War, breaking news. Gaza, man killed in Ramallah lynching. Kiev drones rain down on Russia, 'shot down 113 over 4 regions'

Three air strikes hit the southern Beirut district of Dahiyeh, the Hezbollah stronghold where the leader Nasrallah was also killed. This was reported by the Saudi media, taken up by Haaretz.

The target of the Israeli air strike on Damascus was Hassan Nasrallah's son-in-law, Hassan Qassir, who was killed in the raid. This was reported by Sky News Arabia. Qassir's brother, Jafar, was an important financier of Hezbollah and was killed a few days ago in Beirut. Qassir would have played a significant role within Hezbollah beyond his family ties, the sources explained. The raid on Damascus resulted in three deaths.

Family members of hostages still in Gaza organised a banquet to celebrate the Jewish New Year near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's private residence in the coastal town of Caesarea to draw his attention to the need to reach an agreement. Next to the long banquet table, protesters placed fake gravestones to symbolise the hostages killed in Gaza.

The organisers said the event was organised to express their "refusal to celebrate Rosh Hashanah" during the current "reality". "Many Israeli women and men are unable to celebrate when a year has passed and 101 hostages are still not here with us, and every opportunity for an agreement is torpedoed by the Israeli government and its leader," the organisers said in a note.

A ''high threat'' status exists in the United States, the level of which has been ''increased'' due to recent developments in the Middle East as well as in view of the presidential elections in November. This is what the Department of Homeland Security warns, explaining that it is still trying to understand what the consequences of the Iranian attack on Israel could be for the United States. "It is obvious that events in the Middle East over the past 12 months have contributed to this heightened threat situation and continue to do so. We are constantly assessing and monitoring what is happening abroad to determine what implications it will have here at home," said a Department official. The official also noted that Iran's attack, coupled with the one-year anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israel on 7 October last year, could "spur some violent extremists here at home to try to act on timing that may not have been anticipated."

The US has organised a charter flight to evacuate its citizens from Lebanon and intends to organise further flights in the future if the need arises. This was reported by State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. More than 100 US citizens boarded today's flight from Lebanon to Istanbul.

The United States has been ''clear with Israel'' that ''we do not want to see civilians or civilian infrastructure in Lebanon targeted''. This was stated by US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller at a press conference.

More than 240 rockets were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel today. This was announced by the IDF as reported by the Times of Israel. One person suffered minor injuries from shrapnel during the attacks in the Western Galilee, doctors say. There are no other reports of injuries.

"Italy calls on the UN Security Council to consider making the implementation of the Unifil mission's mandate more effective in order to guarantee security along the Blue Line and to ensure that the displaced population of northern Israel and Lebanon can return home safely. The security of all Unifil personnel must be respected and fully guaranteed. Sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon must also be respected'. This was said by Ambassador Maurizio Massari, Permanent Representative to the UN Security Council, addressing the Security Council.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Israel of pushing Tehran to retaliate and promised "a stronger response in case of Israeli retaliation" and stated that Iran "does not seek war with Israel".

Joe Biden attended the G7 to discuss Iran's 'unacceptable attack on Israel and to coordinate a response to this attack, including new sanctions'. This was stated by the White House, noting that "the president and the G7 unequivocally condemned Iran's attack on Israel. The president expressed America's full solidarity and support for Israel and reaffirmed the United States' unwavering commitment to Israel's security."

US President Joe Biden said he would not support an attack on Iranian nuclear sites, according to Bloomberg news agency. the president also said he would speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu shortly.

Hamas claimed responsibility for last night's terrorist attack in Jaffa, in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, in which seven people died and 16 others were injured. The Palestinian group claims that the two perpetrators of the attack, identified as Mohammad Mesek and Ahmed Himouni from Hebron, are militiamen. Six of the seven victims were identified as Revital Bronstein, 24, Ilia Nozadze, 42, Shahar Goldman, 30, Inbar Segev Vigder, 33, Nadia Sokolenco, 40, and Jonas Chrosis, 26. This was reported in the Times of Israel.

The Lebanese national news agency NNA states that an Israeli attack on the town of Aitaroun in southern Lebanon 'resulted in the death of six residents of the town and paramedics from the Islamic Health Authority' while one person is missing in the rubble. According to NNA reports, the attack hit the Islamic Health Authority centre in the town and 'completely destroyed it'.

"We are under attack, it is not just an escalation, but an assault on our existence". Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said this during his address to the Security Council. "Silence, daily calls for de-escalation help Iran," he added, "Tehran must pay, everything else is complicity.

