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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has outlined proposals for the governance of Gaza after the war. “Gaza residents are Palestinian, therefore Palestinian bodies will be in charge, with the condition that there will be no hostile actions or threats against the State of Israel,” Gallant said. “Israel will not govern Gaza’s civilians,” he said, but added that Israel would militarily retain “operational freedom of action” to take any action to “ensure that Gaza will pose no threat to Israel.” James Shotter reports for the Financial Times.
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are intensifying operations in southern and central Gaza and have urged Palestinians to use a coastal road to evacuate the area. The IDF posted instructions on X stating, “The humanitarian corridor of Al-Rasheed Street…will be open to travel only from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip, be it on foot or by car, starting today, between 09:00 hours and 16:00 hours.” Celine Alkhaldi and Magdy Abbas report for CNN.
The IDF and the Israeli Security Agency said they have killed Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s chief of operational staff in northern Gaza. The IDF said Lolo had planned and carried out multiple attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers. Lauren Izso reports for CNN.
The U.N. Palestinian Refugee Agency is working to verify reports of the killing of displaced civilians at its facilities this week. At least 319 people have been killed in incidents at its facilities since the war broke out. Doha Madani reports for NBC News.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — REGIONAL RESPONSE
Thousands of people attended the funeral in Beirut of Saleh Arouri, the top Hamas leader who was killed on Tuesday in a suspected Israeli attack. Crowds were seen waving Palestinian and Hamas flags amid the sound of prayers, music, and heavy gunfire. Hugo Bachega reports for BBC News.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. RESPONSE
The Biden administration has not conducted “any kind of formal assessment” to analyze Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law in Gaza, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said yesterday. Kirby added, “We have not seen anything that would convince us that we need to take a different approach in terms of trying to help Israel defend itself.” Alexander Ward, Erin Banco, and Matt Berg reports for POLITICO.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told a visiting U.S. envoy yesterday that Israel needs a “new security reality” along its northern border with Lebanon. “Yet we find ourselves at a junction – there is a short window of time for diplomatic understandings, which we prefer. We will not tolerate the threats posed by the Iranian proxy, Hezbollah and we will ensure the security of our citizens,” Gallant said. Lauren Izso, Jeremy Diamond, and Sugam Pokharel report for CNN.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday in Tel Aviv. “I’m more dedicated now to bringing stability to your country and this region, because I think Iran’s goal is to destroy your efforts to reconcile with the Arab world,” Graham said. “It’s a nightmare for the ayatollah. It’s an absolutely essential ingredient to a better more stable Mideast and a safe and secure Israel and a prosperous Palestinian people.” Doha Madani reports for NBC News.
ATTACKS IN IRAN
The self-styled Islamic State militant group (IS) has claimed responsibility via its Telegram channels for the attack in Iran that killed 84 people during a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of Qasem Soleimani’s killing by the United States. Iran initially claimed Israel and the United States were behind the attacks. The IS group provided generic names for the attackers,making it difficult to ascertain if they were Iranians or foreigners. Frank Gardner and David Gritten report for BBC News.
IRAN-BACKED MILITANTS
The U.S. military conducted a drone strike in Baghdad yesterday that killed a militia leader of an Iran-backed militant group who Washington blamed for recent attacks on U.S. personnel. The Pentagon said U.S. forces took “necessary and proportionate action” in “self-defense” against the Harakat al-Nujaba group, adding that no civilians were harmed. Iraqi security officials said the drone killed two others in addition to the commander. An Iraqi government spokesperson condemned the United States for the attack, labeling it a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty and security of Iraq” which is “no different from a terrorist attack.” Alissa J. Rubin and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times.
