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Will Netanyahu 'take the fight directly to Iran' after massive missile strike across Israel?
JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the heads of the country's security establishment on Wednesday following Iran's firing of 181 missiles into Israel amid fears that a lethal regional war is around the corner.
Fox News Digital spoke to military and Iran experts about the growing chance of a wider confrontation between the Jewish state and the clerical regime in Tehran breaking out.
"After the Iranian missile attack against Israel there is no questioning anymore the basic understanding that Iran is the greatest generator of terror and death in the Middle East. Until now, Israel has been playing a whack-a-mole game with Iran’s proxies – fighting Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and others," Yaakov Katz, the author of "Shadow Strike: Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power," told Fox News Digital.
Katz, who is a senior fellow at the global think tank Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI), added, "With Iran again attacking Israel directly, the time has come to take the fight directly to Iran. The ayatollahs there need to be made to pay a price."
The headline by military analyst Amos Harel in the left-wing Haaretz paper read on Wednesday: "After an unprecedented Iranian attack, we are in a regional war."
The Islamic republic has been recognized as the center of Mideast volatility, terrorism and jingoism for decades. In 2010, Saudi Arabian King Abdullah told the United States to "cut off the head of the snake" by launching military strikes to eradicate Iran’s reported nuclear weapons facilities.
Iran’s strikes on Israel forced nearly 10 million people to find safety in bomb shelters on Tuesday. The barrage of aerial warfare was the first time in Israeli history that the country’s densely populated cities – Tel Aviv and Jerusalem – in the center of the biblical nation, faced such devastating attacks. The Israelis did not panic and stayed relatively calm under the pressure of the largely surprise attack.
The only fatality from the Iranian barrage was the murder of a Palestinian man in the West Bank (known in Israel by its biblical regional name of Judea and Samaria).
"Tonight Iran attempted to kill thousands of Israeli men, women and children but thanks to our miraculous defense system Iran failed miserably. Tehran is hurting after seeing its proxies in Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen get crushed by Israel. Tehran made a huge mistake tonight and will pay a heavy price at the time and place of our choosing," Lt. Col. Yoni Chetboun, former deputy speaker of the Knesset and an IDF special forces operator in reserves, told Fox News Digital.
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Chetboun was a decorated special forces operator from the second Lebanon war, when Israel fought the Iran-backed terrorist movement Hezbollah in 2006.
Prior to Iran’s military strike on Israel in April, Fox News Digital reported that the Biden-Harris administration released billions in sanctions relief to Iran that will flow into its proxies' war machines, according to experts.
The topic of funneling billions to Iran’s regime surfaced during the vice presidential debate on Tuesday. Republican Sen. JD Vance said, "Iran, which launched this attack, has received over $100 billion in unfrozen assets thanks to the Kamala Harris administration.
"What do they use that money for? They use it to buy weapons that they're now launching against our allies. And God forbid, launching against the United States as well."
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Lisa Daftari, an expert on Iran, said, "The conflict between the Iran regime and Israel did not commence today, in April, or on Oct. 7 of the previous year. Its origins trace back to 1979, when the mullahs ascended to power, promulgating a doctrine that demonized the ‘Great Satan,’ a term for the United States, and the ‘Little Satan,’ referring to Israel.
"Over the past 45 years, the Iran regime has persistently targeted American and Israeli interests, orchestrating terror proxies to execute its strategic objectives against both nations. More recently, U.S. policies that have enriched the mullahs have facilitated billions of dollars on establishing a formidable encirclement around Israel, via the regime's various proxies in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Gaza and the West Bank."
In April, Iran’s regime launched a sprawling aerial attack, with over 300 suicide drones and missiles, on Israel. Jerusalem countered the Iranian swarm of missiles with a targeted strike against military installations in the Iranian province of Isfahan.
Daftari, editor-in-chief of the Foreign Desk news website, added, "Israel's recent military actions signal a departure from the more restrained posture observed in April, when the nation's defense capabilities against missile threats were deemed a victory. The recent strategic strikes in Lebanon underscore Israel's heightened efforts to neutralize enduring existential threats."
She noted that it historically has engaged in tit-for-tat-like responses but noted, "Israel is now poised to take decisive measures aimed at neutralizing this looming risk, with its focus now entirely on the regime in Tehran."
David Wurmser, a former senior adviser for nonproliferation and Middle East strategy for former Vice President Dick Cheney, told Fox News Digital, "This is a war between Israel and Iran which began as a direct war on April 14. The war is a twilight struggle between a nation run by a tyranny that seeks to extinguish the other. Either Iran or Israel, but not both, will emerge from this war not only as victor but survivor."
He said the so-called "ring of fire that Iran built around Israel not only had an aggressive aim – to choke Israel to death by initiating a violent war of attrition and isolation, including closing ports and ending international airlines' flying to Israel – but also acted as a defensive deterrent against Israel, shielding Iran from any potential Israeli proactive action against Iran. With the destruction of Hezbollah, the strategic linchpin of the proxy network at the center of that ring of fire, as the greatest threat Israel faces, Iran was left fully exposed to the full weight of Israeli power."
He echoed the strong language of Israel’s military and political leadership, which "promised to inflict severe pain on the regime of the Iran's supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei… Iran will surely now feel the vulnerability as the Israelis without fear any more of Hezbollah or Iran will take the war from the defensive to the offensive against Iran’s regime, " said Wurmser.
He added "The mistake Iran made, as do its proxies and its minions in the West protesting on campuses, is not that they underestimate Israel’s capabilities and its unity, but that they internalized their own ideology that Israel is a fake, fragile colonial entity rather than a deeply rooted civilization. Israel has shown that despite its mistakes and setbacks, its internal strength transcend that of any of their neighbors."
Israeli mom killed in Jaffa terror attack while shielding 9-month-old son, Israel says
A mother who was "murdered while shielding her 9-month-old son" has been identified by Israel as one of the victims of yesterday’s terrorist attack at a train station outside of Tel Aviv.
Israel says the actions of Inbar Segev-Vigder in Jaffa on Tuesday "saved" the life of her child Ari.
"There are no words. Only heartbreak," Israel posted on X. "May the memory of the victims be a blessing."
Israeli police said Wednesday that a total of seven people were killed in a shooting that unfolded just minutes before Iran started launching ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for the recent killings of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders.
Two Palestinian men from the Israeli-occupied West Bank town of Hebron opened fire, including shooting directly into a light rail carriage crowded with passengers that was stopped at a station.
The suspects — who police say had no prior arrests, although one had been involved in disturbing the peace at a demonstration — were later shot and killed by security guards and armed pedestrians, according to The Associated Press. Police and paramedics who responded to the scene treated another 16 people injured from the shooting.
Segev-Vigder lived in Tel Aviv and operated a fitness and Pilates studio, while her husband, Yaari Vigder, is an Israeli reservist soldier, The Jerusalem Post reports.
