Five shot dead in car by Israeli special forces in West Bank

Palestinian people inspect the car that was hit by bullets in which five Palestinians were reportedly killed by Israeli special forces in the West Bank city of Nablus
Palestinian people inspect the car that was hit by bullets in which five Palestinians were reportedly killed by Israeli special forces in the West Bank city of Nablus - AP

Five Palestinian terrorists were killed by special forces during a raid in a camp in the West Bank on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

Footage showed undercover Israeli forces opening fire at a car in the Balata camp near Nablus, killing a top commander of the Al Aqsa Marty’s Brigade in the camp.

The joint operation was carried out by the IDF, the National Counter-Terrorism Unit and Israel’s Border Police.

All five were wanted by Israel for terror activities, according to Israeli media.

Israel has operated extensively against terror groups in the West Bank in the past year.

More than 630 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 7, most of whom Israel says were terrorists.

15 Israelis have been killed in terror attacks in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the same period.


06:18 PM BST

Thank you for following today’s live coverage of the Israel-Lebanon conflict

We’ll be back soon with more updates and analysis from the conflict.


06:07 PM BST

Axe and bloodied knife found near Hadera stabbing site

We now have an update from the Israeli police on the recent stabbing attack, which local authorities have described as a “terror attack” in the town of Hadera (see post at 3:27 pm).

A police spokesperson has said that the attack unfolded across four different areas in Hadera, with the suspect “neutralised” by an armed civilian at the fourth location.

The suspect was arrested by police, who say they located an axe and the handle of a knife near the suspect.

The blade of a knife was later found covered in blood during searches of the area, they add ed.

Israeli police officers patrol the streets after a stabbing attack in Hadera, Israel
Israeli police officers patrol the streets after a stabbing attack in Hadera, Israel - Getty Images Europe

06:02 PM BST

Israel’s retaliation against Iran will be ‘deadly, precise and surprising’, says Gallant

Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant has warned that Israel’s response to Iran for last week’s ballistic missile attack will be “deadly, precise and surprising.”

In a video released by Israeli media, Mr Gallant called Tehran’s attack a failure and said: “whoever attacks us will be hurt and will pay a price.”

“Our attack will be lethal, precise and above all surprising, they will not understand what happened and how it happened, they will see the results,” he said.


05:46 PM BST

Hezbollah ‘pushes back Israeli troops on Lebanon border’

Hezbollah fighters have pushed back advancing Israeli troops in clashes along the southern Lebanese border, the Iran-backed terror group has claimed.

The group said it had launched several rocket salvos at Israeli soldiers near the village of Labbouneh, in the western part of the mountainous border area, forcing them into retreat.

Further east, it claimed to have attacked Israeli troops in the village of Maroun el-Ras and fired missile bombardments at forces advancing towards the two border villages of Mays al-Jabal and Mouhaybib.

It comes a day after Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said airstrikes had killed two successors of Hezbollah’s slain leader, as Israel expanded its ground offensive against the group with a fourth army division deployed into south Lebanon.

Israeli soldiers from the situational assessment and the activity of the 188th Brigade in southern Lebanon
Israeli soldiers from the situational assessment and the activity of the 188th Brigade in southern Lebanon - Telegram/IDF

04:58 PM BST

Four Palestinians ‘killed by Israeli forces’ in West Bank

Four Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the city of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Israel has not commented.


04:48 PM BST

Pictured: Hezbollah fires dozens more rockets into northern Israel

In the last hour, Hezbollah has confirmed firing more rockets into northern Israel.

The terror group said it fired a “large rocket barrages” at Amnon, north of Tiberias, as well as at Safed on Wednesday afternoon.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it downed around 90 rockets from Lebanon including in the Upper Galilee and Western Galilee area.

Two Israeli civilians were killed in Hezbollah rocket fire earlier today in the town of Kiryat Shmona, close to the border.

Smoke rises, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel
Smoke rises, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel - REUTERS
Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from northern Israel
Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from northern Israel - REUTERS

04:40 PM BST

Netanyahu and Biden call ends after 50 minutes, says PM’s office

The phone call between prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris has ended after 50 minutes, Netanyahu’s office told The Times of Israel.

No further information about the contents of the call has yet been issued.


04:29 PM BST

Netanyahu and Biden speak for first time in weeks

Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joe Biden have held their widely anticipated phone call on Wednesday, the Israeli prime minister’s office has announced.

The two counterparts were expected to discuss Israel’s plans to launch a retaliatory strike on Iran, according to earlier reports.

