Middle East latest: Iran fires ballistic missiles at Israel, US calls it a severe escalation

Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel, the latest in a series of escalating attacks in a yearslong conflict between Israel and Iran and its Arab allies.

Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday, another sharp escalation of the monthslong conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas.

• Why did Iran launch missiles toward Israel? Iran said the missiles were in response to the killing of Hezbollah’s leader and his top commanders. It also mentioned Ismail Haniyeh, a top leader in Hamas who was assassinated in Tehran in a suspected Israeli attack in July.
• Have there been clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli troops? There were no signs of ground combat in southern Lebanon, and the Israeli official said there had been no clashes with Hezbollah.

49 min ago

US defense secretary speaks to Israeli counterpart

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant following what he called an “outrageous act of aggression by Iran against Israel,” he wrote on the social media platform X.

“The Minister and I expressed mutual appreciation for the coordinated defense of Israel against nearly 200 ballistic missiles launched by Iran and committed to remain in close contact. I also expressed my deepest condolences to the families impacted by the horrific and deadly terrorist shooting in Israel.”

12:28 AM UTC

WATCH: Explosions seen and heard along Beirut skyline as Israel says it’s striking ‘Hezbollah targets’

12:11 AM UTC

UN says main Yemeni ports operational after Israeli airstrikes but power stations damaged

Yemen’s two main ports remain operational following Israeli airstrikes, but the strikes damaged power stations, the United Nations says.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday that the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Yemen went to assess the situation at Yemen’s main port of Hodeida and nearby port of Ras Isa following Sunday’s Israeli strikes targeting sites used by Houthi rebels in the ports in western Yemen.

Israel said it was retaliating for a Houthi missile fired at central Israel on Saturday which was shot down. The Houthis said it was aimed at Ben Gurion Airport, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plane had just arrived from New York where he addressed the annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations.

Dujarric said the U.N.’s humanitarian partners reported Tuesday that “after conducting an initial assessment, both ports remain operational and able to receive commercial and humanitarian supplies.”

“Power stations throughout Hodeida city are, however, running at a very limited capacity,” the U.N. spokesman said.

12:05 AM UTC

Top Iranian commander warns Israel not to retaliate or risk attacks on infrastructure

A top Iranian military commander has warned that his country will hit Israel’s entire infrastructure if it takes any action against its territory.

Iran’s armed forces joint chief of staff Gen. Mohammad Bagheri said Wednesday that the Revolutionary Guard was prepared both defensively and offensively to repeat its missile attack with “multiplied intensity.”

“If the Zionist regime, that has gone insane, is not contained by America and Europe and intends to continue such crimes, or do anything against our sovereignty or territorial integrity, tonight’s operation will be repeated with much higher magnitude and we will hit all their infrastructure,” he said.

Bagheri said Iran avoided targeting Israeli civilians although it was “completely feasible.”

11:36 PM UTC

Israeli ambassador says his country’s response to Iranian missile attack will be ‘painful’

Israel’s U.N. ambassador says his government will decide when and how to respond to Iran’s barrage of close to 200 ballistic missiles that forced Israel’s 10 million population into bomb shelters. “But I can tell you one thing, it will be noticed,” he said. “It will be painful.”

Danny Danon reacted to a statement from Iran’s U.N. Mission that any new Israeli action would be met with a “crushing response,” saying: “I would not advise Iran to challenge our determination, our capabilities. In the past, we have proved it. We will prove it again.”

“We have no desire for war or escalation, but we cannot sit idly by when our civilians are being attacked in such manner,” the Israeli ambassador said. “Iran used to send boxes but now, when they send almost 200 ballistic missiles, that’s something that I don’t think any other nation in the world will ignore.”

10:36 PM UTC

Iran’s UN ambassador says strikes on Israel came in response to Israeli acts of aggression

Iran’s U.N. ambassador is warning Israel that its response to any acts of aggression against Tehran “will be swift, decisive and stronger than before.”

Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said in letters to the U.N. Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres late Tuesday that its missile strikes against military and security targets in Israel were carried out in self-defense, under the U.N. Charter and in response to Israel’s “aggressive actions.”

He pointed to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, the detonation of pagers in Lebanon in September that killed at least 12 people and injured 2,800 others including Iran’s ambassador to the country, and the Sept. 27 assassinations of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian General Abbas Nilforoushan in Beirut.

