New Rocket Attacks In Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen Suggest Prospect For Regional Conflagration Growing

Israeli media is reporting that the United States is currently in talks to establish ‘safe zones’ in Gaza after it was widely reported that the IDF has been given the green light by the Netanyahu government to go into the Gaza Strip. There are also emerging reports that an Orthodox Church in Gaza has suffered attack by an Israeli strike, via Times of Israel: 

The Hamas-controlled interior ministry says several displaced people who had taken shelter at a church compound in the Gaza Strip have been killed and injured in an Israeli strike.

There was no immediate comment from the IDF, which tells AFP it is looking into the potential strike.

The strike left a “large number of martyrs and injured” at the compound of a Greek Orthodox church, the ministry says.

Witnesses tell AFP the strike appears to have been aimed at a target close to the place of worship where many Gaza residents have taken refuge.

Additionally, Russia has said it is moving more military assets to its bases in Syria.

Moody’s has meanwhile said Israel is under review and could soon be downgraded:

The Moody’s international credit rating agency announces that it is reviewing Israel for a possible downgrade of its A1 credit rating.

Moody’s says the review has been “triggered by the unexpected and violent conflict between Israel and Hamas.”

It notes that while Israel has “proven resilient” in past conflicts, the current level of violence “raises the possibility of longer lasting and material credit impact.”

The Pentagon has confirmed that American troops suffered injuries during the last 24 hours of drone and rocket attacks against bases in Iraq and Syria:

Two drones targeted a base in western Iraq used by U.S. forces, and one drone targeted a base in northern Iraq. U.S. forces intercepted all three, destroying two but only damaging the third, which led to minor injuries among coalition forces at the western base, according to a statement Wednesday by U.S. Central Command.

“In this moment of heightened alert, we are vigilantly monitoring the situation in Iraq and the region. U.S. forces will defend U.S. and coalition forces against any threat,” Central Command said in the release.

On Thursday, several drones and rockets also targeted US troops locations in Deir Ezzor Syria and Al-Tanf.

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Update(1458ET): A huge escalation from Iran-linked militants, just after international headlines reported Israel’s military has been given the “green light” to enter Gaza:

According to CNN, a U.S. Navy vessel operating in the Middle East region intercepted multiple missiles launched from Yemen. A U.S. official says the missiles were launched from the Iran-backed Houthi militant group.