Israel Renewed attacks in Beirut - concern about Iran's nuclear facilities
Israel's army is continuing its attacks on the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon after renewed shelling.
03.10.2024, 04:45
SDA
Once again, residential areas in the capital Beirut are also being targeted. The military reported a "precise" attack there late in the evening. According to the authorities, at least six people were killed in an airstrike in the Basta-Bachoura district. Meanwhile, following Iran's missile attack on Israel, US President Joe Biden spoke out against an attack on the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities. "The answer is no," said Biden in response to a reporter's question. However, Israel had a right to respond to Iran's attack. The USA is Israel's most important ally.
Biden had called for the response to Tuesday's Iranian missile attack to be carefully weighed up. In a joint meeting of the Group of Seven (G7), new sanctions against Iran were also discussed, according to the White House. They are working on a joint declaration, it added. Israel is preparing to respond to the Iranian missile attack with attacks inside Iran in the coming days, the US news portal "Axios" reported.
Is Israel attacking Iran's nuclear facilities?
According to Israeli officials, oil production facilities and other strategic installations in Iran could be targeted, the news portal continued. The New York Times had previously reported, citing US officials, that Israel could also attack Iran's nuclear facilities in a possible scenario. In particular, the enrichment facilities in Natan, the heart of Iran's nuclear program, could be targeted, it said. Iran claims that it only serves civilian purposes. Israel and the West see things differently.
"Israel must not miss this unique opportunity to destroy Iran's nuclear program," wrote former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Platform X. "If we don't do it now, I don't see it ever happening," he said. UN Secretary-General António Guterres once again called on the parties to the conflict to reach a ceasefire. "The raging fires in the Middle East are rapidly turning into an inferno," he said at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York.
Guterres "undesirable person" - UN: political statement
Guterres did not address the fact that Israel had previously declared him an "undesirable person" and justified this, among other things, with the fact that the UN Secretary-General had not clearly condemned the Iranian missile attack. The United Nations sees Israel's declaration as a political move. It is yet another attack on a UN employee by Israel's government, said Guterres' spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.
Meanwhile, Israel continues to take massive action against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. The army did not initially provide details of the targeted night-time attack in Beirut. According to initial reports, an apartment in a building was hit. According to the authorities, at least six people were killed in the Basta-Bachoura district and seven were injured. Eyewitnesses in Beirut also reported several attacks on a southern suburb of the city. The sound of explosions could be heard throughout the capital. Residents reported drones and fighter jets circling over the city.
German government again airlifts Germans out of Beirut
Meanwhile, the German Armed Forces had another 130 German nationals flown out to Germany via Beirut airport. The particularly endangered Germans were picked up by an Airbus A330 of the multinational air transport unit MMU (Multinational Multi Role Tanker Transport Unit), according to the Federal Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defense in Berlin. The aircraft landed in Frankfurt am Main in the evening. "Der Spiegel" had first reported on the flight. So far, a total of 241 people have been flown out of Lebanon on Bundeswehr aircraft, the ministries announced.
Meanwhile, warning sirens were also wailing again during the night in numerous areas in the north and center of Israel. The air force reportedly intercepted a suspicious flying object off the coast of central Israel. According to the Israeli army, the north of the country had been attacked again the previous day with around 140 rockets from Lebanon. Some of the missiles were intercepted by the missile defense system, while others hit open areas. On Tuesday, Israeli ground troops entered Lebanon for the first time in almost two decades.
Casualties on both sides
For the first time since the start of the ground offensive, the Israeli armed forces suffered casualties, with eight soldiers falling in battle with Hezbollah, the army announced. Almost a year after the start of the Gaza war on October 7, the focus of the fighting is thus shifting towards the northern neighboring country. Israel's declared aim is to drive the Shiite militia from the border so that around 60,000 evacuated Israelis can return to their homes. According to official figures, 46 people were killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon on Wednesday alone. 85 others were injured, as reported by the Ministry of Health.
As a result of the massive Israeli attacks, the number of displaced persons in Lebanon has risen to around 1.2 million, according to government figures. According to the head of the government's emergency committee, Nasser Yassin, around 160,000 people have been accommodated in emergency shelters. The others have moved to friends, relatives, hotels or their own homes in other areas, the state news agency NNA reported. According to government figures, almost 300,000 people have crossed the border into Syria since the intensive Israeli attacks began last week.
Deaths in Syria too
According to Syrian reports, three people were killed in an attack on the capital Damascus. The state news agency Sana reported that an Israeli attack had hit a residential building. Three people were also injured. As usual in such cases, the Israeli military did not comment on the incident. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the attack and initially reported at least two deaths. The victims are said to have included the son-in-law of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed by the Israeli military. The building was reportedly used by members of the Hezbollah militia and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
