MIDDLE EAST UPDATES : U.S. DEFENSE SEC URGES DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION IN ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH ESCALATION

Mario Nawfal
@MarioNawfal
🚨12 HOUR NEWS RECAP

1.⁠ ⁠After meeting with Bukele at Tesla’s Texas Gigafactory, Elon said, “We talked a lot about the nature of reality, the future of humanity, and how technology like AI and robotics affect the world. El Salvador has an amazing leader.”

2.⁠ ⁠Legal experts claimed the sex-trafficking case against Sean “Diddy” Combs could be even stronger than the one against Nxivm sex cult leader Keith Raniere, who is serving a sentence of over 100 years.

3.⁠ ⁠Netanyahu made his first comments following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburb, which killed 15 and injured 66. “Our goals are clear, and our actions speak for themselves.”

4.⁠ Trump talked about his increasing belief in the existence of aliens after he spoke with Air Force pilots who had encountered them.

5.⁠ ⁠Despite Russia claiming it shot down over 100 drones, some of them bypassed their air defenses and struck an ammo depot in the Tikhoretsky District of Krasnodar Krai causing massive explosions that were seen for miles.

6.⁠ ⁠⁠Elon revealed there are so many Starlink satellites in orbit now that “the probability that a satellite is directly overhead is very high.”

7.⁠ ⁠Nearly 30,000 residents on the western Japanese island of Honshu have been advised to evacuate following the region’s heaviest rainfall since 1975.

8.⁠ ⁠U.S. Army Private Travis King, who ran into North Korea in July 2023 and was detained, was sentenced to one year of confinement after pleading guilty to five charges, including desertion.

9.⁠ ⁠The U.S is set to announce a further $375 million aid package to Ukraine consisting of patrol boats, artillery ammunition, spare parts, and medium-range guided bombs for F-16s that can hit targets over 100 kilometers away.

10.⁠ The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), representing IRS agents, gave the endorsement, citing her role in supporting federal workers through the Inflation Reduction Act.

Mario Nawfal
@MarioNawfal
🇮🇱ISRAELI AIR DEFENSES ON HIGH ALERT

Israel has closed its northern airspace from the Hadera line to the north to all non-commercial traffic.

The decision comes the day after they carried out an airstrike on Beirut and is intended to reduce the likelihood of air defense systems mistakenly identifying civilian aircraft as potential targets.

Source: Channel 14 reporter

Mario Nawfal
@MarioNawfal
🇱🇧HEZBOLLAH NAMES 15 MEMBERS KILLED IN BEIRUT BOMBING

Hezbollah named 14 members who were killed in yesterday’s Israeli airstrike on Beirut alongside top commander Ibrahim Aqil.

One of those named by Hezbollah, Ahmed Wahabi, is identified as a “commander,” which is notable since Hezbollah rarely refers to its senior operatives killed in Israeli strikes as commanders.

The only other people referred to as commanders were Taleb Abdullah, the head of the Nasr regional division; Muhammad Nasser, the head of the Aziz regional division; and Wissam al-Tawil, the deputy head of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force.

Aqil and fellow slain member of the Jihad Council, Fuad Shukr, were referred to as “great jihadist leaders.”

Source: Times of Israel

Mario Nawfal
@MarioNawfal
🚨🇺🇸🇮🇱 U.S. DEFENSE SEC URGES DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION IN ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH ESCALATION

U.S. Sec of Defense Lloyd Austin expressed concern to Israeli DM Yoav Gallant about escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah, following an Israeli airstrike in Beirut.

Austin stressed the need for a diplomatic resolution to ensure the safety of residents on both sides of the border.

He also urged progress toward a Gaza cease-fire and reiterated the US’ strong commitment to Israel’s security amid the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah and Hamas.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Mario Nawfal
@MarioNawfal
🚨 12-HOUR NEWS RECAP

 1.⁠ ⁠🇱🇧🇮🇱Senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil was killed in an IDF airstrike in Beirut, along with members of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, according to security sources and Hezbollah. 12 People have died as a result of the airstrike.

 2.⁠ ⁠🇺🇸 The SEC is seeking sanctions against Elon for missing a testimony regarding his Twitter acquisition, despite it being rescheduled, with his lawyers calling the move unnecessary and excessive.

 3.⁠ ⁠🇮🇱Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed to continue targeting Hezbollah in Beirut until northern Israel is safe and residents can return to their homes.

 4.⁠ ⁠🇮🇹 Italian PM Meloni announced that anyone entering Italy illegally will be immediately deported.

 5.⁠ ⁠🇺🇸The Boeing labor strike, now in its second week, continues with little progress in negotiations, halting aircraft production and causing financial strain.

 6.⁠ ⁠🇷🇺CERN is set to expel hundreds of Russian scientists by December, ending nearly 60 years of collaboration due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while controversially maintaining ties with a Moscow-based nuclear research center.

 7.⁠ ⁠🇦🇪A massive fire erupted in Dubai’s Satwa area, with thick smoke visible across the city, but authorities quickly brought the blaze under control.

 8.⁠ ⁠🇺🇸The House passed a bill to boost Secret Service protection for presidential candidates following a second assassination attempt on Trump.

 9.⁠ ⁠🇺🇸Transcripts reveal Trump directed Pentagon officials on January 3, 2021, to ensure sufficient National Guard presence for safety during the January 6 protests.

10.⁠ ⁠🇺🇸 A whistleblower claims the Secret Service failed to secure known vulnerabilities at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course, allowing a gunman to remain near the fence line for 12 hours.