Hezbollah launched ballistic missile 'toward Mossad headquarters'; rocket shot down over Israel

Hezbollah won't be 'critically hit' by commander killing, says Iran supreme leader

Hezbollah will not be "critically hit" by the killing of its senior commanders, Iran's supreme leader has said.

Yesterday, an Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed Ibrahim Qubaisi, who was described as a top commander with the militant group's rocket and missile unit.

He was the first member of the group to be pronounced dead since Israel and Hezbollah entered a more intense phase of their long-running conflict.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said today that "the organisational strength and human resources of Hezbollah is very strong and will not be critically hit by the killing of a senior commander, even if that is clearly a loss".

He added that the "Palestinian and Lebanese resistance will have the final victory". Mr Khamenei also accused Israel of killing civilians in a bid to defeat its foes.

Iran has been an ally of Hezbollah since the militant group's establishment in 1982.

Three killed and nine injured in strike on Lebanese town

Three people have been killed and nine others wounded in what has been described as an Israeli strike on the Lebanese Shi'ite town of Maaysrah, the Lebanese healthy ministry has said.

The town lies roughly 30km (18.6 miles) north of the capital Beirut.

It's the first time the area has been struck during recent hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah (more in 9.37 post).

Litani River: The UN's attempt at a buffer zone between Israel and Hezbollah

Amid increased fear of a widening of the Middle East conflict, Israel says it will be "left with no choice" but to act if Hezbollah does not withdraw its forces north of the Litani River in southern Lebanon.

Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed more than 560 people, including 50 children and 94 women since Monday, according to the country's health ministry.

The attacks come after the militant group Hezbollah, which holds huge influence in Lebanon, was targeted in a string of pager and radio explosions which have largely been attributed to Israel.

Strike hits Lebanese village north of Beirut

A strike has hit the Shi'ite town of Maaysrah in Lebanon, Reuters reports, citing state media and a resident there.

The town lies in the mountains of the Christian-majority Keserwan region, north of the capital Beirut.

Footage has been posted on social media purportedly showing smoke billowing from an area of the town after the reported strike.

There were no immediate reports of any casualties, but it marks the first time the area has been struck during recent hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

Israel's military has said in the past half hour that it is carrying out "extensive strikes" on southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.

Israel says Hezbollah claim it targeted Mossad HQ 'psychological warfare'

An Israeli military spokesperson has dismissed Hezbollah's claim that it targeted Mossad headquarters near Tel Aviv as "psychological warfare".

The militant group said earlier that it had fired a missile at the Israeli Mossad intelligence agency, which it blames for a recent string of targeted killings of its top commanders and for attacks in Lebanon last week (see 6.28 post).

But Lt Col Nadav Shoshani cast doubt on the idea Mossad had been the target.

"The result was a heavy missile, going towards Tel Aviv, towards civilian areas in Tel Aviv. The Mossad headquarters is not in that area," he said. 

Netanyahu's trip to UN delayed and 'could be cancelled'

Benjamin Netanyahu will make a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday after delaying his flight to New York - but there's a chance the trip may be cancelled altogether, Israeli media is reporting.

An official told The Times of Israel that the chances of the trip being cancelled entirely are "50/50".

They said Mr Netanyahu's speech was expected to mainly focus on the threat from Iran.

-SKY NEWS