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Israel announces imminent strikes in Lebanon [Video]

Israel’s military announced Sunday it will now take aim at the Lebanon-based Hezbollah’s financial arm and plans to attack a large number of targets in the coming hours in Beirut and elsewhere.Related video above: Firefighters work to extinguish blaze after rockets were launched from LebanonIsraeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said they will issue evacuation warnings for people in parts of Beirut, and anyone who will be near the sites used to finance Hezbollahs terrorist activity is required to stay away from them immediately.The strikes will target al-Qard al-Hassan “all over Lebanon, a senior Israeli intelligence official said. Al-Qard al-Hassan is a unit in Hezbollah that’s used to pay operatives of the Iran-backed militant group and help buy arms, the official added, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with army regulations.The registered nonprofit, sanctioned by both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, provides financial services and is also used by ordinary Lebanese.The scope of the new Israeli evacuation warnings was not immediately clear.A year of escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah over the war in Gaza turned into all-out war last month, and Israel sent ground troops into Lebanon early this month.Israel’s announcement came a day after U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called civilian casualties in Lebanon far too high in the Israel-Hezbollah war and urged Israel to scale back some strikes, especially in and around Beirut.Iran supports the Lebanon-based Hezbollah, and the United States is investigating an unauthorized release of classified documents indicating that Israel was moving military assets into place for a military strike in response to Irans ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1, according to three U.S. officials. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to discuss the matter publicly.Lebanese army says 3 soldiers killed in Israeli strikeThe Lebanese army said three soldiers were killed in an Israeli strike Sunday on their vehicle in southern Lebanon. There was no immediate comment on that from the Israeli military, which said it struck more than 100 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in the past day and continued ground operations there.Lebanons army has largely kept to the sidelines in the war. The military is a respected institution in Lebanon but isn’t powerful enough to impose its will on Hezbollah or defend the country from an Israeli invasion.Israel’s military said Hezbollah fired more than 170 rockets into the country Sunday. Israels Magen David Adom rescue service said three people were slightly injured from a fire sparked by a rocket attack on the northern city of Safed.Israel has increased strikes on southern neighborhoods of Beirut known as the Dahiyeh, a crowded residential area where Hezbollah has a strong presence. It is also home to many civilians unaffiliated with the militant group.Medics warn of a catastrophic situation in GazaIsraeli strikes on homes in the northern Gaza Strip overnight and into Sunday left at least 87 people dead or missing, the territorys Health Ministry said, as a large-scale operation continued against Hamas militants said to be regrouping.The ministry said another 40 people were wounded in the strikes on the town of Beit Lahiya, which was among the first targets of Israels ground invasion nearly a year ago. The Israeli military said it struck a Hamas target.The U.S. is urging Israel to press for a cease-fire in Gaza following the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar last week. But neither Israel nor Hamas has shown interest in such a deal after negotiations sputtered to a halt in August.Among the dead from the strikes in Beit Lahiya were parents and eight children, according to Raheem Kheder, a medic. He said the strike flattened a multistory building and at least four neighboring houses.The Israeli military said it used precise munitions against a Hamas target. It said the area is an active war zone and it was trying to avoid harming civilians.Mounir al-Bursh, director general of the Health Ministry, posted on X that the flood of wounded from the strikes compounded an already catastrophic situation for the health care system in northern Gaza.Six people, including a child, were killed when a strike hit a car in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah, Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital officials said. The bodies were counted by AP journalists.Doctors Without Borders, the international charity known by its French acronym MSF, called on Israeli forces to immediately stop their attacks on hospitals in northern Gaza after the Health Ministry said that Israeli troops had fired on two hospitals over the weekend.The nonstop Israeli military operations over the past two weeks in northern Gaza “have horrifying consequences, said Anna Halford, an MSF emergency coordinator.Israel’s military said that it was operating near one hospital but hadn’t fired directly at it.Internet connectivity went down in northern Gaza late Saturday, making it difficult to gather information about strikes and complicating rescue efforts.Israeli operation in northern Gaza enters third weekIsraeli forces have repeatedly returned to Jabaliya in northern Gaza, a densely populated urban refugee camp dating back to the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation. The north has suffered the heaviest destruction of the war and has been encircled by Israeli forces since late last year.Israel ordered the entire population of the northern third of Gaza, including Gaza City, to evacuate to the south in the war’s opening weeks and reiterated those instructions this month. Most of the population fled last year, but around 400,000 people are believed to have remained.On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants blew holes in Israels security fence and stormed in, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250. Around 100 captives are still being held in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead.Israels offensive in Gaza has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, who don’t distinguish combatants from civilians. The war has destroyed large areas of Gaza and displaced about 90% of its population of 2.3 million people.___Samy Magdy reported from Cairo. Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut, and Zeke Miller, Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker and Tara Copp in Washington, contributed to this report.

