Middle East crisis live: Netanyahu says ‘Iran made a big mistake’; IDF launches fresh strikes on Beirut

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The Israeli military has issued more warnings to residents in Beirut – this time aimed at the Shiyah and Hadath Gharb neighbourhoods.

An IDF spokesperson said residents in a specific building should evacuate.

The IDF has now urged evacuations at five locations, including Hadath Beirut, Haret Hreik and Choueifat Al-Omrousieh.

The Israeli military continues to attack Beirut, with media reporting fires at several locations.

Reuters journalist, Timour Azhari, posted the below image of strikes on Beirut just a few minutes ago,

As the Israeli military continues to attack Beirut, the Lebanese health ministry has issued a new updated on the number of casualties across the country on Tuesday.

Fifty-five people were killed and 156 wounded in Israeli attacks across Lebanon on Tuesday, the health ministry said in a statement.

Nearly 1,900 people have been killed and more than 9,000 wounded in Lebanon in almost a year of cross-border fighting, most in the past two weeks, according to Lebanese government statistics.

IDF issues third evacuation warning in Beirut's south

The Israeli military has issued another warning to residents in Beirut’s southern suburbs – the third such warning in the last hour.

An IDF spokesperson said residents in a specific building in the Hadath Beirut neighbourhood should evacuate.

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 this building and the surrounding buildings immediately and stay away from them for a distance of no less than 500 meters.”

The IDF has said it is currently attack Beirut. Previously it issued warnings for the Haret Hreik and Choueifat Al-Omrousieh neighbourhoods.

Defence secretary Lloyd Austin has said the US is determined “to defend Israel from Iranian aggression.”

In a statement online, Austin said he had spoken with French defence minister Sébastien Lecornu “to continue the close coordination between our countries on the evolving situation in the Middle East.”

The United States remains committed to pushing for a diplomatic solution, avoiding further expansion of the conflict, and to protecting our personnel and facilities in the region.”

Iran’s foreign minister has reportedly held calls with the foreign ministers of the UK, Germany, France and a number of other countries.

Abas Aslani, senior research fellow at the center for Middle East strategic studies said that Seyed Abbas Araghchi told his counterparts that “after two months of restraint, Iran targeted only military and security sites” in Israel.

IDF issues new warning for Beirut

The Israeli military has issued another warning to residents in the southern suburbs of Beirut. An IDF spokesperson warned residents of a building in the Choueifat Al-Omrousieh neighbourhood to evacuate.

It comes soon after the military issued a call for residents in buildings in Haret Hreik to evacuate.

Iran’s president has issued a statement on this evening’s attack on Israel.

Masoud Pezeshkian warned Israel not to enter into a conflict with Iran and described the attack as “only a corner of our power”.

This action was in defense of the interests and citizens of Iran. Let Netanyahu know that Iran is not a belligerent, but it stands firmly against any threat.”

IDF confirms it is 'attacking' targets in Beirut

Israel’s military has said it is “attacking terrorist targets in Beirut”.

A Lebanese security source told the AFP news agency that Israeli strikes were hitting the city’s southern suburbs, after the Israeli military issued a new call for residents of parts of the area to evacuate.

AFP correspondents heard the sound of an explosion from the area, which Israel has struck repeatedly since last week.

Blasts heard in Beirut's south

Reuters is reporting that explosions are being heard in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Arabic media is also reporting strikes in the city’s south.

Earlier, the IDF warned residents in the Haret Hreik neighbourhood to evacuate, saying the Israeli military would shortly “act forcefully” in the area.

Israel eases restrictions on gatherings in much of country

Israel’s home front command says it has eased restrictions on large gatherings in much of Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Earlier, authorities issued directives limiting gatherings to limits of 30 people in an open area and up to 300 people in closed spaces.

Offices and educational spaces could only be held in places near protected areas in case of an alert.

IDF urges evacuations from buildings in Beirut's south

IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee has urged residents in buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs, “specifically in the Haret Hreik neighborhood” to evacuate.

