Israel strikes Beirut suburbs as Netanyahu vows 'heavy price' for drone attack

Israel says some of the drones were intercepted but one got through and hit a building in the area, as ITV News Correspondent Peter Smith reports

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a drone attack which targeted his home in northern Israel was a "grave mistake".

Netanyahu and his family were not at their house in Caesarea when the drone attack struck on Saturday, and there were no casualties.

Israel’s military said some 180 projectiles were fired throughout Saturday from Lebanon. Some of the drones were intercepted but one got through and hit a building in the area.

"This will not deter me or the State of Israel from continuing our just war against our enemies in order to secure our future.," Netanyahu said.

"Anyone who tries to harm Israel’s citizens will pay a heavy price."

Hezbollah did not claim responsibility for the drone attack but said it carried out several rocket attacks on northern and central Israel.

In the northern city of Kiryat Ata, sirens blared as people ran for cover and intercepted missiles exploded in the sky.

Fighting continued in Lebanon on Saturday, where air strikes hit parts of southern Beirut causing huge plumes of smoke to billow across the city.

Israel carried out at least ten airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs known as Dahiyeh, a heavily populated area home to Hezbollah's offices. Israel's military said it was looking into the reported strikes.

The Lebanese health ministry said an Israeli airstrike on Saturday hit a vehicle on a main highway north of Beirut, killing two people. It was unclear who was in the car when it was struck.

Meanwhile, at least 50 people, including children, have been killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza in the past day.

Israeli forces fired at hospitals in the battered north of the Palestinian enclave, according to hospital officials and an Associated Press reporter there.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said Israeli strikes hit the upper floors of the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahiya, and forces opened fire at the hospital’s building and courtyard. At Al-Awda Hospital in Jabaliya, in northern Gaza, strikes hit the building’s top floors, injuring several staff members, the hospital said.

Israel also said it had killed Hezbollah’s deputy commander in the southern town of Bint Jbeil, in Lebanon. The IDF said Nasser Rashid supervised attacks against Israel.

Israel's war with Hezbollah has intensified in recent weeks after the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by an Israeli airstrike in September.

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Hezbollah said it planned to launch a new phase of fighting by sending more guided missiles and exploding drones into Israel.

Since Israel killed Hamas’ leader Yahya Sinwar, Hamas has reiterated its stance that the hostages they took from Israel a year ago will not be released until there is a ceasefire in Gaza and a withdrawal of Israeli troops.

Netanyahu said his country’s military will keep fighting until the hostages are released, and will remain in Gaza to prevent a severely weakened Hamas from rearming.

On Saturday, Israel dropped leaflets in southern Gaza showing Sinwar dead in a chair, with blood running down his forehead.

"Sinwar destroyed your lives," said the leaflet seen by The Associated Press. "Whoever lays down his weapons and returns the kidnapped people to us, we will allow him to leave and live in peace."

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