Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog: “That would be a big mistake”

Israel is outraged by possible American sanctions against its own army. President Herzog warns the ally. More information in the news blog.

According to media reports, Israel has carried out a retaliatory strike against Iran. However, there are no official confirmations. Here you will find an overview. You can follow all current developments here in the blog:

4:18 a.m.: The US admits the destruction of a rocket launcher following reports of an attack near a military base in Syria. A coalition fighter jet bombed the rocket launcher in self-defense, a US official said. There were no injuries on the American side. Iraq had previously reported the firing of five rockets from the back of a delivery truck in the border town of Zumar at the US base in Syria. The attack on U.S. forces is the first since early February after Iran-backed militias in Iraq stopped attacking U.S. troops.

3:14 a.m.: The Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia in Iraq says it is determined to resume attacks on US forces in the country. A visit by the Iraqi prime minister to Washington brought little progress in talks about a withdrawal of US troops, says Kataib Hezbollah. “What happened recently is just the beginning,” the group explains, apparently referring to a multiple missile attack from northern Iraq on a US military base in Syria.

2:34 a.m.: According to Iraqi sources, at least five rockets were fired from the Iraqi city of Zumar at a US military base in northeastern Syria. A rocket launcher was parked in the back of a delivery truck in the border town with Syria, two Iraqi security forces and a military officer told the Reuters news agency.

The military officer explains that the truck caught fire due to the explosion of unfired missiles when US fighter jets were in the airspace. “We cannot confirm that the truck was bombed by US warplanes until we investigate,” he said.

A search has also been launched for the perpetrators, who fled in another vehicle, said a security officer stationed in the town of Zumar. The attack came a day after an explosion at a military base in Iraq that killed a member of the Iraqi security forces on Saturday.

1.45am: The Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah says it shot down an Israeli drone that was on a combat mission in Lebanon. The drone that crashed over southern Lebanon “carried out its attacks on our steadfast people,” the militia said in a statement.

0.46 a.m.: According to the military, Israeli Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi has approved plans to continue the Gaza war. Halevi approved “further steps” on Sunday, said army spokesman Daniel Hagari. The Israeli Kan broadcaster reported that part of the plans included a military operation in the southern city of Rafah on the border with Egypt. An evacuation of the civilian population is apparently expected shortly.

Israel’s allies had urgently warned against an offensive in Rafah because hundreds of thousands of Palestinian internally displaced people are crowding there. However, Israel believes an operation in Rafah is necessary to destroy the remaining battalions of the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas. Otherwise, a resurgence of Hamas can be expected.

The Israeli army spokesman addressed the hostages held by Hamas directly on Sunday. “We’ll keep fighting until you get home,” he said. The relatives of the hostages are in an unbearable situation and everything will be done to free their loved ones.

0.05 a.m.: Israeli President Isaac Herzog is warning the US government against imposing sanctions on the Netzach Yehuda Battalion over alleged human rights violations in the West Bank. In an interview with “Bild” and other Axel Springer media in Jerusalem, Herzog said of reports that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken would announce such sanctions in the next few days: “That would be a big mistake.”