Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant yesterday vowed to “hit the enemy hard” after rocket fire from Lebanon killed 12 young people in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights and again raised fears that the war in Gaza would spread.
Iran warned Israel that any new military “adventures” in Lebanon could lead to “unforeseen consequences.”
Israel’s army called it “the deadliest attack on Israeli civilians” since the attack on Oct. 7 last year that began the war in Gaza and triggered regular exchanges of fire across the Lebanese border.
Photo: Reuters
Israel blamed Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement for the rocket fire, but the Iran-backed group — which has regularly targeted Israeli military positions — said it had “no connection” to the incident.
It came hours after officials in Hamas-run Gaza said an Israeli strike on a school housing thousands of displaced Palestinians killed at least 30 people.
Israel said it was targeting “terrorists” operating from the school.
The rocket fire in Majdal Shams prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to return early from the US to convene his security Cabinet.
Israel’s military said later yesterday it hit Hezbollah targets “both deep inside Lebanese territory and in southern Lebanon.”
The rocket strike on the Druze town of Majdal Shams hit a soccer pitch and killed young people aged 10 to 20, Israel’s military said.
Gallant visited the scene early yesterday, standing with security forces beside the mangled fence and abandoned scooters.
The UN urged “maximum restraint” in a joint statement from UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and UN Interim Force in Lebanon mission and force commander Aroldo Lazaro.
Intensifying exchanges of fire “could ignite a wider conflagration that would engulf the entire region in a catastrophe beyond belief,” they said.
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old
SEA SEARCH: Nine crew members of a cargo ship had taken to the water after the vessel sunk off the southern coast, with a rescue effort under way, officials said The strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in eight years yesterday killed three people and flooded parts of the nation’s second-biggest city, while rescuers were searching for nine sailors after their cargo ship sank in the storm. Typhoon Gaemi transformed streets in Kaohsiung into rivers, with some households flooded. Offices and schools were closed for the second consecutive day, with thousands of people evacuated. Three people died and 380 were injured due to strong winds and torrential rainfall brought by Typhoon Gaemi, the Central Emergency Response Center said. The typhoon made landfall in Yilan County’s Nanao Township (南澳) at midnight yesterday and departed Taiwan
SEVEN-YEAR TERM: Three other defendants were found guilty and sentenced in the trial over legislative office salaries, while a fourth was found not guilty of all charges Anne Kao (高虹安) yesterday was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison and suspended as Hsinchu mayor after the Taipei District Court found her guilty of contravening the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例) and the Criminal Code. The court also deprived Kao of her civil rights for four years and she was suspended from office by the Ministry of the Interior. Article 78 of the Local Government Act (地方制度法) stipulates that a mayor of a special municipality will be suspended from office if they are found guilty of contravening the Anti-Corruption Act. Kao was accused of taking for her own use more than