Vice president Kamala Harris was also expected to join the call remotely from New York, according to a source familiar with the reports.

The Middle East has been on edge awaiting Israel’s response to Tehran’s missile attack last week, carried out in retaliation for Israel’s military escalation in Lebanon.

It comes as Israel told the US on Tuesday that defence minister Yoav Gallant would no longer travel to Washington this week, prompting fears the cancellation could jeopardise coordination with Israel over its response to Iran’s attack.

President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington in July
President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington in July - Susan Walsh/AP

04:09 PM BST

Watch: Israeli soldiers fly drones that killed terrorists in southern Lebanon

The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has released footage of drone strikes on Hezbollah terror fighters in southern Lebanon, directed by troops of the 636th Combat Intelligence Collection Unit.

The brigade is using drones to identify Hezbollah members in southern Lebanon and is operating in partnership with the 36th Division.

The IDF claimed that one of its recent strikes killed a Hezbollah company commander.

Israeli soldiers of Unit 636 directing the drones that eliminated the terrorists in southern Lebanon
Israeli soldiers of Unit 636 directing the drones that eliminated the terrorists in southern Lebanon - IDF

03:48 PM BST

Biden and Netanyahu to speak later today

Benjamin Netanyahu will speak with US President Biden over the phone later today, the Israeli prime minister’s office has confirmed.

The call is expected to focus on Israel’s response in retaliation to the ballistic missile attack launched by Iran last week.

We reported earlier that the call will mark the first known conversation between the two counterparts in 49 days (see post at 1:57pm).


03:27 PM BST

Police shoot Israel terror suspect after stabbing

Israeli police have shot and apprehended a suspected terror attacker following a stabbing spree in the northern city of Hadera.
 
Six men, all aged over 50, are being treated for stab wounds at the Hillel Yaffe Medical Centre. Two of them are in a critical condition.

Police videos show Israeli security officers apprehending a suspect at one of four locations where stabbings took place.

Israeli police said: “The attack took place on four different sites where six people were stabbed... a short time ago, the police located the suspect and neutralised him by shooting.”

It comes as Yahya Sinwar, the leader of militant group Hamas, ordered commanders in the West Bank to renew suicide attacks in Israel, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

Today’s attack follows a slew of recent stabbing incidents by Hamas targeting Israeli citizens, including a knife attack claimed by the terror group in Tel Aviv just over a week ago.


02:54 PM BST

Watch: Israeli police shoot Israeli terror suspect after stabbing

Israeli police have shot a suspected terror attacker following a stabbing spree in the northern city of Hadera.

At least six men are being treated for stab wounds at the Hillel Yaffe Medical Centre.

Israeli security forces can be seen firing at the suspect before apprehending him.

Footage appears to show warning shots being fired into the air. Before appearing to shoot the suspect in the leg.


02:41 PM BST

Spanish PM calls Israeli strikes in Lebanon an ‘invasion’

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described Israel’s military offensives in Lebanon as an “invasion” on Wednesday.

“It is clear that there has been an invasion by a third country of a sovereign state such as Lebanon, and therefore the international community cannot remain indifferent,” the Socialist premier told parliament.

“We denounced (this situation) in Ukraine, we also denounce it in Gaza and now we are also denouncing the invasion of Lebanon,” he added.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez - Anadolu

02:17 PM BST

Iran may strike targets beyond Israeli military sites, says official

Iran would respond with force to any Israeli attack, which may include targeting sites beyond Israeli military positions, a member of Iran’s parliament has said.

“We have so many missiles,” warned Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, told CNN.

“In our most recent attack on Israel, we targeted only military sites. There are other targets that we could hit, and we have the capability to do so,” he said. “Our response will be forceful and hard.”

He added that attacks on Iranian interests in other countries, such as the April strike on Iran’s diplomatic building in Damascus, will be treated as attacks on Iranian soil.


02:05 PM BST

Pictured: Terror suspect shot by police

Israeli emergency workers can be seen carrying an injured man who is suspected of carrying out the stabbing attack in the Israeli city of Hadera on Wednesday.

At least six people have been wounded, two of them seriously.

Israeli emergency workers carry an injured man who is suspected in assaulting stabbing attack
Israeli emergency workers carry an injured man who is suspected in assaulting stabbing attack - Getty Images Europe

01:57 PM BST

Netanyahu and Biden expected to discuss response to Iran attack today

US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to discuss Israel’s response to Iran’s missile attack during a Wednesday phone call, according to a person familiar with the plans.

