At least 492 people, including 35 children, have been killed and 1,645 wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the country’s Health Ministry says.

    Concerns over a full-scale war are growing as Hezbollah declares a “battle of reckoning” with Israel.

    Gaza’s Health Ministry says 24 Palestinians were killed and 60 wounded in the latest 24-hour reporting period.

    Residents of Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, in the east, were ordered by Israel to flee their homes before it carried out a massive bombing campaign on the area.

    At least 41,431 people have been killed and 95,818 injured in Israel’s war on Gaza. In Israel, the number of those killed in the Hamas-led attacks on October 7 was at least 1,139 while more than 200 people were taken captive.

    Here’s what happened today

    We will be closing this live page soon. Here is a recap of today’s events:

•     Israel’s army has said it launched more than 650 attacks on some 1,300 Hezbollah targets across Lebanon over the past 24 hours. According to the Lebanese health ministry, the attacks have killed 492 people, and wounded 1,645 others.
•     Israeli attacks have caused widespread chaos across the country and have forced scores of people to flee parts of southern and eastern Lebanon as concerns over a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah continue to grow.
•     The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has expressed “grave concern” for the wellbeing and safety of civilians residing in southern Lebanon, and reiterated its strong call for a diplomatic solution.
•     The United States has also called for de-escalation, with a spokesperson for saying that the agency is in contact with Lebanese and Israeli officials around the clock, adding that it is ready to defend its “allies and partners” in the region.
•     In Gaza, the health ministry has said at least 24 Palestinians were killed and 60 others were wounded in the latest 24-hour reporting period in various Israeli attacks on the besieged enclave.

    US and UAE presidents discuss Gaza among other ‘regional issues’

    US President Joe Biden has welcomed the president of the United Arab Emirates to the White House, saying the two leaders would discuss ways to de-escalate tensions between Israel and Lebanon, and efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

    Biden, speaking at the start of his meeting with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said Lebanon and Gaza would feature prominently in their discussions.

    “We also will discuss our efforts to end the war in Gaza and a number of regional issues. I’ve been briefed on the latest developments in Israel and Lebanon. My team is in constant contact with their counterparts, and we’re working to de-escalate in a way that allows people to return to their home safely,” Biden said, according to a readout from his office.

    Sheikh Mohamed said his country had an “unwavering commitment” to working with the United States and deepening the strategic partnership between the allies.

    Report: US does not think Israel’s assault on Lebanon will lead to de-escalation

    The Reuters news agency has quoted an unnamed “senior State Department official” who said that the US does not think Israeli escalation to force Hezbollah to reduce tensions will yield the desired outcome of de-escalation, effectively disagreeing with Israel’s strategy.

    The conflict is a key focus for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week, where Washington has concrete ideas to prevent a broader war and would seek an “off-ramp” to the tensions, the official told reporters in New York.

    So far, the US has publicly stood by its ally Israel, saying that it would defend it from any actors in the region seeking to attack it.