Middle East war updates: Hundreds of Australians fleeing from Lebanon land in Sydney on the first of two repatriation flights — as it happened

We're going to end our live coverage of the war in the Middle East here.

Here are some of today's key events to get you up to speed:

• Israel marked one year since the Hamas terror attack 
• The Israeli military sent troops back into a part of northern Gaza
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked the anniversary of October 7
• Hezbollah rockets hit Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, injuring at least 10 people
• Rockets were fired at Israel moments after the country began October 7 commemoration
• Hostage taken during October 7 attack declared dead based on new intelligence
• Hundreds of Australians fleeing the conflict in Lebanon touched down in Sydney
• Joe Biden says too many civilians have suffered in a year of conflict

Thank you for joining us.

You can take a look back at all the developments below, or download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest updates.

Earlier today we reported that Esmail Qaani, the commander of Iran's Quds Force, had not been heard from since Israeli strikes on Lebanon's capital, Beirut, late last week.

The force's deputy commander Iraj Masjedi has now confirmed Qaani, is in "good health".

"He is in good health and is carrying out his activities. Some ask us to issue a statement… there is no need for this," Masjedi was quoted as saying by Iranian state media in reference to Qaani.

The Iranian Students' News Agency reported that a message from Qaani was conveyed to a conference in solidarity with Palestinian children held on Monday in Tehran, adding that the commander could not attend "due to his being in another important meeting".

The Israeli government say they do not have confirmation that likely Hezbollah successor Hashem Safieddine is dead, Reuters reports.

Safieddine had emerged as the likely successor of the militant group after leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike on September 27.

Days later, Safieddine was targeted by Israel in another air strike.

Hezbollah said they had "lost contact" with him and he was missing.

Asked if Israel could confirm the death of Hashem Safieddine, spokesperson David Mencer told an online briefing: "We don't have that confirmation yet. When it is confirmed, as and when, it will be on the IDF (Israeli military) website."

Israel's security cannot be guaranteed with military force alone and will require a diplomatic solution, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Monday.

"Force alone cannot guarantee the security of Israel, your security. Military success cannot be a substitute for a political perspective," Barrot told reporters during a visit to Israel.

"To bring the hostages home to their loved ones, to allow the displaced to return home in the north, after a year of war, the time for diplomacy has come."

Reporting by Reuters

Britain has withdrawn the families of its embassy staff working in Israel due to the escalation in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and the risk of a wider regional conflict.

"As a precautionary measure following escalation in the region, family members of British Embassy staff have been temporarily withdrawn," the Foreign Office travel advice web page for Israel read. "Our staff members remain."

Britain advises citizens against all travel to the area close to the border with Gaza and "all but essential travel" to other parts of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories due to the yearlong conflict between Israel and Hamas.

But British citizens living in Israel are not being told to leave. Instead, they are being advised that consular assistance is "severely limited".

"We recognise this is a fast-moving situation that poses significant risks," the advice reads. "We strongly encourage you to check you and your dependents have the required documentation to travel at short notice."

Reporting by Reuters

US President Joe Biden has released a statement affirming support for Israel and detailing hopes for a Gaza ceasefire.

He said Hamas's October 7 terror attack on Israel was a dark day for Palestinians and that too many civilians have suffered in a year of conflict," he said.

"Vice President Harris and I remain fully committed to the safety of the Jewish people, the security of Israel, and its right to exist.

"We support Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and Iran."

Biden went on to describe civilian suffering and the ongoing conflict in Lebanon.

"I believe that history will also remember October 7th as a dark day for the Palestinian people because of the conflict that Hamas unleashed that day. Far too many civilians have suffered far too much during this year of conflict — and tens of thousands have been killed, a human toll made far worse by terrorists hiding and operating among innocent people.

"We will not stop working to achieve a ceasefire deal in Gaza that brings the hostages home, allows for a surge in humanitarian aid to ease the suffering on the ground, assures Israel's security, and ends this war.

"Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve to live in security, dignity, and peace. We also continue to believe that a diplomatic solution across the Israel-Lebanon border region is the only path to restore lasting calm and allow residents on both sides to return safely to their homes."

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated his country's support for Israel and its battle against Hamas militants on Monday.

"We feel with you the horror, the pain, the uncertainty and the sadness. We stand by your side," he said. "The Hamas terrorists must be fought."

Scholz also drew attention to the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, saying that "people need hope and perspectives if they are to renounce terror."

"That's why the federal government is calling for a ceasefire, for the hostages to be freed, and for a political process - even if that seems more distant today than ever," he said.

The Israeli Air Force "attacked and destroyed" a launcher that fired rockets into central Israel earlier today, the IDF said.

"During the attack, secondary explosions were seen indicating the presence of weapons," it said.

"In addition, the 215th Fire Brigade attacked with artillery the launcher that fired at the Gaza Strip at 12:58."

The IDF has confirmed it is currently conducting more strikes in southern Lebanon.

"Air Force fighter jets are now widely attacking terrorist targets of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation in southern Lebanon," it said.

The president of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has released a statement saying Israel will "pay the price" for "genocide" in Gaza.

Israel has strenuously denied allegations of genocide.

In a lengthy statement on X, Erdogan said Türkiye would "continue to stand against the Israeli government, no matter what the cost" as he called on the world to take the same stance.

"Israel's long-standing policy of genocide, occupation and invasion must now come to an end," he said.

"It should not be forgotten that Israel will sooner or later pay the price for this genocide that it has been carrying out for a year and is still continuing."

One year ago, Hamas launched a violent attack on Israel which suffered a violent collective trauma, and the consequences have recast the politics of the Middle East.

7.30’s Adam Harvey travelled to southern Israel to revisit the events of the day.

Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group attacked areas north of Israel's Haifa with a missile salvo, it said in a statement.

It was the second assault on Monday after the group earlier rained rockets on the northern Israeli port city.

Reporting by Reuters

The IDF says another soldier has been killed during combat on the Lebanese border.

In a statement, the military said Sergeant-Major Aviv Magen, 43, had been killed "in a battle on the Lebanese border".

No further details were provided.

The military had earlier said a soldier had been killed in combat on the border and two soldiers were severely injured.

Lebanon's health ministry said on Monday that at least 10 firefighters were killed in an Israeli strike on a municipal building in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil.

Reporting by Reuters

A 12-year-old Palestinian boy was killed in confrontations between youths and Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank on Monday, the Palestinian health ministry said.

The Israeli military said it was checking the report.

Video from the area of Qalandia showed youths blocking a road with burning tyres, with Israeli army vehicles and ambulances at the scene.

Pope Francis has slammed the "shameful inability" of world powers to end the conflict in the Middle East.

"A year ago, the fuse of hatred was lit; it did not sputter, but exploded in a spiral of violence, in the shameful inability of the international community and the most powerful countries to silence the weapons and put an end to the tragedy of war," he said on Monday, in an open letter to Catholics in the Middle East.

Reporting by AFP

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi arrived in Beirut on board a Jordanian aid plane, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Speaking at a news conference in Beirut, Safadi warned that "Israeli aggression" was pushing the region towards the "abyss" of full-blown war.

"The Israeli aggression... which started in Gaza and now has continued into Lebanon is pushing the whole region into the abyss of full-blown regional war," Safadi said.

Reporting by AFP

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Monday to bring back all hostages still held by Palestinian militants in Gaza, as Israel marked the first anniversary of October 7 attack by Hamas.

"On this day, in this place, and in many places across our country, we remember our dead, our hostages, whom we are obligated to bring back and our heroes who fell in defence of the homeland and the nation.

"We went through a terrible massacre a year ago," Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office.

Reporting by AFP

We earlier reported that five rockets were launched towards the northern Israeli city of Haifa and two landed, injuring ten people.

It is now just before 1pm in Israel. These are some images from the rocket attacks from Lebanon on northern Israel which have come through across the day.