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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
ISRAEL-IRAN DEVELOPMENTS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Iran “made a big mistake” and “will pay for it,” after Tehran fired around 180 missiles at Israel yesterday, saying it was in response to the killings of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders. Israel’s military confirmed the missiles targeted three military bases and the Mossad headquarters in Tel Aviv. The IDF said most of the missiles were intercepted and the damage was minimal, but shrapnel killed one Palestinian in the West Bank. BBC News reports; Patrick Kingsley, Aaron Boxerman, Farnaz Fassihi, and Isabel Kershner report for the New York Times; CNN reports.
Israeli officials told Axios that Israel will launch a “significant retaliation” to the missile attack within days that could target strategic sites inside Iran. Tehran has said that if Israel responds with force, it will attack again. If that happens, Israeli officials say all options will be on the table – including strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Barak Ravid reports.
Iran’s supreme leader today blamed tension and wars in the Middle East on “U.S. and some European countries,” telling them to “get lost” from the region so that countries can live in peace. Ghoncheh Habibiazad reports for BBC News.
ISRAEL-IRAN DEVELOPMENTS — U.S. RESPONSE
President Biden said yesterday that the U.S. military “actively supported” Israel’s defense against Iran’s missile attack. “Make no mistake, the United States is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel,” Biden said. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that U.S. naval destroyers had joined Israel in shooting down missiles after “meticulous joint planning in anticipation of the attack.” Patrick Kingsley, Aaron Boxerman, Farnaz Fassihi, and Isabel Kershner report for the New York Times.
Tehran will face “severe consequences” for yesterday’s missile attack, the White House said. U.S. officials called the attack ineffective but a “significant escalation” nonetheless. Missy Ryan, Dan Lamothe, Karen DeYoung, and Michael Birnbaum report for the Washington Post.
ISRAEL-IRAN DEVELOPMENTS — REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
U.S. bases in Iraq and the region will be targets if Washington joins any response to Iranian strikes on Israel or if Israel uses Iraqi airspace against Tehran, Iraqi armed groups said today. Reuters reports.
The U.K. armed forces were involved in yesterday’s operation shooting down Iranian missiles, Britain’s defense secretary confirmed. Joe Stanley-Smith reports for POLITICO.
French President Emmanuel Macron said today that France is committed to Israel’s protection and has “mobilized its military resources in the Middle East to counter the Iranian threat.” Barbara Surk reports for AP News.
ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH CONFLICT
Israel is sending “additional forces” to its ground operation in Lebanon and has told more villages to evacuate. Regular infantry and armored units are joining the operation, the military said, stepping up pressure on Hezbollah. The group claimed it repelled an Israeli ground attack in Lebanon today, and has continued firing rockets at Israel. BBC News reports; Steven Scheer, Parisa Hafezi, and Timour Azhari report for Reuters.
Israel’s recent airstrikes in Lebanon destroyed about half of Hezbollah’s arsenal it had accumulated over more than three decades, according to senior Israeli and U.S. officials. Edward Wong, Julian E. Barnes, and Eric Schmitt reports for the New York Times.
Israel said that it has been secretly conducting raids into Lebanon for the past 11 months, as part of an effort to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure ahead of a broader ground operation that began Monday night. Officials said the military conducted at least 70 cross-border raids into southern Lebanon since November and found tunnels along the border allegedly filled with weapons. Dov Lieber, Carrie Keller-Lynn, and Anat Peled report for the Wall Street Journal.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Seven people were killed and 16 injured in a “combined stabbing and shooting attack” yesterday in Tel Aviv, Israeli police and emergency services said. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident. Israeli police identified the shooters as Palestinian residents of the West Bank. Rachel Pannett, Alon Rom, Adela Suliman, and Mikhail Klimentov report for the Washington Post; Liam Stack reports for the New York Times.
Israeli military strikes across Gaza killed at least 60 Palestinians overnight, including in a school sheltering displaced families, according to local medics. The Guardian reports.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Russian troops have reportedly captured the key eastern Ukrainian city of Vuhledar. Donetsk regional authorities said yesterday that Russian troops had almost reached the center of the city, which Russia has been trying to control since the start of the war. Abdujalil Abdurasulov reports for BBC News.
Ukraine is investigating what it said was an apparent fatal shooting of 16 Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian troops. Moscow did not immediately comment. Yuliia Dysa reports for Reuters.
The General Court of the European Union upheld its ban on the provision of legal advice to Russian entities and individuals in a judgment released earlier today. The prohibition does not apply to advice linked to judicial proceedings. Marine Strauss and Michal Aleksandrowicz report for Reuters.
HOUTHI ATTACKS
Yemen’s Houthis targeted military posts deep inside Israel with rockets, the group’s military spokesperson said today. The group said U.S. and Western support for Israel will put their interests “under fire.” Reuters reports.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
A former Florida congressional candidate has been charged with threatening to hire “a Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” to kill his political opponent in the 2023 Republican primary, Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL). Jiselle Lee reports for the Washington Post.
Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats have asked the Justice Department’s watchdog to investigate whether Trump appointees “interfered with, and ultimately, blocked” a criminal probe into whether Trump accepted $10 million from Egypt to boost his 2016 presidential campaign. Aaron C. Davis and Carol D. Leonning report for the Washington Post.
New York Mayor Eric Adams’ legal team is seeking sanctions on federal prosecutors for leaking details of their investigation to the media, according to a suit filed yesterday. Marcia Kramer reports for CBS News.
TRUMP LEGAL MATTERS
Former President Trump is seeking more redactions in the sealed brief filed by the prosecution in his federal Jan. 6 case, arguing that prosecutors want “their politically motivated manifesto to be public,” yesterday’s court filing shows. Sareen Habeshian reports for Axios.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
A suspected Chinese spy ring in Germany was collecting sensitive information about U.S. arms shipments to Israel and German weapons manufacturing, German officials said yesterday. Five alleged Chinese spies have been arrested in Germany so far this year. Bertrand Benoit reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Canada’s embattled Prime Minister Justin Trudeau survived a second parliamentary no confidence vote yesterday. Several further non-confidence votes are expected in the coming weeks. Nadine Yousif reports for BBC News.
Mexico’s new President Claudia Sheinbaum took office yesterday, the first woman and Jewish person to lead the nation. Emiliano Rodríguez Mega and Natalie Kitroeff report for the New York Times.