"Ari was in a carrier that covered Inbar's entire upper body during the attack, he was not injured at all," the website cited Yaari Vigder as telling Israel’s Channel 11 news.
"For the rest of his life -- may he feel the same love he received from Inbar," he reportedly added.
ISRAELI WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAMS FLEE GAME AFTER IRANIAN MISSILE STRIKES
A witness told Ynetnews that the 33-year-old mother was gunned down while stepping off a train in Jaffa, according to The Jerusalem Post.
The website identified four other victims as Revital Bronstein, 24, Shahar Goldman, 30, Nadia Sokolenko, 40, and Ilya Nozadze, 42.
Sokolenko's family told Israel's TPS news agency that they were waiting for her to return home from grocery shopping Tuesday night and her friends started checking area hospitals after her phone stopped answering calls.
Sokolenko, a native of Moldova who worked as an office manager, was described by friends as "a very creative person and very caring mom" of a 6-year-old daughter, TPS added.
Greece’s foreign ministry also said Wednesday that a Greek national who lived in Jerusalem was among the dead.
The motive for the shooting is unclear.
Israel Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote on X in the wake of the attack that "I will now demand in the cabinet discussion that the family members of the abominable terrorists from Hebron who carried out the heinous attack in Jaffa be deported to Gaza tonight and their homes should be turned into ruins for them to see and see."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Israeli military says regular infantry, armored units joining limited ground operation in southern Lebanon
The Israeli military announced Wednesday that regular infantry and armored units were joining what it described as its limited and localized ground operations in southern Lebanon.
This comes after Israel said Tuesday that commando and paratroop units had crossed the border in a ground operation in Lebanon, according to Reuters.
The military said that special forces units had been conducting ground raids against Hezbollah terror targets across the border for months in which tunnels and weapons were found under homes.
IDF MEETS LITTLE RESISTANCE FROM HEZBOLLAH AFTER WEEKS OF HITTING TERROR TARGETS, OFFICIALS SAY
The infantry and armored troops from the 36th Division include the Golani Brigade, the 188th Armored Brigade and the 6th Infantry Brigade.
The military adding these troops suggests that the ground operation in Lebanon has exceeded limited commando raids.
ISRAELI MINISTERS FRUSTRATED OVER US, IDF LEAK ON LEBANON OPERATION: REPORT
The ground operation is largely designed to destroy tunnels and other infrastructure on the Israel-Lebanon border, according to Israel's military, adding that there were no plans to widen its operation to target Beirut or major cities in southern Lebanon.
Reuters contributed to this report.
US readiness plays 'significant' role in fending off Iranian attack on Israel
The "significant" role the U.S. played in helping Israel fend off Iran's aerial assault on Tuesday came just hours after Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin assured Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant that the U.S. had "increased force readiness" and stood ready.
"This is a significant escalation by Iran," White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters Tuesday. "It is equally significant that we were able to step up with Israel and create a situation in which no one was killed in this attack in Israel."
The comments were made following massive missile strike fired by Iran in which some 180 missiles were fired at Israel.
According to Iranian state media, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the attack was in retaliation for the Friday assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed alongside IRGC commander and military advisor Brig. Gen. Abbas Nilforushan, as well as Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas who was killed in July during a visit to Tehran.
IDF MEETS LITTLE RESISTANCE FROM HEZBOLLAH AFTER WEEKS OF HITTING TERROR TARGETS, OFFICIALS SAY
"In response to the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh, Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah and Martyr Nilfroshan, we targeted the heart of the occupied territories," the IRGC said in a statement reported by Iranian media. "If the Zionist regime reacts to Iran's operations, it will face crushing attacks."
Following the attacks, Israel closed its airspace, residents in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were ordered to shelter in place and the Israeli security cabinet said it would convene Tuesday night in a bunker in Jerusalem, according to Israeli news outlet the Jerusalem Post.
It remains unclear if Iranian missiles had made contact with any targets, though the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) told Fox News Digital that no casualties were yet known.
In a statement to Fox News, a U.S. defense official said, "[In] accordance with our ironclad commitment to Israel’s security, U.S. forces in the region are currently defending against Iranian-launched missiles targeting Israel.
"Our forces remain postured to provide additional defensive support and to protect U.S. forces operating in the region," the official added.
ISRAELI MINISTERS FRUSTRATED OVER US, IDF LEAK ON LEBANON OPERATION: REPORT
Earlier on Tuesday, the Pentagon said in a readout regarding the second call Austin has held with Gallant in the last 24 hours, that the secretary "made it clear that the United States is well-postured to defend U.S. personnel, allies, and partners in the face of threats from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist organizations and is determined to prevent any actor from exploiting tensions or expanding the conflict in the region."
Three U.S. guided-missile destroyers have been positioned off the eastern Mediterranean to help defend Israel, including the USS Arleigh Burke, USS Bulkeley and USS Cole — which reportedly played a closely coordinated role in defending against the Iranian attack on Tuesday.
"Today, Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles towards targets in Israel. The United States military coordinated closely with the Israeli Defense Forces to help defend Israel against this attack," Sullivan said. "U.S. naval destroyers joined Israeli Air Defense units in firing interceptors to shoot down inbound missiles."
In April, during the last major attack that Iran levied at Israel when it fired more than 300 drones and missiles, the USS Arleigh Burke and the USS Carney shot down more than 81 attack drones and at least six ballistic missiles using guided-missile destroyers.
The ballistic missiles were shot down using the SM-3 ballistic missile interceptors from the ships that were also positioned in the eastern Mediterranean at the time. The SM-3 has a range of up to 1,550 miles.
Israel has several of its own defense systems outside of what its offshore allies provide, including the infamous Iron Dome which is designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of two to 43 miles away.
But it also has systems that are capable of stopping missiles fired from greater distances, like its Arrow Missile Defense System, which can intercept missiles fired from up to 1,500 miles away and above the earth's atmosphere.
The air defense system known as David’s Sling is also designed to intercept enemy planes, drones, tactical ballistic missiles, medium to long-range rockets and cruise missiles fired at a range of 25 to 190 miles away.
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that it was believed the Iranian strikes had stopped, and told Israelis it was safe to leave their shelters.
"During the defense, we carried out quite a few interceptions. There are some impacts in the center and areas in the south of the country," Hagari said Tuesday night local time. "At this stage we are still carrying out an assessment [of the attack], but we are unaware of casualties."
Iran attack on Israel 'ineffective' but a 'significant escalation': White House
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says that the Iranian missile attack on Israel was "defeated and ineffective" and that the U.S. military coordinated with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to repel the strikes.
Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles towards targets in Israel on Tuesday, Sullivan said at a Tuesday White House briefing, noting the move was a "significant escalation."
The strikes were in response to the deaths of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, Iran says. The move comes after weeks of Israeli strikes against Tehran’s proxies in the region.
