The Times of Israel is liveblogging Thursday’s events as they happen.
Rocket warning sirens triggered across northern Israel
Incoming rocket warning sirens sound across northern Israel shortly before 3:30 a.m., with residents in communities from the Lebanon border to the Nazareth area and beyond instructed to take shelter by the IDF’s Home Front Command.
Syrian state media reports Israeli ‘aggression’ on port city of Latakia
Israeli “aggression” targeted Syria’s Mediterranean port city of Latakia, Syrian state media reports early Thursday.
In call with Gallant, Pentagon chief notes Israeli efforts to increase aid flow to north Gaza
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin nodded at recent Israeli actions to boost humanitarian aid in Gaza, while urging Jerusalem to build upon and sustain such measures during a phone call earlier today with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the Pentagon says.
The call comes after the US confirmed sending a letter to Israel on Sunday warning that Washington’s continued supply of offensive weapons to Israel would be in jeopardy if Israel didn’t take steps to dramatically improve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza within 30 days.
In the days since the letter was sent, Israel reopened several aid routes and allowed assistance into northern Gaza for the first time in two weeks.
During the call, Gallant and Austin also discussed the recent US deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in Israel, which the Pentagon describes as “an operational example of the United States’ ironclad support to the defense of Israel.”
Austin “made clear that the United States is well postured to defend US personnel, partners, and allies,” the Pentagon says.
Austin also reiterated calls for Israel to ensure the safety of UNIFIL forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces after both have come under IDF fire in recent days, the US readout adds.
Israel has called on those forces to evacuate areas in southern Lebanon where it is operating against Hezbollah but those calls have largely been rebuffed.
Austin also “raised the need to pursue a diplomatic pathway to provide security for civilians on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border as soon as feasible,” the Pentagon says, amid US fears that Israel will get bogged down in Lebanon if it doesn’t couple its military strategy with a viable diplomatic one.
IDF says it shot down drone over Mediterranean Sea
The military says it downed a drone over the Mediterranean Sea that was headed toward Israel.
A statement released by the military also declares “the incident is over” after a suspected drone from Iraq set off sirens in southern Israel, without giving any further details.
Police sappers on scene after Kiryat Shmona building hit by Hezbollah rocket
Police say sappers are on the scene after a rocket fired by Hezbollah struck a building in the northern city of Kiryat Shmona.
A statement from the police says no have injuries have been reported.
השיגורים לקריית שמונה: שריפה פרצה במבנה שספג פגיעה ישירה – אין נפגעים
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צילום: נעשה מאמץ גדול לאתר את בעלי הזכויות בצילומים. השימוש נעשה לפי סעיף 27א. אם אתם בעלי הזכויות יש לפנות ל-zcuyot@kan.org.il pic.twitter.com/QfXnbwjz5s— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) October 16, 2024
IDF says ‘suspicious aerial target from the east’ entered Israel, after sirens sound in south
The Israel Defense Forces says it identified “a suspicious aerial target that crossed [into Israeli territory] from the east,” a term it has previously used to refer to attacks from Iraq.
The IDF adds that it’s looking into the matter, without specifying whether the suspected drone was downed.
The statement from the military comes shortly after sirens were activated in two southern communities near the Jordanian border, and as air raid alerts are now being activated further to the west in the Negev mountains area.
Suspected drone sirens triggered in southern communities near Jordanian border
A suspected drone sets off air raid sirens in Sapir and Ein Yahav, communities in southern Israel’s Arava desert near the Jordanian border.
Hezbollah claims attack on Kiryat Shmona; no injuries reported as several rockets said to impact
Hezbollah releases a statement claiming a rocket attack on Kiryat Shmona, after sirens sounded right after midnight in the northern city and a number of nearby towns.
Hebrew media outlets report several rockets impacted in Kiryat Shmona. There are no immediate reports of injuries.
IDF says UNIFIL ‘not a target’ after peacekeepers again report being fired on
The Israeli army insists that it was not targeting UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, after the UNIFIL force reported being fired at in the latest in a series of incidents.
“UNIFIL infrastructure sites and forces are not a target,” the Israeli army says in a statement.
UNIFIL earlier said Israeli army forces had fired at one of its positions in south Lebanon.
Netanyahu okayed set of targets for planned Iran reprisal, Israeli source tells ABC News
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signed off on a set of targets for Israel’s planned response to Iran’s missile attack last month, an Israeli source tells ABC News.
The US broadcaster says the source wouldn’t provide more specifics on the targets, including if they’re strictly military.
The report also notes there is no timeframe for launching the anticipated response.