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Israel “fully prepared for maneuvers” against Hezbollah in Lebanon as deaths from airstrikes top 600
Israel’s military hinted for the first time Wednesday of possible ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, with a top commander stressing the need to be ready for “maneuvers and action” against the Iran-backed group. This comes after more than a week of airstrikes that Lebanese officials say have killed more than 600 people and displaced thousands.
The U.S. has urged Israel to focus on diplomacy rather than escalating its fight with Hezbollah, with concern growing that a full-scale war between the longtime foes could mushroom into a wider conflict that puts American forces in the Middle East at greater risk and destabilizes the volatile region.
“We have entered a new phase of the campaign,” Major General Ori Gordin, the Israel Defense Forces commander for the north of the country, said Tuesday, according to a statement released Wednesday by the IDF. Crossfire between the IDF and Hezbollah across Israel’s northern border with Lebanon has ramped up since the U.S.-designated terrorist group’s Hamas allies launched their Oct. 7 massacre, sparking the ongoing war in Hamas-ruled Gaza.
“The operation began with a significant blow to Hezbollah’s capabilities, focusing on their firepower capabilities, and a very significant hit on the organization’s commanders and operatives. Facing this, we need to change the security situation, and we must be fully prepared for maneuvers and action,” Gordin said, speaking with other senior officers as he visited the border region to observe exercises.
Handout/Israel Defense Forces
It was not immediately clear if Gordin was talking about a ground incursion, which could see Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah in direct combat inside Lebanon for the first time in years.
Hours after his remarks were released, the IDF said two additional brigades were being sent to the northern front, further bolstering the ground force available in the border area with Lebanon to “enable the continuation of the fighting effort against Hezbollah, the defense of the citizens of the State of Israel and the creation of conditions for the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes.”
“Escalate to deescalate”
Briefing reporters on Tuesday, a senior U.S. State Department official stressed the Biden administration’s focus on finding a diplomatic resolution to the increasing pace, intensity and scale of attacks between Hezbollah and Israel, to break “this cycle of strike and counterstrike.”
The official indicated that the administration was, based on the history of such tactics, not convinced that Israel’s “escalate to deescalate” approach could bring about the desired results. For Israel, the stated goal has long been enabling tens of thousands of border community residents to come back home months after they were displaced by Hezbollah’s relentless rocket fire.
Those rocket, drone and missile attacks — dozens of which the group has launched this week, including what the IDF says was a first attempt to hit a target in Tel Aviv with a ballistic missile on Tuesday — have been largely ineffective. The majority of the group’s weapons are shot down by Israel’s advanced missile defense systems, and many others land in open space. Several people have been wounded as the rockets and drones crash down, but the damage inflicted by Israel on the other side of its northern border has been significant by comparison.
The heart of Beirut’s densely populated southern suburbs — a Hezbollah stronghold — was targeted in yet another airstrike Tuesday, and the group later confirmed Israel’s claim to have killed Ibrahim Qubaisi, who led its rocket and missile force, in the strike.
Lebanese health officials said at least six people were killed in that blast, and since the airstrikes ramped up last week, Lebanon’s health ministry has reported more than 610 people being killed in total. It’s not clear how many of the dead were Hezbollah fighters, but the group acknowledged the deaths of three more from its ranks on Wednesday alone, on the heels of Qubaisi’s assassination.
Warnings of an “all-out war”
Israel launched its successive waves of airstrikes after inflicting an initial blow to Hezbollah last week with explosives-laden pagers and walkie talkies that had been distributed to thousands of the group’s members across Lebanon. Dozens were killed and thousands wounded by the exploding devices, including many bystanders, according to Lebanese officials.
Tens of thousands of civilians have fled Israel’s bombardment of southern Lebanon, plying packed highways to seek refuge in Beirut and beyond, many with no clear idea of where they’re going.
Israel says it’s only targeting Hezbollah military infrastructure and missile launch sites in the country.
