20:05 – 2 Israeli soldiers fall in Gaza, incl. nephew of former IDF chief and MK Gadi Eisenkot
Cpt. Yogev Pazy (22), who was announced to have fallen in battle in northern Gaza today, is the nephew of former IDF chief of staff and MK Gadi Eisenkot.
Eisenkot already lost his son and another nephew, who both also fell in battle in Gaza during the current war.
The other fallen soldier was named as Staff Sgt. Noam Eitan (21), from Hadera. Pazy and Eitan served in the Kfir Brigade.
In the firefight that killed them, another soldier from their battalion was seriously wounded, the IDF added.
19:35 – IDF shoots down three Hezbollah drones in Western Galilee
Following rocket alerts in the coastal town of Rosh Hanikra, the IDF said it shot down three drones that crossed into Israel from Lebanon.
The alerts for rocket and missile fire were activated due to fear of falling interceptor fragments, the military said.
18:41 – Netanyahu confidant approved as next ambassador to UAE
The Israeli government today approved the appointment of Yossi Shelley, the current Director-General of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), as Israel’s next Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
Shelley will replace Amir Hayek, the first Israeli ambassador to the gulf country, who was appointed in 2021 by the Lapid-Bennett government.
Shelley served as ambassador to Brazil from 2017 to 2021.
16:48 – 15 rockets fired in latest Hezbollah volley towards Upper Galilee
Following the latest rocket alarms in the Upper Galilee, the IDF said that approximately 15 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory.
Some of the projectiles were intercepted and the rest fell in open areas.
🚨 Rocket Alert [16:21:45] – 13 Alerts:
• Confrontation Line — Matat (×2), Hurfeish (×3), Fassuta (×2), Netua (×2), Alkosh (×3)
• Upper Galilee — Kisra-Sumei
Population: 63,000 pic.twitter.com/iMYZyos0CB
— ILRedAlert (@ILRedAlert) November 17, 2024
16:25 – Sirens sound in the Upper Galilee area, northern Israel
Rocket alarm sirens sounded in the Upper Galilee, including in Hurfeish, Mattat, Fassouta and nearby towns.
16:20 – Saudi news says assistant to Mohammed Afif also killed in Israeli strike
Saudi news channel Al-Arabiya said on Sunday afternoon that along with Mohammed Afif, his assistant, Mahmoud al-Sharqawi was also killed in the strike on the office of the Syrian Baath Party in the Lebanese capital city of Beirut.
14:50 – Lebanese media says 5 people killed in strike targeting Afif
Lebanese network Al-Mayadeen, which is affiliated with Hezbollah, reported that five people were killed in the attack in which Hezbollah’s media chief Mohammed Afif was killed.
14:35 – Syria’s Baath party says Hezbollah media relations chief was in building struck by IDF
Ali Hijazi, Lebanese secretary general of the Syrian Al-Baath party, associated with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, confirmed that Hezbollah’s media chief Mohammed Afif was at the party’s headquarters in Beirut. Hijazi told Al-Mayadeen that “the attack follows the threats from the beginning of the war. One of the men arrested on charges of collaboration with Israel two months ago admitted that he was tasked with photographing the building. Mohammed Afif was present in the building by chance.”
14:15 – Sirens in Ghajar determined to be false alarm
The IDF said regarding the sirens that sounded a short while ago in Ghajar, it was determined to be a false identification.
14:05 – Sirens sound in Ghajar, northern Israel
13:40 – Israeli strike in Beirut reportedly targeted Syrian Baath Party Headquarters
According to reports in Lebanese media, the central leadership of the Arab Socialist Baath Party announced in a statement this afternoon that an Israeli strike targeted the party’s leadership building in Ras al-Nabaa earlier today. The group said that party Secretary-General Ali Hijazi was not present in the building at the time of the strike.
Reports in Lebanese media suggest the target was Mohammed Afif, Hezbollah’s media relations chief.
لحظات ما بعد الغارة التي استهدفت مركزاً لحزب البعث في منطقة #راس_النبع pic.twitter.com/HxWxJuApNK
— Nidaa Al Watan نداء الوطن (@NidaaWatan) November 17, 2024
13:23 – IDF issues evacuation warning to residents of Dahiyeh
IDF Arabic Spokesman Avichay Adraee issued another evacuation warning to residents of the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut, warning of impending Israeli strikes in the area. The warning contained maps showing the location of the buildings to be targeted.
Specifically warning residents in Haret Hreik and Burj Al-Barajneh, Adraee said, “You are located near Hezbollah facilities and interests, against which the IDF will operate in the near future. For your safety and the safety of your family members, you must evacuate these buildings and those adjacent to them immediately and stay away from them for a distance of no less than 500 meters.”
