At least 19 people were injured during the night of Friday November 1 to Saturday November 2 in Tira, in central Israel, by the fall of a rocket on a building, authorities announced.
“This is the result of a direct Hezbollah rocket strike in the Arab Israeli town of Tira, injuring 19 civilians”wrote the Israeli Foreign Ministry on its X account, showing images of an explosion and a partially gutted building during the night.
According to Israeli police, of the 19 injured hospitalized, four suffered moderate injuries and the other fifteen suffered minor injuries. The army said on Telegram that it had identified three projectiles fired from Lebanon towards central Israel and had intercepted several of them.
Tira, a predominantly Arab town, is located about 25 km northeast of Tel Aviv, near the border with the occupied West Bank.
Some projectiles were intercepted but one probably fell in the area, the army said. The Islamic Resistance Organization in Iraq later announced in a statement that it had launched drones against a “essential target” in northern Israel. It was unclear whether the attack was linked to the attack that injured people in central Israel.
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Pentagon announcement
The United States has announced new military deployments in the Middle East which will arrive “in the coming months” for the “defense of Israel” and as a warning to Iran, according to a Pentagon press release Friday, November 1.
The head of the Pentagon “continues to make clear that if Iran, its partners or affiliated groups take advantage of this moment to target U.S. personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take all necessary measures to defend our people”underlines the press release.
These new military deployments include ballistic missile defenses, fighter jets, B-52 bombers and other types of military aircraft.
Read also: Lebanon accuses Israel of refusing ceasefire after new strikes
52 dead in Lebanon
The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced Friday evening the death of 52 people and 72 wounded in Israeli strikes on the east of the country, which had not been preceded by the evacuation advice usually issued by Israel.
UN warns of strengthening of Houthi rebels
In Yemen, the UN warned on Friday of the strengthening of Houthi rebels supported from abroad. According to the organization, the latter have “exploited the regional situation and strengthened their cooperation with the axis of resistance” bringing together Iran and groups like Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah.
In this UN report, experts indicate that for several years, Houthi fighters have received “tactical and technical training outside Yemen”notably in Iran and in Lebanese Hezbollah training centers. The Houthi rebels, however, have not “no capacity to develop and produce complex weapons systems” according to experts.
Local Hamas commander dies
The Israeli army said Friday it had killed Ezzedine Al-Kassab, a local Hamas commander in Rafah. The army claims he was responsible for “the organization's strategic and military relations with other factions in the Gaza Strip and had authority in making military decisions”.
“Apocalyptic” situation
The heads of fifteen major UN humanitarian agencies sign a statement warning of a situation on the brink of collapse for thousands of Gaza residents. “The entire Palestinian population in northern Gaza is at imminent risk of death from disease, famine and violence”they write. They demand that Israel “stop its assault on Gaza and against humanitarian workers”.
