Foreign
‘We Will Win Together’, Netanyahu Tells Israeli Troops At Lebanon Border
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday his country’s military “completely transformed reality” in the year since Hamas’s October 7 attack, which has left the country fighting two wars.
Netanyahu told troops Israel “will win” as it battles militants in both the Gaza Strip and Lebanon and prepares to strike Iran, almost exactly a year since the unprecedented attack by Palestinian Hamas militants sparked the Gaza war.
In late September Israel turned its focus north, intensifying military action against Iran-backed Hezbollah which had been sending rockets over the border from Lebanon in support of Hamas for nearly 12 months.
“A year ago, we suffered a terrible blow. Over the past 12 months, we have completely transformed reality,” Netanyahu told troops during a visit to the Lebanon border, his office said.
“The whole world admires the blows you are delivering to our enemies, and I salute you”, he said. “Together, we will fight, and together we will win — with God’s help.”
In the Palestinian territory, Israel’s military said it had encircled the northern area of Jabaliya after indications Hamas was rebuilding despite nearly a year of devastating air strikes and fighting.
Rescuers said 17 people, including nine children, were killed on Sunday by Israeli air strikes on the area.
Netanyahu had vowed to “crush… and destroy” Hamas last October, but troops have returned to several areas across Gaza where they had previously conducted operations against Hamas, only to find militants regrouping.
– Policewoman killed –
As another strike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati appealed to the international community to put pressure on Israel for a ceasefire.
Israel is on high alert ahead of the October 7 anniversary, which the military said could lead to “attacks on the home front”.
In southern Israel’s Beersheba central bus station, a border policewoman was killed and 10 other people injured, first responders said. Police called it a suspected “terrorist” attack and said the assailant was killed.
Iran on Sunday said it had prepared a plan to hit back against any possible Israeli attack, before Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned Iran it could end up looking like Gaza or Beirut.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency said more than 30 strikes hit Hezbollah’s south Beirut stronghold overnight into Sunday. Shopkeeper Mehdi Zeiter, 60, said they “were like an earthquake.”
A petrol station and medical warehouse were hit, NNA said.
“It was the most violent night… there were strikes everywhere. They are not hitting military targets, but civilian ones,” Zeiter said.
Israel’s military said it struck weapons storage facilities and infrastructure while taking measures “to mitigate the risk of harming civilians”.
AFPTV footage showed a massive fireball over a residential area, followed by a loud bang and secondary explosions. Smoke was still billowing from the site after dawn.
Amid the fighting, Hezbollah continued attacks on Israel, saying on Sunday it launched attack drones towards a military base near the northern Israeli city of Haifa.
– ‘Ongoing threat’ –
Last year’s October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures that include hostages killed in captivity.
On Sunday the army said rockets fired from northern Gaza had crossed into Israel, with one intercepted and the rest falling on open areas.
The army on Saturday said it had killed about 440 Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon “from the ground and from the air” since Monday, when troops began what it called targeted ground operations.
Hezbollah in 2021 claimed it had 100,000 combatants, while analysts spoke of about half that many.
Israel says it aims to allow tens of thousands of Israelis displaced by almost a year of Hezbollah rocket fire into northern Israel to return home.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Iran an “ongoing threat” after Tehran, which backs armed groups across the Middle East, launched around 200 missiles at Israel on Tuesday in revenge for Israeli killings of militant leaders including Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.
Israeli officials including Netanyahu have said Israel will respond to Iran’s missile barrage, most of which was intercepted by the country’s sophisticated air defences.
Iran has prepared its own plan to respond to a possible Israeli attack, Tasnim news agency reported, citing an informed source.
A senior Hezbollah source said Saturday the group had lost contact with Hashem Safieddine, widely tipped as its next leader, after air strikes in Beirut.
The movement has yet to name a new chief after Israel assassinated Nasrallah late last month in a massive strike in Lebanon’s capital.
Across Lebanon, strikes against Hezbollah have killed more than 1,110 people since September 23, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
– Foreigners flee –
UN refugee agency head Filippo Grandi said Lebanon “faces a terrible crisis” and warned “hundreds of thousands of people are left destitute or displaced by Israeli air strikes”.
Lebanon’s Director General of Education Imad Achkar said on Sunday that 40 percent of Lebanon’s 1.25 million school pupils had been displaced by Israel’s strikes.
Numerous countries, including Australia, the United States, Brazil, China and Russia have been evacuating their nationals from Lebanon.
US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators tried unsuccessfully for months to reach a Gaza truce and secure the release of 97 hostages still held there.
Critics of Netanyahu accuse him of obstructing efforts to reach a Gaza ceasefire and a deal to free hostages still held by Hamas.
Gaza’s health ministry said on Sunday an Israeli strike on a mosque-turned-shelter in central Deir el-Balah killed 26 people. Israel said it had targeted Hamas militants.
Israel’s retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 41,870 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures provided by the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry and described as reliable by the UN.
Ahead of the October 7 anniversary, thousands joined pro-Palestinian rallies in London, Cape Town, Rabat and other cities.
AFP
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has accused Russia of ongoing hostilities, stating that since the beginning of April, Russia has launched nearly 2,800 aerial bombs, over 1,400 Shahed drones, and approximately 60 missiles at Ukraine.
