Flames and smoke rise from an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024.(Image: AP)

Israel bombs Gaza and Beirut in bloody night ahead of tense anniversary of October 7 attacks

U.S intelligence agencies had previously warned of increased violence across the Middle East to mark the one-year anniversary of Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel

by · The Mirror

As the 1-year-anniverary of Hamas' October 7 attack arrived, Israel launched a renewed bombardment of both Beirut and Gaza while likely planning to retaliate against Iran for last week's bombing.

A barrage of airstrikes were carried out in Beirut's suburbs late Sunday night. Israel has opened up this new front in Lebanon only recently in order to eliminate the Iranian backed Hezbollah militant group from the region.

Israel has killed several Hamas officials in Lebanon since the Israel-Hamas war began, in addition to most of the top leadership of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah as fighting has sharply escalated.

Israeli airstrike on Gaza mosque kills at least 26 people

Israel launched what it called a limited ground operation into southern Lebanon after a series of attacks killed longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and others. The fighting is the worst since Israel and Hezbollah fought a brief war in 2006. Nine Israeli soldiers have been killed in the ground clashes that Israel says have killed 440 Hezbollah fighters.

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighbourhood in Beirut's southern suburb late October 6( Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Hezbollah has been responsible for numerous missile attacks against Israel in what it calls a show of support for the Palestinians.

An Israeli airstrike killed at least 26 people at a mosque in central Gaza Sunday morning.

Palestinian medical officials confirmed the deadly strike, which hit a mosque, which was sheltering people who have been displaced from their homes amid Israel's attack on Palestine.

The mosque was situated near the al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in the town of Deir al-Balah. An Associated Press journalist counted the bodies at the hospital morgue. Hospital records showed that the individuals killed during the strike were all men. According to the hospital two men were also critically wounded.

Israel has also vowed to retaliate against Iran for their ballistic missile attack last Tuesday. The U.S risks getting further involved in he widening conflict and President Joe Biden has urged restraint from Israel in it's retaliation against Iran. The Iranian attack came as retaliation for Israel's killing of Nasrallah and other high ranking Hezbollah leaders.

Smoke and flames rise among the residential buildings following an Israeli attack on Dahieh region in Beirut( Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

A joint U.S intelligence community bulletin last week warned of an increased risk of violence in response to the anniversary of Oct. 7.

More than 42,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, many of which have been women and children.

A separate Israeli strike earlier Sunday in the town of Qamatiyeh southeast of Beirut killed six people, including three children, Lebanon's Health Ministry said.

President of Israel Isaac Herzog walks through the memorials as family members and friends of the lost and kidnapped gather at the site of the Nova Festival( Image: Getty Images)

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported more than 30 strikes overnight into Sunday, while Israel's military said about 130 projectiles had crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory.

At least 1,400 Lebanese, including civilians, medics and Hezbollah fighters, have been killed and 1.2 million driven from their homes. Israel says it aims to drive the militant group from its border so tens of thousands of Israeli citizens can return home.