Israel-Gaza war

Israel-Gaza war: The United States defended what it said were Israel’s “very real security needs” on Wednesday as part of a six-day hearing at the International Court of Justice on Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory. Diplomats and aid groups condemned the U.S. veto of a U.N. Security Council resolution that called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages.

Middle East conflict: Tensions in the region continue to rise. As Israeli troops aim to take control of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing, officials in Cairo warn that the move would undermine the 1979 peace treaty. Meanwhile, there’s a diplomatic scramble to avert full-scale war between Israel and Lebanon.

U.S. involvement: U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria killed dozens of Iranian-linked militants, according to Iraqi officials. The strikes were the first round of retaliatory action by the Biden administration for an attack in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members.