Middle East crisis highlights: In the latest update on the escalating war in the Middle East, Israel launched an airstrike on central Beirut in the early hours of Thursday (October 3), killing at least six people, following its deadliest day on the Lebanese front in a year of clashes with the Iran-backed Hezbollah. Israel described the strike as a precise operation.
Meanwhile, Israel on Wednesday said that eight of its soldiers were killed in combat in southern Lebanon as its forces advanced into the area as part of a campaign against Hezbollah.
Iran on Tuesday (October 1) fired a series of ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for Israeli operations against Tehran’s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon, triggering strong vows of retaliation from both Israel and the United States. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that the missile strikes were in response to recent Israeli actions that resulted in the deaths of militant leaders, as well as aggression in Lebanon and Gaza.
Iran missile attack on Israel Highlights: To get latest updates on the escalating tension between Iran and Israel, follow our live updates here!
On Wednesday, a senior adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris engaged with American Muslim and Arab leaders as her presidential campaign aims to regain the support of voters upset with U.S. backing of Israel's military actions in Gaza and Lebanon.
Australia has arranged for hundreds of airline seats to facilitate the departure of its citizens from Lebanon, announced Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Thursday. The government has secured 580 seats on flights scheduled for Thursday and Saturday for citizens, permanent residents, and their families wishing to leave Lebanon, according to Wong.
On Wednesday, Israel intensified its operations on two fronts - launching a ground incursion into Lebanon against Hezbollah, resulting in the deaths of eight Israeli soldiers, and carrying out strikes in Gaza that killed dozens, including children. In response to Iran's ballistic missile attack the previous day, Israel pledged to retaliate, prompting the region to prepare for further escalation.
China has urged the United Nations Security Council to take "urgent actions" to de-escalate the escalating situation in the Middle East, following Israel's recent air strikes in Lebanon, Reuters reported. Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, stated during a Security Council briefing on Wednesday that the Council must issue clear and unequivocal demands to halt the cycle of violence in the Israeli-Lebanon conflict.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Hezbollah leader Syyed Hassan Nasrallah to flee Lebanon just days before an Israeli strike killed him, Reiters reported citing Iranian sources. Khamenei is now deeply concerned about the possibility of Israeli infiltration within senior ranks of the government in Tehran, the sources added.
Israel with support from the US and Iran threatened each other if either was attacked during a United Nations Security Council meeting. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has advised both sides to normalise the situation. While addressing the 15-member council, Guterres stated, ‘’This deadly series of tit-for-tat violence should stop. Time is running out.’’
US President Joe Biden has stated he does not support military action against Iran’s nuclear sites. During a press briefing, Biden also said they are planning to impose more sanctions on Iran. He also stated that he would soon conduct a discussion with Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has extended his wishes on the Jewish new year and stated that ‘’it will be the year of total victory.’’ In a social media post on X, Netanyahu mentioned,’’ It will be the year of total victory. Happy New Year to the people of Israel.’’
Israel attacked a residential building in the Mezzah suburb area in the western region of the Syria capital Damascus causing injuries, as reported by Reuters via Syrian state media.
According to the latest reports, at least 65 Palestinians have been killed in an overnight Israeli military operation across the Gaza strip. The target area was a school in which displaced families had been residing. Moreover, Israeli tanks are reported to heading toward Khan Younis resulting in further escalation.
Rising crises across the Middle East have disrupted air travel as airline operations are being affected worldwide. On Wednesday, several flights were cancelled or rediverted. The significant delay was reported by FlightRadar 24 in flight timings at regional airports like Kuwait, Israel, and Lebanon. The ongoing tension has also affected the financial markets as the travel and aviation sectors' shares witnessed major declines. Europe's largest travel operator TUI recorded its share declined by more than 5% whereas Lufthansa's stock was down by more than 4 %.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced to host Group of Seven (G7) leaders on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing tension in the Middle East, the information has been shared by her office. ‘’Italy will continue to seek a diplomatic solution including in its power as head of the G7. I have called for a leaders level meeting for this noon,’’ Meloni was quoted by Reuters while stating this to her cabinet.
Danish police stated that they have arrested three people for inquiry and are currently conducting an investigation into the two explosions near Israel’s Copenhagen embassy. Two were arrested from Copenhagen’s main railway station on a train while the third one was held in the Danish capital, as per a social media post shared by the police on X.