Syrian state media report that at least three civilians were killed and three wounded in an Israeli attack on Syria's capital Damascus.

As ever more menacing winds of war gather over the Middle East region, and beyond, Pope Francis will commemorate the anniversary of Hamas's attack on Israel by calling for a special "day of prayer and fasting for peace in the world" on Monday, 7 October, in which he invites all the Catholic faithful to participate. Moreover, the day before, Sunday 6 October, he will pray the rosary in the Roman Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, addressing 'a heartfelt supplication' to the Virgin Mary. The Pontiff's announcement comes at the end of his homily at this morning's Mass in St Peter's Square for the opening of the second session of the Synod of Bishops on synodality in the Church. "Let us resume this ecclesial journey with a gaze turned to the world," Francis said, "because the Christian community is always at the service of humanity, to announce the joy of the Gospel to all. There is a need for this, especially in this dramatic hour of our history, while the winds of war and the fires of violence continue to upset entire peoples and nations". "To invoke from the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary the gift of peace, next Sunday I will go to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore where I will recite the Holy Rosary and address a heartfelt supplication to the Virgin; if possible, I also ask you, members of the Synod, to join me on that occasion," he then announces. "And, on the next day, 7 October, I ask everyone to live a day of prayer and fasting for peace in the world," he added.

With regard to the day of prayer and fasting on 7 October, the Pope makes his own and makes universal what has already been announced for his own diocese by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa. And the new fronts of conflict that after Gaza have turned against Lebanon, which now also involve Iran and Yemen, while those in the "tormented Ukraine" and other areas of the planet continue without any remission, push the Pope to an initiative of participation and prayer that involves the entire Church. In the meantime, with this morning's mass in the Vatican square, and with the first congregation in the afternoon in the Sala Nervi, the Synod opened to all intents and purposes. The Synod proposes a synthesis on the work of listening and consultation begun three years ago and already passed last year for another assembly, on how the 'synodal' Church will have to be in the future, with more participation by the laity and women, with less separation and distance between the hierarchy and the base, and with a broader involvement of the baptised in the Catholic mission. And on the way forward, the Pope spoke clearly in his homily: 'ours is not a parliamentary assembly, but a place of listening in communion'. And a "condition" to be respected is "that we free ourselves from that which, in us and among us, can prevent the 'charity of the Spirit' from creating harmony in diversity. Those who arrogantly presume and claim to have the exclusive right to hear the voice of the Lord are unable to do so". In concrete terms, "let us be careful not to turn our contributions into points to defend or agendas to impose," Francis warns. "Otherwise we will end up locking ourselves in dialogues between the deaf, where each one tries to 'pull water to his own mill' without listening to the others, and above all without listening to the voice of the Lord." Then, in the afternoon congregation, "the presence at the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of members who are not bishops does not diminish the 'episcopal' dimension of the Assembly". "Rather," the Pope explained, "it signals the form that the exercise of episcopal authority is called to take in a Church that is aware of being constitutively relational and therefore synodal". And therefore "different forms of 'collegial' and 'synodal' exercise of the episcopal ministry will have to be identified at appropriate times".

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati says the number of people displaced in Lebanon by Israeli attacks has risen to 1.2 million. In a statement, the interim prime minister also added that an immediate ceasefire is necessary. Al Jazeera reports.

At least two people were killed and several injured in a suspected Israeli raid on Damascus. This was reported by the Syrian pro-government radio station Sham, pointing out that the attack targeted a flat in a three-storey building in the Mezzeh district in the western part of the Syrian capital.

Idf Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said Israel will respond to the Iranian missile attack, vowing that the army has the capability to "reach and strike anywhere in the Middle East". "And those enemies of ours who have not understood this until now, will soon understand," he said in a video statement, during a visit to the Tel Nof airbase.

Halevi then continued: "Yesterday, Iran launched about 200 missiles against the State of Israel. Iran attacked civilian areas, endangered the lives of many civilians. Thanks to appropriate behaviour and high-quality defence, the damage is relatively small." "We will respond, we know how to locate important targets, we know how to strike with precision and power," he added.

The US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, demanded that the Security Council impose additional sanctions on the Pasdaran after Tehran's latest missile attack on Israel, as this was not a defensive reaction but 'revenge for the death of a terrorist leader'.

A loud explosion occurred in Damascus, in the district of Mezze, the modern centre of the Syrian capital. Al Arabiya reports this. Images of the explosion are circulating on social media. Two people were killed following an Israeli attack, according to the National Observatory for Human Rights in Syria.

