Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari gave a press briefing about the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas war on Sunday.
During his briefing,
Hagari said that Hezbollah is “increasing its attacks against Israel, firing rockets, missiles and drones, killing Israeli civilians and soldiers and displacing over 80,000 Israelis from their homes in the north.”
“Since Hezbollah began its attacks, the IDF has been responding by striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon,” Hagari explained.
The spokesperson then accused Hezbollah of endangering Lebanese citizens.
“Hezbollah, a proxy of Iran, is dragging Lebanon into an unnecessary war that would have devastating consequences for the people of Lebanon,” he added. “This is a war that they do not deserve.”
Fox News’ Andrea Vacchiano contributed to this report
Man arrested near DC synagogue following alleged assault while ‘shouting an anti-Semitic phrase’
A suspect has been arrested in Washington, D.C., after allegedly spraying an unknown substance at two people while making antisemitic remarks in the vicinity of a synagogue, police say.Â
Brent Wood, a 33-year-old with a last known address in Toledo, Ohio, is now facing charges of simple assault and resisting arrest in relation to the incident on Sunday morning, which is being investigated as an offense “being motivated by hate or bias,” according to the Metropolitan Police Department.Â
“On Sunday, December 17, 2023, at approximately 9:26 a.m., Second District officers responded to the 2800 block of N Street, Northwest, for the report of an individual spraying an unknown substance at two victims while shouting an anti-Semitic phrase,” police said in a statement.Â
“Responding officers located the suspect and placed him under arrest. As a precautionary measure, the suspect’s vehicle was swept with no hazardous materials found,” police added. “No injuries were reported.”Â
Read the full article by Fox News’ Greg Norman
Pompeo blasts Biden admin’s Iran strategy as attacks on US troops mount
Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized President Biden’s efforts to deter IRan from escalating war in the Middle East on Monday.
Pompeo joined Fox Business to discuss the nearly 100 Iran-backed attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria since mid-October. Biden’s administration has pushed a strategy of detering Iran and its proxies from escalating Israel’s war on Hamas into a regional conflict, but critics argue it has had little success.
Italy weighs joining navy coalition to protect Red Sea trade
Italy’s navy is weighing a decision to join a military coaltion seeking to secure the Red Sea against Houthi rebel attacks on trading vessels, Reuters reported Monday.
The U.S. called for nations to form such a coalition earlier this month as the Iran-backed Houthis ramped up missile and drone attacks on international shipping vessels. The Red Sea functions as a key artery for much of the world’s fuel shipments.
The U.S., France and U.K. have already ramped up naval presence in the region. The U.S. Navy’s USS Carney and USS Mason have also shot down multiple Houthi drones.
Israeli fighter jets strike Hezbollah ‘launch site’ in Lebanon
Israeli fighter jets carried out a series of air strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Monday.
“Fighter jets of the Air Force recently attacked a number of targets of the terrorist organization Hezbollah, among them terrorist infrastructures, a launch site and a military structure. In addition, IDF fighters identified and attacked terrorists earlier today in a known area of ​​the terrorist organization Hezbollah,” IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a statement.
“Also, a number of launches from the territory of Lebanon towards a number of areas on the border of Lebanon were detected,” he added.
Israel has maintained a steady rhythm of strikes on Hezbollah as the Iran-backed terrorist organization has repeatedly probed Israel’s northern border.
Harvard admissions applications fall sharply amid antisemitism controversy
Harvard reported a 17% decline in its early admissions applications compared to a year ago as the Ivy League college remains embroiled in controversy over its handling of antisemitism on campus.
Harvard College announced Thursday that it accepted 692 students to the class of 2028 out of the 7,921 applicants who applied under Harvard’s Early Action Program, which required applications to be submitted by Nov. 1.Â
That amounts to a 17% drop compared to last year’s early application window when 9,553 submitted applications, and is the smallest number of early applicants since the pandemic began – though this year’s group is larger than the annual early applications received in the 2017-2019 period.
