Huge explosions rock southern Beirut as Netanyahu vows to strike back at Iran
Israel are preparing a "significant and serious" response to Iran's firing of nearly 200 missiles last week, as ITV News' Correspondent John Ray reports
Large explosions were heard across southern Beirut on Saturday evening, after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for several buildings.
Blasts were seen along the skyline of densely populated southern suburbs of Lebanon's capital following a warning from Israeli forces to evacuate areas in the Haret Hreik and Choueifat neighbourhoods.
It came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Israel would take revenge for a missile attack launched by Iran.
"Israel will fight until the battle is won," he said.
"No country in the world would accept such an attack. Israel has the right to defend itself and respond to these attacks, and it will do so."
Israel has continued its attacks on Lebanon, hitting a Palestinian refugee camp near the northern city of Tripoli on Saturday, and launching at least 12 airstrikes on Beirut.
The strike on the Beddawi refugee camp near Tripoli killed a Hamas military commander, along with his wife and two young daughters, according to the Palestinian group.
Tripoli is much farther north than the majority of Israel’s strikes, which have been concentrated in southern Lebanon and Beirut.
Beirut's southern suburbs were also hit overnight, killing at least six people, according to Lebanon’s official news agency.
Hamas commanders killed
Hamas confirmed another member of its military faction was killed in a missile strike on the Bekaa Valley, in the east of Lebanon.
Israel has killed several Hamas officials in Lebanon since the Israel-Hamas war began in October last year, in addition to most of the top leadership of Hezbollah.
Speaking in a video message on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Israel has the duty and the right to defend itself and respond to these attacks, and it will do so.”
On Lebanon, he said: "We are not done yet."
Attacks on health workers
UK Foreign Minister David Lammy has said claims Israeli forces have targeted hospitals and health workers are "deeply disturbing".
It comes after a strike outside a Lebanese hospital close to the border with Israel killed seven people on Friday.
On Thursday, the World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said 37 health facilities had been forced to close in southern Lebanon, and at least 28 health workers had been killed in 24 hours.
"Reports that Israeli strikes have hit health facilities and support personnel in Lebanon are deeply disturbing," Lammy said in a post on X on Saturday.
"All parties must comply with international humanitarian law. Our priority is an immediate ceasefire on both sides so Israeli and Lebanese civilians can return home."
Conflict in southern Lebanon
The Israeli military said special forces were carrying out targeted ground raids against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon, destroying missiles, launchpads, watchtowers and weapons storage facilities.
The military said troops also dismantled tunnel shafts that Hezbollah used to approach the Israeli border.
Israel’s military said about 90 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory on Saturday, leaving three people injured.
On Tuesday, Israel launched what it called a limited ground operation into southern Lebanon.
Nine Israeli troops have been killed in close fighting in the area in the past few days, the military said.
Hundreds of thousands flee Lebanon
Some 1,400 Lebanese people, including Hezbollah fighters and civilians, have been killed and more than a million driven from their homes since Israel escalated its strikes in late September.
Nearly 375,000 people have fled from Lebanon into Syria in less than two weeks, many of them by foot, according to a Lebanese government committee.
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Strikes continue in Gaza
Meanwhile, Palestinian health officials in Gaza said at least nine has been killed by Israeli strikes in northern and central parts of the territory.
One strike hit a group of people in the northern town of Beit Hanoun, killing at least five people, including two children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry’s Ambulance and Emergency service.
Another strike hit a house in the northern part of the Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least four people, the Awda hospital said.
The Israeli military has not yet commented on the attacks.
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