Recep Tayyip Erdogan has once again called for Israel to be held accountable internationally over its conduct in Gaza – and claimed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be tried as a war criminal. 

Speaking at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Turkish president also said that Gaza was Palestinian land and would always belong to the Palestinians.

He has been one of Israel’s biggest critics since the war broke out, consistently accusing Mr Netanyahu’s regime of breaking international law, as well as refusing to call Hamas a terrorist organisation. 

Hezbollah injures Israeli troops in mortar attacks, IDF says

The Israel Defence Forces says three of its soldiers have been injured in mortar attacks carried out by Hezbollah overnight and again this morning. 

“Overnight, a number of mortar shell launches from Lebanon toward IDF posts in the area of Shtula were identified,” an update read.

Three IDF soldiers were “lightly injured” and evacuated to receive medical treatment, it added. 

“In addition, a short while ago, a number of mortar shell launches from Lebanon toward an IDF post in the area of Yiftah were identified.”

The IDF said it is firing back in response. 

Yiftah is around 20km southwest of Shebaa farms.

Lebanon-based Hezbollah, which means “Party of God” in Arabic, openly calls for the destruction of the Israel and is deemed a terror organisation by most Western powers.

The militia is backed by Iran and has long aligned itself with Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza.