Israel Iran War Live Updates: India releases second tranche of over $2 million to UNRWA for Palestine refugees

There is no alternative to the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, its chief insisted Monday, following Israel's order to ban the organisation which coordinates nearly all aid in war-ravaged Gaza, in Israel and occupied east Jerusalem.

"There is no plan B,” head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, told reporters in Geneva.

The European Union must continue its diplomatic engagement with Israel, Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp said on Monday, opposing a proposal by the EU’s top diplomat to pause political dialogue with the country.

Last week, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell suggested suspending talks with Israel, citing concerns over potential human rights violations in the ongoing Gaza conflict. The recommendation was reportedly detailed in a letter seen by Reuters and supported by several EU diplomats.

However, Veldkamp argued that maintaining open channels of communication is essential, especially amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. “Dialogue is crucial in these times,” he emphasised, underscoring the importance of sustained diplomatic efforts to address the crisis.

Dozens of family members of hostages and their supporters staged a protest outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, urging him to finalise a deal with Hamas to secure the release of captives held in Gaza. As winter approaches, organisers stressed the urgency of an agreement, highlighting the harsh conditions hostages face.

In a statement, the protesters warned, “The hostages won’t survive the freezing cold in the tunnels of Gaza.”

As per the Times of Israel, they criticised Netanyahu’s government, claiming, “While Netanyahu and his team are busy trying to skew public opinion, 101 hostages are dying in impossible conditions.”

The protest adds pressure on Israeli authorities to expedite negotiations amid the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

US envoy Amos Hochstein is set to visit Beirut on Tuesday for discussions on a potential ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, according to a Lebanese political source cited by Reuters. This visit follows a renewed truce proposal submitted by the US to the Lebanese government, aiming to end over a year of hostilities between the two sides.

Lebanese media, including Voice of Lebanon, also confirmed Hochstein’s visit, quoting Lebanese MP Kassem Hashem. Reports suggest that the Lebanese state has already provided a positive response to the US ceasefire proposal.

In parallel, The New York Times revealed that Iran, a key backer of Hezbollah, has communicated its support for ending the conflict, potentially paving the way for a truce.

Jordan’s military has confirmed that a “flying object” struck near the border city of Aqaba, adjacent to Israel’s Eilat, according to the state-run Petra news agency. The incident aligns with earlier footage showing an Israeli interceptor missile mistakenly landing in the area.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported firing interceptors overnight to counter a drone approaching Eilat, successfully downing the UAV. However, one interceptor malfunctioned, landing near Aqaba. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries or damage, as confirmed by Jordanian authorities.

Local sappers were dispatched to the site, and residents were advised to avoid the area while the incident was assessed.

Videos circulating online show a malfunctioning Israeli interceptor missile landing in Jordan’s Red Sea city of Aqaba, near the border with Israel’s Eilat, after being fired at a drone from Iraq. The footage reveals the missile crashing near the Ayla inlet, a luxury development in Aqaba, just a few hundred meters from Israel.

Eyewitnesses captured two explosions: the first from the missile's self-destruct mechanism and the second upon impact with the ground.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) earlier confirmed that an interceptor fired to down a drone approaching Eilat from Iraq had malfunctioned, with parts of it falling in the Eilat area.

However, Jordanian authorities have yet to comment on the incident.

A suspected missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a commercial vessel late Sunday night in the southern Red Sea, reported the news agency AP.

The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre reported that the ship's captain observed a missile splash near the vessel as it was passing close to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial maritime route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

The incident occurred approximately 30 miles (48 kilometres) west of Yemen's port city of Mocha. Fortunately, there were no reports of damage or injuries, and the vessel and its crew continued safely to their next port of call.

While the Houthis have not immediately claimed responsibility, it is common for the group to delay acknowledgement of their attacks.

The Israeli military is investigating an incident in which an interceptor missile, fired to take down a drone from Iraq, landed in the southern resort city of Eilat.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), multiple interceptors were launched, but one mistakenly hit the Eilat area.

Footage shared on social media showed the missile streaking into the sky before falling near a hotel strip along the coast, causing panic among onlookers.

Despite the dramatic scene, no explosion was heard upon impact, and there have been no reports of injuries.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intercepted a drone fired from Iraq towards the Red Sea resort city of Eilat on Sunday. Sirens were triggered across the area as the military confirmed the drone was shot down by the air force before entering Israeli airspace.

The term “from the east” is generally used by the IDF to indicate attacks originating from Iraq.

Videos circulating on social media appear to show an interceptor rocket misfiring and falling within Eilat’s city limits, though the IDF has not commented on these reports.