Mohamed Azakir/REUTERS
Hezbollah has vowed to keep firing weapons at Israel until its forces pull out of Gaza, where their war with Hamas continues in its 11th month amid what the IDF has clearly iterated as a shift in focus to the north. Israel has demanded that Hezbollah halt its rocket and drone attacks so the roughly 60,000 displaced northern Israel residents can return to their homes.
Some of them won’t have much home to return to, however. CBS News visited the town of Kiryat Bialik on Tuesday, at which Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets and drones in recent days. Most have been intercepted by the country’s Iron Dome defenses, but not all of them, and at least one home was left in ruins.
Tel Aviv were woken again Tuesday to the blaring of sirens, as the Israeli military intercepted a surface-to-surface missile — the first time Hezbollah has ever fired such a weapon at Israel’s biggest city. It was a major escalation for the Iranian-backed group, which is significantly larger and better armed than its Hamas allies, but still overwhelmingly outgunned by Israel, and tending its wounds after the attacks of the last week inside Lebanon.
Despite the calls from the U.S. to deescalate, and increasingly assertive rhetoric from other countries in the Middle East condemning Israel’s actions, the attacks on both sides have continued ratcheting up.
The foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan and Iraq said in a joint statement Tuesday, after meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, that Israel was pushing the region “towards all-out war,” condemning what they called “the Israeli aggression on Lebanon.”
The concern is that Hezbollah’s primary benefactor Iran and Israel’s closest ally the U.S. could both be drawn directly into the conflict, triggering a regional war that many fear could spiral wildly out of control and become even deadlier and more destructive than the one still raging in Gaza.
contributed to this report.
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For much of 2024, gold seemed unstoppable. The price per ounce steadily climbed from $2,063.73 at the start of the year to over $2,700 by late October, setting the stage for what many investors saw as a golden era. The meteoric rise wasn’t just a reflection of gold’s traditional role as a hedge against inflation or economic uncertainty — it also lured a wave of new investors enticed by the prospect of short-term gains in an asset typically seen as a long-term play.
By early November, however, the winds shifted. The price of gold, which was sitting at a near-record high of $2,736.35 per ounce at the start of the month, experienced a sharp correction, sliding about 6% in a matter of days to settle at $2,574.79 per ounce. This drop in value has left some investors wondering whether this was the start of a more significant decline or just a healthy correction in a market that may have overheated.
While uncertainty clouds the short-term outlook, it’s essential to remember that gold often thrives on volatility. A dip like this can present an excellent opportunity for strategic investors to enter the market or diversify their portfolios. And with gold prices lower than recent highs, certain gold assets may now be more attractive than others. So what types of gold investments make the most sense during a price decline?
Add gold’s protection to your portfolio today.
What gold assets should you invest in now that the price has dropped?
There are a variety of options that could allow you to capitalize on today’s lower gold prices while positioning yourself for potential gains when the market rebounds, including:
Physical gold bullion
When gold prices drop, physical gold becomes an obvious starting point for many investors. Buying gold bullion — meaning gold bars or coins — is a straightforward way to own tangible assets. The recent price dip makes it more affordable to acquire physical gold, which is highly valued for its liquidity and universal acceptance, so buying in now could mean getting a bargain on your purchase once the price goes back up. Physical gold also doesn’t depend on financial markets or company performance, making it a safe haven during economic turbulence. It’s also easy to sell, ensuring that investors can liquidate their holdings quickly if they need to.
Get started with gold here today.
Gold ETFs
Gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offer an efficient way to invest in gold without dealing with the storage and security concerns that come with physical gold. These funds track the price of the metal and allow investors to buy and sell shares on the stock market, making them an easily accessible option, as buying them can typically be done with an account on an investment platform.
This price decline makes gold ETFs particularly appealing, though, as investors can buy shares at a lower cost and potentially benefit from future price increases. Gold ETFs also provide flexibility and liquidity, enabling investors to adjust their holdings quickly based on market conditions. And for those wary of handling physical gold, these types of ETFs offer an excellent balance of convenience and exposure to gold’s performance.
