Middle East Conflict: UK Says It's 'Clear' Israel Will Respond To Iran's Attacks

Israel strikes Hezbollah buildings in southern Lebanon

Israeli warplanes on Wednesday afternoon struck several "military buildings and terrorist infrastructure" belonging to Hezbollah in the southern Lebanon villages of Naquora and Yarine, the IDF said.

Hostage's mother on TIME's 100 List

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the mother of Hersh, Goldberg-Polin, who was taken hostage along with some 252 others during Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, is among the TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2024 list.

Since her son was abducted, Goldberg-Polin has traveled around the world to raise awareness about the plight of the hostages, calling for their immediate release. She met with many global leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden and Pope Francis in hopes of driving more action towards the release of all hostages in Hamas captivity.

Hersh was taken by Hamas militants and forced onto a truck on Oct. 7, as per footage from the bloody invasion. His left arm was blown off from the elbow and since then, the family has not heard of anything about the 23-year-old.

1 in critical condition, 2 seriously injured in Hezbollah drone attack

Of 18 people wounded in Hezbollah's drone strike targeting a community center in the Arab Al-Aramshe in Galilee, one person is in critical condition while two others sustained serious injuries, multiple Israeli outlets reported Wednesday.

Hezbollah claims attack on northern Israel community center

Iranian-backed Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for the drone strike that directly hit a community facility in northern Galilee Wednesday, multiple outlets reported.

Israel blasts UN for loads of aid waiting for distribution on Gazan side

The Israeli government on Wednesday criticized the United Nations for what it said was "the content of 700 aid trucks" that were still sitting on the Gazan side of the Kerem Shalom border, waiting to be distributed to the Palestinian public by UN agencies.

"We scaled up our capabilities. All the UN did was make up excuses. Aid needs to be collected and delivered. The UN needs to do its job," the Israeli government said.

Israel responds to Hezbollah attacks

Israeli forces on Wednesday struck the sources of launches from Lebanese territory earlier in the day and targeted what the Israeli army said was "a Hezbollah military compound in southern Lebanon where terrorists were operating."

This comes after a community center in northern Galilee was struck by a drone, injuring several people.

Netanyahu reiterates Israel's right to self-defense in meeting with British, German leaders

The Israeli Prime Minister on Wednesday met with Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, wherein Netanyahu "reiterated that Israel would maintain its right to self-defense," as per a release from his office.

European Summit text calls for 'maximum restraint' in the Middle East: Arab report

A draft proposal drawn up at the European Summit in Brussels calls on all parties involved in the Middle East crisis to "exercise maximum restraint" and refrain from taking steps that could further escalate tensions in the region, Sky News in Arabic reported Wednesday.

Iran's Navy escorting Iranian merchant ships in Red Sea: Iranian media

Iran's naval forces are escorting Iranian commercial vessels to the Red Sea, the navy commander, Shahram Irani said Wednesday amid escalated tensions between Iran and Israel, the Iran's semi-official news agency Tasnim reported. Irani added that the navy's Jamaran frigate is currently in the Gulf of Aden.

Netanyahu bears sole responsibility for Middle East tensions: Erdogan

The Turkish President has put the sole responsibility for tensions in the Middle East on Netanyahu, saying "Israel is trying to provoke a regional conflict, and its attack on Iran's embassy in Damascus was the last drop."

US army ships convoy en route to Gaza reach Crete

Vessels of the U.S. Army that are sailing toward the Gaza Strip have reached Crete, local media reported Wednesday. Their arrival in the Grecian island is the first leg of the journey before they reach Gaza where American soldiers will build a temporary pier to facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries into the enclave by sea.

Ceasefire talks currently at a 'delicate phase': Qatar

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Wednesday said discussions on a truce in Gaza have reached a "delicate phase" but that Qatar was "trying as much as possible to address this stumbling block."

Qatar played a key mediating role alongside Egypt in getting Israel and Hamas to achieve a ceasefire late in November. However, the latest talks have been on a slow pace amid widening gaps on a ceasefire deal's provisions.

The warring sides have also repeatedly rejected proposed agreements from the other even as more than 130 hostages are still in captivity, some 30 of which are believed dead.

US engages 2 Houthi drones in Yemen

CENTCOM forces on Tuesday "successfully engaged" two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) stationed in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, the U.S. military said Wednesday.

Drone hits community center in northern Galilee, several injured

A drone struck a community facility in al-Aramshe in northern Galilee Wednesday, injuring several people, with one of them being in serious condition, multiple local outlets reported.

The targeted building was one where IDF soldiers were stationed, Sky News Arabia reported, citing Israeli sources.

'Clear' Israel will retaliate against Iran: UK's Cameron

"It's clear the Israelis are making a decision to act. We hope they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible," the British foreign secretary told reporters regarding Israel's latest moves following Iran's weekend aerial attacks toward Israel.

He added that the United Kingdom hopes Israel's retaliation will be "smart as well as tough," but he noted that Israel should "refocus" on its goal of eliminating Hamas and getting its hostages back, and allowing more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.