On Monday, at least five US personnel were injured in an attack on a military base in Iraq, raising concerns about potential retaliation from Iran and its allies after the recent killing of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders by Israel. The attack was carried out with Katyusha rockets at al Asad airbase. Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have resumed attacks on bases housing US forces, prompting discussions between US defense secretary Lloyd Austin and Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant. Iran has called for reprisals and secured an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Meanwhile, former Palestinian prisoners have reported systemic abuse and mistreatment in Israeli jails, with claims of severe beatings, sexual violence, and deprivation of basic needs. Israel’s far-right finance minister has controversially stated that allowing 2 million Palestinians to starve is moral until Israeli hostages are released. The UN has fired nine staff members from Unrwa for potential involvement in attacks against Israel.
In other news, Meta apologized for erroneously removing Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim’s social media posts expressing condolences to Hamas, due to the group being labeled as dangerous by the social media platform. Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has called for Gaza to be governed under legitimate Palestinian authorities and opposed Israeli interim control plans. The EU’s top diplomat warned of a potential war in the Middle East, emphasizing the need for a ceasefire in Gaza. The killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is seen as an attempt to prolong conflict in Gaza and will complicate peace negotiations. Additionally, four Palestinians, including teenagers, were killed during a military raid in the occupied West Bank.
Source
Photo credit www.theguardian.com