Explosion reported in Tel Aviv area, drone intercepted over sea
Residents in central Israel have reported an explosion in the Tel Aviv area and authorities are investigating the matter, according to Israel’s Channel 12. Unconfirmed initial reports say that Israeli defence systems intercepted a target in the city’s vicinity.
The Israeli military has also announced it has intercepted a drone over the Mediterranean Sea, dozens of kilometres off the coast of central Israel.
Israeli military bombs Ein al-Hilweh camp in Sidon
Our Al Jazeera Arabic colleagues report that the Israeli military has carried out a raid on the Ein al-Hilweh refugee camp in the coastal city of Sidon in southern Lebanon.
The raid reportedly targeted the home of Munir al-Maqdah, an official with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Lebanon – a coalition of Palestinian armed groups in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, which is aligned with the Fatah movement.
The number of casualties and injuries following the attack on the refugee camp has not been announced.
The Reuters news agency said the attack marks the first Israeli strike on the overcrowded refugee camp – Lebanon’s largest of several Palestinian camps – since fighting between Hezbollah and Israel began in October last year.
Explosions, smoke and flashes erupt as Israel begins its ground operation in Lebanon
As Israel’s ground operation in Lebanon began, the sounds of outgoing artillery fire, drones and helicopters rang through the air from a CNN team’s position close to the border.
Several explosions, plumes of smoke and flashes of light were also seen coming from the direction of the Lebanese village of Aadaysit Marjaayoun.
Aadaysit Marjaayoun at the red marker. The dotted area to the right is the occupied Golan Heights.
Looks like Israel could go for creating a copy of the 'Netzarim corridor' to Tyre...
Israeli officials say there will be "no long-term occupation" of Lebanon, but decline to provide timeline
Israeli officials are taking pains to characterize the ground operation into southern Lebanon as limited in scope, saying there will be “no long-term occupation” but declining to specify the duration.
Israeli troops will be focused on removing “immediate threats” from Lebanese villages along the border, including Hezbollah’s ability to infiltrate northern Israel, Israeli officials insisted.
A senior Israeli official also said Israel does not plan to remain in Lebanon, said there will be “no long-term occupation of southern Lebanon.”
But the officials declined to say how deep Israeli troops would venture into the country or how long the operation is expected to last.
