Key points
- 90 missiles fired at northern Israel from Lebanon after 'massive' alerts|Further 70 sent in second barrage|IDF strikes back
- Israel 'has not decided' whether extensive reaction required in Lebanon
- Hezbollah claims responsibility for strikes after commander death
- Confusion remains over Biden ceasefire deal
- Explained:The three phases of the deal and what key players have said
- UN finds war crimes committed by both Israel and Hamas in early months of war
- Live reporting by Emily Mee, Mark Wyatt and, earlier,Ollie Cooper
Israel's tit-for-tat escalation with Hezbollah 'is dangerous and risks all out-war'
The two main features of our coverage today have been the apparent breakdown of the ceasefire plan approved by the UN Security Council on Monday - and the exchange of missile attacks between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah.
The two strands are very much intertwined, a point made today by Mairav Zonszein, the senior Israel analyst with the International Crisis Group, a conflict resolution organisation.
In a piece for the New York Times, she references the fact that Israeli officials have repeatedly insisted the country cannot stop the war in Gaza, "not just because Hamas is still not entirely defeated, but because of what it means for Israel’s power projection in the region", specifically in relation to Hezbollah and Iran.
As she says, a number of Israeli officials think another war with Hezbollah is "a matter of time", while far-right politicians have begun calling for an invasion of Lebanon.
"But the reality on the ground tells a different story," she writes.
"The military, which is accustomed to short wars, seems fatigued - as is the Israeli public, which wants a new government. And if Israel has not been able to dismantle Hamas, a much smaller and less formidable adversary, after eight months of war and a nearly 17-year blockade of Gaza, what makes Israelis think that they can defeat Hezbollah in Lebanon, even putting aside the high price in soldier and civilian lives?
"Continuing on the current trajectory of escalating tit-for-tat attacks is also dangerous, not just because of what Hezbollah is learning, but also because the risk of all-out war, even if no one wants one, is constantly rising because of miscalculations in the expanding battlefield and potency of the weapons used."
US military urges de-escalation between Israel and Lebanon
The US military has urged a de-escalation in rising tensions between Israel and Lebanon, in the wake of the exchange of rocket fire between the two countries over the last 24 hours.
US Defence Secretary LloydAustinraised the matter in a call with his Israeli counterpart yesterday, according to Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh.
"We don't want to see a wider regional conflict and we do want to see a de-escalation of tensions in the region," she told a news briefing.
Hezbollah fired the most rockets it has launched at Israel in a single day since cross-border hostilities broke out eight months ago, as part of its retaliation today for an Israeli strike which killed a senior Hezbollah field commander.
As reported in our 18.22 post, Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to hold a security assessment this evening.
Police investigating shooting after off-duty soldier 'opens fire' in Jerusalem
Police in Jerusalem are investigating an incident in the Old City that saw an off-duty Israeli soldier open fire and reportedly injure four people.
Israeli news outlet Kann has reported that an IDF soldier - who was with other off-duty troops - shot at a suspect who was then seriously injured, while another three have been lightly hurt.
The report adds that police are investigating a claim made by the off-duty soldiers that the suspect attempted to snatch one of their weapons.
Netanyahu holding security assessment after rocket barrage
Israeli's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a security assessment this evening "in light of the developments in the north, and Hamas’s negative response regarding the release of the hostages", according to The Times of Israel quoting his office.
Hezbollah earlier fired more than 200 rockets at northern Israel after the IDF killed a senior commander.
No injuries or deaths were reported in Israel following the attack.
The IDF later responded to the barrage by striking targets in southern Lebanon.
'He was a good person': Mourners bury Lebanese utility worker killed by Israeli drone strike
Dozens gathered in the southern Lebanese town of Naqoura today to mourn the death of a public utility worker killed by an Israeli drone strike.
Saleh Ahmad Mehdi was severely injured when he was struck by a drone while driving his motorcycle in the coastal town, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency.
Mr Mehdi, identified as a worker for the South Lebanon Water Establishment, was helping to supply water to Naqoura when he was hit, later succumbing to his injuries.
Funeral attendee Samir Al Hassan told reporters: “Saleh was one of the guys who was persistent and patient. He was a good person.
"He didn’t want to leave the town because he wanted to serve the public with water. Some people asked him why he didn't leave. He said he wanted to stay to give people water and he wasn't scared of death."
More than 400 people have been killed in Lebanon over the past eight months in ongoing clashes between the Israeli military and the Hezbollah group.
Hezbollah, a key Hamas ally, maintains that it will stop attacking northern Israel when the war in Gaza ends.
WHO: Gaza population facing 'catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions'
The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) says a significant proportion of Gaza's population is now facing "catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions."
Since 7 October, the escalating crisis in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory has caused large numbers of civilian deaths and injuries.
The vast majority of these have been in Gaza, where airstrikes and a lack of medical supplies, food, water and fuel have almost completely wiped out an already under-resourced health system.
"Despite reports of increased delivery of food, there is currently no evidence that those who need it most are receiving sufficient quantity and quality of food," said WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“A significant proportion of Gaza's population is now facing catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions."
Tedros says there are more than 8,000 children under five years old who have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition, including 1,600 children with severe acute malnutrition.
He said: "Our inability to provide health services safely, combined with the lack of clean water and sanitation, significantly increases the risk of malnourished children."
Crowds mourn senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon
In the southern suburbs of Beirut, crowds turned out to mourn the death of senior Hezbollah commander Taleb Sami Abdullah.
He was killed late yesterday in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah fired a huge barrage of rockets into northern Israel today in response.
White House says some Hamas ceasefire proposal changes 'differ substantially'
A blame game appears to be taking place between Hamas and the US today, with both sides accusing the other of causing problems with the ceasefire proposal.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan has been discussing the proposal this afternoon, after the US said Hamas had proposed "unworkable" changes.
"Many of the proposed changes are minor and not unanticipated," Mr Sullivan said.
"Others differ more substantially from what was outlined in the UN Security Council resolution."
Mr Sullivan did not provide details as to the changes the US is claiming Hamas proposed.
He added that the US would work with Egypt and Qatar to bridge the gaps in the proposal.
Hamas earlier denied it had put forward new changes to the potential deal.
Some clue as to the nature of the disagreement - and the changes the US is referring to - was offered in comments senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan made toAl Mayadeen yesterday.
He told the outlet that the plan discusses a ceasefire in Gaza but does not specify that it is permanent - despite Joe Biden having referred to a permanent ceasefire.
"We have amended this," Mr Hamdan said.
Fires in northern Israel brought under control, firefighters say
Firefighters in northern Israel have brought fires sparked by Hezbollah rockets under control, according to a report in the Times of Israel.
More than 160 rockets were launched at Israel from southern Lebanon, after Israel struck and killed a senior Hezbollah commander overnight.
No casualties have been reported.
Teams are still working to fully extinguish the blazes in the Birya Forest and the Kadita, Ein Zeitim, and Zivon communities.
Hamas denies it put forward ideas for proposed ceasefire deal
A Hamas official has denied the militant group put forward new ideas for the US-backed ceasefire proposal.
Osama Hamdan told Al-Araby TV that US secretary of state Antony Blinken was "part of the problem, not the solution" in the conflict.
Mr Blinken earlier blamed Hamas for the lack of a deal, saying it had suggested numerous changes - some of which were "unworkable".
The proposal was initially outlined by Joe Biden at the end of last month, but has so far failed to produce a deal.
