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Biden to Israel’s enemies: Don’t take advantage of Hamas attack to hit harder
WASHINGTON (JTA) — President Joe Biden said the United States was closely consulting with Israel in the wake of a devastating massive attack by Hamas and warned its enemies not to exploit the country’s vulnerability.
“Let me say this as clearly as I can: This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage,” Biden in what appeared to be a message to Iran, Israel’s deadliest enemy and an ally of Hamas, which on Saturday launched a massive air, sea and ground attack from the Gaza Strip. “The world is watching.”
Biden had already delivered messages of support to Israel after the attack, which has killed and injured hundreds of people and seen scores kidnapped or taken hostage. Following the messages up with a televised appearance was an apparent bid to warn Iran not to escalate the conflict.
Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy in Lebanon, which has thousands of missiles prepared for a possible conflict, has already expressed its support for the attack; the last time Hezbollah attacked Israel, in 2006, Hamas had just conducted a raid on Israel and captured a soldier.
“I want to say to [Hamas] and to the world and to terrorists everywhere that the United States stands with Israel,” he said. “We will not ever fail to have their back. We’ll make sure that they have the help their citizens need to continue to defend themselves.”
Biden, speaking at the White House and standing next to his secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said he had directed his top officials to work closely with their Israeli counterparts.
“I spoke with members of Congress, directed my national security team to engage with their Israeli counterparts, military to military, intelligence to intelligence, diplomat to diplomat, to make sure Israel has what it needs. I’ve also directed my team to remain in constant contact with throughout the region,” he said, listing the United States’ Arab allies.
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The post Biden to Israel’s enemies: Don’t take advantage of Hamas attack to hit harder appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Report: IDF Probes Whether Houthis Used Iranian Cluster Bomb-Bearing Missile
Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi addresses followers via a video link at the al-Shaab Mosque, formerly al-Saleh Mosque, in Sanaa, Yemen, Feb. 6, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
i24 News – The Israeli military said Saturday it launched a probe into the failure of its defenses to fully intercept a missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi jihadists, parts of which struck not far from the Ben Gurion airport on Friday night.
According to the Ynet website, one of the hypotheses being examined is that the projectile contained cluster munitions, similar to those used by Iran to fire at Israeli cities during the 12-day war in June. Cluster munitions pose a challenge to interceptors as they disperse smaller explosives over a wide area.
In June, Iran fired several missiles carrying scattered small bombs with the aim of increasing civilian casualties.
The IDF said on Saturday that its initial review suggests the ballistic missile from Yemen likely fragmented in mid-air. Five interceptors from various systems engaged with the missile, including THAAD, Arrow, David Sling & Iron Dome.
Authorities said that shrapnel impacted a house in the central Israeli moshav of Ginaton, yet no one was hurt, with the fragment landing in the house’s backyard.
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Iran Forces Kill Six Militants, IRNA Reports, Israel Link Seen
The Iranian flag is seen flying over a street in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 3, 2023. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
Iranian security forces shot dead six militants in a clash in southeastern Iran on Saturday, a day after armed rebels killed five police officers in the restive region, the official news agency IRNA reported.
IRNA said evidence showed the group was linked to Israel and may have been trained by Israel‘s Mossad spy agency. There was no immediate Israeli reaction to the allegation.
Another two members of the militant group were arrested, the report said. All but one of the militants were foreign, it added, without giving their nationality.
Iranian police said this month they had arrested as many as 21,000 suspects during the 12-day war with Israel in June.
Iran’s southeast has been the scene of sporadic clashes between security forces and armed groups, including Sunni militants and separatists who say they are fighting for greater rights and autonomy.
Tehran says some of them have ties to foreign powers and are involved in cross-border smuggling and insurgency.
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Benny Gantz Urges Time-Limited National Unity Government to Further Chances of Hostage Deal
Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz attends his party’s meeting at the Knesset, Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, June 27, 2022. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
i24 News – Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz on Saturday called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition politicians to form a temporary national unity government to further the chances of bringing home the hostages held in Gaza.
Addressing Netanyahu, Yair Lapid and Avigdor Liberman, Gantz said that the proposed government’s two supreme priorities would be the release of Israeli hostages held by the jihadists of Hamas and instituting universal conscription in Israel by ending the exemption from military service enjoyed by the ultra-Orthodox.
Upon attainment of the goals, the government would dissolve and call an election.
“The government’s term will begin with a hostage deal that brings everyone home,” Gantz said in a video address. “Within weeks, we will formulate an enlistment outline that would see our ultra-Orthodox brethren drafted to the military and ease the burden on those already serving. Finally, we will announce an agreed-upon election date in the spring of 2026 and pass a law to dissolve the Knesset [Israeli parliament] accordingly. This is what’s right for Israel.”