Live Blog Update| Israel's war on Gaza
This is an entry from: Live: Israel ramps up strikes on Gaza after Iran attack

Evening recap

23 September 2024 23:41 BST

Hello Middle East Eye readers. On Monday, Israel launched a serious escalation in its monthslong conflict with Lebanon's Hezbollah, which has been taking place amid the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.

Israeli air strikes on Monday rained down across the country, killing at least 492 people in Lebanon and injuring a further 1,645 people.

Hezbollah responded with a barrage of rockets fired towards Israel, including major cities like Haifa.

The Israeli attacks elicited a mixed reaction from Washington. Several US officials told Axios reporter Barak Ravid that they believe in the Israeli strategy of "de-escalation through escalation". But a senior State Department official said Washington doesn't believe that strategy will be effective.

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin meanwhile held a call with his Israeli counterpart, affirming the US recognises Israel's "right to defend itself".

The Pentagon said it would be deploying a small number of troops to the Middle East amid the intensification of Israel's operations against Lebanon.

Hezbollah said it would respond to Israel's escalation in kind, but also stressed it would end its current conflict with Israel once a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in Gaza is achieved.

Here's what else you need to know about today's developments:

  • Two Palestinians have been killed and several others wounded in an Israeli bombing of a vehicle in Deir al-Balah.

  • Hamas' armed wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, said that an Israeli air strike on Lebanon killed Mahmoud al Naderm, its field commander in southern Lebanon.

  • After Israel launched an air strike in southern Beirut that targeted senior Hezbollah commander Ali Karaki, the Lebanese movement released a statement saying that Karaki is alive and has "moved to a safe place".

  • After it launched its air strikes on Lebanon, the Israeli military's chief of generals staff, Herzi Halevi, said it is preparing for the next phases of its military escalation in Lebanon.

  • Lebanese security sources warned that the Israeli military escalation is likely to intensify over the coming days, but as of now they are not predicting Israel will launch a ground invasion.