The U.S. is sending an additional “few thousand” troops to the Middle East to bolster security and to be prepared to defend Israel if necessary, the Pentagon said Monday. The increased presence will come from multiple fighter jet squadrons, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters. It follows recent strikes in Lebanon and the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a significant escalation in the war in the Middle East, this time between Israel and Hezbollah. The additional personnel includes squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16, A-10 and F-22 fighter jets and the personnel needed to support them. The jets were supposed to rotate in and replace the squadrons already there.

Numerous Jewish organizations are preparing to deploy to Asheville, North Carolina, to aid in search-and-rescue operations as many Jews are reported missing in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s path of destruction over the weekend. The storm, which ravaged much of the southeastern U.S., has left Asheville and surrounding areas in a state of chaos, prompting an urgent call for assistance. The outpouring of support follows a plea from Rabbi Shaya and Mrs. Chaya Susskind, the Chabad emissaries serving the Jewish communities in Asheville and western North Carolina. In response, Jewish organizations from across the eastern U.S. have rallied to the cause.

In the first public statement by a Hezbollah official since the killing of the group’s leader, Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, declared that the terrorist organization is fully prepared for any potential ground operation by Israeli forces. “We will face any possibility, and we are ready if the Israelis decide to enter by land. The resistance forces are ready for a ground engagement,” Qassem said, visibly sweating during a speech from an undisclosed location in Beirut. Qassem’s remarks follow the death of Hezbollah’s chief, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last Friday. Despite the heavy loss of its top leader and ongoing Israeli attacks, Qassem said that Hezbollah remains committed to its cause.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has voiced his opposition to an Israeli ground operation into Lebanon, stating that such a move would not provide a long-term solution to the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah. Olmert, who led Israel during the 2006 invasion of Lebanon, emphasized the need for coordinated efforts with international allies to weaken the militant group. Speaking on the current situation in northern Israel, Olmert called for joint coordination between Israel, the United States, the United Nations, and the Lebanese government to push Hezbollah away from the Litani River in southern Lebanon.

Journalists at Iran’s Press TV broke down in tears as they reported the death of Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Marzieh Hashemi, a prominent Iranian-American anchor for the state-run television network, was one of them. During a live broadcast, Press TV’s Beirut correspondent, Mariam Saleh, broke down in tears when told Nasrallah was dead. She said she didn’t know how she would cope with his death. “I wish I could sacrifice my children and have Nasrallah back,” she said tearfully. She went on to vow that despite the loss, the fight would continue until victory was achieved. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In a direct message to the people of Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged them to resist their regime’s oppressive rule and expressed hope for a future where Iran and Israel could be at peace. The statement, delivered on Monday, marked a shift from Netanyahu’s usual focus on Iranian leadership to a more personal appeal to Iranian citizens. “I speak a lot about the leaders of Iran. Yet at this pivotal moment, I want to address you – the people of Iran. I want to do so directly, without filters, without middlemen,” Netanyahu said at the start of his statement, addressing what he described as the regime’s deepening involvement in regional conflicts. “Every day, you see a regime that subjugates you, makes fiery speeches about defending Lebanon, defending Gaza.

The US is preparing for a possible Iranian retaliatory strike on Israel following the elimination of  Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran’s Quds Force commander Abbas Nilforoushan, who was killed in the same strike, CNN reported on Sunday evening. Iran has vowed to avenge Nilforoushan’s killing, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi stating on Sunday that “the aggressor Zionist regime’s horrible crime” of eliminating Nilfouroushan will “not go unanswered.” The report quoted a US official as saying that the Biden administration is concerned that Iran is preparing to attack and is working with Israel to prepare for a possible strike, including “changes in  US military posture.” The official did not provide further details. Last week, US troops were deployed to Cyprus.

IDF special forces have been carrying out small targeted raids into southern Lebanon in preparation for a possible larger ground operation that could begin as early as this week, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. The raids, which include entering Hezbollah tunnels along the border, were also previously carried out in past months as part of the IDF’s efforts to root out Hezbollah’s operations along the border. The report quoted Amir Avivi, a former senior Israeli military official who continues to be briefed by defense officials, as saying that a ground incursion by Israel is imminent and that the raids are part of the preparation. “The IDF has made a lot of preparations for a ground incursion,” Avivi said. “Overall, this always includes special operations.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) announced on Monday morning that three of its leaders were killed in an IDF strike in Beirut shortly after midnight. The attack was Israel’s first strike within the city limits of Lebanon’s capital city of Beirut, with previous strikes mainly executed in Dahieh, a suburb of Beirut and a Hezbollah stronghold. The PFLP statement said that the three leaders were killed in a strike on the upper floor of an apartment building in the Kola district of Beirut. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

The Hamas terror group announced on Monday morning that its representative in Lebanon, Fateh Sherif Abu Al-Amin, was killed in an IDF strike in the south of the country. According to the statement, he was killed in an attack on his home in the Al-Bass “refugee camp” in southern Lebanon. Abu Al-Amin, also known as Fathi Al-Sharif, was the chairman of the UNRWA teachers’ organization in Lebanon. Hamas described him as the movement’s leader in Lebanon and a member of the leadership abroad. According to the National News Agency in Lebanon, this is the first time the Al-Bass “refugee camp” has been attacked. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)