Israel-Iran war live updates: Khamenei to deliver rare public sermon in Tehran today; Hezbollah intel HQ targeted

US President Joe Biden speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, on October 4, 2024. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

Israel’s military on Thursday it had hit Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters in the Lebanese capital Beirut, as troops battled militants near the border and warplanes bombarded their strongholds around the country.

The strike was allegedly aimed at eliminating senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine, who is widely considered the successor to the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in a strike earlier this week.

Ten consecutive air strikes launched late on Thursday killed nine people and were also the second strikes ever in central Beirut since 2006.

Key highlights

– An Israeli strike on the border of Syria and Lebanon has cut off an international road used by refugees to flee Lebanon to go to Syria. According to Lebanese government figures, 3,00,000 people have fled from Lebanon to Syria amid Israeli air strikes.

– The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 28 health workers were killed in the past day in Lebanon. Medical care has become a crisis in Lebanon as several primary health centres have been destroyed by Israeli strikes and large numbers of people have been wounded.

– Israeli forces have claimed that Hezbollah leader Anisi and 15 others were eliminated in their strikes on the Hezbollah intelligence headquarters on Thursday.

– Israel has killed 37 people and injured 151 in a series of bombings over the last 24 hours according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

– The IDF has issued evacuation warnings for Beirut and areas in the south of Lebanon which were demarcated as a buffer zone by the UN in a 2006 agreement, signalling an escalation of force.

– The Israeli military has also begin ground incursions leading to cross-border fighting with the Hezbollah, that caused 9 fatalities among their own troops.

– As the UN and the several countries call for a ceasefire, Israel has upped the ante on their plans to eradicate Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon. An Israeli military official revealed that the country had white phosphorus shells that they planned to use in their attacks. Further, additional battalions have been stationed to the Lebanon border to deal with on-ground battles with the Hezbollah.

– While the USA has affirmed support for their ally, President Joe Biden has also asked Israel to respond “proportionally” and has drawn a line over attacking Iran’s oil or nuclear facilities.

– Nearly 1.2 million people have been displaced in Lebanon since strikes began by Israel earlier this week, with the total death toll surpassing 1,000 people.