Middle East latest: Israel issues an evacuation warning for the entire city of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon

The Israeli army has issued an evacuation warning for residents of the entire eastern Lebanese city of Baalbeck, as well as surrounding areas and key routes in the Beqaa Valley. The area marked for evacuation includes the ancient Roman temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said more than 2,790 people have been killed and 12,700 injured since October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel, prompting retaliation. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October.

Several United Nations agencies took action Tuesday around them fellow organization, UNRWAwhich then provides assistance to Palestinian refugees The Israeli parliament has taken steps to ban this in the coming months. The foreign ministers of Cyprus and Luxembourg say the UN agency for Palestinian refugees is “indispensable” in providing food, education and health care to Palestinians. The Turkish Foreign Ministry called Israel’s decision a “clear violation of international law.”

US President Joe Biden’s administration says it is seeking clarification from Israel over Tuesday’s attack on a northern Gaza town that Palestinians say at least 88 people killedincluding dozens of women and children.

The death toll of more than a year of the Israel-Hamas war Gaza has passed 43,000, Palestinian officials said Monday, without distinguishing between civilians and fighters. The Israel-Hamas war began after Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people – mostly civilians – and kidnapping 250 others.

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Here’s the latest:

JERUSALEM – Hospital officials in Israel say a rocket fired from Lebanon has injured two men, one seriously.

The men were wounded by rocket shrapnel on Wednesday in Metula, an Israeli town just across the border from Lebanon, said a spokesman for Rambam hospital, where they were flown.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets into Israel since October 8, 2023, when it opened fire in solidarity with Hamas a day after the cross-border attack from the Gaza Strip. All-out war broke out last month when Israel launched large waves of airstrikes, killing Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and most of his senior commanders. Israel launched a ground invasion in early October.

BEIRUT – For the first time in the current period War between Israel and Hezbollahthe Israeli army has issued an evacuation warning for residents of the entire eastern city of Baalbek, as well as surrounding areas and key routes in the Beqaa Valley.

Earlier Wednesday, a drone strike targeted a van on Lebanon’s Aaraya highway, a major road connecting Beirut to the Bekaa, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Lebanese capital, sparking flames, according to Lebanese state media. Another vehicle in Bchamoun, about 10 kilometers southeast of Beirut, was also targeted, state news agency National News Agency reported. It is the first time in the conflict that the area has been targeted.

The number of victims and the intended targets were not yet known.

The area highlighted in Wednesday’s evacuation order includes the ancient Roman temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On October 6, an Israeli attack took place about 700 meters from the ancient citadel, home to two of the largest Roman temples in the world.

OSLO, Norway – Norway is asking for clarification on Israel’s responsibility under international law if it prevents the United Nations, international humanitarian organizations and states from helping the Palestinians.

“The international community cannot accept that the UN, international humanitarian organizations and states face systematic obstacles to working in Palestine and providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinians under occupation,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said on Wednesday. “It undermines the Palestinians’ right to essential aid. Then we have to respond.”

The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees, also known as UNRWA, provides essential services to millions of Palestinians in the Middle East and has supported Gaza relief efforts around the world. Israel-Hamas war. Legislation banning the company from operating in Israel adopted by an overwhelming majority Monday. Israel says UNRWA was infiltrated by Hamas, with the militants siphoning off aid and using the organization’s facilities as a shield. UNRWA denies the allegations and says it is committed to neutrality and acts swiftly to address any abuses by its staff.

Norway has called for a resolution in the UN General Assembly asking the International Court of Justice “to provide an opinion on Israel’s duties as an occupying power to facilitate assistance to the people of Palestine.” Gahr Støre added that in addition to UNRWA, a number of countries have also expressed their support for the initiative.

Under international law, Israel has a duty to help the Palestinian population under occupation, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said.

“With this initiative, Norway wants to establish that no country can go beyond its obligations under international law,” said Barth Eide. “We see similar trends in other countries – leaders seeking to undermine humanitarian law and provide aid in crisis and conflict situations. We must stop this development.”