Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 194?
IDF destroys launchers in Gaza • Rocket directly hits building in north • US shoots down Houthi UAVs •IDF destroys Hezbollah launchers in Lebanon
US to impose new sanctions targeting Iran's missile and drone program
The new sanctions and other measures will "continue a steady drumbeat of pressure" to contain and degrade Iran's military capacity and effectiveness, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.
New sanctions targeting Iran and sanctions against entities supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran's Defense Ministry will be imposed in the coming days, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement on Tuesday evening.
"Following Iran's unprecedented air attack against Israel, President Biden is coordinating with allies and partners, including the G7, and with bipartisan leaders in Congress, on a comprehensive response," Sullivan said.
It's anticipated that US allies and partners will soon be following with their own sanctions, according to the statement.
Go to the full article >>Israel’s representative at Venice Biennale shuts down art exhibit, demands hostage deal
Protests in the art world over Israel’s war with Hamas have become commonplace since Oct. 7, and some artists unsuccessfully pushed for Israel’s exclusion from the Biennale because of the war.
(JTA) – The artist representing Israel at one of the world’s foremost contemporary art exhibitions is shutting down her exhibit until a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages is reached.
Ruth Patir, whom Israel selected as its official representative at the Venice Biennale, closed her country’s pavilion on Tuesday with her artwork fully installed inside. To the door she affixed a note reading, “The artist and curators of the Israeli pavilion will open the exhibition when a ceasefire and hostage release agreement is reached.”
Protests in the art world over Israel’s war with Hamas have become commonplace since Oct. 7, and some artists unsuccessfully pushed for Israel’s exclusion from the Biennale because of the war. Patir’s action is unusual because she is an Israeli publicly rebuking her government on the world stage.
Go to the full article >>US CENTCOM forces successfully engage two Houthi UAVs, statement says
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday its forces successfully engaged two unmanned aerial (UAV) vehicles in areas controlled by Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on April 16.
"There were no injuries or damage reported by US, coalition, or commercial ships," CENTCOM said in a statement.
Go to the full article >>Blinken tells Jewish leaders in the US does not want Israel to ‘escalate’ after Iran attack
There was some pushback from the centrist and right-wing Jewish officials present, who called on the United States to support whatever decision Israel makes.
WASHINGTON (JTA) — The Biden administration does not want tensions between Iran and Israel to “escalate” after Iran’s massive attack on Israel over the weekend, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told American Jewish leaders.
Blinken called the meeting at the State Department on Tuesday morning as Israel contemplates how and when to retaliate against Iran. Blinken underscored how eager the Biden Administration is for the Israel-Hamas war not to spread across the region.
“We understand and appreciate why the Israelis feel like they must respond,” Blinken said according to the notes of one participant, confirmed by three others. “In our estimation, it is not in Israel’s interests or in America’s interest for this to escalate. However, that is a decision for Israel to make. We would never tell Israel what to do — we just give the best advice we can.”
Go to the full article >>Israel-Hamas war: What you need to know
Hamas launched a massive attack on October 7, with thousands of terrorists infiltrating from the Gaza border and taking some 240 hostages into Gaza
Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered, including over 350 in the Re'im music festival and hundreds of Israeli civilians across Gaza border communities
133 hostages remain in Gaza
37 hostages in total have been killed in captivity, IDF says