Israel-Gaza-Lebanon updates: Netanyahu claims UN peacekeepers acting as 'human shields' for Hezbollah
U.N. peacekeepers claim IDF tanks breached their base in southern Lebanon.
The Israel Defense Forces continued intense air and ground campaigns against Hezbollah in Lebanon and against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The uptick in offensive operations came days after Israel marked the anniversary of Hamas' Oct. 7 assault and as Israeli leaders planned their response to last week's Iranian ballistic missile attack.
Key Headlines
- 51 killed, 174 injured in Lebanon on Saturday: Lebanese Ministry of Health
- Gallant describes southern Lebanon villages as 'military targets'
- Pentagon will deploy THAAD air defense system to Israel
- UN claims IDF tanks forcefully breached its peacekeeping base in southern Lebanon
- Netanyahu claims UN peacekeepers acting as 'human shields' for Hezbollah
Father of American hostage gets emotional ahead of Oct. 7 anniversary
Ahead of the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, Ruby Chen, the father of 19-year-old IDF soldier and American hostage Itay Chen, spoke with Rhiannon Ally on ABC News Live in an emotional interview.
"We have no idea who is alive or not, including my son. And we just need to get this to an end," Chen said.
Chen, who is originally from New York City, describes his son as "a fun-loving kid" who joined the IDF at the age of 18. Itay and his team were ambushed while protecting a kibbutz on Oct. 7, and he has not heard from him since, Chen said.
He also shared that he recently spoke with the White House to advocate for imposing economic and diplomatic sanctions on Iran, which recently launched a missile attack against Israel.
After watching negotiations between Israel and Hamas fail for months, Chen said he and other loved ones of the hostages should have a voice in the discussions.
"The sad part about it is that there is no accountability for the failed negotiations. Once that failed negotiation happens, we don't see any accountability on any side, not from the mediators of Egypt, not on Israel, not on Hamas," Chen said.
"We should also be allowed to that equation as well," he said.
IDF says it struck Hezbollah munition warehouses in Beirut
Following a large blast in Beirut Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces said fighter jets attacked Hezbollah intelligence headquarters in Beirut.
In addition, warplanes have recently attacked the organization's munitions warehouses in the Beirut area, the IDF said.