Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, has come out in support of an investigation into the fabricated allegations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The Pope said in a released published post ““According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide. We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies.”
Pope Francis calls for investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute ‘genocide’ – AP
It’s the first time that Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. In September, he said Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon have been “immoral” and disproportionate, and that its military has gone beyond the rules of war.
The book, by Hernán Reyes Alcaide and based on interviews with the Pope, is entitled “Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims towards a better world.” It will be released on Tuesday ahead of the pope’s 2025 jubilee. Francis’ yearlong jubilee is expected to bring more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome to celebrate the Holy Year.
“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the pope said in excerpts published Sunday by the Italian daily La Stampa.
“We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies,” he added.
Last year, Francis met separately with relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinians living through the war and set off a firestorm by using words that Vatican diplomats usually avoid: “terrorism” and, according to the Palestinians, “genocide.”
Even before President Trump won the 2024 election, Israel was signaling it was not in the mood to entertain calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon. Now, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz, who replaced former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after Prime Minister Netanyahu fired him for the second time, is doubling down.
He is claiming Hezbollah has been defeated, but more work needs to be done in Lebanon to secure the victory, meaning no ceasefire proposal will be considered until the work is done. Katz said of the decision not to pursue a ceasefire that Israel had learned its lessons and “Now it is our job to continue to put pressure on order to bring about the fruits of that victory.”
Israel Defence Minister Katz: In Lebanon there will be no ceasefire, will continue to hit Hezbollah with full force – Reuters Source Link Excerpt:
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, said on X on Tuesday that during a meeting with military officials, he reiterated that Israel will continue hitting Hezbollah with full force and that there will be no ceasefire.
On Saturday, October 25, Israel finally struck Iran after delaying the attack due to the Pentagon leak. The strikes appear to have targeted their ballistic missile capacity and air defenses, with some suggesting Iran’s ballistic missile program will take years to rebuild. Meanwhile, the alleged gutting of Iran’s air defenses senses the regime a stark warning. Next time, we won’t be so restrained, we won’t have to be.
What we know about Israel’s attack on Iran – BBC Source Link Excerpt:
Israel carried out what it described as “precise and targeted” airstrikes on Iran on Saturday, in retaliation for the barrage of strikes launched by Tehran against Israel earlier this month.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it targeted military sites in several regions, with subsequent reports suggesting an Iranian missile production site had been hit. One civilian and four soldiers were killed in the attacks, the Iranian military said.
It marks the latest in a series of attacks between the two regional foes that for months have raised fears of an all-out war.
IDF Uncovers Documents Showing Six Al Jazeera Journalists Are Hamas, Islamic Jihad Terrorists– legalinsurrection.com Source Link Excerpt:
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), on Wednesday, released documents showing six Al Jazeera journalists are members of terrorist groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
The terrorists were identified based on the documents uncovered in Gaza. “The IDF says it has uncovered documents in the Gaza Strip it claims reveal that six Al Jazeera journalists are operatives in the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups,” The Times of Israel reported. “The journalists are named by the IDF as Anas al-Sharif, Alaa Salameh, Hossam Shabat, Ashraf al-Sarraj, Ismail Abu Omar, and Talal al-Arrouqi.”
Some of these Al Jazeera staffers, who enjoyed protection in the Gaza conflict zones due to their press credentials, hold senior positions in Palestinian terrorist organizations. They are operatives in Hamas’s Nukhba Force and Nuseirat Battalion terrorist formations, which spearheaded the October 7 massacre, Israeli media reports confirm.
The IDF announced that six journalists actively working for Al Jazeera were members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). pic.twitter.com/05xpga9G5a
Two documents were leaked to Iran that expose in whole or in part Israel’s plans for retaliation following Iran’s recent missile barrage of the country. The Pentagon has stressed that no employee in the Defense Department is under suspicion at present. The leak critically undermines America’s trustworthiness not just with Israel, but with the rest of the world.