Sullivan said no deaths were reported on the Israeli side, although the White House is monitoring the reported death of a Palestinian civilian in Jericho in the West Bank.
"U.S. naval destroyers joined Israeli Air Defense units in firing interceptors to shoot down inbound missiles. President Biden and Vice President Harris monitored the attack and the response from the White House Situation Room, joined in person and remotely by their national security team," Sullivan said.
"We do not know of any damage to aircraft or strategic military assets in Israel. In short, based on what we know at this point, this attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective. The word fog of war was invented for a situation like this. This is a fluid situation."
Many missiles were intercepted by Israel's missile defense systems, while others did hit the ground.
The Pentagon says the U.S. fired approximately 12 interceptors against Iranian missiles.
"This is a significant escalation by Iran, a significant event, and it is equally significant that we were able to step up with Israel and create a situation in which no one was killed in this attack in Israel… We are now going to look at what the appropriate next steps are to secure, first and foremost, American interests and then to promote stability to the maximum extent possible as we go forward," Sullivan said.
He said the U.S. will consult with the Israelis on next steps in terms of response and how to deal with the Iranian attack.
The White House is particularly focused on protecting U.S. service members in the region and implored American citizens in Lebanon to follow the State Department's guidance of finding civilian commercial means to leave the country, Sullivan said.
Sullivan also expressed his condolences to the victims who were killed in a shooting in the Israeli city of Jaffa, located near Tel Aviv on Tuesday. At least eight people were killed and at least seven injured, local officials have told Fox News.
The incident, which is believed to be a terror attack, took place Tuesday outside a newly built light rail station on Jerusalem Street. Authorities say at least two individuals who opened fire on a crowd of people have been neutralized.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had warned citizens to shelter in place and follow instructions from the Home Front Command as the Jewish State's Iron Dome anti-missile defense system worked to intercept the incoming rockets on Tuesday.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said this latest barrage of missiles is in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Lebanon, in an Israeli airstrike late last week and the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July, according to Fox News Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yingst.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard warned in a statement released by Iranian state media that if Israel responds to the missile barrage, "it will face crushing attacks."
A senior White House official told Fox News earlier Tuesday morning that Iran was preparing to "imminently" launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel.
While White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did not directly answer when asked if the United States had a heads-up from Iran about the strike ahead of time, Fox News was told by the Pentagon that they were "not aware of any pre-warning by Iran."
Fox News’ Stephen Sorace, Liz Friden, Timothy H.J. Nerozzi, Trey Yingst and Yonat Friling contributed to this report.
The five smallest countries in the world cover less than 50 square miles combined
Countries around the world range greatly in size.
In fact, when you add up the area in square miles of the top five smallest countries in the world, that number is less than 50.
Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, followed by Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu and San Marino, in that order.
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Read more about the smallest countries in the world by area below.
Vatican City is around 0.17 square miles and the smallest fully independent nation-state in the world.
The landlocked country is surrounded by Rome, and is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church.
Vatican City is governed by the Holy See, the government that oversees the Catholic Church, and is led by the pope.
VATICAN CITY, THE WORLD'S SMALLEST COUNTRY, SPANS 100 ACRES, BUT HOSTS MILLIONS OF VISITORS ANNUALLY
Vatican City may be small, but it welcomes millions of visitors every year.
One of the most popular places to visit in Vatican City is St. Peter's Basilica, which sits in the center of the tiny country.
Monaco is the second-smallest country in the world, with an area of about 0.8 square miles.
Much of Monaco's money comes from tourism.
The European country is a luxurious destination for tourists to visit, with beautiful beaches and breathtaking architecture filling the small country.
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Monaco is also known for the historic Monaco Grand Prix, where cars race in Monte Carlo. This Formula 1 race happens every year, usually in late May.
Another popular destination often visited by tourists is the Monte Carlo Casino.
The third-smallest country in the world is Nauru.
Nauru lies in the Pacific Ocean, and has a land area of just around 8.1 square miles.
In Nauru's history, it has been used as a supply shop for European whalers, according to CIA.gov. Additionally, it was annexed by Germany in 1888, per the source, as well as captured by Australian forces following World War I, according to CIA.gov.
Japan occupied Nauru during World War II, and it eventually became a U.N. Trust territory after the war under Australian administration, according to the source. Nauru claimed independence in 1968.
Phosphate was heavily mined in Nauru for many years, until mining officially ceased in 2006, CIA.gov states on its website.
Nauru joined the United Nations in 1999.
Tuvalu has an area of about 10 square miles, making it the fourth-smallest country in the world.
Tuvalu is located in the South Pacific, and is composed of several atolls and reef islands.
The islands that make up Tuvalu are Nanumea, Nui, Nukufetau, Funafuti, Nukulaelae, Nanumanga, Niutao, Vaitupu and Niulakita.
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Tuvalu gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1978.
San Marino is the largest country on this list, with an area of about 23.6 square miles.
San Marino is surrounded by Italy, with Mount Titano making up much of the small country's landscape.
Tourism is high in San Marino. Additionally, revenue is made through postage stamps and coins, which many collectors have an interest in, according to the BBC.
Israel under attack: Gunmen kill 8, injure 7 near Tel Aviv
At least eight people have been killed and at least seven injured in a shooting in the Israeli city of Jaffa, located near Tel Aviv, local officials have told Fox News.
The incident, which is believed to be a terror attack, took place Tuesday outside a newly built light rail station on Jerusalem Street.
Authorities say at least two individuals who opened fire on a crowd of people have been neutralized.
IDF MEETS LITTLE RESISTANCE FROM HEZBOLLAH AFTER WEEKS OF HITTING TERROR TARGETS, OFFICIALS SAY
Shortly after the shooting, Israel faced more attacks with Iran launching roughly 100 ballistic missiles. Many were intercepted by Israel's missile defense systems, while others did hit the ground.
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Iran had threatened to launch missiles at Israel. The Iran Revolutionary Guard issued a statement saying that it was a response to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The Israel Defense Forces issued a warning to Israelis, telling them that the Iranian attack was continuing, and that people should remain in protected spaces until given further notice.
IDF meets little resistance from Hezbollah after weeks of hitting terror targets, officials say
The Israel Defense Force (IDF) has met little resistance since announcing its "limited" invasion of southern Lebanon early Tuesday morning local time, a move aimed to subvert Hezbollah’s buildup along the shared border.
Israel has been increasing its strikes for weeks against the terrorist organization in southern Lebanon, as well as with targeted strikes in Beirut.
On Tuesday, the IDF confirmed in a statement shared with Fox News Digital that since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel – after which Hezbollah began striking military posts along Israel’s northern border – the IDF has conducted dozens of "targeted operations" to "dismantle Hezbollah’s terrorist capabilities" that pose a threat to civilians in the north.
