The Times of Israel is liveblogging Sunday’s events as they unfold.
Hezbollah says it launched ‘dozens’ of rockets at Israel; several impacts reported
Hezbollah says it has launched dozens of Katyusha rockets at Israel.
The Iran-backed terror group says its latest attack, on Moshav Beit Hillel, is in response to Israel’s attacks on Kfar Kela and Deir Siriane in Lebanon which, it claims, injured civilians there.
Many of the projectiles were intercepted by the Iron Dome system.
Israeli local authorities say several impacts were recognized near Beit Hillel. The Ynet news site reports fires broke out in the area.
Biden says he hopes Iran will stand down on response threats, but ‘I don’t know’
Asked by reporters whether Iran will stand down on its intention to take strong military action to avenge the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, US President Joe Biden says: “I hope so. I don’t know.”
The region has been bracing for Iran to make good on threats to respond to the assassination, which it blames on Israel.
IDF intelligence officers were reportedly at IDF HQ on night of October 6, dealing with a Gaza threat unrelated to the Hamas invasion
IDF intelligence officers were at the army’s Kiriya headquarters on the night of October 6, 2023, hours before the Hamas invasion and massacre, because they had “concrete” intelligence regarding a specific threat from Gaza unrelated to the invasion, Channel 12 news reports.
It says that the officers spent the night at the Kiriya on high alert, and that the specific “significant” incident was dealt with successfully.
The report says it cannot go into further details.
The IDF’s Intelligence Directorate head at the time of the Hamas massacre, Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, announced his resignation in April.
On October 17, 2023, Haliva had acknowledged failing to warn of the impending Hamas attack: “The Military Intelligence Directorate, under my command, failed to warn of the terror attack carried out by Hamas,” Haliva said. “We failed in our most important mission, and as the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, I bear full responsibility for the failure.”
The head of the Military Intelligence Research Department, Brig. Gen. Amit Saar, announced in March that he would resign once the military wraps up its internal probes into its blunders.
Canada warns its citizens to avoid all travel to Israel
Canada warns citizens to avoid all travel to Israel, saying the regional armed conflict endangers security.
“The security situation can deteriorate further without warning,” the Canadian government says in a travel advisory issued to raise the risk level for travel to Israel.
“If the armed conflict intensifies, it could impact your ability to depart by commercial means. It may result in travel disruptions, including airspace closures and flight cancellations and diversions,” the travel advisory says.
Contradicting reports about planted bomb, Iran says short-range projectile killed Haniyeh
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say a short-range projectile was behind the killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh state TV reports, contradicting several reports that have alleged that the assassination was done via an explosive device planted in the building beforehand.
The televised statement, which reiterates a call for retaliation, says a rocket with a seven-kilogram (about 15-pound) warhead was used to target the residence of Haniyeh in the capital Tehran on Wednesday, adding it caused heavy devastation. It doesn’t share details of the residence’s location.
The statement also accuses the United States of supporting the attack, which Iran blames on Israel.
Haniyeh was in Iran to attend the inauguration of newly elected Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
“The action was designed and carried out by the Zionist regime and supported by the US,” says the Guard’s statement. It adds that “the warmongering and terrorist Zionist regime will receive harsh punishment in the suitable time, place and capacity.”