rockets at northern Israel, targeting a military facility north of Haifa, and issued evacuation warnings for over 20 areas in northern Israel.
Earlier, the Israeli military claimed to have killed 70 Hezbollah militants and struck 120 targets in southern Lebanon, including ‘precision strikes on weapon facilities in Beirut’.
In Gaza, Israeli forces reported eliminating 40 militants during operations.
An emergency UN Security Council meeting will take place on Monday at Iran’s request, with Tehran calling for it to condemn the Israeli air strikes on Saturday.
At home, Iranian leaders played down their importance, saying the strikes had caused only limited damage and killed four soldiers.
A spokesperson for the US National Security Council emphasised the need for diplomacy and urged Iran to cease attacks on Israel.
Meanwhile, Israeli spy chief David Barnea is set to travel to Qatar for discussions aimed at reviving negotiations for a Gaza hostage deal.
UN officials warned that Gaza is facing its “darkest hour”.
“The [UN] Secretary-General is shocked by the harrowing levels of death, injury and destruction in the north, with civilians trapped under rubble, the sick and wounded going without life-saving health care and families lacking food and shelter.”