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IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Tuesday that IDF special forces have entered Hezbollah compounds in "dozens of locations" along the Israel-Lebanon border, collected intelligence and dismantled positional strongholds.
"Our soldiers entered Hezbollah's underground infrastructures, exposed Hezbollah's hidden weapon caches, and seized and destroyed the weapons, including advanced Iranian-made weapons," Hagari said. "Overall, IDF soldiers exposed and dismantled over 700 Hezbollah terror assets during these operations. And there's a lot more work to do."
Since the war began nearly a year ago, Israeli special forces reportedly began conducting small raids in southern Lebanon, in some cases utilizing the very tunnels Israel seized from the terrorist group years prior, and renewed attention has been brought to how the Hezbollah network operates.
The terrorist group for years has relied on its heavy entanglement in civilian life, particularly in southern Lebanon, where it has rented civilian infrastructure to serve as weapons depots and even missile launcher sites. Civilian buildings have also been used to cover entrances to the group's sophisticated tunnel network that is estimated to stretch over 100 miles in length cumulatively across the region.
But despite the feared all-out war that had the potential to erupt upon Israel's invasion of its northern neighbor, Hezbollah’s resistance has been minimal.
Security experts feared Hezbollah’s longtime backing from Iran would enable it to levy as many as 8,000 rockets per day in a worse case scenario, and its more than 50,000 operatives, including the elite Radwan forces, could pose a significant threat against an Israeli ground campaign.
Hagari confirmed to reporters Tuesday that IDF forces were actively working to dismantle Radwan infrastructure near the border in southern Lebanon.
"We need to take care of it because we will not let another 7th of October occur next to our border," he said.
In the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks, the IDF assessed that some 2,400 Radwan terrorists, along with another 500 Palestinian Jihadists trained by the elite force, were positioned in villages across southern Lebanon poised to attack.
But the IDF on Tuesday also highlighted that Hezbollah failed to mount a counter force in response to Israel’s incursion.
Jonathan Conricus, former IDF spokesperson and current senior fellow for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital that Hezbollah’s near-complete lack of a counter force could be explained by several reasons.
"The IDF conducted hundreds of special operations during the last months to map and analyze Hezbollah’s hostile infrastructure in civilian houses in southern Lebanon, as well as targeted aerial campaigns against Hezbollah personnel," he said. "Hezbollah terrorists sustained severe casualties and started to flee from southern Lebanon.
"It remains unclear how many Hezbollah militants remain in the south," he added.
Given the unknown number of terrorists who fled the south, most likely to other strongholds in Beirut and in central Lebanon, reporters questioned the current IDF spokesman if this could mean that Israel will need to expand its operations north.
"We're not going to Beirut," Hagari told reporters, emphasizing Israel's stated goal to return its citizens to their northern homes. "We are focusing in the area of those villages, the area next to [the] border. And we will do, in this area, what is necessary to dismantle and demolish Hezbollah's infrastructure."
Hagari would not provide specifics on the operational timeline but said Israel’s campaign in Lebanon would be conducted in "days [to] weeks."
Iran preparing imminent missile attack on Israel, US says
Iran is preparing to "imminently" launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel, a senior White House official told Fox News on Tuesday morning, following weeks of Israeli strikes against Tehran’s proxies in the region.
"The United States has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel," the official said. "We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack. A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran."
Another U.S. official told Fox News that Iran could launch its attack as soon as Tuesday afternoon, saying that the U.S. has seen additional movement of missiles in Iran to prepare for the now "imminent" attack.
The official added that Iran's attack could look like the one it launched in April against Israel, which had more than 300 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.
While the U.S. official did not know what the exact scope or size will be, the official said that Iran has been at a state of readiness to launch an attack on Israel within 12 to 24 hours since early August following the July 31st assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Iran already launched an unprecedented direct attack on Israel in April, though the regime’s proxies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, have traded attacks with Israel since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7.
On Tuesday, Israel was beginning a limited ground invasion into southern Lebanon against Hezbollah targets. Hezbollah, the most powerful armed group in the Middle East, has been reeling from weeks of targeted strikes that killed its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and several of his top commanders.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Nasrallah "the flag-bearer of resistance" in the region.
"The blood of the martyr shall not go unavenged," Khamenei said after Nasrallah was killed late last week in Beirut, Lebanon, by an Israeli airstrike, according to Reuters.
Three U.S. Navy destroyers are positioned in the Mediterranean Sea, an aircraft carrier in the Gulf of Oman and fighter jets arrayed throughout the region to assist Israel in the event of an attack from Iran. All are capable of shooting down incoming missiles.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department announced Tuesday that sanctions are being imposed on two Israelis and a "violent extremist group" in the West Bank as Iran threatens to strike the Jewish State.
Fox News’ Nicolas Rojas and Greg Norman, along with The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Archaeologists discover 5,000-year-old ancient community in Morocco
A farming society dating back thousands of years was discovered in Morocco, in an archaeological site that spent many years unexplored.
The archaeological site of Oued Beht in Morocco was first uncovered in the 1930s, according to a study published on July 31, 2024, in the journal "Antiquity."
After the site was first discovered, it spent many years mostly untouched.
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In 2021, new fieldwork commenced, conducted by the British-Italian-Moroccan Oued Beht Archaeological Project (OBAP). The findings presented strong evidence that the area was once used for farming.
Carbon dating of charcoal and seeds that were removed during excavations, mostly from deep pits, dated the site back to 3400 B.C. to 2900 B.C., per the study.
The site is "currently the earliest and largest agricultural complex in Africa beyond the Nile corridor," the study noted.
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Before this fieldwork, little was known about the people who lived in this area during the time period.
"For over 30 years I have been convinced that Mediterranean archaeology has been missing something fundamental in later prehistoric North Africa," Cyprian Broodbank, of the University of Cambridge and a leader in the research, said, per Morocco World News. "Now, at last, we know that was right, and we can begin to think in new ways that acknowledge the dynamic contribution of Africans to the emergence and interactions of early Mediterranean societies."
Out of the archaeological site came pottery, chipped stone, axes and microlithics (stone tools), according to the published study. Additionally, there were several "bell-shaped" pits discovered in the excavation as well as the remains of sheep, cattle and pigs.
There are strong commonalities with this particular site and ones aged similarly in Iberia, with numerous finds of African ivory and ostrich eggshells being uncovered, per the study, which has been an indication of the Iberians' connection to Africa.
"For more than a century, the last great unknown of later Mediterranean prehistory has been the role played by the societies of Mediterranean's southern Africa shores west of Egypt," the authors said of their recent findings, according to a press release, per Newsweek. "Our discoveries prove that this gap has been due not to any lack of major prehistoric activity, but to the relative lack of investigation and publishing. Oued Beht now affirms the central role of the Maghreb in the emergence of both Mediterranean and wider African societies."
