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.
IDF orders evacuations in Beirut as huge blast rattles city
The Israel Defense Forces ordered further evacuations in Beirut as its strikes continue to hit the city.
Residents of the southern suburb of Burj al-Barajneh and Hadath Beirut were urged to evacuate, according to the IDF.
Smoke and flames rise in Beirut's southern suburbs, after Israeli air strikes, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Sin El Fil, Lebanon, Oct. 6, 2024.
Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters
"For your safety and the safety of your family members, you must evacuate this building and the buildings adjacent to it immediately and stay away from it for a distance of no less than 500 meters," the IDF said in an urgent message Sunday.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
Oct 06, 2024, 4:31 PM EDT
Death toll in Lebanon surpasses 2,000: Lebanese PM
As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continues, the Lebanese prime minister's office said the total death toll now stands at 2,036 people killed, since the beginning of the conflict on Oct. 8.
On Saturday, 23 people were killed and 93 wounded across both the south, north and other regions of Lebanon, including Bekaa, Baalbek-Hermel and Mount Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
A man runs for cover as a smoke raises in the background following an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Oct. 4, 2024.
Hassan Ammar/AP
The governor of the Lebanese region of Baalbek-Hermel said Sunday that an Israeli strike hit within 500-700 meters of ancient Roman ruins in the area. The Roman temples in Baalbek are UNESCO World Heritage sites and date back to the second century, according to UNESCO.
The U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon known as UNIFIL, which staffs dozens of posts in southern Lebanon and along the Israeli border, said in a statement Sunday it is "deeply concerned" by recent IDF activity near one of its bases, 6-52, which is manned by Irish peacekeepers.
UNIFIL and the Irish government have both said the IDF requested the troops leave the post, and that both the UN and the Irish government rejected the requests.
Smoke rises from a destroyed building at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Oct. 6, 2024.
Bilal Hussein/AP
UNIFIL released a statement, saying, "This is an extremely dangerous development. It is unacceptable to compromise the safety of U.N. peacekeepers carrying out their Security Council-mandated tasks."
After not issuing any evacuation orders for south Lebanon on Saturday, the IDF issued a new order on Sunday, listing some 25 towns, including 10 new towns and villages added to the list, for a total of 98 towns and villages in southern Lebanon now having been asked to evacuate, according to the IDF.
-ABC News' Victoria Beaule
Oct 06, 2024, 2:53 PM EDT
Netanyahu visits IDF base near Lebanese border: 'We are changing reality'
Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the country's northern border and spoke with troops participating in the ground operations in Lebanon, where he told them, "In the past 12 months, we are changing reality from end to end."
In a separate briefing this evening, an Israeli security official reiterated points made previously about the different fronts Israel is fighting on. He said troops are on high alert for any attacks Monday, on the anniversary of the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. He also said strikes in southern Beirut would continue.
Herzl Halevi, the chief of the general staff of the IDF, also delivered a speech to troops for the Jewish New Year and the anniversary of Oct. 7, calling it "the day we failed in our mission."
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
Oct 06, 2024, 1:43 PM EDT
Israeli Defense Minister Gallant to meet with US counterpart in Washington
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is scheduled to travel to Washington for a meeting on Wednesday with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Sunday on X.
Gallant and Austin will meet at the Pentagon to "discuss ongoing Middle East security developments," Ryder said.
