Israel "fully prepared for maneuvers" against Hezbollah in Lebanon as deaths from airstrikes top 600
CBSN
Israel's military hinted for the first time Wednesday of possible ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, with a top commander stressing the need to be ready for "maneuvers and action" against the Iran-backed group. This comes after more than a week of airstrikes that Lebanese officials say have killed more than 600 people and displaced thousands.
The U.S. has urged Israel to focus on diplomacy rather than escalating its fight with Hezbollah, with concern growing that a full-scale war between the longtime foes could mushroom into a wider conflict that puts American forces in the Middle East at greater risk and destabilizes the volatile region.
"We have entered a new phase of the campaign," Major General Ori Gordin, the Israel Defense Forces commander for the north of the country, said Tuesday, according to a statement released Wednesday by the IDF. Crossfire between the IDF and Hezbollah across Israel's northern border with Lebanon has ramped up since the U.S.-designated terrorist group's Hamas allies launched their Oct. 7 massacre, sparking the ongoing war in Hamas-ruled Gaza.
Warsaw, Poland — European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday pledged billions of euros in aid for Central European countries that suffered enormous damage to infrastructure and housing during the massive flooding that has so far claimed 24 lives in the region. Von der Leyen paid a quick visit to a flood-damaged area in southeast Poland and met with heads of the governments of the affected countries — Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
TEL AVIV, Israel — The recent attacks targeting Hezbollah members with exploding pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon may seem to be the stuff of spy novels, but the impact and implications of the complex operations blamed on Israel are very real. Lebanese officials said at least 30 people were killed and some 3,000 wounded by the explosions, and the chief of Hezbollah acknowledged Thursday that the Iran-backed militant group had taken a serious blow.
Washington — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to be among just a small handful of global political leaders to meet with both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump next week as dignitaries travel to the United States for a series of global-themed events amid the ongoing American presidential election.