Israel sends army division into southwestern Lebanon - as senior Hezbollah commander 'killed in Beirut'

Hezbollah pushing back Israeli ground incursions, says deputy leader

Hezbollah fighters have been pushing back Israeli ground incursions despite "painful blows" inflicted by Israel's troops, the militant group's deputy leader has said. 

Giving a televised address, Naim Qassem said Hezbollah's capabilities were still intact after weeks of fighting. 

He also said the Iran-backed group supported efforts to secure a ceasefire, but he did not provide any further details about the conditions that needed to be met. 

Israeli forces have been operating inside Lebanon since last week, but they have been exchanging fire with Hezbollah across the border for the last year. 

Three Hamas fighters killed in Gaza, says Israeli military

Three Hamas fighters who were involved in last year's 7 October attacks on Israel have been killed in Gaza, the Israeli military has said. 

In a post on Telegram, the Israel Defence Forces said a command and control centre used by Hamas to "plan and execute terror attacks" was struck on 30 September, killling several militants killed, including Muhammad Rafa'i.

It claimed he was involved in the 7 October attacks in Kfar Aza and Nahal Oz in southern Israel, as well as other "terror activities" against Israeli troops.

In another operation in Rafah, southern Gaza, on 1 October, two more militants, Muhammad Zinon and Basel Ahras, were killed, it said.

Sirens and rockets over Tel Aviv

The Israeli military says a barrage of projectiles from Lebanon were identified over Tel Aviv last night. 

Sirens sounded across the city, as rockets - seemingly fired by Hezbollah - flew overhead. 

Some of them were intercepted, while others fell in "open areas", the military added. 

This is the clearest possible indication that war in Lebanon is expanding

Security and defence editor Deborah Haynes says the announcement that Israeli troops have entered southwestern Lebanon is the "clearest possible indication that the war in Lebanon is expanding in length".

It means the area where Israeli troops are focusing their ground offensive will move close to the Mediterranean coast.

"Interestingly, my team and I were in northwest Israel just a couple of days ago, visiting a town close to the Mediterranean coast," she adds. 

"While we were there, we did hear military activity. We heard what sounded like an airstrike, maybe a mortar round being launched.

"That whole area now has become a closed military zone as of 10pm last night, so the clearest possible indication that this war inside Lebanon, the ground offensive, is expanding in length." 

Iran warns Israel against launching an attack

Iran's foreign minister has warned Israel against launching an attack, saying any strike on Iranian infrastructure would be met with stronger retaliation. 

"If any attack against our country takes place, our response will be more powerful," Abbas Araghchi warned in a televised address.

He said Israel knew "what kind of targets" inside the country were within Iran's reach. 

Iran fired a salvo of missiles against Israel last week. Since then, Israel has vowed to retaliate. 

There have been concerns that it could respond by targeting Iran's energy facilities. 

On Friday, US President Joe Biden said he did not think Israel had decided how to respond yet. 

Israeli military says it has started operations in southwestern Lebanon

The Israeli military says it has started operations in southwestern Lebanon. 

In a post on Telegram, the Israel Defence Forces said its first reserve division had been sent to the area to carry out "limited, localised and targeted operations". 

It said the 146th Division will operate alongside another brigade and additional forces to "expose and dismantle terrorist infrastructure". 

"Yesterday, the 146th Division began limited, localised, targeted operational activities against Hezbollah terror targets and infrastructure in southwestern Lebanon," it added. 

"The 146th Division is the first reserve division to operate in southern Lebanon as part of the ongoing operations against Hezbollah in the northern arena."

It said the unit had spent the last year carrying out "defensive activities" on Israel's northwestern border with Lebanon.

It has served as a "defensive regional brigade" as well, with its forces also deployed to Gaza, Judea and Samaria, the IDF added. 

Turkey to evacuate citizens from Lebanon tomorrow

Turkey will evacuate its citizens from Lebanon by sea tomorrow, its foreign ministry has said. 

Two navy ships are expected to set off for Beirut later today and will be able to bring around 2,000 people home, it added. 

The evacuation process will continue in the following days if necessary, the ministry added. 

Turkish citizens have been urged to apply to leave the country in order to be evacuated, after the Israeli military warned that it will soon launch operations on Lebanon's southern coast. 

The IDF did not specify what operations would be carried out, but spokesperson Avichay Adraee said ignoring the order would pose a "danger to your lives".

Hamas vows to 'rise like a phoenix'

Hamas will "rise like a phoenix" from the ashes despite suffering heavy losses during its war against Israel, the group's leader-in-exile has said. 

Khaled Meshaal, a senior figure under overall leader Yahya Sinwar, told Reuters that the group has continued to recruit fighters and manufacture weapons throughout the conflict. 

"Palestinian history is made of cycles," the 68-year-old said. 

"We go through phases where we lose martyrs and we lose part of our military capabilities, but then the Palestinian spirit rises again, like the phoenix, thanks to God." 

Mr Meshaal was the overall Hamas leader from 1996 to 2017, having survived an Israel assassination attempt in 1997. 

He is considered one of the founders of Hamas, and is currently living in Qatar.  

'I'm so scared, please come': Heartbreaking final moments of girl, 5, killed in Gaza

Buried in Gaza's rubble are the forgotten victims of this war, and with them are buried the stories of how they were killed.

A year on from the start of the war, many have questioned the IDF's alleged targeting and negligent killing of civilians in its conflict with Hamas.

Among those calling for justice is a mother whose young daughter was killed in an incident that shocked the world.

Five-year-old Hind Rajab was killed alongside six members of her family in a car, while trying to escape the fighting in Gaza City in January.

Her heartbreaking cries for help were recorded in real time in telephone calls with emergency services, which were made public.

"I am calling on the whole world to stand with us... so those who committed this brutal crime are held accountable," her mother, Wissam Hamada, told us from her temporary home in Gaza. "I need justice for my daughter."

Sky News has investigated the circumstances surrounding Hind's death, and those of her extended family and the two paramedics who were killed trying to rescue her.

We have analysed satellite imagery, IDF press materials, and spoken to weapons and forensics experts.

IDF: Hezbollah commander killed

The commander of Hezbollah's headquarters has been killed in a strike on Beirut, the Israeli military has claimed. 

The Israel Defence Forces said Suhail Hussein Husseini was in charge of the militant group's logistics, budgeting and management of its various units. 

It claimed Husseini played a "crucial role" in weapon transfers between Iran and Hezbollah and was responsible for "distributing the advanced weaponry among Hezbollah's units". 

"Additionally, he was a member of the Jihad council, Hezbollah's senior military leadership council," it said. 

It also said Husseini was responsible for the "budgeting and logistical management of Hezbollah's most sensitive projects", including "special operations, such as coordinating terrorist attacks against the State of Israel from Lebanon and Syria". 

-SKY NEWS