Iran Israel Conflict Live Updates: Tehran won’t remain silent in face of aggression, prez says; US to deploy more fighter jets, warships in Middle East

French President Emmanuel Macron told Iranian counterpart Massoud Pezeshkian in a phone call on Wednesday that he must do everything in his power to avoid escalation in the region and that the cycle of retaliation must stop, the Elysee palace said in a statement.

Macron said Iran has to call on the "destabilising players it supports" to exercise the utmost restraint to avoid a conflagration.

Tensions have soared in the Middle East following the assassination of Palestinian group Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week and after an Israeli strike in Beirut killed Fuad Shukr, a top military commander from Lebanese armed group Hezbollah

Iran's Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani said Iran's acting foreign minister stated that Tehran has made every effort to avoid confrontation in the region. 

Iran's Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani said that Tehran has no option but to exercise its right to defend itself against what he described as ongoing violations by Israel.

Iran will not stay quiet over aggression, President Masoud Pezeshkian told French counterpart Emmanuel Macron according to state media, amid fears of more regional conflict after the killing in Tehran last week of Hamas' leader.

"Iran will never remain silent in the face of aggression against its interests and security", Pezeshkian told Macron in a phone call, criticising Israel over the 10-month Gaza war.

"If the United States and the Western countries are truly seeking to prevent war in the region, they must force this regime (Israel) to stop the genocide and attacks on Gaza and accept a ceasefire," he said, according to the media.

The Pentagon has said it will deploy additional fighter jets and Navy warships to the Middle East as Washington seeks to bolster defenses in the region. "What I've been focused on is making sure that we're doing everything we can to put measures in place to protect our troops and also make sure that we're in a good position to aid in the in the defense of Israel, if called upon to do that," US Secretary of Defense Austin said.

The United States has communicated to Iran and Israel that conflict in the Middle East must not escalate, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, even as the Pentagon warned that it would not tolerate attacks against its forces in the region.

Officials had been in constant contact with allies and partners in the region and there was a "clear consensus" that no one should escalate the situation, the top US diplomat said. "We've been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners, communicating that message directly to Iran. We've communicated that message directly to Israel," Blinken said.

The United States will continue to defend Israel against attacks, Blinken said, but noted that everyone in the region should understand the risks of escalation and miscalculation. "Further attacks only raise the risk of dangerous outcomes that no one can predict and no one can fully control."

Israel's Olympic team said some athletes have received threats as they compete in Paris amid larger tensions over Palestinian deaths during the war in Gaza and the threat of a wider regional conflict in the Middle East.

Yael Arad, president of the Israeli National Olympic Committee, told The Associated Press that team members had received “centralized” threats meant to generate “psychological terror” in athletes, without giving further details.

Tom Reuveny, a 24-year-old Israeli athlete who won a gold in wind surfing over the weekend, was among those who said he's received threats. Politics “should be put aside” during the Games, he told AP during a memorial Tuesday for 11 Israeli athletes killed during the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany. “I don't think any politics should be involved in sport, especially in the Olympic Games,” Reuveny said. "Unfortunately, there is a lot of politics involved — not in the Games — of the people who don't want us to compete and don't want us to be here. I've gotten quite a few messages and threats.” While Israel has called for the Olympics to remain a neutral space, the Palestinian delegation has used the Games as a way to generate conversation about the day-to-day struggles of those in Gaza. The Israel-Hamas war has claimed more than 39,000 Palestinian lives.

Inside Gaza, the only corridor for humanitarian aid to enter the south has been shut down because of fighting in the area. The Palestinian territory faces a severe humanitarian crisis as its Health Ministry says the death toll in the enclave is nearing 40,000.

The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for an area in northern Gaza that was heavily bombed at the start of the war some 10 months ago. The military said it would respond to a Hamas rocket attack from the Beit Hanoun area the day before and urged residents to relocate to Gaza City, large areas of which have been destroyed.

After the Palestinian militant group Hamas chose Yahya Sinwar, its top official in Gaza who masterminded the October 7 attacks in Israel, as its new leader, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sinwar has the power to ensure a cease-fire deal.

Sinwar “has been and remains the primary decider when it comes to concluding the cease-fire, and so I think this (today's announcement) only underscores the fact that it's really on him to decide whether to move forward with a cease-fire that manifestly will help so many Palestinians in desperate need, women, children, men who are caught in a crossfire,” Blinken said. "It really is on him.”

