Most - at least five people were killed and 20 others were wounded in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip overnight, medical sources said, cited by Reuters and BTA.
The attack on the mosque near the “Al-Aqsa” hospital. in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza was inflicted as Israel's war in the enclave approaches its first anniversary.
Witnesses reported that the number of victims could rise because the mosque housed refugees.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced in a statement that they “conducted a precision strike against “Hamas“ terrorists who were operating in a headquarters built in the “Shuhada al-Aqsa” mosque. in the area of Deir el Bahah.
The current bloodshed in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict was sparked after fighters from the Palestinian movement “Hamas” attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Israel's subsequent military assault on Gaza resulted in the deaths of nearly 42,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. It also displaced nearly all of the enclave's 2.3 million residents, triggered famine and prompted accusations of genocide, which Israel denies.
Israel carried out five new strikes last night on the southern suburbs of Beirut and its surroundings, including four “very powerful”, AFP reported, quoted by BTA, citing Lebanese media. The agency stated, that the strikes were carried out shortly after Israel had warned residents of some of the capital's neighborhoods, considered to be a bastion of the Shiite Lebanese movement “Hezbollah”, of the planned strikes.
AFP journalists on the ground reported hearing several explosions and seeing smoke rising from Beirut's southern suburbs, where ambulances were dispatched. According to the Lebanese news agency ANI, shortly before the strikes, Israeli reconnaissance drones flying at low altitude were observed in the area.
Air traffic at Lebanon's only airport, near the southern suburbs of Beirut, "continues despite the aggression of the Israeli enemy,", the Lebanese news agency said.
Beirut's southern suburbs have been shelled regularly for several days, especially at night, by the Israeli army, which usually issues evacuation calls in advance.
At the same time, the IDF announced last night that “Hezbollah“ has again fired at Israel, firing about 130 rockets at the country, DPA reported.
This follows a volley of even more rockets fired by the Shiite organization at Israel in recent days. There are currently no reports of casualties or damage.
The Israel Defense Forces said they would continue to attack targets in Lebanon to weaken “Hezbollah” and to push it away from the Israeli-Lebanese border.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that his country will respond to the latest Iranian missile attack, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
„No country in the world will accept such an attack on its cities and citizens. Israel has the duty and the right to defend itself, Netanyahu stressed in a speech this evening, indicating that his country will respond to Iranian attacks. At the same time, he did not comment on the time and nature of the reaction.
The Prime Minister also stated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) destroyed “a large part” from the missile stocks of the Lebanese group “Hezbollah” during its strikes against the neighboring country. At the same time, the threat from the Shiite organization has not been completely eliminated. Netanyahu stated that “Hezbollah“ has planned an even greater massacre in northern Israel than that carried out by the Palestinian group “Hamas” in its southern part nearly a year ago. He indicated that Israel had liquidated the commanders of “Hezbollah“ who planned this attack.
„While Israel is fighting against the barbaric forces led by Iran, all civilized countries must stand firmly by it”, Netanyahu urged.
He criticized French President Emmanuel Macron and the leaders of the countries who called for a halt to arms supplies to Israel amid the war against the Palestinian organization “Hamas” and the Lebanese “Hezbollah”, AFP reported, quoted by BTA.
“As Israel fights the forces of barbarism led by Iran, all civilized nations must stand firmly by Israel. However, President Macron and other Western leaders are now calling for an arms embargo against Israel. They should be ashamed," Netanyahu said in a video address.
The prime minister insisted that his country was waging a war on several fronts against organizations backed by Iran, Israel's sworn enemy. Is Iran imposing an arms embargo on Hezbollah, the Houthis (rebels in Yemen), Hamas? and other own proxies? Of course not”, he said.
These movements are part of the “axis of resistance” against Israel - a group named after Tehran, which also includes Iraqi groups.
“This axis of terror is united. But the countries that are supposed to oppose this axis of terror are calling for an arms embargo against Israel. What a shame“, he added.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron called for an end to arms supplies to Israel. Netanyahu condemned this in the strongest terms. The Prime Minister emphasized that Israel is currently defending itself on several fronts. He added that his country will continue to fight for peace and stability in the world until the battle is won.