"Following the worsening crisis in the Middle East, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urgently convened and chaired a conference call of G7 leaders this afternoon. During the conversation, the firm condemnation of the Iranian attack against Israel was reiterated". This was reported in a note from Palazzo Chigi.

"In a constantly evolving scenario, it was agreed to work jointly to promote a reduction in regional tensions, starting with the implementation of Resolution 2735 in Gaza and Resolution 1701 for the stabilisation of the Israeli-Lebanese border". This was stated in a note from Palazzo Chigi after the G7 emergency meeting on the Middle East. "Expressing strong concern over the escalation of the last few hours," the communiqué goes on to explain, "it was reiterated that a conflict on a regional scale is in no one's interest and that a diplomatic solution is still possible. The leaders 'agreed to remain in close contact'.

The IDF announced the death of seven more soldiers killed today during clashes in southern Lebanon, bringing the military death toll to eight.

"Russia's violation of international conventions on prisoners of war is absolutely scandalous. The news of the shooting of 16 Ukrainian prisoners of war by the Russian army, reported by the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, is terrifying'. Thus Ukraine's ambassador to Rome Yaroslav Melnyk. "We call on all human rights organisations and our international partners to unite to ensure accountability of all those guilty of crimes against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. The international community's response must be tough and firm."

"These actions gravely contradict the Geneva Conventions that set out the rules for the treatment of prisoners of war," Melnyk said. "If such crimes remain without reaction, they will only give a green light to the Russian occupiers to continue the genocidal policy in Ukraine," the ambassador added.

"The protection of Jews in Germany has the highest priority. After 7 October 2023, the federal and state security authorities have adapted the measures for the protection of Jews and Jewish and Israeli institutions in Germany to the situation and, where necessary, have further strengthened them."

A German Interior Ministry spokesman told LaPresse, commenting on the state of security measures ahead of the first anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. "The federal and state security authorities are in constant contact with the Jewish communities and the Central Council of Jews in Germany (ZdJ) in order to take the necessary measures," the spokesman said, adding that "due to the current escalation in the Middle East and in view of the first anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack against Israel next Monday, vigilance among all those involved is even greater."

Each individual German state is then responsible for arranging the appropriate security measures in specific cases, the spokesman said, explaining that 'the protection of Jewish institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany is basically the original sovereign task of the federal states.

This is clearly regulated in the Basic Law on the division of powers between the federal and state governments. The federal states assess on their own responsibility the risk situation for Jewish institutions, derive risk levels from this and take the necessary protective measures themselves".

"Unifil peacekeepers remain in place and the UN flag continues to fly, despite Israel's request for relocation." This was said by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "I reiterate our deep appreciation to the military and civilian members of our Unifil peacekeeping force, and to the countries that contribute troops," he added.

The British Ministry of Defence confirmed in a statement what had been previously reported by the BBC on the participation of two Raf fighter jets, of the Typhoon model, supported by an in-flight refuelling plane, alongside the allies, the US in the lead, to intercept part of the missiles launched yesterday by Iran towards Israeli territory. "Due to the nature of the attack, they did not hit any targets," the note reads. Instead, the British aircraft 'played an important role' in the wider deterrence and efforts to prevent 'further escalation'.

"Israel has our full support in exercising its right to self-defence. Only a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza can create the space for a political plan to allow Israeli and Lebanese civilians to return home." British Ambassador Barbara Woodward told the UN Security Council. "We cannot let Lebanon become another Gaza," she added, "All parties must do everything possible to protect civilians and comply with international humanitarian law. What happens now will have an impact for a generation."

The Russian flag has been hoisted over the town hall of the Ukrainian city of Vuhledar in eastern Ukraine. Ian Gagin, advisor to the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic, established by Moscow in the Ukrainian occupied territories, told Ria Novosti.

"Iran has launched some 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel. As I did in relation to the Iranian attack in April, and as should have been obvious yesterday in the context of my condemnation, I again strongly condemn Tehran's massive missile attack on Israel yesterday." This was said by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in the Security Council, indirectly responding to the Jewish state's accusations.

"The violent fires in the Middle East are rapidly becoming an inferno. A week ago I briefed the Security Council on the alarming situation in Lebanon, since then things have gone from bad to much, much worse," Guterres further said. "Since then we have witnessed a dramatic escalation, so dramatic that I wonder what remains of the framework established by resolution 1701.... Civilians are paying a terrible price, which I strongly condemn."

