Hezbollah's Warning: Regional War Looms as Israel Rejects Cease-fire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects a cease-fire without the return of hostages, despite U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's call for humanitarian "pauses" in the Israel-Hamas war. Hezbollah's leader praises the recent Hamas terror attack. The U.S. is engaged in efforts to locate and release American hostages held by Hamas, using unarmed Department of Defense assets. Pro-Palestinian protests continue, with incidents of anti-Semitic behavior and calls for the cancellation of study abroad programs in Israel. The Pentagon restricts travel to Israel for Department of Defense senior leaders. The evacuation of Americans from Gaza remains challenging, and the U.S. expects more citizens to depart in the coming days. The U.S. warns against the war spreading into Lebanon. Hamas accuses Israel of bombing medical assistance vehicles, while Israel claims the vehicles were being used by Hamas-aligned terrorists. Rockets continue to be fired into Israel, with one exploding near a kindergarten building. The USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike groups conduct military drills in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The U.S. military flies unarmed drones over Gaza to support hostage recovery efforts.