NewsMissiles hit Israel, U.S. deploys forces amid rising tensions: Here's your summary of the events that happened overnight

Missiles hit Israel, U.S. deploys forces amid rising tensions: Here's your summary of the events that happened overnight

In the northern part of Israel, missiles fired from Lebanese territory have fallen. Illustrative photo.
In the northern part of Israel, missiles fired from Lebanese territory have fallen. Illustrative photo.
Images source: © East News | OREN ZIV

8:03 AM EDT, August 12, 2024

It happened while you were sleeping. Here is what world agencies reported overnight from Sunday to Monday.

  • About 30 missiles were fired overnight from Lebanon toward northern Israel. According to the army, several of them landed in open areas, causing no casualties. Israel is striking the areas from which the rockets were launched. The Hezbollah-affiliated site Al Mayadeen reported that Hezbollah claims responsibility for the attack, stating that its target was a military base.
  • The main fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was extinguished, reported the Russian news agency TASS, citing Rosatom, the Russian nuclear energy agency. The plant has been occupied by Russian forces for two years.
  • U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered a submarine armed with guided ballistic missiles to be sent to the Middle East. He accelerated the movement of a group of ships, including the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, to the region. The Pentagon reported this on Sunday. The concentration of U.S. forces comes during unprecedented tension in the region. Pentagon spokesman Gen. Pat Ryder said Austin informed Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in a phone call that the United States will take all possible steps to defend Israel, noting the "the strengthening of U.S. military force posture and capabilities throughout the Middle East in light of escalating regional tensions."
  • A helicopter crashed and caught fire on Monday on the roof of the DoubleTree hotel in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Several people were injured, and about 400 people were evacuated. The aircraft hit the roof of the building, and one of the rotor blades plunged into the hotel pool several floors below.
  • IOC President Thomas Bach officially closed the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad at the Stade de France in Paris. The next Games will be held in 2028 in Los Angeles. The flame, which floated in a balloon over the French capital for 16 days of competition, was extinguished. The segment's star was Tom Cruise, who was dedicated to presenting as the host of the next Games. The Hollywood star performed a stunt jump on a line from the stadium roof to the grounds below, high-fiving athletes and taking over the Olympic flag.