US Centcom commander to visit 'Israel' on Friday amid escalation
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For weeks, the US has worked through diplomatic and military channels to keep the war from spreading to other parts in the region.
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A screen grab from a video published by the Military Media of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Hezbollah, depicting an attack against an Israeli surveillance device over the "Metula" military outpost, November 16, 2023 (Military media)
Two Israeli officials told Axios that Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, the commander of U.S. Central Command, is scheduled to visit "Israel" on Friday and meet with senior officials to talk about the ongoing war on Gaza and the situation in northern occupied Palestine with Hezbollah.
For weeks, the US has worked through various channels to keep the war from spreading to other parts of the region, out of fear that its troops might be exposed to Resistance attacks.
This is Kurilla's second trip to the Israeli occupation and he is expected to meet with security minister Yoav Gallant, IOF head Herzi Halevi, and other intelligence officials who will be briefing the US general on their ongoing assault on the ground in Gaza, along with their objectives moving forward.
Israeli media has been discussing the resistance on the border as well as concern about the northern front with Hezbollah, calling it a "huge challenge" to the occupation.
Hezbollah announced on Thursday that it had targeted an Israeli infantry force gathering on "Karantina" Hill near the Hadab Yaroun site with appropriate weapons.
According to the Israeli newspaper Maariv, nearly 70,000 settlers have been evacuated from settlements and distributed throughout "Israel," and the publication discussed Hezbollah's arsenal of tens of thousands of rockets and other drones that pose a threat to the occupation.
The former deputy chairman of the Israeli "National Security Council", Eran Etzion, during statements to the Israeli Kan channel, described the decision to open a front with the "strongest enemy" on the northern border, Hezbollah, as "strategic stupidity".
Israeli concerns have grown, as there is a heightened risk of a potential war erupting on the Northern Front. This comes as the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon has expanded its operations, targeting more Israeli installations and military positions along the border in response to Israeli aggressions against border villages, journalists, and civilians.
Iraqi Resistance: Enemy to see blows until Palestine's liberation
Kataib Hezbollah, part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, affirmed its solidarity with the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Resistance amid Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, stressing its commitment to direct strikes against the enemy, in response to the crimes of the Zionist-American aggression.
The Brigades said, in a statement, on Thursday, that the legendary steadfastness of the Palestinian people "in the face of the brutality of the Zionists, supported by the latest American military and intelligence machines, in addition to the support of England, France, and other Western countries, would not have been possible without their patience and belief in the necessity of regaining their rights stolen from the usurping entity."
Kataib Hezbollah also indicated that despite the Palestinians being exposed to various types of crimes and genocide, they "are still steadfast and seeking the liberation of their land and sanctities."
US President Joe Biden asked China to urge Iran to refrain from actions perceived as 'provocative' in the Middle East, as shared by a senior US official after a four-hour meeting between Biden and China's Xi Jinping on Wednesday.
The official said Chinese officials had also engaged in discussions with Iran on regional risks.
John Kirby, the White House National Security Council spokesperson told reporters on Thursday that the US was aware of direct channels of communication with Iran and China, claiming "the Chinese have influence on Iran and we would want to see them using it."
