War Widens

Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike in a suburb of Beirut. Pics/AFP

Israel launched ground operations and carried out airstrikes in a hard-hit city in southern Gaza overnight, killing at least 51 people, including women and children, Palestinian medical officials said Wednesday. The operation in Khan Younis that began early Wednesday. Records at the European Hospital show that seven women and 12 children, as young as 22 months old, were among those killed. Another 23 people, including two children, were killed in separate strikes across Gaza, local hospitals said.

Men offer prayers by the shrouded bodies of victims killed in Gaza

Separately, Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli troops in the Lebanese border town of Odaisseh, forcing the troops to retreat. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military or independent confirmation of the fighting, which would mark the first ground combat since Israeli troops crossed the border this week. Israeli media reported infantry and tank units operating in southern Lebanon after the military sent thousands of additional troops and artillery to the border.

Israel bars UN chief from entering

Israel's foreign minister said Wednesday that he was barring the United Nations secretary-general from entering Israel, accusing him of being biased against the country. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he was declaring Antonio Guterres 'persona non grata' and said he would be prevented from entering Israel. The move deepens an already wide rift between Israel and the United Nations.

24 more villages told to evacuate

The Israeli military has warned people to evacuate another 24 villages across southern Lebanon. The warning on Wednesday came days after the military launched what it said were limited ground operations near the border to combat the Hezbollah militant group. The villages are in a UN-declared buffer zone established after Israel and Hezbollah fought their last war in 2006.

Explosions near Israeli Embassy in Denmark

Police in the Danish capital said two predawn explosions took place Wednesday in the vicinity of the Israeli Embassy in Copenhagen, prompting the nearby Jewish school to close for the day. Police said no one had been injured and they were investigating whether there was a link between the blasts at around 3.20 am and the Israeli diplomatic mission, which is close to several other embassies.

‘UK helped repel Iranian attack'

The UK defense chief says Britain helped Israel repel a missile attack from Iran. Writing on X, John Healey said British forces "played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation". Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, "Iran has menaced the Middle East for far too long."

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