Iravani said the Security Council’s inaction “has allowed Israel to flagrantly breach all red lines and violate the core principles of international law.”

He reiterated Iran’s calls for the council “to urgently and decisively intervene to halt Israel’s continued aggression and war crimes against Lebanon, Gaza and Syria and to prevent the situation from escalating into a full-scale regional war.”

10:22 PM UTC

Israel reopens its airspace

Israel has reopened its airspace after the Iranian missile attack.

The country’s airport authority briefly closed Israel’s airspace to incoming flights during Tuesday’s attack and diverted them to other airports outside the country.

But after the army said the threat had passed, the authority said flights were operating as normal again.

Flights to Israel have repeatedly been disrupted by the yearlong war, with many major carriers suspending service because of the ongoing fighting.

10:09 PM UTC

WATCH: Senior Israeli diplomat warns Iran of ‘painful’ response to missile attack

10:05 PM UTC

UN Security Council schedules an emergency meeting

The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting on the escalating situation in the Middle East for Wednesday at 10 a.m., at the request of France and Israel.

Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said in a letter to the council late Tuesday that the Iranian ballistic missile attack on Israel “demonstrates that the charm offensive conducted by Iran and its new president is a mirage and the decision-making in Iran lies with the Supreme Leader and the Revolutionary Guards.”

He accused Iran of trying to destroy Israel “with a ring of fire from seven fronts” and urged the Security Council to condemn the country and designate its Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.

9:59 PM UTC

Several airlines land in Azerbaijan after Iran closes its airspace

Several international airlines requested permission to make emergency landings in Azerbaijan following the closure of Iranian air space.

Iran, which launched a massive barrage of missiles on Israel on Tuesday, closed its airspace in case Israel retaliated, Iranian news agencies reported.

Iran is south of Azerbaijan and the two countries share a border.

A LOT Polish airlines flight from Warsaw to Mumbai and a Qatar Airways flight from Moscow to Doha both landed at the Heydar Aliyev airport in Baku, the airport’s press service said.

Both flights were Boeing 787s and landed within minutes of each other just before 10 p.m. local time, the airport said.

9:55 PM UTC

US discusses ‘next steps’ with Israel, Pentagon spokesperson says

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is in discussions with his counterpart in Israel after Iran fired a barrage of almost 200 missiles at the nation.

Austin received a short update from Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and “is consulting closely with them on next steps,” Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters Tuesday.

Iran launched about twice as many ballistic missiles Tuesday as it did during an attack against Israel earlier this year, but it did not appear to launch drones, Ryder said.

A full assessment of Tuesday’s attack is underway, he said. The Israeli military said Iran fired 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles in the April attack.

Ryder said two U.S. Navy destroyers — the USS Cole and the USS Bulkeley — fired about a dozen interceptors to defend Israel in the latest attack.

He decried reports indicating Iran wants to de-escalate tensions in the region.

“You don’t launch that many missiles at a target without the intent on hitting something,” Ryder said.

9:54 PM UTC

Harris condemns Iran as a ‘destabilizing, dangerous force’

By COLLEEN LONG

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has condemned the missile attack on Israel by Iran, calling Tehran “a destabilizing, dangerous force in the Middle East.”

The vice president said Tuesday that she supports President Joe Biden’s decision to shoot down the missiles targeting Israel.

“We are still assessing the impact but initial indications are that Israel, with our assistance, was able to defeat this attack,” she says.

She says her commitment to Israel is “unwavering,” and warns that Iran is more than a threat to Israel.

“Iran is also a threat to American personnel in the region, American interests and innocent civilians across the region who suffer at the hands of Iran-based and -backed terrorist proxies,” she says.

9:11 PM UTC

Biden reasserts Washington’s support of Israel

By COLLEEN LONG

President Joe Biden says his administration is “fully supportive” of Israel after it thwarted an Iranian missile attack and that he’s in “active discussion” with aides about an appropriate response.

Biden also praised the U.S. and Israel militaries for defeating the Iranian missile barrage.

“Make no mistake, the United States is fully, fully supportive of Israel,” Biden said Tuesday at the start of a meeting with White House officials focused on the administration’s response to Hurricane Helene.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said soon after the attack that it amounted to a “significant escalation by Iran.”

Biden said it remains to be seen what consequences Iran will face.

