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03-10-2024
JERUSALEM/ GAZA STRIP/ BEIRUT: Hezbollah says it attacked and repulsed Israeli troops who infiltrated near the town of Odaisseh in southern Lebanon, and “inflicted losses and forced them to retreat”.
Israel steps up bombardment of the Gaza Strip, killing dozens of people in separate attacks on shelters and schools, including an orphanage.
Israeli media report a “serious security incident” with hospitals in the north preparing to receive casualties as military helicopters evacuate the wounded.
Israeli officials vow to respond after Iran fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at key military and security targets in Israel. Iran says the strikes were in response to attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.
In Gaza, at least 41,689 people have been killed and 96,625 injured in Israeli attacks since October. 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.
The Jordanian government says it will not allow the country to become a battleground.
“Protecting Jordan and Jordanians is our first responsibility,” government spokesperson Mohammad Momani told local media.
His comments came after Iran fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for the killing of people in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the assassination of top Hamas, Hezbollah and IRGC leaders.
Jordan moved to shut its airspace while the kingdom’s Public Security Directorate issued a statement, cited by media, saying “the Royal Jordanian Air Force and air defence systems responded to a number of missiles and drones that entered Jordanian airspace”.
Momani, who is also the minister of government communication, added that parts of the missiles landed in different parts of the kingdom, resulting in three minor injuries.
The Lebanese army says Israeli forces briefly crossed into its territory before withdrawing.
“An Israeli enemy force breached the Blue Line approximately 400 metres into Lebanese territory in the areas of Khirbet Yaroun and Odaisseh, then withdrew after a short period,” the army said on X.
The Blue Line separates Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz says he is barring UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from entering the country for his failure to “unequivocally condemn” Iran’s huge missile attack on Israel.
Shortly after Iran’s attack, Guterres condemned the escalation of violence in the region, but made no mention of Iran.
“Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil,” said Katz in a statement. “This is an anti-Israel Secretary-General who lends support to terrorists, rapists, and murderers.”
The head of Hezbollah’s media office, Mohammad Afif, says the group has enough fighters, weapons and ammunition to push back Israel.
He was speaking to reporters in an area hit by Israeli raids in southern Lebanon. We will bring you more shortly.
Several videos captured missiles hitting Israel during Iran’s attack on Tuesday, including missiles that exploded in the north of Tel Aviv.
The Kremlin says the situation in the Middle East is developing in an alarming direction and called on all sides to exercise restraint. (Int’l News Desk)
