Beirut: Israel’s military launched a new wave of airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, causing massive explosions throughout the capital. Israeli Air Force (IAF) bombed a mosque Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, killing at least 21 Palestinians and wounding dozens more.
Hezbollah has lost contact with the chairman of its executive council, Hashem Safieddine, who is widely touted as the group’s potential next leader.
The IAF earlier confirmed that the mosque in Deir al-Balah was a target, saying it was being used by Hamas. It also said it struck another site “that was previously used as the Ibn Rushd school.”
IAF also said in a statement on X that, “The command-and-control complexes were used by Hamas terrorists to plan and carry out terrorist operations against the IDF forces and the State of Israel.”
Antonio Guterres has released a video statement to mark one year since Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel.
My message to mark one year since the October 7 attacks. pic.twitter.com/0NPlHyAT6s
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 5, 2024
Beirut has been subjected to intense Israeli airstrikes, described as the most severe of the conflict so far. Some strikes landed near the airport, where flights are evacuating hundreds of foreign nationals. Explosions have been reported across the city, contributing to the escalating chaos.
In Gaza, at least 41,825 people have been killed and 96,910 wounded in Israeli attacks since October 2023. In Israel, at least 1,139 people were killed in the Hamas-led attacks on October 7 and more than 200 people were taken captive.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators participated in global protests against Israel’s war on Gaza, with significant gatherings reported in cities such as Paris, New York, and Cape Town. As the one-year anniversary of the conflict approaches, calls for an end to the violence have intensified.
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