[RYAN ROBERTSON]

HEZBOLLAH FIRED A BALLISTIC MISSILE AT TEL AVIV ON WEDNESDAY, BUT ISRAEL’S AIR DEFENSES SHOT IT DOWN. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE TERRORIST GROUP TARGETED CENTRAL ISRAEL DIRECTLY. THE MISSILE, LAUNCHED FROM SOUTHERN LEBANON, WAS INTERCEPTED BY ISRAEL’S DAVID’S SLING DEFENSE SYSTEM BEFORE IT COULD HIT ITS MARK.

HEZBOLLAH CLAIMED THE MISSILE TARGETED MOSSAD’S HEADQUARTERS IN RETALIATION FOR ISRAELI STRIKES IN LEBANON–
AND IN SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINIANS IN GAZA, WHERE ISRAEL’S MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST HAMAS CONTINUE.

THE MISSILE INTERCEPT COMES DAYS AFTER ISRAELI STRIKES TARGETING HEZBOLLAH KILLED MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE ACROSS LEBANON, INCLUDING DOZENS OF CHILDREN. MONDAY WAS THE DEADLIEST DAY IN LEBANON IN NEARLY TWO DECADES.

THE IDF QUICKLY RESPONDED TO THE ATTEMPTED MISSILE STRIKE– — LAUNCHING MORE THAN 280 AIRSTRIKES ON HEZBOLLAH POSITIONS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON. THE IDF SAYS IT TARGETED KEY INFRASTRUCTURE AND MISSILE LAUNCHERS. AT LEAST 50 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND MORE THAN 200 INJURED.

HEZBOLLAH CONTINUED ITS ROCKET ATTACKS ON NORTHERN ISRAEL, LAUNCHING 40 MORE PROJECTILES ON WEDNESDAY.

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN SAYS WASHINGTON IS WORKING WITH ITS ALLIES TO DE-ESCALATE THE SITUATION. BLINKEN EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO PREVENT FURTHER ESCALATION, WARNING THE RISK OF A LARGER REGIONAL CONFLICT REMAINS STRONG.

LEBANESE OFFICIALS ESTIMATE MORE THAN HALF A MILLION PEOPLE FLED THEIR HOMES SINCE THE CONFLICT WORSENED. ISRAEL BOLSTERED ITS NORTHERN BORDER FORCES, CALLING UP RESERVE BRIGADES AND SIMULATING GROUND COMBAT PREPARATIONS.

BOTH SIDES REFUSE TO BACK DOWN. ISRAEL AIMS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ITS NORTHERN CITIZENS AND WEAKEN HEZBOLLAH’S MILITARY CAPABILITIES, WHILE HEZBOLLAH VOWS TO RESIST UNTIL ISRAELI OPERATIONS IN GAZA CEASE.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M RYAN ROBERTSON. FOR MORE OF OUR UNBIASED — STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING — DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT US AT SAN – DOT – COM.