Thailand school bus bursts into flames outside Bangkok, 23 feared dead, officials say
Nearly two dozen students and teachers in Thailand are feared dead after a school bus was engulfed in flames on Tuesday while traveling for a field trip on Tuesday, officials said.
The bus was traveling from central Uthai Thani province to Ayutthaya and Nonthaburi provinces when the fire occurred on the outskirts of the capital Bangkok, Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit told reporters at the scene.
Images captured at the scene show the flames engulfing the scorched bus as plumes of black smoke billowed into the air.
"Teachers told us that the fire ignited very quickly," acting police chief Kittirat Phanphet told reporters. "From speaking to witnesses, we believe the explosion was caused by a spark from the tire that lit the gas cylinder that was powering the vehicle."
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He added that some students escaped through windows as the fire burned.
Piyalak Thinkaew, a rescuer of the Ruamkatanyu Foundation, told reporters that 23 passengers – three teachers and 20 students – onboard the bus were missing and feared dead. It was earlier believed that 25 were feared dead, but Thinkaew said that two more survivors had been found.
The students on the bus were reported to be in elementary and junior high school.
THAILAND LEGALIZES SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, ALLOWS COUPLES TO WED STARTING IN JANUARY
Juangroongruangkit said 16 students and three teachers were hospitalized and receiving treatment. Their conditions were unclear.
Phanphet said that an investigation is underway.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra offered her condolences in a post on social media platform X, saying the government would take care of medical expenses and compensate the victims’ families.
"As a mother, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families," she wrote.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hezbollah terrorists engaged in sex slavery, rape, mass murder of Syrians
JERUSALEM—Photos of Syrians celebrating the assassination of Hezbollah terrorist leader Hassan Nasrallah last week put the spotlight on the brutal activities of the terror group's role in sex slavery, mass starvation and kidnappings in the Syrian civil war which led to the deaths of over half a million Syrians.
Walid Phares, a leading expert on Hezbollah and Lebanon, told Fox News Digital that Hezbollah has "committed ethnic cleansing" in Syria. He said Hezbollah "was behind the uprooting of millions of Syrians, of all communities, mainly Sunni. They have perpetrated rape. They have perpetrated mass sexual abuse, including keeping sexual slaves."
Israel’s targeted assassination of Nasrallah last weekend has prompted greater interest in the inner workings of the Shiite terrorist organization that is widely considered the de facto ruler over Lebanon.
IRAN OFFICIAL ADMITS COUNTRY’S ROLE IN TERROR BOMBING THAT KILLED 241 US MILITARY MEMBERS: REPORT
The Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist entity is mainly known in America for bombing the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, which killed 63 people in 1983, and the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut also in 1983, resulting in the murders of 241 U.S. military personnel.
A new investigative video series by the Center for Peace Communications (CPC) shines a rare light on the U.S.-designated terrorist movement Hezbollah’s role in sexual slavery, rape and mass murder. The shocking expose about Hezbollah’s enslavement of a Syrian woman aired days after Israel reportedly launched devastating explosions of pagers held by thousands of Hezbollah terrorists across Lebanon in September.
CPC President Joseph Braude told Fox News Digital "Hezbollah’s war on Israel obscures its larger war to subjugate much of the region — as a tyrant in Lebanon, an occupier in Syria, a mafia of sex and drug trafficking, and the nerve center of Iran’s Arab empire. Millions of Arabs whose lives have been shattered by the militia want a different future. Hezbollah does not want the world to hear their voices."
CPC's previous series, called "Whispered in Gaza," which was viewed over 20 million times, led to a Fatwa being issued against Hamas by Iraqi and Pakistani clerics. It was used by Gaza anti-Hamas activists during the July 2023 street protests against the terror organization's rule.
He added "'Hezbollah’s Hostages,' an eight-part series produced by the Center for Peace Communications and presented by The Free Press, features the actual recorded testimony of Lebanese and Syrian civilians in Hezbollah’s grip. To protect their identities and honor their lives, each recorded interview is accompanied visually by creative images and animation."
One video depicts the kidnapping and sexual enslavement of Alya, a married 20-year-old woman from the northern Syrian city of Raqqa. She reveals how Yusuf, a member of Hezbollah, "stalked" her for months and eventually took her hostage.
Hezbollah took the side of the Syrian dictator Bashar Assad after civilians launched a protest movement in 2011 to secure democracy in the highly repressive nation.
Hezbollah terrorists aided Assad in his scorched-earth campaign to wipe out opposition to his regime, resulting in the killing of over 500,000 people. Syria is now a fragmented and war-ravaged country.
HEZBOLLAH BIGGER CHALLENGE THAN HAMAS TO ISRAEL: ‘CROWN JEWEL IN THE IRANIAN EMPIRE OF TERROR’
Hezbollah’s ally, the Sunni terrorist movement Hamas, engaged in rapes and sustained sexual assaults of Israeli women and men after the jihadi terrorist organization invaded Israel on Oct. 7.
Hezbollah joined Hamas’ war against Israel on Oct. 8 when it launched rockets into northern Israel. Hamas slaughtered nearly 1,200 people on Oct. 7, including over 30 Americans.
The fundamental corruption and mafia-style criminality of Hezbollah’s global organization has been examined by Matthew Levitt, the director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at The Washington Institute.
He published a 2018 report on "Hezbollah's Corruption Crisis Runs Deep." Levitt noted that "some prominent figures in Hezbollah are involved in horrific criminal enterprises, including trafficking in sex and human beings." He cited the example of Hezbollah official Ali Hussein Zeaiter, who according to media reports, was linked to "a large prostitution network, mainly employing Syrian women."
Hezbollah’s criminal enterprise and terrorism continue to impact Americans.
HOW LEBANON'S HEZBOLLAH GROUP BECAME A CRITICAL PLAYER IN THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Zoya Fakhoury, executive director of the Amer Foundation, told Fox News Digital that "Hezbollah is a proxy group of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that has the blood of thousands of innocent individuals, including American citizens, on their hands. The death of Hassan Nasrallah is a significant step towards accountability for many individuals but particularly for my family. My father, Amer Fakhoury, was a former U.S. hostage unlawfully detained under direct orders from Hassan Nasrallah."
She continued, "He was used a political pawn by Hezbollah and died because of the torture he faced in Lebanon. We hope to see the Lebanese government take this opportunity of the dismantling of Hezbollah to free Lebanon from the occupation of the Islamic Republic and work towards a path of peace."
In August, Fox News Digital reported the new book by Fakhoury’s four daughters covering a first-hand account of his detainment and the harrowing rescue operation to bring him back home to the United States in their book, "Silenced in Beirut: American Businessman Amer Fakhour’s Six-Month Ordeal as a Hostage In Lebanon."
Walid Phares, a leading expert on Hezbollah and Lebanon, told Fox News Digital that Hezbollah has "committed ethnic cleansing" in Syria. He said Hezbollah "was behind the uprooting of millions of Syrians, of all communities, mainly Sunni. They have perpetrated rape. They have perpetrated mass sexual abuse, including keeping sexual slaves."
