Israel Says Intercepted Two Unknown Targets Over Haifa

The Israeli Iron Dome system responds to missiles launched from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday (EPA)
The Israeli Iron Dome system responds to missiles launched from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday (EPA)
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Israel Says Intercepted Two Unknown Targets Over Haifa

The Israeli Iron Dome system responds to missiles launched from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday (EPA)
The Israeli Iron Dome system responds to missiles launched from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday (EPA)

The Israeli army said on Saturday that its Air Defense system intercepted two unknown targets over the city of Haifa.

Earlier on Friday, the Jerusalem Post reported an explosion in the Haifa Krayot area, saying no sirens were reported and no alert was released by the army.

"Following the reports of the echoes of explosions over Haifa, air defense fighters intercepted two unidentified targets over the city of Haifa, no alert was activated according to policy," an army statement read.

 

 



US Wants to See Israel Scale Back Some of Beirut Strikes as it Targets Hezbollah Stronghold

A cloud of smoke erupts following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on October 19, 2024. (AFP)
A cloud of smoke erupts following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on October 19, 2024. (AFP)
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US Wants to See Israel Scale Back Some of Beirut Strikes as it Targets Hezbollah Stronghold

A cloud of smoke erupts following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on October 19, 2024. (AFP)
A cloud of smoke erupts following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on October 19, 2024. (AFP)

The United States would like to see Israel scale back some of its strikes in and around the Lebanese capital of Beirut, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday.

"The number of civilian casualties have been far too high," he told reporters at a G7 defense gathering in the Italian city of Naples.  

"We’d like to see Israel scale back on some of the strikes it’s taking, especially in and around Beirut, and we’d like to see things transition to some sort of negotiation that will allow civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes."

Tens of thousands of people have fled Beirut's southern suburbs - once a densely populated zone that also housed Hezbollah offices and underground installations - since Israel began regularly targeting the zone approximately three weeks ago.

On Saturday afternoon, Israel carried out heavy strikes on several locations in the city's southern suburbs, leaving thick plumes of smoke wafting over the city horizon throughout the evening.

The strikes came as Hezbollah fired salvos of rockets at northern Israel, with one drone directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's holiday home, his spokesman said.  

Austin added that he has raised issue about the security of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with Israeli counterpart.  

Israel informed him it has no intent to target the peacekeepers, who are deployed in the South.