Zelensky’s statement, released on Monday, reads, “Currently, 38 people are receiving treatment inmedical facilities in Sumy following yesterday’s Russian ballistic strike — among them, 9 children. Eleven people, including 3 children, are in critical condition.”
“Every effort is being made to provide them with maximum assistance. Yesterday’s strike alone claimed 34 lives and left 119 people injured. Tragically, 2 children were killed, and another 15 were wounded.”
“Another 7 people were injured overnight in Odesa during a ‘Shahed’ drone attack. Last night, the Russians also struck Slovyansk, Uman, Kharkiv, Beryslav, and other cities and villages.”
“All the damaged sites are civilian: apartment buildings, stores, a car service station.”
“I thank all the services and everyone involved in rescuing people and defending lives. Russian terror continues every day and night. Since the beginning of April alone, the Russian army has used nearly 2800 aerial bombs, over 1400 attack drones — most of them ‘Shaheds’ — and nearly 60 missiles of various types, including ballistic ones.”
“Only real pressure on Russia can stop this. Tangible sanctions are needed against the sectors that finance Russia’s killing machine. The one who brought the war must be stopped and held accountable for what they have done; that is only fair,” Zelensky said.
In an earlier statement yesterday, Zelensky urged the world not to remain silent in the face of Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine: “As of now, 31 people are known to have been killed in Sumy by the Russian ballistic missile strike. Among those killed were two children. My condolences to the families and loved ones… More than 84 people have been wounded, including 10 children. All of them are receiving the necessary assistance.”
“It is crucial that the world does not stay silent or indifferent. Russian strikes deserve nothing but condemnation. There must be pressure on Russia to end the war and guarantee security for people. Without truly strong pressure, without sufficient support for Ukraine, Russia will continue dragging this war out.”
Zelensky also accused Russia of rejecting a potential peace opportunity involving U.S. President Donald Trump.
“It’s now the second month that Putin has been ignoring the U.S. proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire. Unfortunately, there in Moscow they are convinced they can keep killing with impunity. Action is needed to change this situation.”
World leaders have condemned the latest wave of Russian attacks and pledged solidarity with Ukraine.
On Saturday, top diplomats from Russia and Ukraine traded accusations over breaches of a tentative ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States. The deal aimed to halt attacks on critical energy infrastructure, signaling an attempt to ease tensions in the third year of the war.
However, Sunday’s strike underscored the fragility of such negotiations and the continued toll on Ukrainian civilians.
The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and millions displaced, with no comprehensive peace agreement in sight.
International observers have raised concerns that the missile strike may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.
Sumy, located near Ukraine’s northeastern border with Russia, has faced repeated assaults since the war began but had seen a relative lull in recent months. Sunday’s bombing marks one of the deadliest strikes in the region in over a year.
Ukrainian officials have called on allies to increase military aid and intensify sanctions on Russia, warning that continued attacks on civilian areas threaten any hope for a negotiated resolution to the war.
By Francesca Hangeior
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a new rule requiring all foreign nationals who stay in the country for more than 30 days to register with the federal government.
The directive, introduced this week, is one of the strictest immigration measures in recent years.
In a post titled “Message to Illegal Aliens” and tagged to President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the agency stated,
“Foreign nationals present in the U.S. longer than 30 days must register with the federal government. Failure to comply is a crime punishable by fines and imprisonment. @POTUS Trump and @Sec_Noem have a clear message to Illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW and self-deport.”
Foreign nationals present in the U.S. longer than 30 days must register with the federal government. Failure to comply is a crime punishable by fines and imprisonment. @POTUS Trump and @Sec_Noem have a clear message to Illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW and self-deport. pic.twitter.com/FrsAQtUA7H
Non-compliance could lead to daily fines of $998, heavier penalties for those who promise to leave but don’t, imprisonment, and permanent bans from re-entry.
DHS warned that delaying registration will increase penalties and reduce the chances of returning legally.
“The longer you wait, the higher the penalty, and the slimmer your chances of returning,” the department said.
The agency also introduced a “safe exit” provision for undocumented individuals who choose to leave voluntarily.
Those who self-deport may be allowed to select their departure flight, keep their earnings if they haven’t committed any crimes, apply for subsidized travel if they can’t afford it, and stay eligible for future immigration pathways.
While the rule doesn’t currently apply to individuals on valid visas like H-1B or F-1, DHS emphasized that once a visa becomes invalid—due to expiration, job loss, or program termination—the individual is considered “unlawfully present” and subject to the same penalties.
Maintaining legal status, the agency noted, is more critical than ever.
By Francesca Hangeior
A Swiss citizen has been kidnapped in Niger, Switzerland’s foreign ministry told AFP, confirming information published by a Nigerien media outlet.
The foreign ministry said it had been “informed of the kidnapping of a Swiss citizen in Niger.
“The Swiss diplomatic mission in Niamey is in contact with the local authorities. Clarifications are under way.”
The governor of the Nigerien state of Agadez, General Ibra Boulama Issa, said the abduction happened in Agadez city, where an Austrian woman was kidnapped three months ago.
The general said “a foreign woman… of Swiss nationality” had been taken from her home there late Sunday.
In a statement, he also referenced the January 11 kidnapping of the Austrian.
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