Israel-Iran newest: Netanyahu vows Tehran can pay as extra troops despatched into Lebanon

More than 200 Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated from Lebanon by the government, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday.

Hamas has described Iran’s massive aerial attack on Israel as an “exceptional day” despite the missiles failing to hit their targets.

A spokesperson for Hamas’ Al-Qassam military wing said: “We congratulate the Iranian response that extended to the entire geography of [Israel] and dealt a strong blow to the criminal occupation that thought that its rampage in the region and its aggression against its people could pass without punishment.

“This is an exceptional day in the history of the conflict, in which the fires of the nation’s resistance crossed in the skies of Palestine, and Tel Aviv was exposed to the strikes of the mujahideen from Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, and Iran.

“This is a call to all the free people of the nation to make a share in the liberation of Palestine.”

Israel has resumed its evacuation orders to residents in southern Lebanon in signs that Iran’s massive missile attack on the country last night will not deter Israel’s incursions over the border.

Israel’s Arabic-language military spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that “any movement south could put you in danger”.

“Warning to residents of the designated villages in southern Lebanon: Evacuate your homes immediately. Be careful, you are prohibited from heading south. Any movement south could put you in danger,” he said. “We will let you know when it is safe to return home.”

Footage has also shown that Israel resumed its bombing of southern Lebanon only hours after the Iranian attack ended.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah targeted areas north of Israel‘s city of Haifa with a large missile salvo, the militant group said on Wednesday.

Earlier, Israeli media reported that Hezbollah had fired 100 missiles and rockets at Israel this morning.

Danish police said on Wednesday they were investigating two blasts in the immediate vicinity of Israel‘s embassy in the northern outskirts of Copenhagen.

There were no injuries reported and it was too early to say how big the blasts had been, a police spokesperson told reporters at the scene.

“It is clear that the Israeli embassy is in the immediate vicinity and that is naturally also an angle that we look at,” Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jakob Hansen of the Copenhagen police said.

Israel‘s embassy, in a Facebook post, expressed shock over the explosions but said it had full confidence in the Danish police handling the investigation.

An area was cordoned off around the embassy and armed Danish military personnel stood guard, while investigators wearing coverall suits were seen combing the scene for evidence.

US vice president Kamala Harris has posted a picture of her and president Joe Biden in the White House situation room from last night as they followed Iran’s attack on Israel.

“I unequivocally condemn Iran’s reckless and brazen attack against Israel today,” she wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“Israel, with our assistance, was able to defeat the attack. Our cooperation saved many lives.”

Spain plans to send two military aircraft to evacuate citizens from Lebanon, Spanish newswire Europa Press reported on Wednesday, citing defence minister Margarita Robles.

Israel could look to target Iranian oil facilities by way of retaliating to Tehran’s aerial assault, a report has claimed, citing Israeli officials.

Axios  reports that officials have pointed to the oil facilities as an obvious target following the Iranian attack.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Iran “will pay” for its attack.