Israel Orders More #Evacuations Amid Fears of Conflict Widening
As Israel readies its troops for a #GroundInvasion of #Gaza, escalating clashes on its border w/ #Lebanon & violence in the Israeli-#occupied #WestBank raised fears the conflict could spill over.
Escalating clashes on #Israel’s N border w/ #Lebanon + strikes in #Syria & the #WestBank intensified fears of a widening regional conflict.
Israeli authorities said they’re expanding a state-funded #evacuation plan to move residents from an additional 14 Israeli villages near the Lebanon border to safer areas. The #IDF said Sun it was contending w/increasing attacks from #Hezbollah, the #Iran-backed #terrorist org that controls S Lebanon, resulting in #civilian & #military deaths.
Amid concerns the conflict could spill over, the #Pentagon said late Sat it was sending an #antimissile battery & #battalions of the Patriot ground-based air #defense sys to the #MiddleEast following “recent escalations by #Iran & its proxy forces.”
#UnitedStates Secy of State #Blinken said the #Biden admin believes there is “a likelihood of escalation, escalation by Iranian proxies directed against our forces, directed against our personnel” in the days to come.
The #State Dept has ordered the departure of all non-emergency #UnitedStates govt employees & family members from the #US embassy in #Baghdad & the US consulate in #Erbil, #Iraq. The move comes amid concerns about increasing #hostility toward US troops & citizens from #Iran-supported militias in Iraq due to the #Israel-#Hamas #war.
#Hamas #Hazbollab #Terrorism #MiddleEast #geopolitics #travel
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/iraq-travel-advisory.html
#UnitedStates Secy of State #Blinken said #Hamas is blocking #US citizens & other #ForeignNationals from leaving #Gaza. “We have several hundred #Americans & other nationalities, other #civilians from other countries who want to leave Gaza,” he said on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.” “We’ve had people come to #Rafah, the crossing w/ #Egypt. And to date, at least, Hamas has blocked them from leaving.”
#Israel #war #Terrorism #HumanitarianCrisis #MiddleEast #geopolitics
Nonilex
Firefly's Ghost