A Houthi drone boat carrying explosives detonated in an attack on shipping lanes in the Red Sea yesterday, one day after the U.S.-led coalition issued a final warning to the group. No casualties or damage were reported, the U.S. navy said. Phil Stewart reports for Reuters.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
North Korea fired more than 200 rounds of artillery shells off its west coast toward South Korea’s Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong Islands in a “provocative act,” South Korea’s military said. The shells landed in an inter-Korean maritime buffer zone north of the Northern Limit Line, a disputed border created by the U.N. after theKorean War. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the act “threatens peace and heightens tensions on the Korean Peninsula.” No damage or injuries were caused. Gawon Bae, Jessie Yeung, and Brad Lendon report for CNN.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s young daughter, believed to be around 10 years old, is his “most likely” successor, the South Korea National Intelligence Service (NIS) has said. However, the NIS said it was still examining “all possibilities” in North Korea’s succession plan. Joel Guinto reports for BBC News.
Myanmar’s military government will release 9,652 prisoners, including 114 foreign prisoners, the state media reported yesterday. Reuters reports.
Lawyers for pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai said yesterday they have appealed to the U.N. Special Rapporteur on torture over the treatment of a witness who gave incriminating evidence. “Credible evidence is emerging that Andy Li was tortured when in prison in China before confessing to allegedly conspiring with Jimmy Lai to collude with foreign entities to endanger national security,” Lai’s legal team said. Reuters reports.
Eight former Indian naval officers face prison sentences of “varying” lengths, after initially being sentenced to death in Qatar. Neither Qatar nor India have revealed the charges against the men, but the officers were reportedly charged with spying for Israel. Meryl Sebastian reports for BBC News.
The Indian navy said today it has deployed a ship carrying up to six armed people and a patrol aircraft to the Arabian Sea following a hijacking attempt of a Liberian-flagged carrier. AP News reports.
Two Chinese navy vessels shadowed U.S. and Philippine vessels conducting joint patrols in the South China Sea, the Philippine military said yesterday. The Philippines’ national security adviser later released a statement saying his country remains open to diplomacy with China, in response to comments by a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson calling the patrols “irresponsible.” Manila and Washington carried out two-day patrols, ending yesterday. Reuters reports.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE DEVELOPMENTS
Russia used ballistic missiles and launchers supplied by North Korea in Ukraine, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said. Kirby called it a “significant and concerning escalation” and said the United States would raise the issue at the U.N. Security Council and impose further sanctions on those facilitating Moscow-Pyongyang arms transfers. Russia denies allegations of such collaboration with North Korea. BBC News reports.
Britain issued a statement yesterday condemning “Russia’s decision to use ballistic missiles sourced from North Korea in recent attacks against Ukraine.” The statement adds, “North Korea is subject to a robust sanctions regime, and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure that North Korea pays a high price for supporting Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree yesterday to expedite citizenship for foreigners who enlist in Moscow’s military. Decisions under the new presidential decree will be made within one month, instead of the previous three month allowance under similar citizenship schemes announced by Putin last year. Dasha Litvinova reports for AP News.
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
New York Mayor Eric Adams has filed a lawsuit against 17 transportation companies he said executed a plan by Texas Governor Greg Abbott that sent more than 30,000 migrants to New York City and made the city pay for their care. The lawsuit seeks over $700 million in damages, amounting to the cost of sheltering the migrants, and argues that making New York liable for the costs violates state law. Abbott said the lawsuit is “baseless and deserves to be sanctioned.” Dana Rubinstein reports for the New York Times.
Government buildings across the southern United States received bomb threats for a second consecutive day yesterday. In Mississippi, the Department of Public Safety wrote on X that “multiple bomb threats at various locations across the state” prompted officials to take “precautionary measures” and undertake “standard emergency procedures.” The agency confirmed bomb teams have been deployed to locations throughout the state. Arkansas, Florida, Maine, and Massachusetts also reported several threats. Adam Edelman reports for NBC News.
TRUMP-LEGAL MATTERS
Former President Trump’s businesses received at least $7.8 million from 20 foreign governments including China and Saudi Arabia during his presidency, according to a new report by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee. The report argues that the foreign payments it identified are “likely only a small fraction” of the true total Trump’s entities received, due to incomplete disclosures. Jack Gillum and Kate O’Keeffe report for the Wall Street Journal.
Trump will personally appear in federal court before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Tuesday, when his attorneys will argue that he is immune from prosecution on charges of federal election interference. Jonathan Allen, Daniel Barnes, and Garrett Haake report for NBC News.