President Donald Trump believes the leaker is coming from within, as do most other people not existentially committed to the social experiment that is the DNC-CCP agenda.
Trump said, “They leaked all the information about the way that Israel’s going to fight and how they are going to fight and where they are going to go. And somebody — who did that? Can you imagine somebody doing that? That’s the enemy. I guess that maybe is the enemy from within, as I talked about. We have an enemy from within. They hate to talk about it. Can you imagine? So we just can’t stand for this incompetence anymore.”
The U.S. is investigating an unauthorized release of classified documents on Israel’s attack plans– www.washingtontimes.com Source Link Excerpt:
The United States is investigating an unauthorized release of classified documents that assess Israel’s plans to attack Iran, three U.S. officials told The Associated Press. A fourth U.S. official said the documents appear to be legitimate.
The documents are attributed to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, and note that Israel was still moving military assets in place to conduct a military strike in response to Iran’s blistering ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1. They were sharable within the “Five Eyes,” which are the U.S., Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
The documents, which are marked top secret, were posted to the Telegram messaging app and first reported Saturday by CNN and Axios. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The investigation is also examining how the documents were obtained — including whether it was an intentional leak by a member of the U.S. intelligence community or obtained by another method, like a hack — and whether any other intelligence information was compromised, one of the officials said. As part of that investigation, officials are working to determine who had access to the documents before they were posted, the official said.
Trump suggests ‘enemy from within’ is responsible for Israel leak– www.washingtonexaminer.com Source Link Excerpt:
Former President Donald Trump used his “enemies from within” line to suggest that Americans were responsible for a classified documents leak.
Trump claimed without evidence that an “enemy from within” leaked highly classified U.S. intelligence documents involving Israel. The FBI is investigating the incident.
“They leaked all the information about the way that Israel’s going to fight and how they are going to fight and where they are going to go. And somebody — who did that? Can you imagine somebody doing that? That’s the enemy. I guess that maybe is the enemy from within, as I talked about,” Trump said at an event focused on Latino leaders Tuesday.
“We have an enemy from within,” Trump continued, adding, “They hate to talk about it. Can you imagine? So we just can’t stand for this incompetence anymore.”
White House officials have said it has not been determined yet whether the documents were leaked or hacked, but they said they do not expect additional leaks. The documents in question were each dated Oct. 15 and Oct. 16, purportedly from U.S. government agencies, including the National Security Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Their contents focused on Israel’s expected retaliatory attack against Iran.
While it is unclear exactly who “they” Trump is referring to, he did reaffirm that his “enemies from within” line is, in fact, referring to his political opponents. When asked on Fox News to clarify his comments about using law enforcement or the military against those who disagree with him, Trump confirmed he was talking about former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA).
“What they’ve done is so terrible. Who’s ever heard of anything like this? Adam shifty Schiff. He’s a crooked guy. He’s a crooked politician. 100% he’s going to be a senator,” Trump said on Sunday. “Of course, he’s an enemy. He’s an enemy. He wanted to put my son in jail.”
“We have a lot of bad people. But when you look at Shifty Schiff and some of the others, yeah, they are, to me, the enemy from within. I think Nancy Pelosi is an enemy from within. She lied,” Trump continued.
FBI Investigates Leak on Israel’s Iran Strike Plans – devdiscourse
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed no employees from the Office of the Secretary of Defense are under investigation for a leak concerning Israel’s strike on Iran. The FBI is probing the release of classified documents, while social media falsely accused a Defense Department employee.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has confirmed that no employees from the Office of the Secretary of Defense are currently being scrutinized in relation to a leak of U.S. intelligence about Israel’s plans to strike Iran. Speaking in Rome, Austin assured reporters that no OSD officials have been implicated in the investigation.
According to the FBI, the inquiry is focused on the unauthorized public disclosure of two highly classified documents that detail Israel’s intention for a retaliatory operation against Iran. The Bureau made this announcement on Tuesday, reinforcing a commitment to uncover the source of the leak.