Guterres recalled that "Israeli forces conducted incessant air strikes throughout Lebanon, including Beirut. The United States and France, with the support of several other countries, proposed a temporary ceasefire that would allow negotiations to resume", but "Israel rejected that proposal and intensified its attacks, including the bombing of Hezbollah's headquarters where its leader was killed". "It is absolutely essential to avoid an all-out war in Lebanon that would have profound and devastating consequences," the UN Secretary General reiterated.

Israel's response to Iran's missile attack will aim to cause 'significant financial damage'. An Israeli source told the Times of Israel, adding that "the response is expected to come soon". A diplomatic source - Haaretz also writes - said that Israel is considering demanding a "high price" from Iran, which would likely result in an attack on strategic infrastructure, such as oil or gas facilities. Furthermore, Israel is calling on the international community to increase the isolation of Iran by imposing tough sanctions. It is also urging to declare the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation.

UK jets did not shoot down Iranian missiles during last night's attack on Israel. This was reported by the BBC, according to which no Sea Viper missiles were fired from Hms Duncan, the Royal Navy destroyer, either. Earlier, the broadcaster recalls, the UK Defence Secretary, John Healey, had said that British forces 'played their part' against the Iranian missile attack, but so far the MoD has not provided details on the role of the British military. Last April, Typhoons of the Royal Air Force stationed in Cyprus had shot down several Iranian drones, but this fighter model is not equipped to shoot down ballistic missiles.

Germany has asked its citizens to leave Iran. The call to leave the country came immediately after the German Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador to Berlin

The Ukrainian prosecutor's office launched a preliminary investigation after information emerged about the alleged execution of 16 Ukrainian servicemen by Russian forces in the Pokrovsk area of Donetsk. "This is the largest known execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war on the front line. It is further proof that the killing and torture of prisoners is not an accident, but a deliberate policy of the Russian military and political leadership," Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin was quoted by Ukrinform as saying.

Hezbollah fighters resisting the Israeli military invasion in Lebanon claim to have "killed and wounded" other Israeli soldiers near Yarun, a location close to the Blue Line demarcation between the two countries, in the central sector of the provisional border.

The IDF announced the death of an officer, killed during fighting against Hezbollah: he is the first casualty of Israeli ground operations in Lebanon. Captain Eitan Itzhak Oster, 22, was the squad commander of the Egoz commando unit. Oster was killed during a clash with Hezbollah militiamen in a village in southern Lebanon.

"I strongly condemn the missile launch by Iran, the spiral of violence threatens the lives of innocent civilians: the EU continues to call for a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza, and we continue to call for the release of hostages." This was said by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen before her meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"The Israeli Air Force is preparing to respond to Iran, according to instructions from the political leadership," the Times of Israel reports.

The German government summoned the Iranian ambassador to condemn the missile attack launched by Tehran against Israel the previous evening, a government spokesman said. "We have summoned the Iranian ambassador," Sebastian Fischer, spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry, told reporters. Fischer added that the ambassador was not present in Berlin, and the chargé d'affaires attended instead.

The Israeli Army (IDF) reports that several air force bases were hit by the Iranian missile attack on Israel late last night. According to the IDF, the impacts damaged office buildings and other maintenance areas at the bases that do not affect the operation of the Air Force fighters: no aircraft were damaged in the attack and all missile impacts at Israeli air bases are considered 'ineffective', meaning that no damage was caused to Iaf operations.

Israeli army military intelligence stated that the IDF has expanded the campaign on the Lebanese front, Channel 12 reported.

Father Ibrahim Faltas, vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, how are you after the events of the last few hours?

"We have been very sick for a year, but yesterday's moment was very, very difficult for everyone in the Holy Land. The missiles do not distinguish. I am now in Jerusalem, the city is deserted and people are afraid. No school is open, no one goes out of their homes, people are terribly afraid, yesterday was a terrible thing, never seen, I have lived here for 35 years never seen such a situation.

The Pope has called for a day of fasting and prayer on 7 October, on the 6th he will go to Santa Maria Maggiore to plead for peace

Everyone play their part, the Pope calls for the courage of peace, the rulers do what they can, the peoples forcefully ask the rulers to create scenarios of peace and not occasions for hatred and revenge, everyone wants to show that they have won, we live hatred, revenge, violence. How many appeals the Pope has made, how many things he has done over the past year, he was the only one and the first one who had the courage to say ceasefire, I wish they had listened to him. The Pope suffers from this situation, I know it very well. Let us all unite in the call for peace, which we have been longing for for years in this land'.

