The first flight carrying Australian citizens, permanent residents and their family members out of Lebanon has landed in Cyprus. The Australian government is flying up to 500 people out of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, on two charter flights as it continues to urge citizens to leave the country. A second federal government-supported charter flight is due to depart Beirut later on …

Israel’s assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, who led Lebanon’s Hezbollah for over three decades, has dealt a significant blow to the group and sent shockwaves through the region, pushing it dangerously close to a much wider and more devastating conflict. The situation began to deteriorate rapidly following a series of coordinated Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah’s military infrastructure across Lebanon, which included the …

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has been killed, the Iran-backed group said on Saturday, confirming his death after the Israeli military said it had eliminated him in an airstrike in Beirut the day before. His death marks a devastating blow to Hezbollah, as it reels from an intense campaign of Israeli attacks. It is also a huge blow to Iran, removing an influential …

A joint statement from Australia, the United States and other allies is calling for an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the Israel-Lebanon border. The proposal was prompted by the deadly fighting between Israel and Hezbollah which many fear could spill into a wider conflict. The statement, which was negotiated by leaders and diplomats at the United Nations General Assembly in New …

Lebanon said Thursday more than 31,000 people had crossed into Syria during the past two days, as Israeli air strikes pound the country, sending tens of thousands fleeing. Over the past two days, Lebanese authorities “recorded the crossing of 15,600 Syrian citizens and 16,130 Lebanese citizens into Syrian territory,” a statement from the country’s disaster management unit said.

Israel’s airstrikes on Lebanon are hitting people indiscriminately killing numerous innocent civilians with many of those attacks being premeditated, Lebanese Minister of Health Dr. Firass Abiad told Al Arabiya News on Wednesday. “(…) when you look at the targeting of, you know, for example, healthcare professionals or healthcare vehicles, I mean, we’ve reported on Monday the attack on 19 ambulances …

Israel said on Thursday it had secured an $8.7 billion aid package from the United States to support its ongoing military efforts and to maintain a qualitative military edge in the region. The package includes $3.5 billion for essential wartime procurement, which has already been received and earmarked for critical military purchases, and $5.2 billion designated for air defense systems …

Syrian officials say a series of Israeli strikes have hit multiple areas in central Syria, killing 18 people and wounding dozens of others. State news agency SANA reported on Monday that Syrian air defences “confronted an aggression that targeted several points in the central region”, damaging a highway in Hama province and sparking fires that firefighting teams were battling to …

Yesterday was Arbaeen, traditionally a day of mourning for Shia Muslims. Hezbollah, one of the world’s most prominent Shia organisations, decided to make it a day of retribution, by launching its promised revenge against Israel for its assassination of senior military commander Fuad Shukr in the Lebanese capital Beirut last month. It said it launched 340 rockets into the border region …

The United States has approved the sale of fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel as it prosecutes a 10-month-old war in the Gaza Strip although the Pentagon says deliveries will not begin for years. The sale is worth of $US20 billion ($30 billion). US Secretary of State Antony Blinken approved the sale of F-15 jets and equipment worth …