The conflict between neighboring countries has been escalating for a year. Attack is followed by retaliation. Biden is expected to speak to Netanyahu on the phone today for the first time in almost two months.
The Lebanese Hezbollah militia and the Israeli armed forces fire at each other almost every day – a year after the fighting began, the situation is getting worse: at least 36 people were killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon on Tuesday alone, and 150 others were injured, as the Lebanese Ministry of Health announced . Meanwhile, the Shiite militia Hezbollah fired around 180 rockets from Lebanon into Israel, according to the Israeli military. In view of a possible retaliatory strike by Israel against Iran, US President Joe Biden is expected to speak by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today. According to a report, Netanyahu is said to have coordinated with Israeli ministers and military officials on Tuesday evening about the nature and scope of an attack.
Ministry: Over 2,000 people killed in Lebanon
The Iran-allied Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel on October 7, 2023, a day after the massacre carried out by the Islamist Hamas and other extremists. Houses and cars were damaged in the shelling on Tuesday. A woman was slightly injured in the third largest city of Haifa. The Israeli military, for its part, repeatedly attacked Shiite militia positions. Recently, the Luftwaffe significantly expanded its attacks. On Tuesday alone, the emergency committee of the caretaker Lebanese government registered 137 Israeli air strikes in Lebanon.
According to official figures, at least 2,119 people have been killed and 10,019 others injured in Lebanon since the fighting broke out a year ago. The Ministry of Health does not distinguish between civilians and Hezbollah fighters.
Activists: Several dead in air strike on Damascus
According to human rights activists and Syrian state media, several people were killed in a suspected Israeli air strike on the Syrian capital Damascus. The target of the attack was a building frequently visited by leaders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. There were no Iranian citizens among the victims, the Isna news agency reported, citing Iran’s embassy in Damascus. In April, two Revolutionary Guard generals were killed in a suspected Israeli attack in the Syrian capital.
Report: Biden wants to talk to Netanyahu on the phone
After almost two months of radio silence, Biden is expected to speak to Netanyahu on the phone today, according to a report. This was reported by the US news portal Axios, citing three US officials. Netanyahu met with ministers and the heads of Israel’s military and intelligence services on Tuesday evening to make a decision on the scope and timing of Israeli strikes, it said, citing two Israeli officials. Israel’s retaliation is expected to be significant and will include a combination of airstrikes on military targets in Iran and covert attacks.
Israeli Defense Minister Galant’s US trip postponed
The Israeli government had previously canceled a visit by Defense Minister Joav Galant to the USA at short notice. “We have been informed that Secretary Galant is postponing his trip to Washington,” said Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh. According to a report by Axios, Netanyahu did not want to authorize his defense minister’s trip until the security cabinet had decided on a response to the Iranian missile attack and the head of government had not spoken to Biden. Relations between Washington and Tel Aviv have recently been tense due to US criticism of Israel’s conduct of the war.
Media: Secret talks with Iran about ceasefire on all fronts
According to a report by Israel’s Channel 12, the United States and several Arab states have begun secret talks with Iran about a ceasefire on all fronts. Israel is not currently involved in the talks but has been informed about them. Last week, Iran directly attacked Israel with around 200 rockets. The government in Tehran also supports the Shiite militia Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi militia in Yemen, which in turn repeatedly attack Israel. “We are currently in a position of strength. A ceasefire would have to be agreed on our terms,” Channel 12 quoted a senior Israeli official as saying.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
