The Middle East crisis

The Middle East crisis • Israel-Iran
Sources: Netanyahu will not strike against Iranian oil

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the United States that he is willing to avoid oil and nuclear energy targets in Iran, and limit himself to military targets, two sources familiar with the matter told The Washington Post.

This is met with relief in Washington, which interprets it as Israel's government being open to more restrained retaliation in order to avoid a large-scale regional war.

The White House, on the brink of an election, has worried about Israeli attacks on Iranian oil production or nuclear power because it could send global energy prices skyrocketing and raise the risk of more direct US military involvement.

Neither the Israeli nor the US governments have commented on the data.

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The Middle East Crisis • Israel-Hezbollah
Netanyahu: Will continue to attack throughout Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday visited the military base in northern Israel where four soldiers were killed in a drone attack, reports Sky News.

- We will continue to strike against Hezbollah in all parts of Lebanon, including Beirut, Netanyahu said.

Earlier in the day, at least 20 people were killed in the first Israeli attack in northern Lebanon. The air strike was directed at a small apartment building in the village of Aitou.

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The Middle East Crisis • Israel-Hezbollah
Israel denies deliberate shelling of UN forces

That Israel deliberately attacked the UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, UNIFIL, is "completely false". This is what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says according to Sky News.

The statement comes after the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and Italy wrote a joint statement condemning the attacks, calling them a violation of international law.

Several Unifil employees have been injured in Israeli attacks in Lebanon in recent days. Netanyahu is urging the forces to leave the area, saying it is doing its utmost to avoid hitting them in strikes against Hezbollah.