8:53 PM UTC

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran will pay a price for its missile barrage on Israel

“Iran made a big mistake tonight and it will pay for it,” Netanyahu said as he gathered his Security Cabinet for a meeting late Tuesday.

Netanyahu said the missile attack was a failure and that Iran would soon learn a painful lesson just as enemies in Gaza, Lebanon and other places have learned.

“Whoever attacks us, we attack them,” he said.

8:44 PM UTC

WATCH: Blinken says Iran fired some 200 missiles at Israel

8:20 PM UTC

Shooting reports prompt a cordon around Israeli Embassy in Stockholm

Police have cordoned off areas around the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm after reports of a shooting.

Local newspaper Expressen said Tuesday that a weapon and at least one empty bullet casing were found near the embassy and that police are looking for a suspect who fled the scene.

Stockholm police told the Swedish news agency TT that police were investigating reports of a loud bang but wouldn’t confirm that a shooting took place.

Security around the embassy has been stepped up this year following threats and incidents, including reports of a “dangerous object” found in the vicinity of the embassy that Swedish media described as a hand grenade.

8:15 PM UTC

WATCH: Gazans celebrate as skies over Israel flooded with missiles

8:02 PM UTC

Iran says most of the missiles it fired at Israel hit their targets

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said 90% of missiles it launched against Israel hit their targets successfully.

The statement broadcast on state TV late Tuesday said the attack targeted air and radar bases as well as security apparatus that planned the killing of senior Hamas and Hezbollah figures.

It said Iran has a right to defend itself under international regulations.

The TV station showed footage of missiles being launched in the darkness from unidentified locations in Iran.

7:59 PM UTC

WATCH: Dozens of projectiles seen in skies above Jordan

7:51 PM UTC

Iranian state TV airs footage of people celebrating missile attack on Israel

Iranian state television, long controlled by hard-liners, has aired images of people in Arak, Qom and Tehran celebrating Iran’s missile attack in Israel.

Some shouted, “God is great!” “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”

However, Iran’s support of regional militias abroad has been a point of anger during protests as the country suffers under international sanctions.

7:35 PM UTC

Britain’s leader condemns Iranian attack on Israel

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned Iran’s attack on Israel during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Starmer was on the phone with Netanyahu when the barrage of missiles began Tuesday, further escalating the situation in the Middle East.

He reiterated the U.K.’s commitment to Israel’s security and the protection of civilians, but emphasized the importance of seeking cease-fires in Lebanon and Gaza, the prime minister’s office said in a readout of the call.

Starmer also spoke with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and they both called for de-escalation of fighting in the region.

7:13 PM UTC

Blinken says Iran fired some 200 missiles at Israel

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Iran fired around 200 ballistic missiles at Israel.

“This is totally unacceptable, and the entire world should condemn it,” he said during a meeting Tuesday with the Indian foreign minister at the State Department.

Blinken says initial reports suggest Israel, along with allies including the U.S., “effectively defeated this attack,” underscoring Washington’s “commitment to Israel’s defense.”

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters at the White House that U.S. destroyers fired missile interceptors at some of the inbound missiles.

Sullivan called the attack “a significant escalation by Iran,” and reiterated there would be “severe consequences” on Iran for the attack.

7:01 PM UTC

3 men fatally shot by Israeli forces in northern Gaza

Palestinian medical officials say Israeli forces have killed at least three people trying to return to their homes in the northern half of Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces stationed at the east-west Netzarim route that divides the Palestinian enclave opened fire on the men Tuesday, according to the al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in the central town of Deir al-Bahah.

An Associated Press journalist saw ambulances taking people to the hospital, and counted the bodies.

The officials said the men were among a group of people trying to return to their homes.

The Israeli military has sealed off northern Gaza and is preventing displaced people from returning to their homes there.

6:36 PM UTC

Iran-backed Iraqi militias warn US against ‘hostile action’ in support of Israel

Iran-backed Iraqi militias say if the U.S. takes part in “any hostile action” against Iran then American interests in the region will be under threat.

The statement Tuesday from the group calling itself the Coordination Committee for the Iraqi Resistance also warned Israel against using Iraqi airspace to retaliate against Iran for a missile barrage fired at Israel, saying “all American bases and interests in Iraq and the region will be our target.”

