Gaza live: Israel strike kills 30 Palestinians, mostly children

Iran's Supreme National Security Council is holding an emergency meeting at the residence of the country's supreme leader, a rare event reserved for extraordinary circumstances, according to the New York Times.

Iranian sources report that the commander of the Quds Force, who oversees the network of militias aligned with Iran, is also present at the meeting.

The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas's political bureau. 

"We strongly condemn the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh," said Abbas.

"This act is both cowardly and dangerous. I urge our people to unite, remain patient, and stand firm against the Israeli occupation," he added according to Wafa, the Palestinian news agency. 

The Israeli military has declined to comment on foreign media reports regarding the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, according to the AFP news agency.

The Israel army is responding to reports of a shooting attack near an illegal Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank.

An Israeli man in his 50s was seriously wounded in the assault near Hebron in the occupied West Bank.

The attacker arrived by vehicle, shot at the car, and then stabbed the driver. Soldiers at the scene fired at the assailant, who fled. The Israeli army has launched a manhunt for the attacker.

According to Palestinian reports the attack happened minutes after the announcement of the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas's political bureau, in Tehran.

Al-Aqsa TV in Palestine reported that there were widespread calls for a general strike and demonstrations across Palestine following the assassination of Hamas' political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, the capital of Iran.

The White House announced that it is aware of reports indicating that Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran. So far it has not made any further comments. 

Israeli Minister of Heritage, Amichay Eliyahu,  praised the assassination of a Hamas leader, stating it "makes the world a little better."

In a post on X, he declared, "No mercy for these mortals."

Eliyahu added that the forceful action taken against them would bring peace, provide some comfort, and enhance the ability to "live in peace with those who desire peace,” he said.

Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas's political bureau, has been assassinated in Tehran, according to an official statement by Hamas.
 

Hamas said that Haniyeh "died as a result of a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran."

In another statement, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard said that it would investigate the incident: "We are studying the dimensions of Haniyeh's martyrdom incident in Tehran."

Israel appears to be trying to close a window on the latest escalation with Hezbollah, saying it wants to prevent a wider war after taking credit for killing a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut. 

“Hezbollah’s ongoing aggression and brutal attacks are dragging the people of Lebanon and the entire Middle East into a wider escalation,” Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said.

“While we prefer to resolve hostilities without a wider war," he added, Israel “is fully prepared for any scenario”.

The UN’s special coordinator for Lebanon has expressed concern after Israel launched a strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs that it said killed Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander.

"There is no such thing as a military solution," UN Special Coordinator Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert warned in a statement.

The death toll from Israel’s strike on Beirut’s southern suburb has risen to three people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

The ministry said the “non-final toll of the Israeli aggression on the southern suburbs of Beirut… is three martyrs, including a woman, a girl and a boy”.

The number of wounded has also risen to 74, while first responders continue to search through the rubble.

Israel has announced that it killed senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in a strike on Beirut. 

In a post on X, Israel’s military said Shukr was “Hezbollah’s Most Senior Military Commander and Hassan Nasrallah’s Right-Hand Man”.

Israel said Shukr was responsible for an attack on Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan Heights that it attributed to Hezbollah.

“He was also responsible for the majority of Hezbollah's most advanced weaponry, including precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets and UAVs,” the statement added. 

Kamala Harris has backed Israel’s right to defend itself, after its strike on Beirut targeting a senior Hezbollah commander.

“I unequivocally support Israel’s right to remain secure and to defend the security of Israel,” Harris said while she travelled to Atlanta, Georgia, for a campaign event.

“What we know, in particular, is it has the right to defend itself against the terrorist organisation, which is exactly what Hezbollah is, she added.

She added that a diplomatic solution had to be reached “to end those attacks”.

Senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in Israel’s strike on a southern Beirut suburb, Lebanon’s MTV News and UAE based Sky News Arabia are now reporting.

There are conflicting accounts of Shukr’s fate, but the latest reports add to those of Al-Arabiya and Israeli public broadcasting that he was killed.

Hezbollah has still not made an official statement.