Gold mining stocks
Investing in shares of gold mining companies can be an indirect way for investors to capitalize on gold’s price movements. After all, these types of companies often see their stock prices rise and fall in tandem with gold prices — but they also benefit from operational efficiencies and other factors that can enhance profitability.
This gold price dip creates an opportunity to buy mining stocks at potentially undervalued levels as well. If gold prices rebound, these stocks may experience amplified gains compared to the physical commodity. Keep in mind, though, that mining stocks carry additional risks related to management, production costs and geopolitical factors, so thorough research is essential before buying in.
Gold royalty and streaming companies
Royalty and streaming companies are another compelling option to consider while the price of gold is down. These companies don’t mine gold directly but instead finance mining projects in exchange for a share of the future production or revenue. This model provides them with steady cash flows and lower operational risks compared to traditional mining companies.
Royalty and streaming companies often perform well during periods of gold price volatility, as their revenues are tied to production volume and market prices. They are also less affected by rising mining costs, making them a relatively stable choice during price fluctuations. So, buying into these companies now could allow investors to lock in gains when gold prices recover.
The bottom line
Gold’s recent price drop is a reminder that even the most stable assets experience fluctuations. However, this decline doesn’t necessarily signal trouble. Instead, it offers a chance to reevaluate your investment strategy and consider adding gold to your portfolio at a more favorable entry point. Whether you prefer the tangibility of physical gold, the convenience of gold ETFs or the growth potential of gold mining stocks, there’s an option to suit every investor’s goals and risk tolerance right now.
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Trump seemingly moving forward with Hegseth nomination amid news of past sexual assault probe
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Washington — House Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday that he would “strongly request” that the House Ethics Committee withhold a potentially damaging report on its investigation into whether former Rep. Matt Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and bribery.
Gaetz resigned from Congress on Wednesday after President-elect Donald Trump announced he intended to nominate the Florida Republican as attorney general. The timing came days before a House panel was set to vote on releasing a report on the allegations against Gaetz. The House Ethics Committee planned to take its vote Friday but canceled late Thursday.
Gaetz was also the subject of a previous Justice Department investigation that sought to determine if he violated sex trafficking and obstruction of justice laws. No charges were filed, and Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.
“The rules of the House have always been that a former member is beyond the jurisdiction of the Ethics Committee,” Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, told reporters.
Johnson said releasing the report would set a “terrible precedent” and “open up Pandora’s box.”
“I believe it is very important to maintain the house’s tradition of not issuing ethics reports on people who are no longer members of Congress,” he said. “The House Ethics Committee’s jurisdiction is over sitting members of Congress. That’s an important rule.”
Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has called on the House panel to share the report and “all relevant documentation” on Gaetz with his committee. The Senate Judiciary Committee is responsible for conducting confirmation hearings for the attorney general nominee.
“The sequence and timing of Mr. Gaetz’s resignation from the House raises serious questions about the contents of the House Ethics Committee report,” Durbin said in a statement Thursday. “We cannot allow this valuable information from a bipartisan investigation to be hidden from the American people. Make no mistake: this information could be relevant to the question of Mr. Gaetz’s confirmation as the next attorney general of the United States and our constitutional responsibility of advice and consent.”
Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also said he wants to see the report. GOP Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota isn’t on the Judiciary Committee but said in an interview on CNN, “We should be able to get a hold of [the report], and we should have access to it one way or another, based on the way we do all of these nominations.”
contributed to this report.
What gold assets should you invest in now that the price has dropped?
Trump seemingly moving forward with Hegseth nomination amid news of past sexual assault probe
House Speaker Mike Johnson wants Ethics panel to keep Matt Gaetz report secret
What gold assets should you invest in now that the price has dropped?
Trump seemingly moving forward with Hegseth nomination amid news of past sexual assault probe