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I'm VOA's Joe Ramsey with your worldwide news update.
Iran fired dozens of missiles at Israel, sending millions of Israelis to bomb shelters. The attack came as Israel launched a ground incursion into Lebanon to attack the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. Israel's anti-missile system shot down most of an Iranian missile barrage fired Tuesday and there were no reports of injuries. Iran said the attack was in retaliation for the killings of the leaders of two proxy militant groups. Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last week, and Hamas leader Ismail Haniya was killed in July. Israel has not claimed responsibility for that killing. Israel's ground operation targeted the Hezbollah militant group and is limited in scopes, says military spokesman Daniel Hagari. "Our soldiers entered Hezbollah's underground infrastructures, exposed Hezbollah's hidden weapons caches and seized and destroyed the weapons including advanced, Iranian-made weapons." Linda Gradstein, VOA News, Jerusalem. U.S. military officials said Iran's assault Tuesday was about twice as large as its direct attack against Israel in April in terms of the number of ballistic missiles launched. VOA's Carla Babb has more from the Pentagon. Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder said two U.S. destroyers, the USS Cole and USS Bulkeley, fired about a dozen interceptors against incoming Iranian ballistic missiles during the attack. The U.S. this week ordered a few thousand more forces into the Middle East to provide additional air power that could protect American forces and Israel if needed. The U.S. said it will continue to consult closely with Israel on their next steps following the attack. Carla Babb, VOA News, the Pentagon. This is VOA News. Rescuers Tuesday searched for anyone still unaccounted for in the mountains of the U.S. state of North Carolina after remnants of Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage to the southeast. The death toll is at least 150 people. Residents in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina have been lining up for food and water, and hunting for cellular signals after the storm flooded the region. Emergency workers have been clearing roads, restoring power and reaching those still stranded. U.S. President Joe Biden plans to survey the area Wednesday. Forecasters say Kirk on Tuesday became a hurricane in the Atlantic and could strengthen into a Category 3 storm Thursday. Rescuers in Nepal on Tuesday continued searching for missing people and trying to recover the bodies of some of the more than 220 killed in flooding and landslides. AP correspondent Charles De Ledesma reports. The weather is now improving. Workers are clearing some of the highways that were blocked by landslides. Sections of several highways next to raging rivers were washed away, however, and these repairs will likely take much longer. The disaster comes just ahead of the country's biggest festival Dasain, which begins on Thursday, when people return home to celebrate with their families. The damage to the roads is likely to hamper festival travel plans for many. The government says it's focusing on helping people who are stranded and who have lost their homes in the flooding and landslides. I'm Charles De Ledesma. Nigerians staged protests against economic hardship as the West African nation marked its 64th independence anniversary, with its president calling for patience. Police fired tear gas to disperse some of the protesters in Abuja, the capital, on Tuesday. In a broadcast, Nigerian leader Bola Tinubu called for patience. It is the second protest in two months in Africa's most populous country amid economic hardship caused by government reforms. Tinubu defended the policies as necessary to prevent the country from collapsing. Analysts say Nigeria still performs poorly in key areas like education and health. Claudia Sheinbaum has been sworn in as Mexico's first female president, riding the enthusiasm over her predecessor's social programs, but also facing challenges that include high levels of violence. The 62-year-old scientist-turned-politician receives a country with several immediate problems, also including a sluggish economy, unfinished building programs, rising debt and the hurricane-battered resort city of Acapulco. That wraps up this update, but the world and news never stop. For additional updates, visit our website. I'm Joe Ramsey, VOA News. |