By Gabby Sobelman and Euan Ward
Syrian and Iranian news agencies reported that Israel on Tuesday fired missiles at a residential building in Damascus, the Syrian capital. Iranian news media reported that the building was on the same road as Iran’s Embassy, which Israel attacked in April.
Photographs on Iranian news media showed debris and damaged buildings. Israel’s military declined to comment on the reports.
Syria’s state news agency, SANA, cited a military source as saying that Israel had launched three rockets that targeted a residential and commercial building in the Mezzeh district of Damascus, killing seven civilians, including women and children. The New York Times could not independently verify this information.
The attack Tuesday in Syria came as Israel sent new troops into Lebanon and bombarded the Hezbollah-dominated suburbs south of Beirut. The midday strikes were audible from miles away.
Also Tuesday, Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy, stepped up its attacks into northern Israel, firing “approximately 135 projectiles” as of 3 p.m. local time, most of which were intercepted. A home was hit north of Haifa, Israel’s third-largest city. It was the second time since Sunday that areas near Haifa were struck by Hezbollah rockets. No injuries were reported.
Hezbollah has been firing into Israel over the past year in support of Hamas, forcing tens of thousands from their homes. Hamas, like Hezbollah, is backed by Iran. Last week, Israel sent ground troops into southern Lebanon to try to stop the attacks and eliminate the threat near its border.
Here is what else to know:
— Houthi arms talks: Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout is trying to broker a deal with Houthi militants in Yemen, who are backed by Iran and have been attacking Israel in solidarity with Hamas, according to Western officials. The negotiations are continuing, but no deal has been completed, and no arms have been transferred, the officials said.
— Lebanon deaths: More than 2,000 people have been killed and nearly 10,000 injured in Lebanon since the war in the Gaza Strip began in October 2023, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. Most of the deaths and injuries have occurred over the past three weeks. The World Health Organization said that Israeli attacks in Lebanon had killed at least 65 health workers and injured 40 others since Sept. 17.
— Retaliation on Iran: Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said Monday that Israeli officials were debating when and where to attack Iran in retaliation for the missile barrage it fired at Israel last week. “It will happen,” he said.
— Gaza deaths: Palestinian health authorities said the death toll over the past year had surpassed 41,900, with more than 97,590 people injured. Adding to the toll, Palestinian Civil Defense said Tuesday that 12 people had been killed and several others injured in Israeli airstrikes on a home and tents housing displaced people in the Bureij area of central Gaza. The Israeli military said its troops were “eliminating terrorists” in the area.
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