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Israel/Middle East Morning Brief
Former President – and leading candidate to win back the White House – Donald Trump ripped into the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration over the intelligence leak of Israel's purported plans for retaliation for Iran's Oct. 1 ballistic missile strike, saying the source of the leak was an "enemy from within" the American security establishment.
Pentagon denies senior staffer under investigation for damaging intel leak
Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder on Tuesday denied the reports that Ariane Tabatabai, a senior staffer at the Pentagon, of Iranian origin was suspected of being behind the leak of Israeli plans to strike Iran in response to the Oct. 1 ballistic missile strike.
The IDF on Tuesday announced that a top Hezbollah official – and the man slated to replace Hassan Nasrallah – Hashem Safieddine was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut earlier this month. The Iranian Shiite proxy has yet to officially announce his death.
Hezbollah fires an early-morning salvo of long-range rockets toward Tel Aviv
Two long-range rockets fired from Lebanon were intercepted over Tel Aviv Wednesday morning after activating Red Alert sirens in northern and central Israel. Israel's southernmost city, Eilat, was also attacked by pro-Iranian proxies in Iraq.
Blinken warns Israel not to 'escalate' conflict with Hezbollah, Iran
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was in Israel for something like the 11th time since Oct. 7, 2023, with a view to putting pressure on Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to particularly not strike Iran in such a way as to make an all-out war more likely.
Did Yahya Sinwar leave orders to execute the remaining hostages if he was killed?
One of Israel's leading hostage negotiators said Yahya Sinwar's death could either be a moment of opportunity or a moment of doom; the latter because there are fears the terrorist leader may have left orders for any of the still living 101 hostages in Gaza captivity to be executed if he was killed.
Israel, U.S. issues warning for nationals to leave Sri Lanka after credible terrorist threat
The National Security Council called on Israelis to leave Sri Lanka's Arugam Bay area and other beaches in the island's south and west with immediate effect, citing terrorism threats. The U.S. embassy also warned its citizens of a possible threat against Israeli travelers.
Putin praises UAE role in mediating Russia-Ukraine conflict
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the United Arab Emirates' crucial "mediation efforts" in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, particularly around the issue of prisoner exchanges.
Report: Iran, and Saudi Arabia to conduct joint Red Sea naval exercises
Iran and Saudi Arabia announced they would conduct joint military drills – the first of their kind between two countries, which heretofore have a long history of enmity. Iran has yet to provide a time frame, and Riyadh would not officially be drawn on the report.
U.S. indicts IRGC official over in plot to kill Israelis, murder dissident journalist
The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday night indicted Ruhollah Bazghandi, a senior officer in Iran's Quds Force, for planning a series of assassinations targeting Israeli civilians, as well as attempting to kill Israelis in Turkey. A deputy head of an Iranian intelligence unit, he allegedly hired Eastern European criminal organizations to assassinate regime critic and journalist Masih Alinejad.
Hezbollah takes responsibility for drone that struck Netanyahu's Caesarea home
Iranian Lebanese terrorist proxy Hezbollah took responsibility Tuesday for the drone, which struck the window outside the master bedroom of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Caesarea home.
Calls to bar anti-Semitic U.N. rapporteur from entering U.S. for speaking tour
A United Nations official – Francesca Albanese – who endorsed Hamas' "right to resist" against Israel and who compared the Jewish state to Nazi Germany is facing calls to ban her from entering the United States.
WATCH: Hundreds pray at site of Nova Music Festival massacre on last day of biblical Feast of Tabernacles