The call is expected to take place on Wednesday morning, according to the source, and will mark the first known conversation between the two counterparts in 49 days.

Biden told reporters last week he expected to speak to Netanyahu once Israel had decided on a response to Iran, though it wasn’t clear whether the plans had been finalised.

US President Joe Biden speaks on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office earlier this year
US President Joe Biden speaks on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office earlier this year - REUTERS

01:34 PM BST

Pictured: Moment the Hadera terror suspect is caught by police

Ahmed Jabarin, 36-years-old, has been arrested by police after carrying out a stabbing attack in the city of Hadera, western Israel.

Mr Jabarin, an Israeli citizen residing in Umm al-Fachem, injured six men in his stabbing spree. Two of them are in a critical condition.

Six people were injured in the Israeli city of Hadera after an attack by an unknown person with a knife, local media reports
Six people were injured in the Israeli city of Hadera after an attack by an unknown person with a knife, local media reports - X
Six men were injured in the stabbing attack, with two in a serious condition
Six men were injured in the stabbing attack, with two in a serious condition - X

01:20 PM BST

Hundreds of sniper rifles found under village home, IDF says

The Israeli military has destroyed ‘hundreds of weapons’, including ‘sniper rifles’, uncovered in a hidden underground stockpile below a residential home in southern Lebanon.

“The soldiers located hundreds of weapons, including an underground weapons storage facility approximately 7 metres under a home within the village where the troops are operating,” the IDF wrote on Telegram.

“Within the weapons storage facility, the troops discovered sniper rifles and numerous weapons.”

The military added that troops had also engaged in “close-quarter” combat, with one Israeli squad commander killed during the exchange of fire.


01:04 PM BST

Netanyahu’s ultimatum may see Lebanon thrown into civil war, says political expert

Benjamin Netanyahu’s ultimatum to the Lebanese people has effectively delivered a choice between seeing Israel turn the country into Gaza, or the nation throwing itself into civil war, a leading political expert has said.

Israel’s prime minister on Tuesday night spoke directly to the Lebanese people urging them to throw out Hezbollah in order to avoid “destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza”.

Hundreds of Lebanese have been killed in the past fortnight by Israeli air strikes and thousands of Israeli troops have pushed over the border as Mr Netanyahu has intensified his war on Hezbollah.

Joseph Bahout, director of the Issam Fares Institute at Beirut’s American University, said the scale of the devastation inflicted on Gaza meant that Lebanese people had to take Mr Netanyahu’s threat seriously.

But he said that Hezbollah would not give up their weapons and if other political factions tried to oust them, it would be a recipe for civil war.

He said: “Netanyahu’s Lebanese road map and war strategy was already getting clearer by the day. It is now plainly and unequivocally stated: ‘You have the choice between Gazafication or civil war.’”

Political factions privately hoping that Israel’s attacks could fatally weaken the group were more likely to calculate they should wait longer, to see Israel do the “dirty work”, he suggested.


12:57 PM BST

Pictured: Fallout from Lebanese rocket barrage in southern Israel

An Israeli soldier poses with a weapon used by Hezbollah that was seized by the IDF
An Israeli soldier poses with a weapon used by Hezbollah that was seized by the IDF - Maya Alleruzzo/AP
A man inspects damage caused by a Lebanese rocket at a building in Kiryat Yam
A man inspects damage caused by a Lebanese rocket at a building in Kiryat Yam - Jack Guez/AFP

12:51 PM BST

Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire at border

Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces are exchanging fire along the Lebanon-Israel border, according to the Iran-backed group.

The Lebanese militant group said it fired rockets and artillery shells as Israeli troops tried to advance in the Mays al-Jabal area.

It added that the clashes were ongoing.

Israel said its air defences intercepted two projectiles fired towards Caesarea and reported the destruction of more than “100 Hezbollah terror targets” in the past 24 hours.


12:43 PM BST

IDF claim to have destroyed Hezbollah weapons facility

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has claimed to have destroyed a weapons production facility belonging to Hezbollah in Beirut.

In a post to X, formerly Twitter, the IDF said air force fighters jets had carried out a targeted attack in the Da’ahiya area of Beirut, where the Hezbollah facility and “intelligence headquarters” are located.


12:25 PM BST

EU launches ‘humanitarian air bridge’ to Lebanon

The European Union said it has launched a “humanitarian air bridge” to fly aid to Lebanon as fighting continues between Israel and Hezbollah.

