The United States will impose new sanctions targeting Tehran after Iran’s large-scale attack on Israel over the weekend, according to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
Most of the 300 ballistic projectiles, the majority of which are believed to have been launched from inside of Iran’s territory, were intercepted by Israel and its allies. Iran said it attacked Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike on its diplomatic compound in Syria.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Biden administration would use sanctions “to continue disrupting the Iranian regime’s malign and destabilizing activity.”
Here are the latest developments in the region:
- Israel weighs response: Israel’s war cabinet ended their fifth meeting to discuss a response to Iran’s attack without a conclusion. They are reviewing military and diplomatic options. The US expects Israel’s reaction will be limited in scope, sources told CNN. Regional leaders and allies of Israel have called for restraint.
- Iraq denies involvement: Israel said some of Iran’s weekend strikes were launched from Iraq, but Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has denied it to CNN.
- UN restricts Iran FM: The US will restrict the movements of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his delegation while they are in New York this week, a source told CNN.
- Refugee camp killings: In Gaza, a strike targeting the Al-Maghazi refugee camp killed at least 13 people, including seven children, according to hospital officials.
- Cost of war: The US Navy said it had spent nearly $1 billion on munitions to thwart “over 130 direct attacks” on US military and merchant ships in the Middle East over the past six months.
- Crossborder fire: The Israeli military said it had killed three Hezbollah fighters, including two commanders, in airstrikes in southern Lebanon.
- Child’s death in focus: The US will be going to Israel with new information from a Washington Post report that contradicts the results of an Israeli investigation into the death of 5-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab in Gaza.
- Probe problems: A UN Commission of Inquiry has accused Israel of actively obstructing its efforts to collect evidence from victims and first-hand witnesses of Hamas’ attacks in Israel on October 7.
- Airdrops continue: The US military airdropped more aid into Gaza, this time of about 25,300 meal equivalents. Humanitarian organizations have warned that airdrops are “good photo opportunities but a lousy way to deliver aid.”
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