Iran-backed militias in Iraq regularly target bases housing U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria with drones, saying they are retaliating for Washington’s support of Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

6:18 PM UTC

Police say 6 people killed in shooting in Tel Aviv

Israel police say six people have been killed in a shooting in Tel Aviv.

Police say two suspects opened fire Tuesday evening on a boulevard in Jaffa, a mixed Arab-Jewish neighborhood in southern Tel Aviv. The two suspects were killed.

The attack came moments before a massive barrage of rockets from Iran sent people into bomb shelters across Israel, including in Tel Aviv.

6:18 PM UTC

UN chief again calls for a cease-fire in the Middle East

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned “the broadening of the Middle East conflict, with escalation after escalation.”

Guterres’ comments Tuesday came shortly after Iran said it fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel. The Israeli military said its army has crossed the border into Lebanon and is conducting “localized ground raids” on Hezbollah positions.

“This must stop,” the U.N. chief said in a statement Tuesday. “We absolutely need a cease-fire.”

6:01 PM UTC

Hezbollah says Israeli images from Lebanon are part of a ‘propaganda war’

BEIRUT — The Lebanese Hezbollah militant group says media published by the Israeli military showing its cross-border forays into Lebanon have nothing to do with the ongoing conflict.

The Israeli military says its army has been carrying out secretive ground operations to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanese villages close to the border for the past year and has released footage of what it said was Israeli soldiers uncovering tunnels and weapons in Lebanese villages.

Hezbollah said in a statement Tuesday that picture and videos that the Israeli military says show tunnels and houses entered by Israeli soldiers are “very old and have no relationship to any current military action on the Lebanese border.”

It says the images are part of a “psychological and propaganda war.”

The Israeli military has said its forces entered Lebanon overnight to begin a “limited” ground incursion. Hezbollah denies that any Israeli troops have crossed the border.

5:29 PM UTC

Israel closes airspace after Iranian missile attack

Israel’s airport authority says the country’s airspace has been closed and incoming flights are being diverted to airports outside the country.

The airspace closure Tuesday followed an Israeli military announcement that Iran had launched missiles at the country. It warned Israelis to take shelter as air raid sirens sounded, and explosions could be heard in Tel Aviv and near Jerusalem.

Iran said it launched dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders.

5:24 PM UTC

Israeli military says it killed another senior Hezbollah operative

BEIRUT — Israel’s military says it killed a senior Hezbollah operative in an airstrike on an apartment building on the edge of Beirut.

The Israeli military says Mohammed Jaafar Qassir was killed in a strike Tuesday afternoon. It says Qassir was in charge of Hezbollah’s Unit 4400 that ships weapons from Iran to Lebanon and he supervised Hezbollah’s development of precision-guided missiles.

The Israeli military said Qassir also sent hundreds of millions of dollars to Hezbollah in recent years.

There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah on the Israeli claim.

Qassir’s brother Ahmad carried out a suicide attack in southern Israeli port city of Tyre in 1982 that killed dozens of Israeli soldiers. His death is marked annually as “Martyr’s Day.”

5:08 PM UTC

Iran says it has launched dozens of missiles at Israel

Iran says it has launched dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel.

The claim came in a statement read aloud on state television Tuesday as air raid sirens sounded and explosions were heard in Tel Aviv and near Jerusalem.

The statement warned that “if Israel responds militarily to this operation, it will face a harsher response.”

4:57 PM UTC

Israeli military says Iran has fired missiles at Israel

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says Iran has fired missiles at Israel, and air raid sirens are sounding across the country.

Military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari released a video statement Tuesday saying “the air defense system is fully operational, detecting and intercepting threats wherever necessary, even at this moment.”

Soon after, a series of explosions were heard in Tel Aviv and near Jerusalem. It was not immediately known if they were interceptions or incoming missiles landing. The explosions near Jerusalem were so loud that windows shook.

Residents were ordered to shelter in place and remain close to bomb shelters. The order was sent to mobile phones and announced on national television. TV stations reported sirens in parts of Jerusalem as well as central Israel.

Iranian media posted videos that appeared to show missile launches at several sites across the country, but the Iranian government did not immediately acknowledge what was happening.

The alerts were sounded after a day of rocket and missile attacks from Lebanon. Israeli authorities also warned that Iran might be preparing a missile attack.

Israel has warned there would be “repercussions” if Iran attacks.

