Middle East conflict live updates: Anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel amid rising tensions across the region

Thanks for joining us today, we will be wrapping up the blog. For a recap, here are the major developments from today.

• Weapons storage facilities and Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters were targeted in Beirut as Israel bombed the city ahead of the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks. Airstrikes battered Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday in the most intense bombardment of the Lebanese capital since Israel sharply escalated its campaign against Iran-backed group Hezbollah last month.
• Iranian state media agency Tasnim reported that Australia’s ambassador to Iran, Ian McConville, was summoned due to Australia’s “repeated bias”, including on Iran’s response to what it called “the Zionist regime”, meaning Israel.
• The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade hit back at Tehran for summoning McConville, stating Australia “makes no apology” for its views and described Iran’s missile attacks as a “dangerous escalation”.
• The total assisted departures of Australians from Lebanon has reached 900 people. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said 448 Australians and their immediate family members left Lebanon for Cyprus on Sunday.
• Qantas will be flying 220 Australians from Cyprus to Sydney. The plane is expected to land on Tuesday evening.
• At least 10 people have been injured in a Hezbollah attack on the northern city of Haifa in Israel.

Flames and smoke rise from an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, on Sunday night (Monday AEDT).Credit: AP

Weapons storage facilities and Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters were targeted in Beirut as Israel bombed the city ahead of the October 7 anniversary.

Israeli airstrikes battered Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday in the most intense bombardment of the Lebanese capital since Israel sharply escalated its campaign against Iran-backed group Hezbollah last month.

Large fireballs lit the darkened skyline and booms reverberated across Beirut.

The Israeli military said fighter jets struck targets in Beirut belonging to Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters and weapons storage facilities.

It said strikes also targeted Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa area.

Israel targeted Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters and weapons storage facilities.Credit: Getty Images

Reuters

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has hit back at Tehran for summoning Australia’s ambassador to Iran, stating Australia “makes no apology” for its views and describing Iran’s missile attacks as a “dangerous escalation”.

Earlier this morning, Iranian state media agency Tasnim reported that Ian McConville was summoned due to Australia’s “repeated bias”, including on Iran’s response to what it called “the Zionist regime”, meaning Israel.

Australia’s ambassador to Iran, Ian McConville.Credit: DFAT

It comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned Australia’s Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi for praising slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a “blessed martyr”.

In a statement, DFAT backed Australia’s stance against Iran.

“Australia makes no apology for the views it has expressed about Iran’s actions or the actions of its ambassador to Australia,” the department said.

“The Australian government condemned Iran’s reckless missile strikes on Israel. They were a dangerous escalation and increased the risks of a wider regional war.

“The Australian government continues to call on all parties to exercise restraint and de-escalate. The destructive cycle of violence in the region must stop.”

A sunrise vigil overlooking the water at North Bondi in Sydney marked a year since the October 7 attacks in Israel.

The memorial at Biddigal Reserve began at 6.29am with the blowing of a shofar – a ram’s horn with cultural significance – to coincide with the exact time the attacks began last year.

The vigil was MC’d by Northern Beaches councillor Michael Gencher who said the overall feeling was “sombre”.

A sunrise vigil in Bondi marked a year since the October 7 attacks in Israel.Credit: Councillor Andrew Hay

“It’s a difficult day,” he said. “A beautiful backdrop of Bondi always makes it a bit easier.”

The event, organised by Stand With Us Australia and the Zionist Council of NSW, was open to members of the public and concluded with the reading of the names of 101 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.

Other speakers included federal senator Dave Sharma, state MP Kellie Sloane and local councillor Will Nemesh. Independent federal MP Allegra Spender, whose electorate of Wentworth includes Bondi, was also in attendance.

On Sunday, 448 Australians and their immediate family members left Lebanon for Cyprus on government assisted flights, bringing the total assisted departures to more than 900.

In a post on X, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the first flight from Cyprus will land in Australia tonight and the government looks forward to welcoming people home.

“The government is working to help more Australians leave Lebanon. Flights are subject to security and operational restriction,” Wong posted.

“Thank you to the government of Cyprus, DFAT and Australian government personnel on the ground in Lebanon for helping to bring Australians home.”

Qantas will be flying 220 Australians from Cyprus to Sydney. The plane is expected to land on Tuesday evening.

In a media release, Qantas confirmed a 787 Dreamliner departed Sydney for Cyprus on Monday morning to operate the first of two flights to bring home Australians on behalf of the government.

The aircraft is expected to arrive in Larnaca, Cyprus, on Monday afternoon, local time.

On board are four pilots and 10 cabin crew and a dedicated team to support the special assistance flight. This includes ground personnel, medical personnel, engineers and a specialised toolkit and parts in case they are required to help dispatch the aircraft in Larnaca.

The flight is expected to depart Larnaca on Monday evening with up to 220 passengers onboard, arriving back in Sydney on Tuesday evening. Qantas will then fly passengers to their nearest home domestic airport that the airline operates to, at no cost.

The flights are being operated free of charge on behalf of the Australian government.

Qantas will fly 220 passengers from Cyprus to Sydney on Tuesday.

At least 10 people have been injured in a Hezbollah attack on the northern city of Haifa in Israel.

Israel’s military confirmed the attack, although it was not immediately clear whether shrapnel from “fallen projectiles” was from rockets or interceptors.

Hezbollah said it tried to hit a nearby naval base.

The Magen David Adom ambulance service said it treated 10 people, most of them hurt by shrapnel.

Media reports said two rockets had hit Haifa, which is Israel’s third-largest city. Police said that some buildings and properties were damaged.

Reuters, AP

A woman was killed in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba on Sunday, Israeli media outlets reported, after police said that several people had been injured in a suspected shooting there.

Police say the suspected “terror attack” took place in the past few hours.

Police officers examine the scene of a stabbing and shooting attack where Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said one person was killed and several others were wounded in Beersheba.Credit: AP

The ambulance service earlier said a seriously injured woman was treated at the scene while eight other people were injured in the attack, including one in a moderate to serious condition. They were receiving treatment in a nearby hospital. The attacker was killed, the ambulance service said.

Reuters

Rocket sirens and blasts were heard in Haifa in northern Israel late on Sunday, with Hezbollah claiming the attack.

Israel’s military said at least five projectiles were identified to have come from Lebanon and “fallen projectiles” were found in the area. The military showed what appeared to be rubble along the street.

The Magen David Adom ambulance service said it was treating a teen with shrapnel injuries to the head and a man who fell from a window due to a blast.

AP

Beirut’s skyline lit up again late on Sunday into Monday with new airstrikes, a day after Israel’s heaviest bombardment of the city’s southern suburbs since it escalated its air campaign on September 23.

Late on Sunday night, Beirut’s southern suburbs – commonly known as Dahiyeh – came under renewed Israeli bombing with large fireballs and loud booms over the darkened skyline.

Flames and smoke rise from an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, on Sunday night (Monday AEDT).Credit: AP

Earlier on Sunday, Israeli air strikes battered Beirut’s southern suburbs in the most intense bombardment of the Lebanese capital since Israel sharply escalated its campaign against Iran-backed group Hezbollah last month.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency had reported more than 30 strikes overnight into Sunday. Israel’s military confirmed it was striking targets near Beirut and said about 130 projectiles had crossed from lebanon into Israeli territory, with some intercepted.

AP, Reuters