Israeli troops are battling Hezbollah militants inside Lebanon after launching what they say are limited ground operations there. The region is bracing for further escalation as Israel vowed to retaliate for Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Tuesday.
Here’s what to know:
- Emergency meeting: The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on the escalating situation in the Middle East for Wednesday at 10 a.m., at the request of France and Israel.
- What Iran is saying: Iran said the missiles were in response to the killing of Hezbollah’s leader and his top commanders. It also mentioned Ismail Haniyeh, a top leader in Hamas who was assassinated in Tehran in a suspected Israeli attack in July.
- What Israel is saying: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed late Tuesday to retaliate against Iran, which he said “made a big mistake tonight and it will pay for it.”
23 min agoGermany evacuates 130 more of its citizens out of Lebanon
The foreign and defense ministries say they are flying “particularly endangered” Germans out of Lebanon on board a military plane.
They said in a statement the plane brought 5 tons of aid, particularly medical equipment, to the Lebanese capital.
A German military plane on Monday flew 111 people from Beirut to Berlin, including families of German diplomats, nonessential staff and others.37 min agoIsrael receives second credit rating downgrade in less than a week
S&P Global has lowered Israel’s long-term sovereign credit rating on Tuesday, days after Moody’s announced a similar downgrade. The firm pointed to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and escalated fighting with Hezbollah farther north.
The move cites heightened risks for the economy as conflict escalates in the region.46 min agoUS sanctions an Iranian man and 3 Chinese firms for allegedly aiding Houthi rebels
They allegedly helped the Houthi militant group acquire materials needed to manufacture and deploy advanced missiles and drones against the U.S. and its allies.
Iranian citizen Hasan Ahmad Hasan Muhammad al-Kuhlani allegedly facilitated weapons smuggling for the Yemeni militant group.
56 min agoUN chief demands a halt to dramatic escalation
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council called by Israel and France that in just a week the alarming situation in Lebanon has gone from bad “to much, much worse.”
“It is high time for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza,” he said. “It is high time for a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon,” adding that “the sickening cycle of escalation after escalation that is leading the people of the Middle East straight over the cliff” has to stop.