Phares, who has advised U.S. presidential candidates on Mideast foreign policy, said the Hezbollah jihadis defend their hostage taking of women as under Islamist Sharia law that they can take women from the "enemy camp."
ISRAEL DEGRADES IRAN-BACKED HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS IN SPECTACULAR PAGER EXPLOSION OPERATION: EXPERTS
He said there is no doubt that if Hezbollah captured Israeli women, they would treat them the same way as the enslaved Syrian women. Phares added that if Hezbollah captured a kibbutz, village or town in Israel, one "can expect that they will kill the males and the capture the women. Some would be raped and killed and other Israeli women would be kept by Hezbollah."
Hezbollah is not different from the Islamic state in applying jihadi ideology, said Phares. Hezbollah "is a global threat. Look at how they treat their own women and how they separate them and organize them in the service of jihadists."
Braude said that "'Hezbollah’s Hostages' debuted on Sept. 16, one day before pagers exploded across Lebanon. A new episode debuts every Monday through Nov. 4. In forthcoming episodes, we will probe the Hezbollah stronghold of Dahiyeh, just outside Beirut, with help from Shi’ite civilians who live there."
He added "Dahiyeh is the shadow capital of Lebanon — home of Hezbollah’s intelligence apparatus, politburo, and prisons — as well as the central node to all Iran’s proxies in the region, from the Houthis of Yemen to Iraq’s militias to Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas. Yet the same landscape is also home to some of Hezbollah’s many opponents – and in later episodes, we meet them too: Shiite veterans of the countrywide 2019 street protests, who dared to demand a different future; civic activists striving to end the war on Israel, liberate young minds, and restore the rule of law in Lebanon."
Fox News' Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
Israeli ministers frustrated over US, IDF leak on Lebanon operation: Report
Ministers in Israel’s Political-Security Cabinet in the early hours of Tuesday morning local time agreed on an operational strategy for Israel’s "limited" invasion into Lebanon, but tensions were high after officials were reportedly frustrated that the news of the operation had been leaked hours before they even met.
An unnamed U.S. security official confirmed to Fox News and other outlets Monday morning that a "limited" invasion into Lebanon was imminent. And when questioned by reporters on it later, President Biden appeared to confirm the claims and said, "I'm more aware than you might know."
But when asked if he was comfortable with the operational plans, he said, "I'm comfortable with them stopping. We should have a cease-fire now."
Similarly, during a U.S. State Department briefing later in the day, spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters, "They have been informing us about a number of operations."
"They have, at this time, told us that those are limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border. But we're in continuous conversations with them about it," he added.
It is unclear if Miller was speaking about future operations or ongoing operations as reports surfaced earlier on Monday suggesting that Israeli special forces had been engaging in cross-border raids for months.
Fox News Digital could not confirm which Israeli ministers were frustrated and specifically who in the U.S. their ire was directed at.
But it wasn’t only U.S. officials the Israeli ministers were reportedly frustrated with, according to local media outlet YNET News.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were also a source of exasperation after a spokesperson for the IDF reportedly referenced the operation ahead of the minister’s debate, though local reporting appeared to have been updated following requests by IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, who called on outlets not to report on "rumors."
ISRAEL'S GROUND INVASION INTO LEBANON IMMINENT AS CABINET APPROVES NEXT PHASE OF THE WAR
"In recent hours there have been many reports and rumors about IDF activity on the Lebanese border. We ask that no reports be circulated about the activities of the forces," Hagari said on X ahead of the ministerial meeting.
"Stick to the official reports only and do not spread irresponsible rumors," he added.
However, following the meeting, the IDF released a statement confirming that the IDF had begun "limited, localized, and targeted ground raids based on precise intelligence against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon."
"These targets are located in villages close to the border and pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel," the IDF added.
Sources told Fox News earlier on Monday that the operation was set to be "limited" in scope and would be quicker than the 2006 operation Israel conducted in Lebanon, which lasted 34 days and saw some 1,191 deaths and 4,409 injured, a third of which were women and children. Israel also reported that 43 civilians were killed and 997 were injured.
Axios previously reported that Israel did not give the U.S. advance notice on the exploding beepers operation, reporting, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin as the pagers started to explode in Lebanon. Following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told reporters, "The United States was not involved in Israel’s operation," noting there was "no advance warning" from the Israelis.
The State Department did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Israel launches limited ground operations in Lebanon as war against Hezbollah, terrorist groups continue
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began a limited, localized ground operation targeting Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah on Monday evening, marking a new chapter in the Israel-Hamas war.
The developments came in the wake of the IDF's successful attacks against Hezbollah, killing several of the organization's key figures over the weekend.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was one of the most notable fatalities. The Israeli military also confirmed that Nabil Kaouk, the deputy head of Hezbollah’s Central Council, was eliminated by IDF forces.
Shortly before Monday's operation, the IDF imposed a closed military zone on northern Israeli border communities including Metula, Misgav Am, and Kfar Giladi.
BIDEN SAYS HE WILL TALK TO NETANYAHU AS ISRAEL PUMMELS SUNNI TERROR TARGETS IN BEIRUT
The incursion began after the Israeli military launched airstrikes on central Beirut on Sunday, marking the first time in the year-long war that the central part of the Lebanese capital was targeted.
The IDF previously aimed towards south Beirut, which is a stronghold for Hezbollah. On Sunday, it targeted Sunni terrorist group Al-Jamāʻah al-islāmīyah.
On Monday afternoon, President Biden expressed disapproval over the IDF's imminent ground operations.
"I’m more aware [of Israel's plan] than you might know, and I’m comfortable with them stopping," Biden told reporters before the incursion started.
"We should have a ceasefire now."
Earlier on Monday, the IDF issued an ominous warning to Hezbollah in an X post.
"A surface-to-air missile launcher storage facility that Hezbollah had positioned approx. 1.5 km from Beirut’s international airport was dismantled in a precise IDF strike," the Israeli military announced. "This infrastructure poses a threat to both the Lebanese and international airspace."
"The IDF will continue to degrade Hezbollah's military capabilities in Lebanon."
Russian fighter jet intercepted near Alaska by NORAD forces after ‘unsafe, unprofessional’ interaction
In a video released Monday by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a tense moment was depicted after a Russian fighter jet flew dangerously close to a NORAD aircraft over the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
According to a statement sent to Fox News Digital by NORAD, the "unprofessional air maneuver directed at our NORAD F-16" occurred while it "was conducting a routine professional intercept of a Russian Tu-95 aircraft" on Sept. 23.
NORAD, in a recent statement, noted that an "ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security."
RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT DETECTED, MONITORED FLYING THROUGH AIR ZONE CLOSE TO U.S.: NORAD
The video shows the moment when the F-16 was approaching the Russian Tu-95 aircraft before a Russian Su-35 whipped directly in front of the NORAD fighter jet, apparently taking it by surprise.
Commander of the North American Defense Command and the U.S. Northern Command, Gen. Gregory Guillot, condemned the dangerous behavior and said, "NORAD aircraft flew a safe and disciplined intercept of Russian Military Aircraft in the Alaska ADIZ. The conduct of one Russian Su-35 was unsafe, unprofessional, and endangered all – not what you’d see in a professional air force."
BIDEN PLEDGES $8 BILLION TO UKRAINE FOLLOWING PUTIN'S PROPOSED CHANGES TO NUCLEAR RULES
NORAD, which comprises U.S. and Canadian forces under a joint command, had previously announced the presence of four Russian aircraft over the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Sept. 23, 2024.
Though the initial release did not include footage or details of the dangerous incident, it noted that none of the Russian aircraft entered American or Canadian sovereign airspace.
"This Russian activity in the Alaska ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat," stated the release.
Flooding, landslides kill nearly 200 in Nepal
The number of people killed in Nepal by flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall over the weekend reached 193 while recovery and rescue work stepped up on Monday.
Many of the deaths were in the capital, Kathmandu, which got heavy rainfall, and much of southern part of the city was flooded. Police said in a statement that 31 people were still reported missing and 96 people were injured across the Himalayan nation.
A landslide killed three dozen people on a blocked highway about 10 miles from Kathmandu. The landslide buried at least three buses and other vehicles where people were sleeping because the highway was blocked.
Kathmandu had remained cut off all weekend as the three highways out of the city were blocked by landslides. Workers were able to temporarily open up the key Prithvi highway, removing rocks, mud and trees that had been washed from the mountains.
The home minister announced temporary shelters would be built for people who lost their homes and monetary help would be available for the families of those killed and to the people who were injured by the flooding and landslides.
Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli was returning home Monday from attending the U.N. General Assembly meeting and has called an emergency meeting, his office said.
Improved weather has allowed rescue and recovery work to be stepped up.
Residents in the southern part of Kathmandu, which was inundated on Saturday, were cleaning up houses as water levels began to recede. At least 34 people were killed in Kathmandu, which was the hardest hit by flooding.
Police and soldiers were assisting with rescue efforts, while heavy equipment was used to clear the landslides from the roads. The government announced it was closing schools and colleges across Nepal for the next three days.
The monsoon season began in June and usually ends by mid-September.
Meanwhile, in northern Bangladesh, about 60,000 people were affected by flooding in low-lying areas because of rains and rising water from upstream India.
People have taken shelter on roads and flood protection embankments in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram districts, the English-language Daily Star reported.
The River Teesta that crosses the border was overflowing at some points and the Dharala and Dudhkumar rivers in the Rangpur region were rising but remained below danger levels, the Dhaka-based Flood Forecasting and Warning Center said Monday. Waters could start receding in a day or two, it said.
Bangladesh is a low-lying delta nation crisscrossed by about 230 rivers, including more than 50 that cross borders.
Death toll rises to 18 in South Africa mass shootings, police say
One more person has died from mass shootings at two houses on the same street in a South African village over the weekend, bringing the death toll to 18, officials said Monday.
Police are still searching for the assailants who opened fire Saturday on people who had reportedly gathered for a family event in Lusikisiki village in Eastern Cape province.
The shootings, which took place in two separate houses on the same street, fueled outrage over a recent spate of mass shootings in the country.
MISSING NORTH CAROLINA STUDENT BROOK CHEUVRONT, 20, FOUND DEAD IN SOUTH AFRICA
The motive for the killings remains unknown and police said on Monday that the investigation is continuing, and no arrests have been made.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the killings and promised that the government would deploy all needed resources in the investigation.
He said Monday that 38 people had been killed in previous mass shootings in the past two years and 25 suspects have been arrested.
"I feel deeply for all the families and members of the broader community affected by this attack, and on behalf of all of us as South Africans, I offer you our deepest sympathies," he said.
"While we are united in our grief, we are also united in our outrage and condemnation of this excessive criminal assault which will not go unpunished," he said.
The shootings follow a mass killing in KwaZulu-Natal province in April 2023. Ten members of the same family, including seven women and a 13-year-old boy, were killed at their home.
Sixteen people were fatally shot in a bar in the Johannesburg township of Soweto in 2022, the worst mass shooting in South Africa in decades before the latest killings in Lusikisiki.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. It recorded 12,734 homicides in the first six months of this year, according to police.
Israel's ground invasion into Lebanon imminent as cabinet approves next phase of the war
The international community is bracing for Israel's imminent invasion into southern Lebanon, as troops from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are expected to step foot into the country on Tuesday morning.
A senior U.S. official confirmed the invasion plans to Fox News on Monday. It is believed that the ground campaign will be smaller in scale than the 2006 operation Israel conducted in its war with Hezbollah, and is also expected to last a shorter period of time.
The ministers of Israel's political security cabinet approved the next phase of the operation in Lebanon, according to the Jerusalem Post, but it is unclear when the incursion will begin. Israel launched strikes into Lebanon on Monday night into Tuesday morning, but the ground invasion had not begun as of 1:30 a.m. local time.
Following the confirmation of an imminent Israeli invasion on Monday afternoon, the Pentagon told reporters that it is sending a "few thousand" more troops to the Middle East to augment U.S. forces already there on heightened alert – just one day after President Biden said he would not deploy more troops to the region.
PENTAGON SENDS MORE TROOPS TO THE MIDDLE EAST AMID CONFLICT
Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters the increased presence will come from new troop deployments as well as by extending the deployment of fighter jet squadrons previously set to be replaced.
The fighter jet squadrons of F-15 Strike Eagles, F-16, A-10 and F-22 fighter jets will now remain in the Middle East, though the Pentagon did not detail for how long.
Singh said the increased force presence is not in support of a potential evacuation.
"They are there for the protection of U.S. forces, and they are there, should they be needed, for the defense of Israel," she added.
Israel’s top commander on Monday once again hinted that Jerusalem was readying its troops for a campaign in southern Lebanon.
"In order to ensure the return of Israel’s northern communities, we will employ all of our capabilities, and this includes you," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told soldiers in the Israel Defense Force positioned on the border with Lebanon.
Gallant told the troops that the Friday killing of Hezbollah’s top leader Hassan Nasrallah, who led the terrorist organization for more than 30 years, was "an important step, but it is not the final one."
"We trust you to accomplish every mission at hand," Gallant added.
The world first braced for an Israeli invasion into Lebanon last week when Israeli security officials moved reservist forces to the north and advised troops there to be "prepared."
Though no official order for a ground invasion has been given by Jerusalem, Israel has over the last week carried out a significant aerial campaign against Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, as well as targeted strikes in Beirut.
