Netanyahu lauds strikes on Hezbollah, Iraq reportedly sends drones to North

In an official document filed in a US court, the United Nations, with support from the US Department of Justice, has argued that UNRWA employees who were involved in the October 7 massacre are immune from legal action, Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 News reported on Saturday evening. 

According to the document, UNRWA employees involved in the massacre are shielded from prosecution due to their immunity. 

"Since the UN has not waived immunity in this instance, its subsidiary, UNRWA, continues to enjoy absolute immunity from prosecution, and the lawsuit should be dismissed," the UN's response stated.

The Israel Air Force conducted a targeted strike on Hamas terrorists operating within the Kafr Qasem School compound in the northern Gaza Strip, the IDF said on Sunday morning. 

The IAF conducted the strike under the direction of the IDF, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and Southern Command intelligence, the IDF noted, adding, "Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harm to uninvolved civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence information."

The military labeled Hamas's use of the Kafr Qasem School as another example of the terror organization exploiting civilian structures to shield its activities.

"There is no solace in revenge," said the family of slain hostage Carmel Gat on Saturday, responding to the IDF announcement that they killed two of the Hamas terrorists who held Gat and five other hostages murdered in captivity just before IDF forces reached them.

Gat was held along with Almog Sarousi, Alex Lubanov, Uri Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin. The six survived months in captivity and were murdered in captivity soon before IDF forces reached the location where they were being held. 

Three were listed as those who would be released in the first round of a hostage deal, according to Israeli media reports.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant discussed Israel's conflict with Lebanon's Hezbollah in multiple phone calls on Saturday and Sunday, Israel's Government Press Office said on Sunday morning.

During their phone calls, Austin was briefed on the operation conducted by the IDF that eliminated Hezbollah’s commander, Ibrahim Aqil, the GPA noted. Additionally, the two discussed Israel's defensive position and operations against Hezbollah's multiple rocket attacks.

Gallant reportedly emphasized in the call that Israel's goal was to ensure that the country's northern communities would be able to return to their homes.

Israel Air Force fighter jets struck dozens of Hezbollah targets, including rocket launches and military structures in several areas in southern Lebanon in a fresh wave of attacks, the IDF stated on Sunday morning.

The IDF added that it carried out the strikes under the direction of the Military Intelligence Directorate and the Northern Command. 

KAN reported that the IAF carried out over 60 strikes throughout Sunday morning, leading to three people killed and two wounded in Lebanon. 

This response follows Hezbollah's deepest barrage into Israel since the beginning of the war, including over 140 rockets and drones fired toward northern Israel. 

This is a developing story. 

Ali Reda Abbas was appointed the new commander of Hezbollah's Radwan unit following the death of former commander Ibrahim Aqil in an Israeli airstrike in Dahieh, Beirut, as reported on Saturday by Al-Hadath, a Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese outlet.

Abbas, 60, was born in Barish, southern Lebanon, and survived an assassination attempt in the 1990s while closely working with Aqil, highlighting his long-standing involvement in Hezbollah. He has held various military roles and is recognized as a key operations officer within Hezbollah’s southern command, marking him as part of the organization’s third generation.

Abbas reportedly possesses a university degree and has received advanced military training in Iran, often appearing in the media with his face covered when discussing Hezbollah's military operations.

The death toll from Friday's Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs has risen to 45 people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry on Sunday morning.

Several hospitals and medical centers will operate in sheltered areas, the Health Ministry reported on Sunday morning. 

The decision was made following consultations with the Director General of the Health Ministry, hospital management, and the Home Front Command.

This includes the Carmel, Ziv, Nahariya, Emek, Poriya, and Italian hospitals and medical centers, all in northern Israel. 

The Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa will also move operations to a secure space. 

The political-security cabinet meeting, which was initially planned for Sunday at 5:30 p.m. at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, has been canceled, Israeli media reported.