"Absolutely not, we have assessed all the possibilities but there is no decision by the Italian government to withdraw the Italian contingent from Unifil, on the contrary, during the meeting of the permanent table we asked for Unifil's competences to be enlarged, something I had asked for the previous day during the meeting of the EU foreign ministers" and that "does not mean changing the rules of engagement". This was said by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani at a press conference at the end of the Council meeting.

The Israeli Army (IDF) reports that the 98th division engaged in close combat with Hezbollah militiamen and directed air strikes against gunmen and positions of the terrorist group. The division's Egoz commando unit destroyed a position of the Shia group, including a rocket launcher and an explosives depot, in the course of the operations the Israeli Air Force hit more than 150 Hezbollah sites. The IDF released new videos of commandos in action in southern Lebanon, after launching a ground operation between Monday and Tuesday.

In the Middle East, Russia calls on 'all parties to restraint' and 'condemns any action that leads to civilian deaths'. This was said by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by Tass

The Israeli foreign minister says that the UN chief will not be allowed to enter the country, and accuses him of anti-Israeli bias.

The Houthis announced that they attacked Israeli military facilities using Quds-5 cruise missiles. This was stated by the group's spokesman, Yahya Saria, quoted by Tass. "Missile troops of the Yemeni Armed Forces conducted a military operation using three Quds-5 cruise missiles and hit military facilities deep inside the Zionist entity in occupied Palestine," the spokesman said, stressing that the Houthis support yesterday's Iranian attack and are ready "to participate in any joint military operation against the Israeli enemy".

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has reportedly called a G7 leaders' meeting for this afternoon to discuss tensions in the Middle East. This was announced by the Prime Minister at the opening of the Council of Ministers. Italy, Meloni told the ministers, 'will continue to strive for a diplomatic solution, also in its capacity as G7 chair'. The goal 'is the stabilisation of the Israeli-Lebanese border through the full implementation of resolution 1701,' she continued.

At least 60 Palestinians were killed last night under Israeli army (IDF) fire in the Gaza Strip, including at a school housing displaced families, medical sources reported, Reuters news agency on its website. Israeli tanks raided several areas in eastern and central Khan Younis, in the south of the Strip, before partially withdrawing, leaving at least 40 people dead and dozens injured, according to the official Voice of Palestine radio and Hamas media. In Gaza City, at least 22 Palestinians were killed, sources said. An Israeli attack on a school housing displaced families in Gaza City killed 17 people, while another hit the Al-Amal Orphans' Society, which also houses displaced people, killing at least five others.

"The basis of the problems in the region is the presence of forces such as the US and some European countries that falsely claim to defend peace and tranquillity". This was stated by Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in his first public speech since Tehran's missile attack on Israel yesterday. "I am deeply saddened, the loss of Hassan Nasrallah (the leader of Hezbollah) is a significant event. However, this mourning must serve as a force that pushes us forward," Khamenei added during a meeting with university students, Iran International reports.

"To invoke from the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary the gift of peace, next Sunday I will go to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore where I will pray the Holy Rosary and address a heartfelt petition to the Virgin; if possible, I also ask you, members of the Synod, to join me on that occasion. And, on the next day, 7 October, I ask everyone to live a day of prayer and fasting for peace in the world". Pope Francis said this at the end of his homily at the Mass in St Peter's Square for the opening of the Synod of Bishops.

"Defence is ready to play its part and if necessary is able to conduct operations to extract our compatriots in Lebanon, even autonomously. Naval and air assets have already been pre-alerted and their readiness level has been raised and adjusted'. This was said by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto in a hearing before the Foreign and Defence Committees. 'The level of risk for our military has not increased,' he added, 'because they are not the target of direct attacks. But the situation is very difficult and worrying because of the possibility of unintentional incidents that cannot be excluded".

"We have signalled the need for incisive and swift UN action for Unifil to exercise real deterrence to the use of force, contemplating the possibility of operating autonomously even without the Lebanese forces. It will not escape you: either there are UN forces in south Lebanon or there are Israeli soldiers and the difference is clear to everyone'. This was said by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto in a hearing before the Foreign and Defence Committees of the House and Senate, stressing that 'we must recognise that Unifil has not achieved the objectives of resolution 1701'.

According to the Lebanese media, Israeli fighter jets are attacking in southern Beirut.