4:40 PM UTC

Israeli military urges public to heed warnings about a possible Iranian strike

The Israeli military is urging the public to stay close to sheltered areas and says it takes seriously the possibility of an attack by Iran.

Military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Tuesday that Israelis must obey public safety guidelines issued by the military’s Home Front Command.

“The Iranian strike could be widespread. Following Home Front Command guidelines can save lives,” Hagari said.

4:40 PM UTC

US official warns that Iran could strike Israel within 12 hours

By TARA COPP

WASHINGTON — A U.S. official has said Iran may strike Israel within the next 12 hours, with an attack that could be as big as or bigger than strikes earlier this year.

However, the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details on a sensitive matter, cautioned that Iran has been postured to conduct such an attack since August – in order to be able to strike on short notice – and that the U.S. has not seen significant changes in Iran’s posture in the last day or so.

Iran launched an unprecedented direct attack on Israel in April, but few of its projectiles reached their targets. Many were shot down by a U.S.-led coalition, while others apparently failed at launch or crashed in flight.

3:57 PM UTC

UN secretary-general warns against further escalation in Lebanon

UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations chief is appealing for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, warning that escalation to an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah militants must be avoided “at all costs.”

U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, who delivered the message from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, stressed that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon must be respected.

Guterres spoke earlier Tuesday to Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati and told him the U.N. system is mobilized to assist those in need, Dujarric said. He also appealed to the international community to urgently support a $426 million humanitarian appeal to help the people of Lebanon.

3:53 PM UTC

Turkey develops plan to evacuate nationals from Lebanon

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has established a coordination center to assist citizens wishing to leave Lebanon, warning that the situation there could worsen.

Turkey has developed evacuation plans by sea and air, the ministry said. It did not elaborate.

Nearly 20 countries have requested Turkey’s assistance in evacuating their citizens, by using Turkish ports, airports and airspace, or by including their citizens in Turkey’s evacuation plans, the ministry said.

3:20 PM UTC

US orders diplomats and families in Israel and West Bank to shelter in place

WASHINGTON — The State Department has ordered all U.S. diplomats and their families based in Israel and the West Bank to shelter in place until further notice as the security situation becomes increasingly uncertain with Israel’s ground incursion in Lebanon and potential threats of an Iranian missile attack.

“As a result of the current security situation, the U.S. Embassy has directed all U.S. government employees and their family members to shelter in place until further notice,” the embassy in Jerusalem said Tuesday in a notice to American citizens.

“This is provided for your information as you make your own security plans,” it said. “The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events.”

2:35 PM UTC

Blinken says US committed to Israel’s defense

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the Biden administration is watching the situation between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon “very closely” and “very carefully” but is committed to Israel’s defense and security.

Speaking Tuesday before talks with the visiting foreign minister of Morocco, Blinken did not address the threat to Israel posed by a potential Iranian ballistic missile launch that was identified by the White House shortly before he spoke.

“The United States is committed to Israel’s defense,” he said. “We’re watching developments, as I said, very carefully at this moment.”

2:28 PM UTC

An airstrike hits a residential building near Beirut

An Israeli airstrike struck a residential building near the Lebanese capital Beirut on Tuesday, causing damage and blowing out windows in the area.

The strike appeared to hit an apartment in the building on the southern highway leading up to Beirut international airport, and about 100 meters (yards) from the Iranian Embassy.

The Israeli military said it carried out an attack in Beirut, without giving further details.

There was no immediate word on casualties.

2:25 PM UTC

Bulgaria evacuates citizens from Lebanon for a second day

A Bulgarian government jet left for Beirut for the second day to pick up the remaining Bulgarian citizens who wanted to be evacuated, the prime minister said Tuesday.

Dimitar Glavchev said 61 Bulgarians had asked to be evacuated on the second trip. A total of 89 people, mostly families with children, were evacuated from Lebanon on Monday.

Glavchev said that empty seats on Tuesday’s flight will be offered to citizens of other EU countries.

2:21 PM UTC

Turkey’s Erdogan blasts Netanyahu

Speaking out against Israel’s ground offensive in southern Lebanon, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed on Tuesday that Israel would “set its sights” on Turkey next.

In a speech marking the opening of parliament following its summer recess, Erdogan criticized both the international community and the Islamic world for failing to stop Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon. He vowed to stand strong against Israel and to support Lebanon.

