The Israeli military says that it has attacked Hezbollah positions in the Qabrikha district of southern Lebanon, from which a barrage of rockets was fired at the Golan Heights earlier Tuesday, killing two Israelis. The IDF said that its fighter jets also attacked military positions in Kfar Kila.
The pier built by the U.S. military to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza will be reinstalled Wednesday to be used for several days, but then the plan is to pull it out permanently, several U.S. officials said.
The officials said the goal is to clear whatever aid has piled up in Cyprus and on the floating dock offshore and get it to the secure area on the beach in Gaza. Once that has been done, the Army will dismantle the pier and depart.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, highlighting the “enduring Egyptian-U.S. strategic partnership” according to a statement by State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller.
The two discussed ongoing “diplomatic efforts to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza, the release of the hostages… and work to establish governance, security, and reconstruction in Gaza in the post-conflict period in a way that builds lasting peace and security,” according to the statement.
Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta Platforms Inc. announced changes to its hate speech policy on Tuesday that will include removing posts that attack “Zionists” when the word is to refer to “Jews and Israelis with dehumanizing comparisons, calls for harm, or denials of existence,” according to a statement from Meta’s Policy Forum, posted to their website.
“We will remove content attacking ‘Zionists’ when it is not explicitly about the political movement, but instead uses antisemitic stereotypes, or threatens other types of harm through intimidation, or violence directed against Jews or Israelis under the guise of attacking Zionists,” the statement reads.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs Jessica Lewis is leaving the Biden administration after nearly three years. Under her watch, the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs has played a vital role in surging military assistance to Israel following the October 7 attack.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines accused Iran of capitalizing on pro-Palestinian protests in America in a statement: “In recent weeks, Iranian government actors have sought to opportunistically take advantage of ongoing protests regarding the war in Gaza, using a playbook we’ve seen other actors use over the years. We have observed actors tied to Iran’s government posing as activists online, seeking to encourage protests, and even providing financial support to protesters.”
“I want to be clear that I know Americans who participate in protests are, in good faith, expressing their views on the conflict in Gaza – this intelligence does not indicate otherwise,” Haines added.
She then stated: “Furthermore, Americans who are being targeted by this Iranian campaign may not be aware that they are interacting with or receiving support from a foreign government. We urge all Americans to remain vigilant as they engage online with accounts and actors they do not personally know.”
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that dozens were killed and wounded in an IDF strike on a tent camp and school compound in eastern Khan Yunis. Medical sources said at least 15 people were killed in the attack and dozens were wounded.
Medical sources in Gaza say the death toll is expected to rise due to the severe wounds.