Israel targets Hezbollah-run banks as U.S. probes alleged leak of Iran attack plan– www.cbsnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
The White House says President Biden is “deeply concerned” about the possible leak of American intelligence about Israel’s plans for an attack on Iran. Meanwhile, Israel is turning up pressure on Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, targeting the group’s financial network. Debora Patta reports.
The U.S. is now threatening to cut off aid to Israel if they don’t provide more humanitarian aid to Hamas. The Biden administration is giving Israel 30 days to improve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza or risk losing U.S. military aid. The threat comes as Israel prepares to respond to Iran’s missile assault. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin both signed the letter sent to Netanyahu.
Biden Threatens to Halt Military Aid to Israel if Humanitarian Conditions in Gaza ‘Not Improved’– legalinsurrection.com Source Link Excerpt:
With Hamas holding over a hundred Israeli hostages for more than a year and terrorists regrouping in northern Gaza, President Joe Biden’s administration has reportedly threatened to cut U.S. military aid to Israel if humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian enclave are ‘not improved’ in the next 30 days.
“The Biden administration sent a letter to Israeli leaders on Monday demanding Israel take steps within 30 days to improve the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza or risk the supply of U.S. weapons to Israel being affected,” Israeli journalist Barak Ravid reported in the new website Axios.
“The Biden administration is extremely concerned about the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, especially as Israeli Defense Forces renew their operations in the northern Gaza Strip,” Ravid noted.
A recent letter jointly signed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin threatened to halt U.S. military aid.
“In the letter, Blinken and Austin said recent evacuation orders issued by the IDF to the population in Gaza have forced about 1.7 million Palestinians into a small strip of land on the Gaza coast, exposing them to dangerous diseases.” the Axios article said. “They added that international aid organizations claim they can’t address the needs of Palestinian civilians and that trucks of humanitarian aid paid for by the U.S. are being held up by Israel at the border crossings with Gaza.”
The ultimatum from Washington comes as Israeli ground troops are pressing ahead with a ground offensive against Hamas terrorist forces regrouping in the area of Jabaliya, northern Gaza.
🚨IDF forces of the 162nd Division have been operating for over a week in Jabaliya, North Gaza. The area is cut off, dozens of Hams terrorists have been neutralized, and many weapon stores have been uncovered. The fight continues. pic.twitter.com/vmuhLoCAjO
While Biden White House is putting pressure on Israel, Hamas is doing everything possible to maximize civilian casualties in Gaza. The Iran-backed jihadist group is using brute force to stop Gazans from moving to designated safe zones as the Israeli military advances on the Hamas stronghold of Jabaliya.
“Hamas is actively preventing Gazan civilians from heeding the IDF’s calls to move away from the combat zone in Jabaliya,” the IDF said in a press statement Monday. “In one conversation between an IDF representative and a Gazan civilian during the evacuation, the Gazan civilian described how Hamas forces were hitting them with sticks in order to prevent them from evacuating from the area.”
Since October 1, over 9,000 tons of humanitarian aid including food, water, gas, shelter equipment and medical supplies have entered Gaza through various crossings.
As shown in the video, some of the aid was transferred directly into northern Gaza. pic.twitter.com/gYslbAQfNv
The military “remains committed to facilitating humanitarian aid, especially in the medical field, while continuing its efforts to dismantle Hamas’ military and governance infrastructure embedded inside civilian areas,” the IDF assured in a statement Tuesday.
Iran’s Quds Force chief Qaani, missing for weeks after Beirut airstrike, shown on state TV
The top general of Iran’s Islamic Guard (IRGC) and chief of the Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, has finally appeared on state TV after weeks of speculations about his fate. Qaani, who is in charge of Iran’s international terrorist activities, went missing in late September after an Israeli airstrike in Beirut targeted Hezbollah’s new likely chief, Hashem Safieddine.
Recent Arab media reports suggested that the Quds Force chief was being interrogated by the IRGC for allegedly passing on intelligence to Israel.
