Israel-Gaza-Lebanon updates: IDF orders evacuations in Beirut as huge blast hits city

Over 1,000 people in Lebanon have been killed in the last two weeks.

ByNadine El-Bawab, Emily Shapiro, David Brennan, Julia Reinstein, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: October 6, 2024, 7:29 PM EDT

Israel's Lebanon operation continues as leaders consider their response to Iran's long-range attack on Tuesday, in which hundreds of missiles were fired into the country, according to Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations.

Iran said the unprecedented attack was retaliation for a wave of assassinations carried out by Israel over the last several weeks targeting Hezbollah, including leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Most of the missiles were intercepted, but "several hits were identified, and the damage is being assessed," an Israeli security official said.

Tune in to ABC News Live at 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 7, for "Oct 7th: Race to Survive" -- special coverage of the anniversary of the conflict. Veteran correspondent Matt Gutman highlights voices of Israelis and Palestinians impacted by the war and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Oct 04, 2024, 1:35 PM EDT

Iranian supreme leader says attack on Israel was 'completely legal and legitimate'

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran's attack on Israel this week was "completely legal and legitimate" during a speech on Friday.

He said they will act again in the future "if needed."

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with the Lebanese caretaker prime minister in Beirut on Friday, saying his visit to the capital was to show Iran's support for Hezbollah.

"We have no plans to continue" striking Israel "unless the Israeli entity decides to target us," Araqchi said after the meeting.

Israel on Friday acknowledged Iran's attack made some hits in central and southern Israel, including some hits on Israeli air force bases, "but nothing that hurt our functionality or operation levels," Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said at a press briefing.

"Israeli air forces is fully operational, and the planes from the Nevatim Air Base were carrying out strikes throughout the last few days in different locations in the Middle East," Shoshani added.

-ABC News' Ghazi Balkiz, Somayeh Malekian and Dana Savir

Oct 04, 2024, 12:33 PM EDT

2 IDF soldiers killed, at least 20 injured in Iraq drone attack: Source

Two Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed and at least 20 others injured when a drone launched from Iraq struck their post in northern Israel, a source with knowledge of the incident told ABC News.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq took responsibility for targeting three locations in northern Israel with drones in a statement on Friday.

This is the first time IDF soldiers have been killed and injured in a drone attack from Iraq.

-ABC News' Dana Savir, Dorit Long and Ghazi Balkiz

Oct 04, 2024, 12:18 PM EDT

Hezbollah intelligence HQ targeted in large Beirut strike: Israeli forces

Israeli forces targeted what they claim was a Hezbollah intelligence headquarters in Dahieh during a large strike in Beirut that hit the area close to midnight local time overnight.

Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike targeting an area in Beirut's southern suburb late, Oct. 3, 2024.
Etienne Torbey/AFP via Getty Images

The headquarters was a bunker, an Israeli official told ABC News.

ABC News has learned Hashem Safieddine was a target in the strike. He is the one likely believed to succeed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike last week.

-ABC News' Dana Savir

Oct 04, 2024, 11:46 AM EDT

3rd US charter flight departs Lebanon

A third U.S. charter flight departed Thursday from Beirut and landed in Frankfurt, Germany, early Friday morning local time, according to the State Department.

The flight departed with 97 American citizens and eligible family members on board, bringing the total number of individuals evacuated through the charters this week to roughly 350, according to the State Department.

-ABC News' Shannon K. Kingston

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