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Palestinian militants fire rockets after Israel strikes Gaza, AP
Palestinian militants fired dozens of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Wednesday, in a first response to ongoing Israeli airstrikes that have killed 17 Palestinians, including three senior militants and at least 10 civilians.
Gaza Militants May Attack Targets Near and Far, Israel’s Defense Minister Warns, Haaretz
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned on Tuesday that Israel could face rocket fire “to areas near the Gaza border and far from it, and with significant intensity. The defense establishment is prepared for any scenario, including a prolonged campaign.”
US Embassy Laments ‘Tragic’ Civilian Deaths in Gaza, Says Backing for Israel ‘Ironclad’, The Times of Israel
The US Embassy in Jerusalem laments the “tragic” loss of civilian life in this morning’s IDF airstrikes in Gaza while stressing its commitment to Israel’s security. “We are closely following Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip that killed three leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad,” an embassy spokesperson says. “We are also aware of reports that 10 civilians were tragically killed in the Israeli strikes.”
Netanyahu: Israel Is Prepared for a Multi-Front War with Iran, The Jerusalem Post
Israel is ready to fight Iran on multiple fronts if it needs to, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday, following the launch of Operation Shield and Arrow. In separate comments, Netanyahu said that “95% of Israel’s security problems come from Iran,” referring to “an attempt by Iran to start a multi-front campaign against us.”
Jordan, Egypt Pan Israeli Strikes in Gaza; UN Envoy: Civilian Deaths ‘Unacceptable’, The Times of Israel
Jordan and Egypt issued stark condemnations of Israel’s deadly strikes in Gaza Tuesday, hours after the IDF launched Operation Shield and Arrow. As of early afternoon on Tuesday, Israel’s other Arab allies had yet to comment on the operation, which launched in the early hours of the morning with the targeted assassination of three senior Islamic Jihad officials. In total, 13 people were killed in the strikes, including several women and children.
Scoop: U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides to Leave Post This Summer, Axios
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides will leave his post this summer after nearly two years in Jerusalem, two U.S. officials told Axios. Nides announced his departure at a time when the Netanyahu government’s controversial judicial overhaul continues to complicate the U.S.-Israel relationship. President Biden still hasn’t invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House — more than four months after the Israeli leader was sworn in.
The Israeli Military’s Democratic Dilemma, Foreign Affairs
Risa Brooks and Avishay Ben Sasson-Gordis discuss the country’s civil-military relations amidst the mass protests against the Netanyahu government’s judicial overhaul proposals.
Israel’s Third, Courageous Option: Negotiate With Hamas, Haaretz
Yossi Melman writes, “[T]he perpetuation of the present situation also has a cost, which is repeatedly being paid by the residents of Israel’s south. Without an agreement, these Israelis will continue to feel like second-class citizens whom their government doesn’t care about and who are essentially hostages of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. We will only see more cycles of Israel responding rather than taking the initiative, and especially of Israel showing that is unable to think outside the box.”