13:20 – Israeli strike reported in central Beirut
Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen news network reported an Israeli strike on the Ras al-Nabaa area in the capital Beirut, not in the Dahiyeh suburb controlled by Hezbollah.
12:20 – IDF strikes Hezbollah command center in Dahiyeh
The IDF announced that a short while ago, the IAF conducted intelligence-based strikes on Hezbollah command centers and terror infrastructure in the Dahiyeh area.
“Hezbollah has systematically embedded its terrorist infrastructure amidst the Lebanese civilian population, cynically exploiting them as human shields,” the IDF spokesman said.
The military said that prior to the strikes, numerous steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the gathering of prior intelligence, aerial surveillance, and issuing advance warnings to the civilian population in the area.
מטוסי קרב של חיל האוויר, בהכוונת אגף המודיעין, השלימו לפני זמן קצר גל תקיפות של מפקדות צבאיות ותשתיות טרור נוספות של חיזבאללה במרחב הדאחייה שבביירות>> pic.twitter.com/fxfVbVbpgH
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) November 17, 2024
11:40 – Gaza Health Ministry claims 70 killed in IDF strikes in Beit Lahiya
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said 70 people were killed in strike in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza this morning.
11:35 – Around 20 projectiles fired at Haifa Bay and Western Galilee
The IDF spokesman’s office said that following the sirens that sounded between 10:11 and 10:12 in the areas of Haifa Bay and Western Galilee, approximately 20 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory. Some of the projectiles were intercepted and the rest fell in open areas.
10:45 – Lebanese media report strikes in Dahiyeh
Al-Mayadeen, the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese news channel, reported several strikes in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut. The strikes come after multiple warnings by IDF Arabic Spokesman Avichay Adraee to evacuate the vicinity of several buildings scheduled for targeting by the IAF.
10:13 – Sirens sound in Haifa Bay area and Acre in northern Israel
10:00 – IAF intercepts drone near Lachish
The IDF spokesman’s office said that following the sirens that sounded in the areas of Lachish and Shfela, a UAV that crossed into Israeli territory from the east was intercepted by the IAF.
09:30 – Sirens sound in Lachish and the Shfela
A short while ago, sirens sounded in the areas of Lachish and the Shfela following the identification of a suspicious aerial target that infiltrated Israeli territory.
09:25 – Lebanese media report 6 people killed in apparent Israeli airstrike in Bekaa
Al-Mayadeen, the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese news channel reported six people were killed as a result of Israeli strikes on 3 towns in the West Bekaa.
09:23 – Alarms sound in Yavne and Ness Ziona on suspicion of infiltration by hostile aircraft
09:18 – Protesters block entrance to Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem
Dozens of demonstrators block the entrance to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office in Jerusalem. Six protesters demonstrating outside Netanyahu’s official residence in the city were also detained earlier this morning.
08:20 – Building collapses in Dahiyeh strike
Videos on Lebanese social media showed a building collapsing following an explosion in the al-Hadath area of Dahiyeh following IDF warnings to evacuate.
Another building in Beirut is brought down by an Israeli airstrike, footage posted by Lebanese media shows. pic.twitter.com/iwaXI5A70N
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) November 17, 2024
07:34 – Ultra-Orthodox newspaper calls on yeshiva students to disobey draft orders
The ultra-Orthodox newspaper Yated Ne’eman, affiliated with the United Torah Judaism party, called on young men to disobey draft orders. They told yeshiva students, “The instruction to yeshiva members is not to appear at all at the recruitment offices and not to comply with any summons.” The newspaper said the government has “declared war on the Torah world.”
06:45 IDF calls for evacuations in Dahiyeh
IDF Arabic Spokesman Avicahy Adraee announced this morning that the IDF will strike several areas in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut. Posting a map indicating which buildings would be hit in the strikes, Adraee warned residents:
“You are located near Hezbollah facilities and interests, against which the IDF will operate in the near future. For your safety and the safety of your family members, you must evacuate these buildings and those adjacent to them immediately and stay away from them for a distance of no less than 500 meters.”
06:30 – IDF releases name of soldier killed in Gaza
The IDF announced today that Sergeant First Class Idan Kenan, aged 21, from Ramat Gan, a soldier in the 90th Battalion, Kfir Brigade, was killed during combat in northern Gaza. Kenan was reportedly killed by a Hamas sniper in the Jabaliya area of Gaza City.
IDF Sergeant First Class Idan Kenan (Photo: IDF)
05:43 – 3 people arrested for shooting flares at prime minister’s residence in Caesarea
Police announced this morning that three people were arrested on suspicion of firing flares at the Prime Minister’s residence in Caesarea. The three people were taken for joint interrogation by the Shin Bet and the Lahav 433 police unit.
04:25 – Sirens sound in Tel Katzir, northern Israel