Two of Harvard’s fellow Ivy League institutions saw increases in the number of early applications received.Â
Yale University received 7,856 early applications this year, an increase of 1.4% from a year ago and the second-highest number in its history, the school announced in a release Friday. The University of Pennsylvania – which saw President Liz Magill resign last week amid a controversy over the handling of antisemitism on campus – also saw 500 more applications than last year, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Read the full article by Fox Business’ Eric Revell
BP pauses oil tanker traffic through Red Sea amid Houthi rebel attacks
The BP oil giant will pause all of its shipments through the Red Sea effective immediately due to a series of attacks on trade vessels by Houthi rebels in Yemen, the company announced Monday.
BP is the latest major company to announce a pause in shipments, following in the footsteps of Maersk, which had a vessel targeted by anti-ship missiles last week. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have sought to disrupt trade in the region in an effort to halt Israel’s war against Hamas.
Largest health care union in US calls for Gaza ceasefire
The largest health care union in America is calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, adding to the growing list of labor organizations in the U.S. urging Israel to end its strikes targeting Hamas terrorists due to concern for Palestinian civilians.
The executive council of 1199SEIU, which represents more than 450,000 health care workers throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida and Washington, D.C., called for the ceasefire in a statement Friday.
“1199SEIU calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip, to allow for urgent humanitarian relief amid the collapse of the territory’s health and other infrastructure,” the statement begins.Â
“We reiterate our unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’ attack on October 7, the killings, use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, and kidnappings of Israelis and foreign nationals. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages taken by Hamas and the end to indiscriminate rocket attacks against Israel.”
Read the full article by Fox Business’ Breck Dumas
IDF uncovers huge Hamas cash stash of nearly $1.4 million
Israeli Defense Forces uncovered a Hamas cash stash amounting to nearly $1.4 million at the home of a senior Hamas member on Monday.
“The fighters of the multi-dimensional unit under the command of the 551st Brigade Combat Team located in the house of a senior member of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Jabaliya area, suitcases of terrorist funds worth approximately NIS 5,000,000 and many weapons,” the IDF said in a statement.
The 5,000,000 NIS translates to $1, 371,000.
Biden admin has treated US troops as ‘cannon fodder’ in Middle East: Expert
Retired Navy SEAL Mike Sarraille joined ‘Fox & Friends First’ to discuss how the U.S. has responded to Iranian-backed attacks in the Middle East on Monday.
U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria have suffered nearly 100 attacks by Iran-backed terrorist organizations, despite President Biden’s efforts to deter Iran from escalating
Israel’s war against Hamas.
Israel offers new glimpse into Hamas’ largest-ever tunnel near Gaza border
The Israeli Defense Forces offered new images of what they say is the largest-ever “terror tunnel” made by Hamas in Gaza, Fox News Foreign Correspondent Try Yingst reported Monday.
The IDF says
the tunnel extends to just 400 meters away from the most heavily-trafficked crossing between Israel and Gaza.
Washington State community vandalized with anti-Israel slogans across dozens of buildings: police
Police in Washington state are searching for the suspects involved in vandalizing over 50 buildings with calls for a “ceasefire” and “free Palestine.”
According to a post on Facebook from the Edmonds Police Department, on Saturday morning, dozens of business owners in Edmonds reported being vandalized with calls to end the Israel-Hamas War painted in red on their windows.
“Overnight, multiple businesses downtown (several blocks near 5/Main) were tagged with posters and graffiti. The graffiti stated ‘free Palestine’ or ‘cease fire’,” police posted.
Read the full article by Stepheny Price
IDF identifies soldiers who died in southern Gaza amid ongoing war against Hamas
The Israeli Defense Forces announced the deaths of four soldiers who were killed in combat in southern Gaza as the war against Hamas terrorists continues.
• SSF Urija Bayer, 20-years-old, a combat soldier in Maglan
• SSF Liav Aloush, 21-years-old, a combat soldier in Duvdevan
• MSG (Res.) Etan Naeh, 26-years-old, a combat soldier in Duvdevan
• MSG (Res.) Tal Filiba, 23-years-old, a combat soldier in Yahalom
“The IDF expresses its deepest condolences to the families and will continue to standby them,” the IDF wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report