Israel is preparing to launch a “major strike” against Iran in response to a ballistic missile attack on Tel Aviv on October 1, while Gaza’s health ministry claims more casualties.
Israel prepares major attack on Iran in response to missile strike
Iran fired some 180 ballistic missiles at Israel in response to the recent assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders and a Revolutionary Guard commander, which Tehran said was retaliation. The unnamed official said in a statement carried by state broadcaster KAN late Sunday:
“Israel is preparing to conduct a major attack against Iran, with preparations including fortifying defenses in anticipation of any potential Iranian response.”
The source, however, gave no details on the list of targets expected to be hit in the Israeli attack.
Since the Iranian strike, Israel has been consulting intensively with its key ally, the US, to identify potential targets and its defence needs to counter any Iranian retaliation.
On Saturday, the Israeli army said the US had deployed a THAAD air defence battery in Israel, designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles, in preparation for possible Iranian strikes.
Before THAAD, Israel’s air defence relied on three systems: the Arrow to intercept long-range missiles, David’s Sling for medium-range and Iron Dome for short-range. All three systems failed to intercept many Iranian missiles. Israeli media have reported that oil or nuclear facilities could be the target of an impending attack on Iran, amid fears of a possible regional war.
Israel bombs Hezbollah-linked finance group in Lebanon
The Israeli military announced on Sunday that it will now target the financial arm of Lebanon-based Hezbollah and plans to attack “a large number of targets” in the coming hours in Beirut and elsewhere. The explosions went off in Beirut’s southern suburbs about an hour later.
Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that “anyone who will be near sites used to finance Hezbollah terrorist activities should leave immediately.” The evacuation warnings affected southern Beirut, the eastern Beqaa Valley and parts of southern Lebanon.
The strikes will target al-Qard al-Hassan “all over Lebanon,” a senior Israeli intelligence official said. Al-Qard al-Hassan is a Hezbollah unit used to pay salaries to the Iranian-backed group’s fighters and help them buy weapons, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in accordance with army regulations.
Medics warn of catastrophic situation in Gaza
Israeli strikes on homes in the northern Gaza Strip overnight and Sunday left at least 87 people dead or missing, the territory’s health ministry said.
Another 40 people were injured in strikes on the town of Beit Lahia, which was one of the first targets of Israel’s ground invasion almost a year ago, the ministry said. The Israeli military said it struck a Hamas target.
The international charity Médecins Sans Frontières, known by its French acronym MSF, has called on Israeli troops to immediately halt attacks on hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip after the Health Ministry said Israeli troops shelled two hospitals over the weekend.
The Israeli military said it operated near one of the hospitals but did not fire directly at it. Internet connectivity was lost in northern Gaza late Saturday, making it difficult to gather information about the strikes and complicating rescue efforts.