The incident caused alarm among residents, with the United Hatzalah rescue service treating several individuals for acute anxiety. Magen David Adom, another emergency service, reported responding to calls related to the drone attack but has not yet confirmed any casualties.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-backed militia, has claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it targeted a “vital asset” in the Eilat area. The situation remains tense as authorities continue to assess potential threats and ensure the safety of residents.

The Lebanese health ministry announced on Sunday that Israeli airstrikes in the southern Tyr region resulted in the deaths of 11 people and left 48 others wounded.

According to a ministry statement, the raids targeted several villages in the district, which is known as a stronghold of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

This escalation follows a series of intensified Israeli strikes across Lebanon in recent weeks, amid ongoing tensions with Hezbollah. The situation remains volatile as the conflict continues to impact civilian areas in the region.

A rare Israeli strike in central Beirut killed the Hezbollah militant group's chief spokesman on Sunday, while an Israeli strike in northern Gaza ’s Beit Lahiya killed at least 30 people, the director of a hospital there told The Associated Press.

Mohammed Afif was killed in a strike on the Arab socialist Baath party’s office in Beirut, according to a Hezbollah official who was not authorized to brief reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity. Afif had been especially visible after all-out war erupted between Israel and Hezbollah in September.

It was the latest targeted killing of senior Hezbollah officials. On Sunday night, another strike in central Beirut hit a computer shop, killing two people and wounding 13, Lebanon's Health Ministry said. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

An Israeli airstrike on a building in central Beirut on Sunday claimed the life of Hezbollah’s media relations chief, Mohammad Afif, according to two Lebanese security sources cited by Reuters. However, the Iran-backed group has yet to confirm the report.

Israel has seldom targeted senior Hezbollah officials who lack direct military roles. Its airstrikes have largely focused on the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold known for its heavy presence of the group.

Later on Sunday, a second strike hit the Mar Elias area, another central Beirut location rarely subjected to Israeli bombings. According to Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV, the strike targeted a vehicle. The Lebanese health ministry reported that at least two people were killed in the incident.

Israel's military said two people were injured when a synagogue was hit Saturday in the northern coastal city of Haifa following a "heavy rocket barrage" by Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

"This is yet another clear example of Hezbollah's deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians," the military said in a statement. Separately, the army said it had intercepted some of "approximately 10 projectiles" that crossed from Lebanon into Israel.

Hezbollah claimed several rocket attacks on northern Israel, saying it targeted military sites including a naval base in the Haifa area.

Air raid sirens had been activated Saturday in Haifa and surrounding communities in northern Israel, the military said.

Israeli emergency service provider Magen Adam David said its teams had found "no victims" from rocket shrapnel at this stage.

But it said five people, aged between 16 and 70, were "mildly injured" as they rushed to shelter. They were taken to hospital.

Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli army announced the death of a soldier killed during combat in southern Lebanon.

Israel condemned the United Nations for what it described as "anti-Israel fabrications" after a UN committee said its warfare in Gaza is consistent with the characteristics of genocide.

"The UN is breaking its own record when it comes to biased reports, singling-out Israel and anti-Israel fabrications," the foreign ministry said late on Saturday.

The UN special committee said in a report that Israel was "intentionally causing death, starvation and serious injury" in the Gaza Strip, accusing it of "using starvation as a method of war".

But the ministry dismissed the accusations as "false claims".

"The... report is an appalling example of the transformation of the UN into an organisation which is used as a pawn by terrorists who attack civilians in a democratic state," it said in a statement shared by spokesman Oren Marmorstein on X.

Israel's military said two people were injured when a synagogue was hit Saturday in the northern coastal city of Haifa following a "heavy rocket barrage" by Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

"This is yet another clear example of Hezbollah's deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians," the military said in a statement. Separately, the army said it had intercepted some of "approximately 10 projectiles" that crossed from Lebanon into Israel.

Hezbollah claimed several rocket attacks on northern Israel, saying it targeted military sites including a naval base in the Haifa area.

Air raid sirens had been activated Saturday in Haifa and surrounding communities in northern Israel, the military said.

Israeli emergency service provider Magen Adam David said its teams had found "no victims" from rocket shrapnel at this stage.

But it said five people, aged between 16 and 70, were "mildly injured" as they rushed to shelter. They were taken to hospital.

Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli army announced the death of a soldier killed during combat in southern Lebanon.

The soldier's death means 48 Israeli troops have been killed in combat with Hezbollah since September 30, when Israel sent ground forces into Lebanon.

On September 23 Israel escalated air strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon and a week later sent troops in to the country's south, after a year of relatively low-level cross border exchanges which Hezbollah said were in support of Hamas fighting Israel in Gaza.