Putting an end to weeks of speculation about his fate, Esmail Ghaani, the commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force, made a public appearance at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport early Tuesday. His presence dispels rumors of his death or injury that had circulated following an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs in late September.
In the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday, Esmail Ghaani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force, was spotted at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport. He was there to receive the body of Abbas Nilforoushan, a high-ranking official of the organization in Lebanon, who was killed alongside Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut.
Iran’s state television aired on Tuesday morning footage showing Esmail Qaani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards during a ceremony that was held for the arrival of the body of Abbas Nilforoushan, the IRGC’s regional commander who was killed in Lebanon.… pic.twitter.com/qOtMbP0ssX
Qaani was promoted to lead the Quds Forces in early 2020 after his predecessor Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump.
Israeli airstrike eliminates Hezbollah’s drone commander in Southern Lebanon
The Israeli armed forces eliminated a senior Hezbollah drone commander in a recent airstrike in southern Lebanon, the IDF announced Tuesday.
“A few days ago, the IAF [Israeli Air Force] eliminated the terrorist Khader Al-Abed Bahja, responsible for the area north of the Litani River in the Hezbollah terrorist organization’s Aerial Unit in the area of Nabatieh,” the IDF disclosed in a statement. “Under Bahja’s command, numerous aerial attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops were carried out from the area, making use of UAVs, surveillance aircraft, and explosive aircraft.”
Hezbollah’s Iranian-supplied drones pose a serious threat to Israeli military and civilians alike. On Sunday night, four Israeli soldiers were killed, and nearly 60 servicemen and civilians were injured in a Hezbollah drone strike in northern Israel.
As the Israeli ground offensive in Southern Lebanon enters its third week. The air force hit terror targets all across the Hezbollah-dominated country. “Over the past day, in coordination with ground troops, the IAF struck more than 200 Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon and deep within Lebanon, including terrorist cells, anti-tank missile posts, and surface-to-surface missile launchers,” the IDF disclosed Tuesday.
IDF captures Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon, brings them for interrogation to Israel
Israeli troops arrested three Hezbollah terror operatives in southern Lebanon. The terrorist, members od Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, have been brought to Israel for interrogation, the IDF confirmed Tuesday.
🚨BREAKING🚨IDF forces captured 3 Hezbollah terrorists from the Radwan Force after they surrendered when they were located in an underground tunnel inside a Lebanese village. They were interrogated by Unit 504 and then brought to Israel for further investigation. pic.twitter.com/tds2JkDgjS
The IDF says it has arrested three members of the Hezbollah terror group’s elite Radwan force.
The three Radwan members were found in a shaft underneath a building, the IDF says.
The three were interrogated in the field after surrendering and were subsequently transferred to a prison facility in Israel.
The IDF separately publishes a video clip of the interrogation of a Hezbollah operative who claims that Radwan fighters ran away following Israel’s assassination of Hassan Nasrallah
Israeli Fear Of Iran Nuclear Bomb Rises: Lawmaker’s Plea To Netanyahu Amid IDF Attack On Tehran Prep – hindustantimes.com Source Link Excerpt:
Published on Oct 09, 2024 11:21 PM IST
Israeli Parliamentarian Moshe Saada from Netanyahu’s MK Party made a plea to govt. Saada reportedly called on the Israeli PM to order a strike on Iran’s nuclear sites. He proposed the strike in retaliation for Tehran’s missile attack on Oct 1. Watch this video for all the details.
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Israel considering exiling Hamas leaders in Gaza as part of ceasefire deal– www.mirror.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
Israeli officials are considering exiling Gaza’s Hamas leaders including the shadowy boss Yahya Sinwar – and having them sent to Sudan.
The Sudan option, if done with Sinwar’s consent, would be part of a ceasefire deal involving the release of hostages still in the Palestinian Strip. If the swap-for-exile agreement is struck it may mean some of Hamas’ assets frozen in Sudan by its government could be unfrozen, although it is not known where they would go.
