Israel Not Seeking War Escalation, but Preparing for All Scenarios, Defense Minister Says 

Buildings that were damaged in an Israeli strike the previous day in Beirut, Lebanon, 31 July 2024. (EPA)
Buildings that were damaged in an Israeli strike the previous day in Beirut, Lebanon, 31 July 2024. (EPA)
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Israel Not Seeking War Escalation, but Preparing for All Scenarios, Defense Minister Says 

Buildings that were damaged in an Israeli strike the previous day in Beirut, Lebanon, 31 July 2024. (EPA)
Buildings that were damaged in an Israeli strike the previous day in Beirut, Lebanon, 31 July 2024. (EPA)

Israel is not seeking to escalate war, but is preparing to handle all scenarios, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Wednesday while praising forces who carried out an attack on a Hezbollah commander in Beirut overnight.

During his visit, Gallant spoke with air defense officers regarding Israel's killing of the top commander in Iran-backed Hezbollah, who Israel says was responsible for a rocket attack on Saturday that killed 12 children and teenagers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

"The performance (last) night in Beirut was focused, high quality and contained," Gallant said, according to a statement from his office.

"We don't want war, but we are preparing for all possibilities, and that means you must be prepared as needed, and we will do our job at all the levels above you," he said.



Al Jazeera Says Reporter, Cameraman Killed in Israel Strike on Gaza

 Palestinians inspect a vehicle where Al Jazeera TV said its reporter Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman Ramy El Rify were killed in an Israeli strike, in Gaza City July 31, 2024. (Reuters)
Palestinians inspect a vehicle where Al Jazeera TV said its reporter Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman Ramy El Rify were killed in an Israeli strike, in Gaza City July 31, 2024. (Reuters)
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Al Jazeera Says Reporter, Cameraman Killed in Israel Strike on Gaza

 Palestinians inspect a vehicle where Al Jazeera TV said its reporter Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman Ramy El Rify were killed in an Israeli strike, in Gaza City July 31, 2024. (Reuters)
Palestinians inspect a vehicle where Al Jazeera TV said its reporter Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman Ramy El Rify were killed in an Israeli strike, in Gaza City July 31, 2024. (Reuters)

Qatar's flagship Al Jazeera TV said on Wednesday that its reporter Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman Ramy El Rify were killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza City.

Anas Al-Sharif, a colleague of the two dead journalists, told Al-Jazeera that Ghoul and Rify were on mission to film near the house of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas chief killed in Iran earlier on Wednesday in an attack the movement blamed on Israel.

The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said the new deaths raised to 165 the number of Palestinian journalists who were killed by Israeli fire since Oct 7.