Israel's foreign minister announced on Wednesday that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is barred from entering the country, citing his failure to "unequivocally" condemn Iran's missile attack on Israel.
"Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel, as nearly all the countries of the world have done, does not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil," Katz said. "Israel will continue to defend its citizens and uphold its national dignity, with or without Antonio Guterres."
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian departed from Tehran for a planned visit to Qatar, according to state media reports on Wednesday, just one day after Tehran launched missile strikes against Israel.
Organised urgent G7 meeting scheduled for Wednesday to address Middle East crisis, says Italy PM Meloni
The Kremlin expressed concern about the escalating situation in the Middle East, describing it as moving in a worrisome direction. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called on all parties involved to show restraint. He also noted that Russia was in contact with all sides and condemned actions leading to civilian casualties. Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced that regular infantry and armoured units were joining ground operations in southern Lebanon, intensifying pressure on Hezbollah as Israel prepared to respond to the recent Iranian missile attacks.
Lebanon's Hezbollah announced on Wednesday that it launched a large salvo of missiles targeting areas north of Haifa in Israel.
Israel launched another strike on Lebanon's capital, following a night of continuous air raids on densely populated southern areas of Beirut.
The National News Agency of Lebanon reported that "Israeli aircraft targeted the southern suburbs with a strike," with smoke visible rising from the site of the explosion.
Israel's escalating air offensive against Hezbollah has severely impacted the country. According to the Health Ministry, over 1,000 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since September 17, including nearly a quarter who were women and children.
Hundreds of thousands of residents have been forced to flee their homes, taking refuge on beaches and in the streets.
Amid escalation in West Asia, India on Wednesday urged all parties to exercise restraint, emphasising that the conflict must not expand to a broader regional scale.
The statement follows Iran's launch of around 200 missiles into Israel, retaliating for the Israeli killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other commanders.
India expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security situation and stressed the need for resolving issues through "dialogue and diplomacy."
"We are deeply concerned about the escalating security situation in West Asia and reiterate our call for restraint from all parties and the protection of civilians," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
"It is crucial that the conflict does not escalate into a wider regional crisis, and we urge that all issues be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy," the statement added.
India's Foreign Ministry expressed deep concern over the escalating security situation in West Asia while reiterating its call for all parties involved in West Asia to exercise restraint and ensure the protection of civilians.
Air India has issued a statement following the crisis in the Middle East in the wake of the Iran-Israel conflict.
"All our flights are assessed daily for any potential security or safety risks whether it is in the Middle East or any other part of our route network. Adjustments are made, if required, to avoid areas of risk with minimal impact on our non-stop operations. The situation is being monitored closely," reads Air India's official statement.
Indian nationals are advised to refrain from any non-essential travel to Iran. Those currently in Iran are urged to stay alert and maintain contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran, said MEA adding, "We are closely observing the recent security escalation in the region."
Palestinian medical officials reported that at least 32 individuals have been killed in Israeli strikes in southern Gaza. The European Hospital in Khan Younis stated that it received the bodies following intense Israeli airstrikes and ground operations in the city overnight and continuing into Wednesday.
Iran's Civil Aviation Organization extends flight cancellations until 5:00 AM on Thursday (local time), according to Reuters.
Israel is set to carry out a "significant retaliation" within days in response to Iran's missile attack on Tuesday, potentially targeting Iranian oil production facilities and other strategic sites, according to a report by US news website Axios on Wednesday, citing Israeli officials.
The Copenhagen police announced on Wednesday that they were looking into two explosions near the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen. No injuries have been reported, and the authorities are conducting preliminary inquiries at the site. The potential link to the Israeli embassy situated in the vicinity is currently under investigation by the police.
At least nine Palestinians were killed and 20 others injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting a school and institute sheltering displaced individuals in Gaza, according to the Palestine news agency WFA on Wednesday
In response to Iran's launch of a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday, neighbouring countries swiftly closed their airspace, prompting airlines to scramble for diversions and adjustments to their flight paths to navigate the escalating conflict.
Flights were observed spreading in wide arcs to the north and south, with many making their way towards Cairo and Istanbul.
The increased congestion in Istanbul and Antalya in southern Turkey led to some airlines being compelled to divert their routes in a southern direction. Notably, around 80 flights, operated by prominent carriers including Emirates, British Airways, Lufthansa, and Qatar Airways, and bound for major Middle East hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi, were redirected to destinations like Cairo and various European cities, as per data from FlightRadar24.