The European Commission said three initial flights were scheduled to carry supplies from Italy and Dubai, with the first arriving in Beirut on Friday.

The EU said last week that it was ramping up spending on humanitarian assistance to Lebanon by €30 million (£25 million).


12:04 PM BST

IDF says Lebanon launched 40 rockets at northern region

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has claimed that Lebanon launched around 40 rockets at the northern Israeli region of Haifa in an attack by Hezbollah.

Some of the missiles were intercepted, while others made landfall, the IDF added.

At least five people were injured by shrapnel from one of the impacts, the Times of Israel has reported, including a 16-year-old boy.


11:39 AM BST

Four stabbing locations identified by Israeli police

Israeli police have identified four separate locations across the city of Hadera where stabbing attacks have taken place.

In a statement, it said: “Four separate locations have been identified, resulting in six victims with stab wounds.”

The police did not immediately provide other details, but issued a brief video of the suspected attacker being apprehended.

Israeli police stand around the motorbike of the attacker following a stabbing attack in Hadera
Israeli police stand around the motorbike of the attacker following a stabbing attack in Hadera - Miro Maman/Reuters

11:26 AM BST

Suspected terror attacker detained by Israeli police

Israeli police have confirmed that an individual suspected of committing stabbing attacks at three separate locations across Hadera, a city in northern Israel, has been “neutralised”.

Police have detained one man at the scene of one of the stabbing attacks
Police have detained one man at the scene of one of the stabbing attacks - X/ @GENGIS9999

11:20 AM BST

Stabbing suspect used knife and axe, says Hadera mayor

The mayor of Hadera has said a stabbing suspect used both a knife and axe to critically injure five men in an attack on the city in northern Israel.

Police have confirmed that the suspect was “neutralised” following the stabbings, which reportedly took place across multiple sites in the city.

They said the individual used a motorcycle to travel between three separate crime scenes.

More than 18 Israeli security forces were used to apprehend the suspect
More than 18 Israeli security forces were used to apprehend the suspect - X / @ferozwala
Two men remain in critical condition following the attack
Two men remain in critical condition following the attack - X / @ferozwala

10:50 AM BST

Israeli strike on Damascus building reportedly kills seven


10:38 AM BST

Iran foreign minister heads to Saudi Arabia for ‘simultaneous’ ceasefire talks

The Iranian foreign minister will head to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to discuss efforts to end Israeli strikes on Gaza and Lebanon.

Abbas Araghchi will visit the Gulf kingdom “in furtherance of our diplomatic efforts, in coordination with countries of the region”, Esmail Baghaei, a ministry spokesman, said on social media.

Mr Baghaei said the trip would focus on stopping “the Israeli regime’s genocide & aggression and to alleviate the pain and suffering of our brothers and sisters in Gaza and Lebanon”.

After the conflict spread to Lebanon, the foreign expressed wishes for a “simultaneous” ceasefire from both sides of the conflict.


10:17 AM BST

Gaza death toll reaches 42,000, says Health Ministry

At least 42,010 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its military offensive on Gaza, the enclave’s health ministry said.

In a statement on Wednesday, it claimed 97,720 people have been injured in the Israeli bombardment, which was launched in response to terror attacks by militant group Hamas on Oct 7, 2023.

Of those, 45 Palestinians were killed and 130 wounded in the past 24-hours, the ministry added.


10:09 AM BST

Hezbollah ‘repels Israeli infiltration attempts with rocket-propelled weapons’

Hezbollah has claimed to have repelled two Israeli attempts to infiltrate southern Lebanon, the Iran-backed group said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the group said its fighters detonated an explosive device targeting Israeli forces and engaged in combat as they “attempted to infiltrate the border town of Blida” in the southeast.

Hezbollah claimed its members used artillery and rocket-propelled weapons to target Israeli forces as they attempted to advance towards the border area of Labouneh at 4:55am.

The group said it has thwarted a number of Israeli infiltration attempts since Israel launched its ground operation in Lebanon on October 1.


09:14 AM BST

US reportedly in ceasefire talks with Iran

The US has reportedly begun ceasefire talks with Iran and “Arab states”, but without the involvement of Israel.

According to Israeli media, the talks are aimed at ensuring a comprehensive ceasefire on all fronts.

Israel has been informed of the initiative but is not taking part, Israeli Channel 12 news reported.

