More than 30 people were killed by Israeli airstrikes on two schools in Gaza on Sunday, as tensions rise in the Middle East amid fears of a wider regional war between Israel and Iran.
The Israeli military attacked the Hassan Salama and Nasser schools in Gaza City, where thousands of displaced Gazans were staying, killing at least 30 and leaving another 16 missing, according to Gaza authorities.
The military said: “Numerous measures were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precision munitions, surveillance and additional intelligence,” although a witness told the Washington Post that the attack killed several women and children.
The attack occurred on the same day as a Palestinian man in the West Bank stabbed Two Israelis were killed and two others injured in a terrorist attack in a Tel Aviv suburb.
Tensions in the region have risen after Israel killed two Hamas leaders, including its most senior leader, in attacks on Tehran and Beirut last week. The Iranian government has vowed revenge, while the allied militant group Hezbollah is also increasing its attacks on the Israeli border.
Israeli lawmakers have openly called for war in Lebanon against Hezbollah, while the US has also urged Americans to leave Lebanon as quickly as possible, wary of future conflicts.
Deputy National Security Advisor Jonathan Finer said in an interview with CBS “Face the Nation” on Sunday that the U.S. is working to ease tensions between Israel and Hezbollah after months of skirmishes.
“What we’re trying to do is prepare for any eventuality,” he said. “Obviously, we have been very clear that we will work with our ally Israel to defend itself against the main threats it faces, and we are at a moment that appears to be an increased threat.”
The US also ordered a group of additional aircraft carriers and fighter jets for the Eastern Mediterranean on Friday to deter any attack by Hezbollah or Iran on Israel.
Finer said the measure is “entirely focused on defending Israel against potential threats it may face, and our desire to deter those threats, defend against them, and ultimately calm the situation and prevent it from sliding into a regional war.”
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
