International News
Deadly Israeli Airstrikes Claim 26 Lives, Dozens Trapped In Gaza, Lebanon
Israel’s military launched new airstrikes in Gaza and southern Lebanon on Sunday, continuing its multi-front offensive against Hamas and Hezbollah.
In Gaza, at least 46 people were killed in Israeli air raids, the civil defense agency reported.
The deadliest attack took place in Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza, where 26 people, including women and children, were killed, and at least 59 others were trapped under rubble.
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Additional strikes targeted the Bureij refugee camp, the southern city of Rafah, and the Nuseirat camp, resulting in more casualties.
Since the conflict erupted more than 13 months ago, Gaza’s health ministry reports that 43,846 people have died, the majority of whom are civilians, according to the United Nations.
The war was ignited by Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, which killed over 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
Meanwhile, in southern Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes hit Hezbollah’s stronghold near Beirut’s international airport, with plumes of smoke rising from the capital’s southern suburbs.
The strikes followed Israel’s warning for residents to evacuate.
Hezbollah responded with missile fire that set an Israeli tank ablaze in the village of Chamaa in southern Lebanon.
On the ground in Lebanon, the violence continues to escalate.
Israeli forces targeted the southern city of Tyre and areas near the Litani River, while the Lebanese health ministry reported that six people, including three children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Bekaa Valley.
Since September 23, Israel has intensified its bombing campaign in Lebanon, deploying ground troops and escalating air raids in response to Hezbollah’s support for Hamas.
The Israeli military has vowed to continue its offensive, stating that Hezbollah has “paid a big price” for its actions.
The latest Israeli casualties include a soldier killed during clashes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, bringing the total number of Israeli fatalities to 48.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire.
A UN-backed report issued on November 9 warned of imminent famine in northern Gaza, where food aid has been nearly cut off due to ongoing hostilities.
Israel has rejected accusations of war crimes, with its foreign ministry calling a recent Human Rights Watch report “completely false.” The United States also dismissed the claims, stating that allegations of genocide are “certainly unfounded.”
In Israel, police arrested three suspects after flares were shot near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home in Caesarea, while protests in Tel Aviv continue to demand that the government secure a deal for the release of hostages still held by Hamas.
The protests followed the suspension of Qatar’s mediation efforts last week, with the country urging both sides to show “seriousness” in negotiations.
As the violence drags on, both Gaza and southern Lebanon face mounting casualties and a deepening humanitarian crisis, with little progress toward peace or a resolution in sight.
A Memphis man was accidentally shot by his own dog after the pet jumped onto his bed and triggered a loaded firearm, police confirmed on Wednesday.
The incident occurred early Monday morning while the man was asleep alongside his female partner.
According to police reports, the couple’s one-year-old pit bull, Oreo, inadvertently discharged the weapon after getting its paw stuck in the trigger guard.
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The bullet grazed the man’s left thigh, causing a minor injury that was treated at a local hospital.
The victim’s girlfriend, who spoke to Fox 13 Memphis, described Oreo as a playful dog and recounted the shocking moment the firearm discharged.
“The dog is a playful dog, and he likes to jump around and stuff like that, and it just went off,” she said. Reflecting on the incident, she added: “Keep the safety on or use a trigger lock.”
Police have classified the case as an “accidental injury” and have not disclosed the type of firearm involved.
Although gun-related incidents are frequent in the United States, cases involving animals firing weapons are rare.
In a similar case in 2023, a Kansas man was killed when his German shepherd stepped on a hunting rifle.
A comparable incident in 2018 saw an Iowa man accidentally shot in the leg by his pit bull-Labrador mix.
Authorities are using the Memphis case as a reminder of firearm safety, urging gun owners to secure their weapons properly to prevent unintended discharges.
A deadly measles outbreak in the southwestern United States has claimed two lives and infected at least 228 people, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue a travel advisory.
The outbreak has hit Texas the hardest, with 198 reported cases, while New Mexico has confirmed 30.
