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Israel-Gaza-Lebanon updates: Large blast seen in southern Beirut

Israeli strikes have largely been focused on Beirut's southern suburbs.

ByNadine El-Bawab, Emily Shapiro, David Brennan, Julia Reinstein, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: October 3, 2024, 5:19 PM EDT

Israel continued its intense airstrike campaign across Lebanon, which included several strikes in Beirut's southern suburbs and one in the center of the city.

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.

Sirens sounded across Israel and some citizens were urged to seek shelter in protected areas. Most of the missiles were intercepted, but "several hits were identified, and the damage is being assessed," an Israeli security official said.

The U.S. fired missiles to help Israel defend itself against the missile attack, according to the Pentagon's Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Oct 01, 2024, 6:06 PM EDT

Iran fired 220 missiles in 2 waves: US official

Iran fired 220 total missiles in two waves over 30 minutes, with a brief pause between the waves, according to a U.S. official.

A projectile is intercepted by Israel near the northern city of Baqa al-Gharbiya, Oct. 1, 2024.
Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images

There were some direct impacts near Tel Aviv, though they caused no major damage, the official said.

Many missiles were intercepted over Jordan, the official said.

Among the casualties from the attack, a Palestinian was killed in Jericho, and there are reports of a Bedouin killed in the Negev, according to the official.

Editor's note: This post has been updated.

-ABC News' Martha Raddatz

Oct 01, 2024, 5:33 PM EDT

IDF issues evacuation warning for southern Beirut suburbs

The Israel Defense Forces have issued an evacuation warning for residents in southern Lebanon.

The "urgent warning" was issued to residents of southern Beirut suburbs Tuesday night local time.

A similar warning was also sent on Monday.

Oct 01, 2024, 5:02 PM EDT

Netanyahu: 'Iran made a big mistake'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran's attack "failed" while vowing to respond.

"Iran made a big mistake tonight -- and it will pay for it," he said in a statement. "The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies."

"We will stand by the rule we established: Whoever attacks us -- we will attack him," he added.

Oct 01, 2024, 4:45 PM EDT

Biden: 'Make no mistake, the US is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel'

In his first on-camera remarks since Iran's missile attack, President Joe Biden reiterated the United States' full support of Israel.

"Make no mistake, the United States is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel," he said.

He said that at his direction, the U.S. military "actively supported the defense of Israel" and while they are still assessing the impact, the attack "appears to have been defeated and ineffective."

President Joe Biden listens during a briefing on the government's response to Hurricane Helene in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP

Biden said there was "intensive planning" between the U.S. and Israel to "anticipate and defend against the brazen attack we expected."

Asked how he would like Israel to respond, Biden said it was an "active discussion."

"We're gonna get all the data straight," he said. "We’ve been in constant contact with the Israeli government and our counterparts, and that remains to be seen."

-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett

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