Strikes by the Israeli military killed dozens in Gaza on Sunday, the civil defence said, while also hitting a Hezbollah stronghold near Beirut's international airport.
Israel has been fighting on two fronts since September, intensifying attacks on Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah after nearly a year of cross-border clashes alongside its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

A year after the Gaza war was triggered by Hamas's October 7 attacks on its south, Israel vowed to stop the Islamist militants from regrouping in the north of the Palestinian territory, launching a major assault there.

In the latest violence in the besieged Palestinian territory, the civil defence agency said Israeli air raids killed at least 46 people.

The deadliest strike, in the middle of the night in Beit Lahia in the north, killed 26 people, including women and children, and left at least 59 others buried under the rubble, said civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal.

A Hezbollah official says the militant group’s main spokesman has been killed in an Israeli strike in central Beirut.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media, said Mohammed Afif was killed in the strike on Sunday.

Afif had been especially visible after Israel’s military escalation in September and following the assassination of longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel's attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts released on Sunday from an upcoming new book ahead of the pontiff's jubilee year. It's the first time that Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip. In September, he said Israel's attacks in Gaza and Lebanon have been "immoral" and disproportionate, and that its military has gone beyond the rules of war.

The book, by Hernán Reyes Alcaide and based on interviews with the Pope, is entitled "Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims towards a better world".

It will be released on Tuesday ahead of the pope's 2025 jubilee. Francis' yearlong jubilee is expected to bring more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome to celebrate the Holy Year.

"According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide," the pope said in excerpts published Sunday by the Italian daily La Stampa.

"We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies," he added.

Last year, Francis met separately with relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinians living through the war and set off a firestorm by using words that Vatican diplomats usually avoid: "terrorism" and, according to the Palestinians, "genocide".

Strikes by the Israeli army killed at least 20 people in Gaza on Sunday, the civil defence said, while also hitting a Hezbollah stronghold near Beirut's international airport.

Israel has been fighting on two fronts since September, ramping up attacks on Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah after nearly a year of cross-border clashes alongside its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

In the latest violence in Gaza, the civil defence service said Israeli air strikes killed at least 20 people, including four women and three children.

A year after the Gaza war was triggered by Hamas's October 7 attacks on its south, Israel vowed to stop the Islamist militants from regrouping in the north of the Palestinian territory and launched a major assault on them.

The deadliest strike on Sunday killed 10 people in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, where another strike on a house claimed the life of a woman, said civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have reportedly dismantled military roadblocks along the northern border with Lebanon, which were initially set up to protect civilians from potential anti-tank missile fire.

According to Army Radio, these roadblocks were removed in recent days, signalling a shift in security dynamics as the IDF gained control over areas in southern Lebanon.

IDF officials noted that “the reality in the north has changed,” allowing for safer civilian movement. Residents, previously displaced due to security concerns, can now drive on previously restricted roads. This development comes as the IDF indicates that bypass roads are no longer necessary, reflecting a significant reduction in the threat from Hezbollah positions across the border.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that a drone, believed to have been launched “from the east,” likely indicating Iraq, was intercepted by air defenses over southern Israel.

The incident set off sirens in towns such as Yavne and Ness Ziona. Footage circulating on social media shows a plume of smoke above a Bezeq antenna farm near Rehovot, where the drone apparently exploded following the interception.

There are no reports of injuries or significant damage, as the IDF continues to assess the situation and investigate the drone's origin.

A drone that triggered air raid sirens across several southern Israeli towns, including Yavne and Ness Ziona, exploded near a Bezeq antenna farm close to Rehovot.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) detected a target entering Israeli airspace, prompting the alerts, but it remains unclear where the drone was launched from. Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries.

The incident caused brief alarm in the region, as the IDF continues to investigate the source of the drone infiltration.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have issued fresh evacuation orders for four additional buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as a Hezbollah stronghold, ahead of a second wave of airstrikes targeting the group's assets.

Col Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, shared maps urging civilians to distance themselves at least 500 meters from the identified sites.

This development comes as the IDF escalates its air campaign, with recent days seeing intensified strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut. The Israeli military aims to disrupt the group's operations in the area, where multiple Hezbollah facilities are believed to be located.

Suspected drone infiltration sirens were activated in several communities in southern and central Israel, including Yavne and Ness Ziona, on Sunday.

As per the Times of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are currently investigating the situation to determine the cause of the alerts. No further details have been released as officials continue to assess potential threats in the area.

Tens of Palestinians were reported killed or injured in an Israeli airstrike on a multi-storey residential building in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, on Sunday, according to medics cited by Reuters.

The exact number of casualties remains unclear, but around 70 people were said to have been living in the building. The strike followed Israel's ground campaign in Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, and Jabalia, aiming to disrupt Hamas operations in the region. Meanwhile, an earlier airstrike on the Bureij camp in central Gaza killed at least 10 people, medics confirmed.