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One Direction releases group statement mourning Liam Paynes death [Video]

Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson, formerly of pop group One Direction, said in a statement released Thursday that they are completely devastated by the death of their former bandmate Liam Payne, who they called their brother.The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us, Styles, Horan, Malik and Tomlinson said in a joint statement posted Thursday to the bands Instagram page. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.Their statement added: In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.Payne died on Wednesday after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31.The police investigation into the circumstances of his death is ongoing, according to police in Buenos Aires.Tomlinson also separately paid tribute to Payne, writing on his Instagram page Thursday that he is beyond devastated about the loss of Payne, who he called a brother.Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul, Tomlinson wrote. And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam.Tomlinson ended his tribute with moving mention of Paynes son in a portion of his statement in which he directly addressed his former bandmate.I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me, I will be the Uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was, he wrote.Malik also posted a tribute to his Instagram page Thursday, writing that he wished he could give Payne a hug one last time.When I was missing home as a 17 yr old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved, he wrote, directly addressing Payne.Malik also said that even though Payne was younger, you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f***s about telling people when they were wrong.Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it, he added.Payne and Malik had a complicated past, stemming from their time together as bandmates, which he touched on in the 2022 podcast Impaulsive with Logan Paul. Payne later apologized for his comments in a 2023 video posted to his YouTube page, saying that what he said came from the wrong place.One Direction was famously assembled in 2010 by producer Simon Cowell, who took notice of Payne, Styles, Malik, Tomlinson and Horans musical talents when they auditioned for the UK version of The X-Factor.The group had a meteoric rise to fame, becoming the first band to have its first four albums claim the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200. Known for hit songs including What Makes You Beautiful, Best Song Ever, and Story of My Life, the group remains one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, having sold more than 70 million records worldwide.Malik left the group in 2015, spawning the announcement that One Direction was going on an indefinite hiatus the following year. All five former members went on to pursue solo careers, including Payne, who released his most recent single Teardrops in March.While their friendships have evolved through the years, Payne had made an effort to stay connected with his former bandmates even as he struggled with addiction and his mental health, something hed previously spoken openly about.Through his struggles, Payne said that all the boys have been there to support him.Ive suffered a bit of a dark time in my life at the moment and to be honest, I wouldnt be here without the boys, Payne told On Demand Entertainment in a red carpet interview at Tomlinsons All Of Those Voices documentary premiere last year.Just weeks before his death, Payne was seen in Argentina attending Horans concert, posting videos of himself dancing and singing along on his Snapchat page.There has been an outpouring of grief and tributes for Payne from his supporters around the world.Fans have been leaving notes and flowers at the iconic red phone booth located at the Hard Rock Cafe in Picadilly Circus that was used in the cover image of One Directions album Take Me Home, The Independent reported Thursday.Paynes family previously said a statement that theyre heartbroken by his death, according to the UKs PA Media news agency.Liam will forever live in our hearts and well remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul, the statement read. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.On Thursday, Britains Got Talent, a UK-based talent competition show that Cowell co-created and serves as a judge on, postponed auditions following Paynes death, Fremantle UK, the production company that oversees the show, said in a statement.Our thoughts are with Liams friends, family and all who loved him, the statement read.