US President Joe Biden spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi about their hopes of a cease-fire and hostage release deal calming tensions in the Middle East, which soared after the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah confirmed that Israel killed a top commander after a rare strike in Beirut, as well as former Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh's killing.

• The Iranian air force has 37,000 personnel, but decades of international sanctions have largely cut the country off from the latest high-tech military equipment, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London (IISS). The air force only has a few dozen working strike aircraft, including Russian jets and ageing U.S. models acquired before the Iranian revolution of 1979.
• Tehran has a squadron of nine F-4 and F-5 fighter jets, one squadron of Russian-made Sukhoi-24 jets, and some MiG-29s, F7 and F14 aircraft, IISS said.
• The Iranians also have pilotless planes designed to fly into targets and explode. Analysts estimate its drone arsenal to be in the low thousands. In addition, they say, Iran has more than 3,500 surface-to-surface missiles, some of which carry half-ton warheads. The number capable of reaching Israel may be lower, however. Iran's air force commander said in April the Sukhoi-24s, were in their "best state of preparedness" to counter any potential Israeli attack.
• For defence, Iran relies on a mixture of Russian and domestically produced surface-to-air missile and air defence systems. Tehran received deliveries of the S-300 anti-aircraft system from Russia in 2016, which are long-range surface-to-air missile systems capable of engaging multiple targets simultaneously, including aircraft and ballistic missiles.
• Iran also has the domestically produced Bavar-373 surface-to-air missile platform, as well as the Sayyad and Raad defence systems.

• Israel has an advanced, US-supplied air force with hundreds of F-15, F-16 and F-35 multipurpose jet fighters. These played a role in shooting down Iranian drones in April when the Islamic Republic launched explosive drones and fired missiles at Israel in its first direct attack on Israeli territory.
• The air force lacks long-range bombers, though a smaller fleet of repurposed Boeing 707s serve as refueling tankers that could enable its fighters to reach Iran for pinpoint sorties. The Israeli air force demonstrated its ability to hit long range targets in July when its fighter jets struck targets near Yemen's Hodeidah port in retaliation for a Houthi drone strike in Tel Aviv.
• A pioneer in drone technology, Israel has Heron pilotless planes capable of flying for more than 30 hours, enough for far-flung operations. Its Delilah loitering munition has an estimated range of 250 km (155 miles) - far short of the Gulf, though the air force could close the gap by delivering one of the munitions closer to Iran's border.
• Israel is widely believed to have developed long-range surface-to-surface missiles, but neither confirms nor denies this.
• A multi-layer aerial defence system developed with US help after the 1991 Gulf war provides Israel with several additional options for shooting down long-range Iranian drones and missiles.
• The highest-altitude system is Arrow-3, which intercepts ballistic missiles in space. An earlier model, Arrow-2, works at lower altitudes. The mid-range David's Sling counters ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, while the short-range Iron Dome tackles the kind of rockets and mortars used by Iranian-backed militias in Gaza and Lebanon - but can also, in theory, be fired at any more powerful missiles missed by Arrow or David's Sling.

Turkey will file a request with a United Nations court to join South Africa's genocide lawsuit against Israel, a Turkish official said.

Turkey, one of the fiercest critics of Israel's actions in Gaza, will become the latest nation to seek to participate in the case. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has frequently compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, accused his country of genocide, called for it to be punished in international courts and criticised Western nations for backing Israel.

Nicaragua, Colombia, Libya, Mexico, Spain and Palestinian officials have sought to join the case. The court's decision on their requests is still pending. If admitted to the case, the countries would be able to make written submissions and speak at public hearings.

Oil prices recovered in Asian trading on heightened Middle East tensions, but gains were capped by weak demand.

Brent crude futures rose 17 cents, or 0.16%, to $76.60 a barrel by 0615 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 17 cents, or 0.23%, to $73.37.

Israel's Olympic team said some athletes have received threats as they compete in Paris amid larger tensions over Palestinian deaths during the war in Gaza and the threat of a wider regional conflict in the Middle East.

Yael Arad, president of the Israeli National Olympic Committee, told The Associated Press that team members had received “centralized” threats meant to generate “psychological terror” in athletes, without giving further details.

Last week, Paris prosecutors opened an investigation into emailed death threats to Israeli athletes, and the national cybercrime agency is looking into the leak of some Israeli athletes' personal data online, which has since been taken down.

The US has urged Iran and Israel to avoid escalating the Middle East conflict, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.

Highlighting fears of retaliatory strikes from Tehran, Blinken emphasized, 'We've been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners, communicating that message directly to Iran and Israel.' He warned of the unpredictable risks of further attacks, as reported by Reuters. 