Former Iranian President Says “the highest person in charge of the counter-Israel unit at the Iranian Intelligence Ministry was an Israeli Mossad agent”– www.reddit.com Source Link
Israel obliterates hundreds of targets in Lebanon after Hezbollah leader vowed revenge for pager blitz that left 37 dead– www.thesun.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
ISRAEL has bombed hundreds of targets just hours after Hezbollah’s leader vowed revenge for the sabotage attack that left 37 dead.
Israel and Hezbollah trade heavy fire as cross-border strikes escalate– www.cbsnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
Israel and Hezbollah continued to trade hundreds of strikes on Sunday as the sides appear to be spiraling toward an all-out war following months of escalating tensions.
The Iran-backed militant group launched more than 100 rockets across a wider and deeper area of northern Israel, with some landing near the city of Haifa. The barrage overnight set off air raid sirens across northern Israel, sending thousands of people scrambling into shelters.
Israel’s military said the rockets were fired “toward civilian areas,” pointing to a possible escalation after previous barrages had mainly been aimed at military targets.
Israel could face further weapon sanctions as war fears escalate, hints Foreign Secretary David Lammy– www.thesun.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy hinted Israel could face further weapon sanctions as war fears escalated yesterday.
Labour has blocked some British arms shipments amid concerns over the bloodbath in Gaza, said to have claimed 40,000 Palestinian lives and violence against Arabs in Israel’s West Bank.
Mr Lammy said a full arms embargo on Israel would be a “mistake” – but left the door open to further curbs.
The Labour minister did not comment on the overnight barrage of 150 rockets fired by Hezbollah, but hit out at Israeli violence in the occupied territory.
Speaking at a Labour conference fringe meeting, Mr Lammy said: “I’m deeply, deeply worried by the growing violence and settler violence that we see in the West Bank.
“I’m in discussions with G7 partners, particular European partners on that.
Israel launches ‘Third Lebanon War’ as IDF warplanes pound Hezbollah targets | World | News– www.express.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
Israeli warplanes have begun striking targets in the south and east of Lebanon after the IDF warned locals to evacuate as it steps up its military operation against Hezbollah, with one official referring to it as the “Third Lebanon War.”.
IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee added on X: “Residents of Lebanese villages: The raids will begin in the near future – evacuate the houses where Hezbollah weapons are hidden immediately!
“Hezbollah is lying to you and sacrificing you. Hezbollah says that you are its environment and that you are its audience, but it seems that its missiles and drones are more valuable and important to it than you.”
An Israeli security source told the Hebrew outlet Ynet that Israel expected a massive response from Hezbollah after the attack adding: “There are days ahead of us when the public will have to show composure.” They referred to the conflict as the “Third Lebanon War”.
By a vote of 124-14, the United Nations has passed a non-binding resolution demanding Israel leave Gaza and the West Bank completely within 12 months of the passing of the resolution. 43 nations abstained from voting. The United States was one of 14 nations voting against the resolution.
UN members vote 124-14 Israel must end ‘unlawful’ occupation of Palestinian territories– www.news24.com Source Link Excerpt:
UN member states voted Wednesday to formally demand an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories within 12 months and sanctions for non-compliance.
The non-binding resolution, which Israel claimed would fuel violence, calling it “distorted” and “cynical,” is based on an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) saying the occupation since 1967 was “unlawful.”
There were 124 votes in favour, 14 against and a notable 43 abstentions, with the Palestinian delegation heralding the adoption as “historic.”
Arab countries called the special session just days before dozens of world leaders meet at UN headquarters to address the kick off of this year’s General Assembly.
Israel seeking to close down Unrwa, says agency’s chief after school bombing | United Nations– www.theguardian.com Source Link Excerpt:
A campaign is under way to drive the UN relief agency for Palestinians, Unrwa, out of existence, its commissioner general has said, days after 18 people were killed when Israeli jets bombed an Unrwa school in Gaza.
Philippe Lazzarini said in an interview that the Israeli government was seeking to close down the agency, having failed to persuade western donors to stop funding it on the grounds of allegations about links between Unrwa staff and Hamas.
