Israel enters Lebanon before retreating, bars UN chief from its soil

Two Israeli soldiers have been killed and 18 others wounded in clashes with Hezbollah fighters on the border with Lebanon near the town of Odaisseh, according to Israeli media.

Hezbollah said it clashed with Israeli soldiers who tried to infiltrate into Lebanon, and also targeted Israeli troops across the border, according to statements from the Lebanese group.

In a statement the group said Hezbollah fighters confronted "an Israeli enemy infantry force that tried to infiltrate into the village of Adaysseh... and clashed with them... and forced them to withdraw." 

Hezbollah also said its fighters targeted "a large infantry force" in Misgav Am across the border with "rockets and artillery", as well as troop gatherings in three other locations, one with Burkan rockets.

The Lebanese army reported that Israeli forces briefly entered its territory before retreating.

"An Israeli enemy force crossed the Blue Line, advancing approximately 400 meters into Lebanese territory near Khirbet Yaroun and Odaisseh, then withdrew after a short time," the army stated on X.

The Blue Line serves as the boundary between Lebanon, Israel, and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Israel bans UN chief 

Israel vowed to make Iran "pay" for firing a barrage of missiles at its territory, with Tehran warning it would launch an even bigger attack if it is targeted.

Iran launched its second direct attack on Israel in history on Tuesday, firing what it said were 200 missiles including hypersonic weapons, sending Israeli civilians into shelters and prompting several countries in the region to shut their airspace.

Israel, which put the number of missiles fired at its territory at 180, bombarded Lebanese strongholds of Iran ally Hezbollah, with heavy strikes on south Beirut.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz says he is barring UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from entering the country for his failure to "unequivocally condemn" Iran's huge missile attack on Israel.

Shortly after Iran's attack, Guterres condemned the escalation of violence in the region, but made no mention of Iran.

"Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil," said Katz in a statement. "This is an anti-Israel Secretary-General who lends support to terrorists, rapists, and murderers."

Beirut suburbs targeted

The Israeli army called for the evacuation of over 20 new villages and towns in south Lebanon, a day after a similar evacuation call after the military announced the launch of ground operations. 

Lebanese official media said an Israeli strike targeted Beirut's southern suburbs, after a night of repeated strikes on the area, where Hezbollah holds sway.

"Israeli aircraft targeted the southern suburbs with a strike," the National News Agency reported, while an AFP photographer saw more smoke rising from the area.

Since last week Israel has been heavily bombarding Lebanon, particularly the south, saying it is targeting Hezbollah sites.

Meanwhile, the death toll from a shooting and stabbing attack that took place near Tel Aviv's light rail station in Jaffa rose to seven with 17 others wounded, hospital sources said.

Police said the two assailants, who were in their 20s, were residents of the occupied West Bank, one of whom was shot dead and the other was seriously wounded.

Israeli media identified two of the victims as Israeli citizens Shahar Goldman, 30, and Inbar Segev Vigder, 33.

Yemen's Houthi armed fighters said they had fired cruise missiles "deep inside" Israel, although there was no confirmation from Israeli authorities.

The statement by the Houthis' armed forces came after Iran launched a barrage of missiles at Israel, deepening the conflict in the region.

'Iran made a big mistake'

Swedish police said a shooting had occurred at the Israeli embassy in Stockholm the day before, adding that no-one was hurt and that an investigation had been opened.

The statement came as police in neighboring Denmark said they were investigating two blasts that went off overnight in the "immediate proximity" to the Israeli embassy, also without injuring anyone.

These attacks came as tensions in the Middle East are spiraling, with Iran firing a barrage of missiles at Israeli territory and Israel vowing to make Iran "pay" for the attack.

"Iran made a big mistake tonight and will pay for it," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. "Whoever attacks us, we attack them."

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who was at the command and control center monitoring the interception of Iranian missiles, also vowed vengeance.

"Iran has not learned a simple lesson - those who attack the state of Israel, pay a heavy price," he said in a statement. 

Iran defends 'decisive response'

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the attack was in response to Israel's killing last week of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, as well as the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a Tehran bombing in July widely blamed on Israel.

The attack also sought to avenge Israel's killing with Nasrallah of General Abbas Nilforoushan, a top commander of the Quds Force, the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations arm.

The spike in violence in Lebanon since mid-September has killed more than 1,000 people and forced hundreds of thousands more to flee their homes.

Iranian state media reported 200 missiles had been fired at Israel including hypersonic weapons for the first time, which the Revolutionary Guards said had targeted "three military bases" around Tel Aviv and others elsewhere.

Iran also threatened to fire "with bigger intensity" if Israel makes good on its pledge to retaliate, with Major General Mohammad Bagheri warning Tehran would target "all infrastructure" in Israel.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country had exercised its "legitimate rights" and dealt "a decisive response... to the Zionist regime's aggression".

The Iran strikes prompted widespread condemnation as well as renewed calls for the escalation in violence to stop.

Gaza's mounting death toll

Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli strikes on Tuesday killed 55 people, with the disaster management agency saying 1,873 people have been killed since Israel and Hezbollah began trading cross-border fire after the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Meanwhile, at least 41,689 people have been killed and 96,625 wounded in Israeli military attacks on Gaza since October 7, according to the enclave's health ministry.

Of those, 51 Palestinians were killed and 82 wounded in the latest 24-hour reporting period, the ministry added.

At least 30 people were killed in southern Khan Younis; 25 in northern Gaza City; and at least 25 in central Gaza, according to figures announced by hospitals that received the bodies.

In western Gaza, the Israeli military attacked the al-Amal Institute for Orphans, killing five people.

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