Fears that the conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas could spread throughout the region continued to grow on Wednesday, January 3, following an unreported attack the day after the elimination of a senior Hamas official in Lebanon led to 95 deaths in Iran. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accused Iran's “devilish and criminal enemies” and then promised “a strong response” to this “catastrophe.” Follow our live stream.
Hezbollah leader warns Israel. The leader of the powerful pro-Iranian Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, warned that his formation would fight “without borders” if Israel declared war on Lebanon, a day after eliminating Palestinian number two Hamas near Beirut. “Nobody is interested in an escalation” in the region, responded the American State Department. French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna called for “responsibility.”
Germany calls on its nationals to leave Lebanon. “The security situation in the region is very unstable,” the German Foreign Ministry assured on Wednesday and called on German nationals to leave the country “as quickly as possible.”
A new Israeli hostage is dead. The Israeli military confirmed on Wednesday that Israeli hostage Sahar Baruch, who was kidnapped during the Hamas attack on October 7, was killed during a rescue operation in Gaza in December.