“This deliberate attempt to eliminate Unrwa and prevent it from operating would have devastating consequences for the multilateral system, the UN and the cause of a Palestinian transition to self-determination,” Lazzarini said.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has ordered the deployment additional warships, naval cruisers and fighter jets to the Middle East ahead of what is expected to be a regional escalation starting with a massive attack against Israel by Iran and its proxies from Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, the Palestinian Authority and Gaza.
“Since the horrific Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the Secretary of Defense has reiterated that the United States will protect our personnel and interests in the region, including our ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said Friday in a statement on America’s force posture in the Middle East.
“Secretary Austin has ordered adjustments to US military posture designed to improve US force protection, to increase support for the defense of Israel, and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to various contingencies,” Singh said.
Austin has ordered the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN Carrier Strike Group to replace the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT Carrier Strike Group, currently on deployment in the Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.
In addition, Austin ordered additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers to the US European Command (EUCOM) and US Central Command (CENTCOM) regions, and increasing US readiness to deploy additional land-based ballistic missile defense.
Hezbollah attacks Israeli military headquarters with squadron of drones
The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah says it has targeted an Israeli military headquarters in the northern occupied Palestinian territories with a squadron of suicide drones.
Hezbollah said in a statement on Monday morning that the aerial attack was launched from Lebanon on Israel’s newly established 91st Division in the Elite Barracks, located in the Upper Galilee region.
The resistance movement added that a number of the regime’s troops were killed or injured in the drone strike.
The fighters of the Islamic resistance targeted “the positions and settlements of the officers and soldiers, hitting them directly and inflicting of them a number of killed and wounded.”
The resistance movement noted that the air raid was carried out in support of Gaza and in retaliation for the regime’s assassinations of its members during attacks on several Lebanese towns.
Since the start of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, Hezbollah and the regime’s military have been exchanging fires along Lebanon’s southern border.
Also on Sunday, Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets towards the northern side of the occupied Palestinian territories to avenge a deadly Israeli attack that had earlier targeted the southern part of Lebanon.
The movement fired more than 50 rockets towards the Beit Hillel settlement in the Upper Galilee region, triggering a fire there, various Israeli media outlets reported.
BREAKING: Around 50 Rockets Fired From Southern Lebanon Towards Israel
Footage is circulating of the Iron Dome intercepting the reported missiles.
The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon announced early Sunday including a new settlement in northern occupied Palestine to its target bank in response to the Israeli attacks on civilians in Lebanon on Saturday.
In a statement, Hezbollah said that “in response to the Israeli enemy’s attacks on the steadfast southern villages and the safe homes, particularly the attacks on the villages of Kafr Kila and Deir Siryan that resulted in civilian injuries,” it added the settlement of Beit Hillel to its list of targets for the first time, targeting it with dozens of Katyusha rockets.
The last time Israel went to war with Hezbollah in 2006, it threatened to “turn Lebanon’s clock back 20 years” and drive the militant movement from the border. When the conflict ended a month later, Hezbollah had been battered and bruised, but its fighters remained in place.
The back-to-back assassinations of senior figures in Hezbollah and its ally Hamas in the past week have intensified fears that the two arch foes – which have traded blows with increasing intensity since Hamas’ October 7 attack – are once more sliding towards all-out war.
Turkey and Israel traded sharp barbs on Sunday, with President Tayyip Erdogan seeming to threaten military action against Israel as tensions heated up between the Jewish state and Hezbollah.
Israel in turn warned that Erdogan’s fate could become akin to that of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who was executed by hanging.
“Erdogan is following in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein by threatening to attack Israel. He should remember what happened there and how it ended,” Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote in a post on X, in which he linked a photograph of Erdogan and Hussein.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday compared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in a post on X. “Just as genocidal Hitler ended, so will genocidal Netanyahu,” the post stated.
