The US deployment of an anti-missile system to Israel has triggered a warning from Iran

Washington/Beirut/Gaza (Reuters) - The United States announced Sunday (October 13) that it will provide Israel with a THAAD anti-missile system and send American military personnel to help the Israeli military improve its air defense capabilities. US President Joe Biden said the move was to protect Israel. But Iran warned the United States to do so without regard for the safety of American troops.

This is not the first time the US has deployed THAAD in the Middle East. After Hamas attacked Israel in October last year, Biden instructed the U.S. military to deploy THAAD to the Middle East. In 2019, the United States also provided one THAAD system to Israel. The system can shoot down short - and medium-range ballistic missiles and involves about 100 soldiers.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned the same day that the United States is putting the lives of American troops at risk by transporting weapons and operating missile systems to Israel.

Macron called on Iran to ease tensions in the region

The diplomatic push continued Sunday, with Iranian President Mohammad Pesehizyan speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron to seek French support for a cease-fire in Lebanon, and Araghzi visiting Iraq.

During the call, Pezechiyan condemned Israeli crimes in Gaza and Lebanon, and Macron called on Pezechiyan to support efforts to de-escalate the situation in Gaza and Lebanon, hoping that Iran could play an influential role in reducing regional tensions.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Israeli tanks that broke through the gates of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) compound in southern Lebanon on Sunday, saying the attack on the peacekeepers violated international law and could amount to a war crime.

However, the Israeli army said Hezbollah had fired missiles at its troops close to a UNIFIL post, wounding 25 people. A tank helping to evacuate the wounded moved into the peacekeepers' outpost after coming under fire, not trying to break into the base.

The Israeli army has attacked UNIFIL headquarters in recent days, and at least five peacekeepers have been injured so far. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called on the United Nations to pull UNIFIL out of danger, saying Hezbollah is using the peacekeepers as human shields.

The military led reporters across the border into southern Lebanon on the same day, showing three Hezbollah strongholds, including two tunnels, just a few hundred meters from the border. One of the tunnels is just a few hundred meters from the peacekeepers' post.

Four Israeli soldiers were killed and more than 60 wounded in a Hezbollah drone attack Sunday on a base in the Israeli city of Haifa. Hezbollah threatened to carry out more attacks on Israel if the Israeli army continued to attack Lebanon.

Israeli forces bomb school in Gaza refugee camp hampering WHO supply mission

In another development, Gaza's civil Defense agency says Israeli troops bombed a school in the Nusaywright refugee camp in central Gaza late Sunday, killing at least 19 people.

In another central city, Deir Al-Balah, an airstrike hit a hospital early Monday, setting off a fire in a tent housing refugees. The Israeli army said it targeted a Hamas command center inside the hospital. The Israeli army also expanded its attacks in northern Gaza.

The World Health Organization says after several attempts, it and the Palestinian Red Crescent succeeded Saturday in resupplying two hospitals in northern Gaza. In a post on social media platform X late Sunday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the resupply mission was finally completed after nine attempts this week.

He criticized the Israeli military for excessive security checks on drivers transporting supplies to the WHO, and even temporarily detained them at checkpoints, calling this unacceptable behavior.