The Gaza health ministry reported that since the outbreak of hostilities on October 7, 2023, a total of 43,799 Palestinians have been killed. On that day, Hamas militants launched a large-scale attack on Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and the capture of around 250 hostages, with dozens still in captivity, according to Israeli sources.

Following evacuation warnings issued by the IDF, Israeli airstrikes have hit multiple sites in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, according to Lebanese media reports. The strikes come as part of an intensified campaign, with the IDF targeting over 50 Hezbollah sites in the past week alone.

Earlier today, the IDF urged civilians to evacuate buildings suspected of housing Hezbollah facilities to avoid casualties in the densely populated area. The escalation highlights rising tensions as the conflict continues to impact Lebanon's capital.

The IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, Col Avichay Adraee, issued new evacuation orders for Lebanese civilians near three buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs, Dahiyeh, a known Hezbollah stronghold.

Adraee announced that the buildings, identified as Hezbollah facilities, will be targeted in upcoming airstrikes. He urged civilians to move at least 500 meters away from these sites to ensure their safety. The announcement follows a series of intensified strikes on Hezbollah assets in recent days.

The Israeli military announced on Sunday that a soldier from the Nachshon Regiment (90), part of the Kfir Brigade, was killed during combat operations north of Gaza on Saturday, reported the news agency Reuters.

Israeli police have arrested three individuals in connection with the firing of flares at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea on Saturday night. According to a statement, the arrests follow a joint investigation led by the Shin Bet security agency and the Lahav 433 major crimes unit, reported the Times of Israel.

The incident, which involved two flash bombs landing in the garden of the property, occurred while Netanyahu and his family were not present. Authorities are continuing to investigate the motive behind the attack amid heightened security concerns.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Caesarea was targeted on Saturday when two flash bombs landed in the garden.

According to a joint statement from Israeli police and the Shin Bet security agency, the flares fell in the courtyard of the property. Fortunately, Netanyahu and his family were not at the residence during the incident, and no injuries were reported.

The Lebanese ministry of health reported that Israeli airstrikes across multiple regions in Lebanon over the past 24 hours have resulted in the deaths of 7 people and injuries to 65 others. The Lebanese national news agency further revealed that the cumulative toll since the start of the aggression stands at 3,452 fatalities and 14,664 injuries.

Over the past day, 145 airstrikes and shelling attacks were documented across various parts of Lebanon, bringing the total number of assaults since the onset of the conflict to 13,222.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a fourth wave of airstrikes today targeting Hezbollah sites in Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh. According to the IDF, the strikes focused on Hezbollah command centres and key infrastructure within the group's stronghold.

This latest round of airstrikes is part of a broader campaign that has seen the IDF hitting around 50 Hezbollah targets in Dahiyeh over the past week. Prior to the attacks, the IDF issued evacuation warnings to civilians in the area to minimise casualties.

Lina al-Khalil has fled her south Beirut home to escape escalating Israeli attacks on Hezbollah, but she still returns daily to the bombarded area to keep the family business running.

"It's more important than my house," pharmacist, in her 50s told AFP, of the business she inherited from her father in Haret Hreik, a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital where Iran-backed Hezbollah militants hold sway.

Whenever the Israeli military issues a warning to evacuate before a strike -- a near-daily occurrence for nearly two months -- she closes down the shop and rushes out.

Yemen's Houthi forces targeted "a vital site" in Israel's Red Sea port city of Eilat using multiple drones, the group's military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, announced on Saturday.

Since November, the Iran-aligned group has carried out numerous attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, declaring its solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

“These operations will continue until the aggression ends, the siege on the Gaza Strip is lifted, and the attacks on Lebanon cease,” Saree stated during a televised address.

Two flash bombs were fired toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in the northern town of Caesarea on Saturday, landing in the garden, police reported.

Netanyahu and his family were not at home during the incident, and no damage was caused, according to an official statement. President Isaac Herzog condemned the attack in a post on X, emphasizing that an investigation is underway.

Israel's army said Hezbollah had fired around 80 projectiles at the country Saturday, the same day its forces launched a wave of strikes on the Iran-backed militant group's bastions in Lebanon.

"As of 2330 (2130 GMT), approximately 80 projectiles that were fired by the Hezbollah terrorist organisation have crossed from Lebanon into Israel today," the army said.

Israel intensified its assault on Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut and southern Lebanon on Saturday, launching a series of airstrikes. The Iran-backed Hezbollah group claimed responsibility for attacks on several Israeli military bases near Haifa, escalating the conflict.

The Israeli military reported a "heavy rocket barrage" targeting Haifa, with a synagogue struck in the attack, leaving two civilians wounded. According to a late-night military statement, Hezbollah fired approximately 80 projectiles into Israel during the day.