“Just as the genocidal Nazis were held accountable, those who tried to destroy the Palestinians will also be held accountable,” it added. “Humanity will stand with the Palestinians.”
On Saturday, July 27, a rocket allegedly coming from the Iran-back Islamist terror cell Hezbollah struck a Druze village in the Golan Heights, killing 12 children. The attack has led to Netanyahu threatening war in Lebanon even as the operation in Gaza hits a major moment as Israel’s central Gaza campaign pushes on.
Israel has already responded with strikes deep inside Lebanon targeting Hezbollah strongholds. As Israel faces a rising threat to its northern border, it submitted an updated proposal for a Gaza ceasefire deal, coincidently on the same day as the attack that killed 12 children.
Israel vowed on Sunday to “hit the enemy hard” after rocket fire from Lebanon killed 12 young people in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights and fanned fears that the war in Gaza will spread.
Iran warned Israel that any new military “adventures” in Lebanon could lead to “unforeseen consequences”.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Saturday’s rocket fire and called on all parties to “exercise maximum restraint”.
Israel’s army called it “the deadliest attack on Israeli civilians” since the October 7 attack that began the current fighting in Gaza and triggered regular exchanges of fire across the Lebanese border.
Israel blamed Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement for firing a Falaq-1 Iranian rocket but the Iran-backed group — which has regularly targeted Israeli military positions — said it had “no connection” to the incident.
It said, however, that it had fired one such rocket on Saturday towards an Israeli military target in the Golan.
The rocket fire in Majdal Shams, whose population are Arabic-speaking Druze, prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to return early from the United States.
Israel delivered to the U.S. on Saturday its updated proposal for the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, according to an Israeli senior official and two other sources with knowledge of the issue.
Why it matters: The negotiations over the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal are at a critical juncture.
President Biden, who sees freeing the hostages and ending the war in Gaza as key to his legacy, told the families of U.S. hostages on Thursday that he will continue pushing for a deal in the time he has left in office.
Driving the news: The proposal was delivered ahead of a meeting on Sunday in Rome between Mossad director David Barnea, CIA director Bill Burns, the Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani and the head of Egyptian intelligence Abbas Kamel to discuss the hostage deal.
ISRAEL’S foreign minister has warned of an “all-out war” with Hezbollah after blaming the militant group for a rocket attack in Golan Heights.
The missile hit a village in the Israel-occupied region on Saturday evening, killing 12 young people including children.
Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) quickly pointed fingers at Iran-backed Hezbollah, who operate out of southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah, a staunch supporter of terror-group Hamas, has launched renewed attacks against Israel since war broke out in the Gaza Strip in October last year.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned a crunch meeting of his security cabinet following the attack and vowed revenge on the group.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced the dissolution of the War Cabinet. The move came after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer resigned. The recent announcement by the military to suspend Gaza operations in the daytime met with disapproval by Netanyahu, which also may have contributed to Netanyahu’s actions.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved the six-member war cabinet, an Israeli official said on Monday, in a widely expected move that came after the departure from government of the centrist former general Benny Gantz.
Netanyahu is now expected to hold consultations about the Gaza war with a small group of ministers, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer who had been in the war cabinet.
The prime minister had faced demands from the nationalist-religious partners in his coalition, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, to be included in the war cabinet, a move which would have intensified strains with international partners including the United States.
The forum was formed after Gantz joined Netanyahu in a national unity government at the start of the war in October and also included Gantz’s partner Gadi Eisenkot and Aryeh Deri, head of the religious party Shas, as observers.
A large group of anti-Israel protesters took over and barricaded a campus building at the California State University, Los Angeles, on Wednesday night, trapping school employees inside.
Between 50 and 100 protesters blocked off entrances and exits at the student services building, according to KTLA 5. Video footage showed protesters wearing kaffiyehs and face coverings using golf carts, picnic tables and umbrellas to create a makeshift wall along the building’s perimeter.
Some of the protesters, who had reportedly come from a nearby encampment, sat in chairs chained to columns at the base of the building.