Urgent warning to the residents of the southern suburb, specifically in the Haret Hreik neighborhood, in the buildings specified in the two maps and the buildings adjacent to them. You are located near dangerous Hezbollah installations that the IDF will act forcefully against in the near future.”

British forces involved in Middle East operation, says UK defence secretary

UK defence secretary John Healey has said the British forces “played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East” this evening.

In a statement on X, Healey condemned Iran’s attack on Israel and said the UK stood “fully behind Israel’s right to defend its country and its people against threats.”

I want to thank all British personnel involved in the operation for their courage and professionalism.”

'Our action is concluded' – Iranian foreign minister

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, put out a statement via X in the last hour that the country’s latest military action against Israel, a barrage of missiles fired at the state, is over.

“Our action is concluded unless Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation. In that scenario, our response will be stronger and more powerful,” he posted.

It appeared to be an attempt to draw a line under the military offensive today, which Iran said was in retaliation for Israel’s recent attacks on its proxies around Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah, which killed leaders of each organization.

There is also a plea for Israel’s allies to put pressure on the Jewish state to deescalate in the region.

“Israel’s enablers now have a heightened responsibility to rein in the warmongers in Tel Aviv instead of getting involved in their folly,” he posted.

Iran military threatens 'crushing attack' if Israel fires back

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards threatened Tuesday to carry out “crushing attacks” against Israel if it retaliated for an Iranian missile attack.

If the Zionist regime reacts to Iranian operations, it will face crushing attacks,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement carried by the Fars news agency, AFP reports.

The IRGC said Iran’s missile attack on Israel earlier in the day was “in accordance with the United Nations Charter”.

It said the missile attack came “after a period of restraint” following an “attack on the sovereignty” of Iran – a reference to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in late July.

The IRGC said the missile attacks targeted “three military bases” around Tel Aviv as well as air and radar bases, adding that “90 percent” of the missiles “hit their targets”.

There are few externally verified details on the full impact of Iran’s unleashing almost 200 missiles on Israel earlier, most of which appeared to have been intercepted, with Israel reporting “no injuries”.

Iran made 'big mistake' with missile attack – Netanyahu

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has now spoken out on the missile attack on Israel by Iran a little earlier on Tuesday.

Iran made a big mistake tonight and will pay for it. Whoever attacks us, we attack them,” he said, as he gathered his security cabinet for a meeting late Tuesday.

This strike will have consequences,” he said.

He urged the public to continue to listen to public-safety guidelines from the army.

Harris echoes Biden support for US assistance to Israel

Kamala Harris, the US vice-president and Democratic nominee for president in this November’s election, rather unexpectedly popped up in Washington DC moments ago to say that she “fully supports” Joe Biden’s order to the US military earlier to take part in the shooting down of Iran’s missile attack on Israel.

Harris said:

We are still assessing the impact but initial indications are that Israel, with our assistance, was able to defeat this attack [by Iran]. I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself against Iran.”

Harris was in the situation room at the White House with the US president earlier on Tuesday when they were briefed on what was going on in Israel, as Iran launched a barrage of missiles at it, the vast majority of which, according to reports from Israel, were intercepted in the sky above the country and did not injure anyone on the ground.

Harris added that:

We will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our interests against Iran.”

Kamala Harris speaks to members of the media on Tuesday in Washington DC. Photograph: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Joe Biden said on Tuesday that the US was “fully supportive” of Israel after Iran’s ballistic missile attacks, describing Tehran’s assault as “defeated and ineffective”.

The US president said he would now discuss with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu about how to respond to Iran, but that it remained to be seen what shape that response would take.

The attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective, and this is a testament to Israeli military capability and the US military. Make no mistake, the United States is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel,” Biden told reporters at the White House.

Asked by reporters what the response towards Iran would be, Biden replied:

That’s in active discussion right now. That remains to be seen.”

Biden indicated he would be talking to Netanyahu in the wake of Tuesday’s developments.

Joe Biden talks while receiving an interagency briefing on Hurricane Helene response at the White House in Washington earlier on Tuesday. Photograph: Yuri Gripas/EPA