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Health officials say both fatalities involved unvaccinated individuals—a child in Texas and an adult in New Mexico who tested positive for measles posthumously.
The CDC has classified both as measles-related deaths.
As the outbreak continues to grow, the CDC is warning that more cases are likely. In a recent Health Alert Network advisory, the agency urged healthcare professionals and public health officials to take precautions.
“With the spring and summer travel season approaching in the United States, CDC emphasizes the important role that clinicians and public health officials play in preventing the spread of measles,” the advisory stated.
“They should be vigilant for cases of febrile rash illness that meet the measles case definition and share effective measles prevention strategies, including vaccination guidance for international travelers.”
Measles, a highly contagious disease, spreads through respiratory droplets and can remain airborne for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.
It causes fever, respiratory symptoms, and a characteristic rash but can also lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, brain inflammation, and death.
Despite the effectiveness of the measles vaccine—providing 93% immunity after one dose and 97% after two—vaccination rates in the U.S. have been on the decline.
The CDC recommends a 95% immunization rate for herd immunity, but coverage among kindergartners fell to 92.7% in the 2023-2024 school year.
The outbreak’s epicenter is in a west Texas county with a large Mennonite community known for vaccine hesitancy.
Religious exemptions have been rising nationwide, contributing to lower immunization rates.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who previously promoted discredited claims linking the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism, has recently shifted his stance.
While he now encourages vaccination, he also continues to advocate for alternative treatments like vitamin A and steroids.
Health experts warn that emphasizing such treatments could divert attention from the urgent need to improve immunization coverage.
The last measles-related death in the U.S. occurred in 2015, when a Washington state woman with a suppressed immune system died from virus-induced pneumonia. Before that, the previous fatality was recorded in 2003.
A South Korean Air Force fighter jet accidentally released eight bombs outside a designated training range during a joint military exercise on Thursday, injuring several civilians and damaging buildings, officials said.
The Air Force confirmed that a KF-16 aircraft had mistakenly dropped eight MK-82 general-purpose bombs in Pocheon, a city located about 25 kilometers (16 miles) south of the heavily fortified border with North Korea.
The incident occurred around 10:00 am local time (0100 GMT) during a joint live-fire exercise involving the South Korean Air Force and Army.
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“We deeply regret the unintended release of the bombs, which resulted in civilian casualties, and wish those injured a swift recovery,” the Air Force said in a statement.
Officials have launched an accident response committee to investigate the incident and promised compensation for damages.
According to South Korea’s National Fire Agency, the misfired bombs struck a village, leading to injuries and displacement among residents.
Four people were seriously wounded, while three others suffered minor injuries
The explosion also caused damage to a church building and sections of two homes.
Local residents described the moment of impact as a terrifying experience. A villager, identified only by the surname Park, told Yonhap News Agency that he was watching television when the explosion occurred.
“I suddenly heard an enormous explosion, like a thunderclap, and the whole house shook. When I went outside, everything was in chaos,” Park said.
Even a senior center located about a kilometer away felt the impact of the blast. The director of the center, surnamed Yu, recounted the panic among the elderly residents.
“A sudden explosion shook the building. The windows shattered, and one of our teachers was injured and taken to the hospital,” Yu said. “Fortunately, none of the seniors were hurt, but they were so frightened that we sent them all home.”
The accident occurred as South Korea and the United States conducted joint live-fire drills in the area. The two allies are preparing for their large-scale annual military exercise, “Freedom Shield,” set to begin later this month.
The Korean Peninsula remains in a state of war since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
The United States maintains tens of thousands of troops in South Korea as part of its defense commitment against potential threats from North Korea.
This is not the first time South Korea has experienced a military mishap. In 2022, a South Korean Hyunmu-2 ballistic missile crashed into a military golf course during a test, though it did not explode and no injuries were reported.
Authorities have assured the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the accidental bomb release and to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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