The report came amid signals from Hezbollah that it may drop demands for a truce in Gaza as a condition for a ceasefire in Lebanon.

Naim Qassem, the deputy leader of Hezbollah, said on Tuesday that he backed efforts by Lebanese parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri - a Hezbollah ally - to secure a truce with Israel. He did not name any demands as a condition for a truce.

A Lebanese government official said that Hezbollah has amended its position due to a number of pressures, including the displacement of its supporters from its strongholds in southern Lebanon and south Beirut and the objections of Lebanese politicians to the group’s official stance on Gaza.

“We will not tie our fate to the fate of Gaza,” veteran Lebanese Druze figure and former militia commander Walid Jumblatt said on Monday.


08:40 AM BST

Israeli air strike on Damascus kills 7, Syrian media says

An Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the Mezzah suburb west of the Syrian capital Damascus killed seven civilians and injured 11 others, Syrian state media reported on Tuesday.

It added that the seven killed included women and children and that the strike caused “grave” material damage on private properties in the surrounding areas.

Two Israeli officials told US media that the strike was an attempt to assassinate a high-ranking Hezbollah official involved in weapons smuggling.

Forensic investigators inspect a residential building hit by a reported Israeli air strike in the Mazzeh suburb on the western outskirts of Syria's capital Damascus on Oct 8
Forensic investigators inspect a residential building hit by a reported Israeli air strike in the Mazzeh suburb on the western outskirts of Syria’s capital Damascus on Oct 8

08:33 AM BST

Pictured: Israeli air strike near southern Lebanese city of Tyre

A smoke cloud erupts following an Israeli air strike on a village near Lebanon's southern city of Tyre, Oct 9
A smoke cloud erupts following an Israeli air strike on a village near Lebanon’s southern city of Tyre, Oct 9 - KAWNAT HAJU/AFP

08:30 AM BST

Israeli politician calls on Netanyahu to strike Iran’s nuclear sites

An Israeli politician has called on Benjamin Netanyahu to strike Iran’s nuclear sites.

Moshe Saada, who serves as member of the Israeli parliament for Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party, said the Israeli prime minister has a “unique historic opportunity to be remembered in the history books as a defender of Israel”.

“All he needs to do is to attack the nuclear [sites]. That’s what needs to be done,” he added.

Many Israeli politicians believe Iran’s nuclear sites should be bombed before the opportunity is missed. However some Israeli insiders, and many Western allies, fear a bombing raid would not destroy the programme and would convince Iran to develop a weapon quickly.


08:21 AM BST

Netanyahu and Biden to hold phone call on potential Israeli Iran strike

Benjamin Netanyahu and Joe Biden are expected to hold a phone call today to discuss potential Israeli plans to strike Iran.

It is understood that the two leaders have not spoken in two weeks.

On Sunday, US media reported that the White House may not automatically defend Israel from another Iranian attack due to growing mistrust between the two countries.

Distrust has been mounting, news website Axios reported, after the US was allegedly kept in the dark about several recent Israeli operations, including the detonation of pagers used by Hezbollah members and the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader of more than 30 years.


08:14 AM BST

Pictured: Soleimani statue at the Garden of Iran in Lebanon

A giant cutout of slain Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani pointing at Israel from the Garden of Iran, a Hezbollah theme park on the Israel-Lebanon border.

The park, and the statue, have reportedly been destroyed. Footage has shown Israeli troops raising their national flag on a hilltop at the site.

A giant cutout of late Iranian general Qasem Soleimani at the Garden of Iran park in Lebanon
A giant cutout of late Iranian general Qasem Soleimani at the Garden of Iran park in Lebanon - MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP
A replica of Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock at the Garden of Iran, emblazoned with the emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran
A replica of Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock at the Garden of Iran, emblazoned with the emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran - AFP Contributor/AFP

08:01 AM BST

German reporters were arrested in Lebanon after Nasrallah death

Several German journalists were arrested in Lebanon the day after Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on September 27.

Paul Ronzheimer, the deputy editor of the Bild newspaper, and his team were taken by “unknown” men and interrogated, Bild said. It added that they were handcuffed and blindfolded.

The men who arrested the journalists were reportedly Lebanese military intelligence officers.

On the morning of the arrest, Hezbollah had distributed a photo of Mr Ronzheimer via WhatsApp, accusing him of “violating conditions”.

Mr Ronzheimer was released the same day after an intervention by the German embassy in Beirut.


07:48 AM BST

Watch: Israeli troops raising flag in Hezbollah theme park