The Israeli army (Idf) posted messages on social media asking Lebanese civilians to immediately evacuate some 20 villages in southern Lebanon. "Hezbollah's activity forces the Idf to act against it. The Idf does not wish to harm you,' says Colonel Avichay Adraee, an Arabic-language spokesman on X. Lebanese civilians are called upon to head north: 'Beware, do not move south. Any movement south could endanger your lives,' the statement reads.

One hundred rockets were fired from Lebanon at northern Israel in the morning, 10 houses were damaged in Metula by direct hits. Hezbollah also fired on Kiryat and the western Galilee. Alarms are continuous in the northern part of the Jewish state. This was reported by the IDF.

All flights in Iran have been cancelled until 5pm local time tomorrow (3.30pm in Italy). This was said by the spokesman for the Iranian Civil Aviation Organisation, as reported by Etemad. Iranian airspace had already been closed last night during the Islamic Republic's missile attack against Israel.

"The invitation we continue to send to everyone, including Israel, is to work for de-escalation and to avoid a conflict that still causes casualties especially among the civilian population. And in my conversation with Israeli Minister Katz, I insisted not only on the protection of our military, but also on the need to avoid a repeat of what happened in Gaza with the Lebanese population. We must prevent too many more innocent victims'. This was said by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in a hearing at the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees of the House and Senate with Guido Crosetto

"We have never hidden our concerns about Tehran's regional posture, which has a destabilising effect in an already very precarious context, as was unfortunately demonstrated last night by the attack on Israel. However, we believe that, even more so at this time, it is important to maintain a channel of dialogue with Iran'. This was said by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in a hearing at the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees of the House and Senate with Guido Crosetto.

"The 36th Division, which includes soldiers from the Golani Brigade, the 188th Armored Brigade, the 6th Infantry Brigade and other forces, is joining the targeted, limited and localized raids against Hezbollah terrorist targets and terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon, which began on Monday," the Israeli Army (Idf) announced on Telegram. "The soldiers are accompanied by the Air Force and the 282nd Artillery Brigade," the message concludes.

Russian troops have entered the besieged city of Vuhledar in the Donetsk oblast. This was stated by Governor Vadym Filashkin, adding that fighting is ongoing and describing the situation as "extremely difficult". "The enemy has already almost reached the centre of the city," he told public television. "Inside the city there is fighting," he further said, "so it is almost impossible to bring humanitarian aid. Videos have surfaced on social media showing Russian soldiers waving the country's flag on the roof of an apartment building in the city. The geolocalised videos suggest that a complete Ukrainian withdrawal from the city is highly likely.

"Iran only used its right to self-defence, based on the UN Charter, and targeted the Zionist regime's military and security bases on Tuesday," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in telephone conversations overnight with his counterparts from Germany, France and the UK. "Iran's retaliatory strike against Israel has ended, but if the Zionists retaliate, Tehran will give a more severe response," he added, quoted by Mehr. "We warn any third party not to interfere in this conflict," he concluded

The Israel Defence Forces announced that they had struck - based on accurate intelligence - Hamas militiamen operating out of a school in central Gaza. Hamas was using the school as a base to plan and carry out "terrorist attacks against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel", the army said, pointing out that a series of measures were carried out before the attack "to limit the damage to civilians". According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA at least nine Palestinians were killed and 20 wounded in the attack on the school, which was housing displaced persons.

Israel is expected to respond to the Iranian missile attack within days and attack strategic sites in Iran. Senior Israeli officials said that one of the targets could be the country's oil facilities. Axios reports this, explaining that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will discuss the issue with US President Joe Biden. According to a source familiar with the details Netanyahu will hold a limited security consultation with several ministers and heads of the defence establishment to continue discussing the response to the Iranian attack.

Alarm sirens sounded in several towns in the Upper Galilee. Among them - the Times of Israel reports - Beit Hillel, Kiryat Shemona and Dafna.

Two explosions occurred in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, in the area around Strandagervej and Lundevangsvej where, among other things, the Israeli embassy is located. This was reported by the local media. "No one was injured and initial investigations are being carried out at the scene," the police quoted by local media said.

Hezbollah announced that it had confronted and then repelled Israeli forces that were infiltrating the southern Lebanese city of Odaisseh in the early hours of today. On Telegram, Al Jazeera reports, Hezbollah announced that its forces 'clashed with Israeli soldiers, inflicted casualties and forced them to retreat'.

Israel will launch a 'significant retaliation' within days in response to yesterday's massive Iranian missile attack, which could hit oil production facilities inside the country and other strategic sites, Axios reports, citing Israeli officials.