Biden on Monday responded to questions by reporters regarding the "limited" invasion and said, "I'm more aware than you might know."
When asked if he was comfortable with the operational plans, he said, "I'm comfortable with them stopping. We should have a ceasefire now."
Special forces have also allegedly been carrying out small raids in southern Lebanon over the "past months" using tunnels constructed by Hezbollah but seized by Israel during Operation Northern Shield, which began in 2018.
The tunnels, which were made with the backing of Iran and assistance from North Korea, connect southern Lebanon to northern Israel.
BIDEN SAYS HE WILL TALK TO NETANYAHU AS ISRAEL PUMMELS SUNNI TERROR TARGETS IN BEIRUT
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Monday, unnamed sources said these "targeted" raids have been carried out in order to collect intelligence on Hezbollah as well as to damage the group’s ability to attack Israel.
Israeli officials have said the intended goal of these increased attacks against the terrorist group, is to ensure the safe return of some 60,000 residents who have fled the northern border out of concern that an Oct. 7-style attack could be repeated.
As fighting in the area has increased and the ambiguity surrounding what Hezbollah and Iran’s response could be to the killing of Nasrallah, it remains unclear when Jerusalem believes these residents will be able to actually return to their homes.
"Our goal is to ensure the [safe] return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes," Gallant told Israeli troops on Monday, according to a statement provided to Fox News Digital by the Israeli Ministry of Defense. "We are prepared to make every effort necessary to accomplish this mission.
"We will use all the means that may be required – your forces, other forces, from the air, from the sea, and on land," he added. "Good luck."
Israel will launch 'limited' ground invasion in Lebanon 'imminently' US official says
Israel will launch a "limited" ground invasion into southern Lebanon in the imminent future, a senior U.S. official told Fox News on Monday.
While set details on the invasion remain unclear, the official confirmed this campaign will be smaller in scale than the 2006 operation Israel conducted in its war with Hezbollah, and it is expected to last a shorter period of time.
The news comes as Israel’s top commander on Monday once again hinted that Jerusalem is readying its troops for such a campaign in southern Lebanon.
"In order to ensure the return of Israel’s northern communities, we will employ all of our capabilities, and this includes you," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told soldiers in the Israel Defense Force positioned on the border with Lebanon.
Gallant told the troops that the Friday killing of Hezbollah’s top leader Hassan Nasrallah, who led the terrorist organization for more than 30 years, was "an important step, but it is not the final one."
"We trust you to accomplish every mission at hand," Gallant added.
The world first braced for an Israeli invasion into Lebanon last week when Israeli security officials moved reservist forces to the north and advised troops there to be "prepared."
Though no official order for a ground invasion has been given by Jerusalem, Israel has over the last week carried out a significant aerial campaign against Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, as well as targeted strikes in Beirut.
President Biden on Monday responded to questions by reporters regarding the "limited" invasion and said, "I'm more aware than you might know."
When asked if he was comfortable with the operational plans, he said, "I'm comfortable with them stopping. We should have a ceasefire now."
Special forces have also allegedly been carrying out small raids in southern Lebanon over the "past months" using tunnels constructed by Hezbollah but seized by Israel during Operation Northern Shield, which began in 2018.
The tunnels, which were made with the backing of Iran and assistance from North Korea, connect southern Lebanon to northern Israel.
BIDEN SAYS HE WILL TALK TO NETANYAHU AS ISRAEL PUMMELS SUNNI TERROR TARGETS IN BEIRUT
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Monday, unnamed sources said these "targeted" raids have been carried out in order to collect intelligence on Hezbollah as well as to damage the group’s ability to attack Israel.
Israeli officials have said the intended goal of these increased attacks against the terrorist group, is to ensure the safe return of some 60,000 residents who have fled the northern border out of concern that an Oct. 7-style attack could be repeated.
As fighting in the area has increased and the ambiguity surrounding what Hezbollah and Iran’s response could be to the killing of Nasrallah, it remains unclear when Jerusalem believes these residents will be able to actually return to their homes.
"Our goal is to ensure the [safe] return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes," Gallant told Israeli troops on Monday, according to a statement provided to Fox News Digital by the Israeli Ministry of Defense. "We are prepared to make every effort necessary to accomplish this mission.
"We will use all the means that may be required – your forces, other forces, from the air, from the sea, and on land," he added. "Good luck."
Israel will launch 'limited' ground invasion in Lebanon 'imminently' US official says
Israel will launch a "limited" ground invasion into southern Lebanon in the "imminent" future, a senior U.S. official told Fox News on Monday.
While set details on the invasion remain unclear, the official confirmed this campaign will be smaller in scale than the 2006 operation Israel conducted in its war with Hezbollah, and it is expected to last a shorter period of time.
The news comes as Israel’s top commander on Monday once again hinted that Jerusalem is readying its troops for such a campaign in southern Lebanon.
"In order to ensure the return of Israel’s northern communities, we will employ all of our capabilities, and this includes you," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told soldiers in the Israel Defense Force positioned on the border with Lebanon.
Gallant told the troops that the Friday killing of Hezbollah’s top leader Hassan Nasrallah, who led the terrorist organization for more than 30 years, was "an important step, but it is not the final one."
"We trust you to accomplish every mission at hand," Gallant added.
The world first braced for an Israeli invasion into Lebanon last week when Israeli security officials moved reservist forces to the north and advised troops there to be "prepared."
Though no official order for a ground invasion has been given by Jerusalem, Israel has over the last week carried out a significant aerial campaign against Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, as well as targeted strikes in Beirut.
Special forces have also allegedly been carrying out small raids in southern Lebanon over the "past months" using tunnels constructed by Hezbollah but seized by Israel during Operation Northern Shield, which began in 2018.
The tunnels, which were made with the backing of Iran and assistance from North Korea, connect southern Lebanon to northern Israel.
BIDEN SAYS HE WILL TALK TO NETANYAHU AS ISRAEL PUMMELS SUNNI TERROR TARGETS IN BEIRUT
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Monday, unnamed sources said these "targeted" raids have been carried out in order to collect intelligence on Hezbollah as well as to damage the group’s ability to attack Israel.
Israeli officials have said the intended goal of these increased attacks against the terrorist group, is to ensure the safe return of some 60,000 residents who have fled the northern border out of concern that an Oct. 7-style attack could be repeated.
As fighting in the area has increased and the ambiguity surrounding what Hezbollah and Iran’s response could be to the killing of Nasrallah, it remains unclear when Jerusalem believes these residents will be able to actually return to their homes.
"Our goal is to ensure the [safe] return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes," Gallant told Israeli troops on Monday, according to a statement provided to Fox News Digital by the Israeli Ministry of Defense. "We are prepared to make every effort necessary to accomplish this mission.
"We will use all the means that may be required – your forces, other forces, from the air, from the sea, and on land," he added. "Good luck."
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