Following meetings with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Australian counterparts, Blinken noted that ceasefire and hostage negotiations in Gaza were nearing completion.

The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut has heightened concerns of a wider war. Iran has blamed the US for Haniyeh’s death due to its support for Israel.

Austin condemned an attack on a US base in Iraq, which injured five, attributing it to an Iran-backed militia, though the specific group remains unidentified.

Lebanon's Iran-aligned Hezbollah group congratulated Yahya Sinwar on his selection as Hamas' new leader, saying it "confirms goals that the enemy (Israel) seeks from killing leaders and officials failed in achieving its outcome", as reported by Reuters. 

In a series of attacks near the Israel-Lebanon border, the Israeli military launched an offensive against militant group Hezbollah which functions out of Lebanon.

Hitting Lebanon's Mayfadoun town, the Israeli military carried out its attack in the region reportedly controlled by the Hezbollah militants and killed five fighters.

Apart from Mayfadoun, Israeli military also targeted the town of Odaisseh killing one person and the town of Khiam, where one person was injured, according to Al Jazeera.

Hezbollah had earlier fired a series of drones which hit several parts of northern Israel and injured over ten people.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah speaks to his supporters through a screen, during a ceremony to commemorate the death of top commander Fouad Shukur, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike last week, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday. (AP Photo)

In an update from the Israel-Palestine war, the Israeli soldiers were injured after Palestine’s fighters attacked them with anti-tank missiles.

The soldiers who were injured were operating in eastern Rafah and the attack led to multiple injuries to the Israeli military personnel.

The Israeli soldiers were evacuated to hospital for medical treatment, according to reports from Al Jazeera.

In a statement on Tuesday, Hezbollah militant chief Hassan Nasrallah said that the response of the group towards recent Israeli strikes will be “strong” and “effective”.

Hassan was speaking on the seventh day of the passing away of a top commander of Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr, who was killed in a strike by Israel on July 30 in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Hezbollah leader Hassan further said that the international community calls on the group to restrain its violent activity but lets Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu kill Palestinian women and children without any condemnation.

The UN’s under secretary-general for peace operations has said that the role of peacekeepers at the borders of Israel-Lebanon has become more important as the region seems to be under immense pressure of a widespread war.

“It’s fundamental because it allows us to clarify certain things and avoid misunderstandings…miscalculations, uncontrolled and unwanted escalations,” Jean-Pierre Lacroix said, according to news agency AFP.

The United Nation’s Interim Force in Lebanon is now the only liasion channel between the Isareli and Lebanon side, said United Nations' Jean.

Detailing about the plans of UN troops in the region, Jean said that the troops will stay in place and will keep discharging their duties until "very serious" threat comes up, reported AFP.

Without providing much details, the Hezbollah militant group said that four of its members were killed in a cross-border fight against Israel, reported Al Jazeera.

Israel and the Hezbollah group have been at loggerheads since the past 10 months drawing a parallel to the Israel-Gaza war.

Israel, in a series of attacks last week, killed Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s senior-most military commander in the southern suburbs of Lebanon’s capital Beirut.

The Hezbollah group has vowed to retaliate against Israel and has even launched drone strikes in northern Israel which injured seven people.

Israeli warplanes have been making rounds over Lebanon’s capital Beirut and even breached the sound barrier three times in 30 minutes on Tuesday.

According to a Reuters report, witnesses claimed that planes were visible through the naked eye and it was the loudest noise in Beirut in years.

People in Lebanon’s capital ran for cover after hearing the loud noise of Israeli warplanes. Iran backed Hezbollah group has announced that its head will give a speech with regards to the latest events.

Last week, Israel killed a top commander of the Hezbollah group and even neutralised the Hamas chief in Iran which has destailised the region which was already under immense pressure due to the Israel-Gaza war.

In a retaliation bid, Iran backed Hezbollah militant group launched drone attacks on Israel on Tuesday as Israel had neutralised a senior Hezbollah commander last week.

At two military sites near Acre in northern Israel, the Hezbollah group said that it launched attack drones there and also attacked a military vehicle of Israel at another location.

The Israel administration confirmed that a number of hostile drones were identified crossing from Lebanon and one was intercepted, reported Reuters.

The Israeli military said that an investigation was launched after a few drones were intercepted that “missed the target and hit the ground, injuring several civilians,” reported Reuters. 

The Israeli health officials indicated that seven individuals were moved to hospital. Sirens were sounded in Acre.