Israel launches missiles towards south Lebanon at dawn, kills 73 in north Gaza

Srinagar, Oct 20: At least 73 people were killed in an overnight Israeli attack on north Gaza's Beit Lahiya. Many people remain trapped under rubble and the death toll is expected to rise, Gaza's Government Media Office said.

Doctors, UN officials, and other aid agencies said they are getting tremendous number of emergency calls from north Gaza, asking for help, finding people under rubble, asking for water.

There are only three hospitals in the besieged area. Sine the IDF launched its siege 16-days back, it cut off all on ground aid to north Gaza.

While on Sunday morning, at least two Israeli strikes rocked the southern suburbs of Lebanon as they hit at least 2 buildings, including a residential one adjacent to a hospital and a mosque, Lebanese media reported.

"Enemy (Israeli) airplanes carried out two strikes this morning on Beirut's southern suburbs, one of them hitting a residential building in Haret Hreik" near a mosque and a hospital, the National News Agency of Lebanon reported.

The strikes come after a 3-day lull in the ongoing war between Israel and Hizbullah fighters while it also follows the alleged drone attack on the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's house. He blamed Iran's 'proxies' for the attack.

Reports said that the Israeli military had earlier threatened the civilians living near the buildings it said were affiliated with Hizbullah in the neighbourhood to immediately evacuate.

The residents were told to evacuate or risk their lives. They weren't given time to evacuate, reported Al Jazeera.

"You are located near facilities and interests affiliated with Hezbollah, which the IDF (Israeli army) will work against in the near future," the military's Arabic spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Telegram.

Israel's military said it targeted what it called 'Hizbullah Intelligence Command Centre' and an 'underground weapons production site in Beirut, killing three senior operatives.

Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed in a post on X, “This morning, Israeli warplanes, guided by intelligence from the Military Intelligence Directorate, struck a Hezbollah intelligence command headquarters along with an underground weapons production in Beirut.”

He added, “Before the strikes, several measures were taken to minimize the risk to civilians, including warnings to residents.”

Adraee stated that the air force also carried out a targeted strike east of Tebnine, killing Al-Haj Abbas Salama, a senior Hezbollah commander on the southern front.

“Salama had led operations in Bint Jbeil and was involved in planning multiple attacks against Israel. He previously held several key positions within Hezbollah’s southern command,” he claimed.

He further said that the strikes killed Rada Abbas Awada, described as an expert in wireless communications for Hizbullah, and Ahmad Ali Hussein, who oversaw the production of strategic arms.

“Hussein had undergone extensive training in Iran,” Adraee added.

“These strikes are part of a broader effort by the Israeli military and security apparatus to counter Hezbollah’s attempts to arm itself with advanced weaponry capable of targeting Israeli forces,” Adraee concluded.

As Israel intensifies its offensive, it reports having targeted about 175 sites in Gaza and Lebanon in the past 24 hours, signalling no immediate end to the escalating conflict.

Latest reports said, the latest Israeli air strikes are hitting the city of Tyre in north of Lebanon as well.