“Although some people persistently refuse to see it, the Netanyahu government is dreaming a crude dream that includes Anatolia,” Erdogan said, referring to a large swathe of Turkey.

“The place that Israel - which is acting with the delirium of the promised lands - will set its sights on after Palestine and Lebanon will be our homeland,” he said.

2:15 PM UTC

Oil prices jump on concerns over Mideast violence

Oil prices jumped on worries about the potential for increased violence in the Middle East and for disruptions to the flow of crude from the region.

A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 2.7% to top $70. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 2.6% to $73.57 a barrel.

2:10 PM UTC

Egypt criticizes Israel’s ‘serious escalation’ in Lebanon

Egypt’s top diplomat on Tuesday deplored Israel’s “serious escalation” in southern Lebanon, after the Israeli military said it launched a “limited and focused” ground incursion.

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelaty warned that Israel’s escalation threatens to inflame the entire region “in a way that will lead to dire security and humanitarian consequences,” according to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

Abdelaty also said Egypt will reject any attempts to establish a new status quo that violates Lebanon’s sovereignty.

1:57 PM UTC

Iran preparing imminent missile attack on Israel, US warns

By AAMER MADHANI

Iran is preparing to “imminently” launch a ballistic missile attack on Israel, according to a senior U.S. administration official, who warned Tuesday of “severe consequences” should it take place.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter, said the U.S. is actively supporting Israeli defensive preparations.

This comes after the Israeli military on Tuesday warned people to evacuate nearly two dozen Lebanese border communities hours after announcing what it said were limited ground operations against Hezbollah.

1:50 PM UTC

3 dead including a TV anchor in Israeli airstrikes in Damascus

Syria’s Defense Ministry said that Israeli strikes targeted several areas in capital Damascus early Tuesday.

Air defenses shot down most of the missiles, but three civilians were killed and nine others injured, it said. Among those killed was a well-known television news anchor, Safaa Ahmad.

Israel frequently targets Syrian military sites and locations associated with Iran-backed groups, but strikes inside the city of Damascus are rare.

1:41 PM UTC

At least 19 dead in airstrikes in Gaza

Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 19 people in the Gaza Strip, including five women and three children, Palestinian medical officials said Tuesday.

Israel has continued to strike what it says are militant targets across Gaza even as attention has shifted to Lebanon and the military’s rapidly accelerating campaign against Hezbollah.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital received the bodies of 11 people after a strike late Monday in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp. Survivors struggled to identify the remains.

Another eight people were killed in a strike that hit a vehicle in a tent camp in the southern city of Khan Younis, according to the nearby Nasser Hospital. Associated Press reporters counted the bodies at both hospitals.

1:25 PM UTC

Israeli military releases footage of previous ground operations in Lebanon

By MELANIE LIDMAN

The Israeli army has been carrying out secretive ground operations to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanese villages close to the border for the past year, military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Tuesday.

He said that the current ground maneuvers in Lebanon are an expansion of the previous year’s operations.

The military released footage of what it said were Israeli soldiers uncovering tunnels and weapons in at least three Lebanese villages.

He said that troops destroyed more than more than 700 Hezbollah sites, including tunnels carved deep into the hillside. They included separate rooms for storing weapons and what seemed to be bedrooms outfitted with mattresses.

Hagari said that Hezbollah was preparing to carry out an Oct. 7-style attack against Israel, based on the placement of weapons slicks and maps uncovered during operations that refer to a plan called “Conquer the Galilee.”

12:17 PM UTC

Israel says troops carried out small ground operations in Lebanon over the past year

The Israeli military says its troops have carried out dozens of small ground operations in Lebanon over the past year.

Military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters on Tuesday that Israeli forces have crossed the border to collect information and destroy infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah militant group.

He said they also blew up tunnels and arsenals.

11:54 AM UTC

Hezbollah says an airstrike hit the office of a religious TV station

Hezbollah’s media office says an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburb destroyed the building housing the offices of a religious TV station.

The media office said that there were no weapons stored in the building where Al-Sirat TV, a Shiite Muslim religious TV station, had its offices.

Prior to Tuesday’s strike, the Israeli military had warned people to evacuate several buildings south of Beirut late Monday, saying they were linked to Hezbollah interests. There was no word on casualties.