Live Updates: IDF Eliminates Three Terrorists near Nir Am

10:32 p.m.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Wednesday that while the U.S. can supply Israel and Ukraine with emergency aid for the time being, “we’re running out of runway” and will likely need congressional approval for necessary funding. However that cannot be accomplished while the House of Representatives lacks a speaker, following the ousting of Kevin McCarthy.

Republicans Wednesday nominated Rep. Steve Scalise to become Speaker, but face difficulties in getting him elected to the position.

10:15 p.m.

According to a Knesset spokesperson, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is scheduled to hold a closed-door meeting Thursday to discuss the war against Hamas. During that meeting, in which Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to attend, the committee will reportedly weigh declaring a “special situation,” which would grant power to the Home Front Command to close off areas, restrict public gatherings, and make other regulations.

8:52 p.m.

The IDF reports that soldiers have killed a group of terrorists near Nir Am. Soldiers from the 101st Battalion identified several vehicles including terrorists near Nir Am. A tank from the 401st Brigade fired at them and killed three terrorists.
IDF forces continued searching for terrorists in the area.

7:34 p.m.

Home Front Command officials say that residents of the north who have been instructed to shelter do not need to be in bomb shelters, but must lock themselves in their homes, and it is recommended to dim lights.

7:32 p.m.

The U.S. State Department has confirmed at least 22 U.S. citizens were killed in the Hamas terror attacks in Israel.

7:25 p.m.

The IDF reported that no terrorists entering Israeli airspace from Lebanon have been identified and no attacks have been reported.

7:13 p.m.

The threat on Ashkelon has been mitigated, to the extent that the municipality has told residents that they no longer need to shelter for the time being. “Residents of the Shimshon, Agami and Givat Zion neighborhoods are not asked to stay in their homes. Of course, one must continue to adhere to the directives of the Home Front Command,” an Ashkelon municipality spokesperson said.

6:22 p.m.

According to initial reports from the IDF, terrorists are suspected to have infiltrated Israeli air space from Lebanon. Details will follow. The IDF has instructed all citizens who live in areas where sirens have sounded to take shelter as a result of the potential incursion.

6:12 p.m.

British Airways is suspending flights to Tel Aviv, according to a spokesperson for the airline, following the rerouting of a plane that had almost landed in Ben Gurion airport back to London on Wednesday. With this decision, British Airways joins a growing list of carriers which have suspended flights to Israel, including American, Delta, United, Air Canada, and Air France.

6:00 p.m.

The war in the south could jeopardize collection and transport of fruits and vegetables from farms there, the Agriculture Ministry says in a statement, calling the area “Israel’s breadbasket.”

Currently, in accordance with Home Front Command directives, there is “no agricultural activity” in the areas adjacent to the Gaza Strip. Therefore there is an issue around “the logistics of supplying food from the southern region to the general public,” the ministry says.

The affected areas include 4,000 acres of tomato hothouses, which constitute 70% of the country’s supply, along with some 15,000 acres of potatoes and 5,500 acres of carrots that were just planted, 2,500 acres of radishes, 1,100 acres of sweet potatoes, 620 acres of peppers, 620 actress of eggplants, 500 acres of cabbage, 250 acres of special insect-free greenhouses for green leafy vegetables, and around 600 further acres of greenhouses for flowers and commercial plants.

5:50 p.m.

A spokesperson for King Charles of the U.K. released a statement: “[The King] is appalled by and condemns the barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel. His thoughts and prayers are with all of those suffering, particularly those who have lost loved ones, but also those actively involved as we speak, This is a situation His Majesty is extremely concerned about, and he has asked to be kept actively updated.’

5:20 p.m.

Rockets falling in Sederot caused damage to local buildings and streets. Three rockets fell, two of which were very close to a school, but did not hit the school itself. Another directly hit a house, but baruch Hashem there were no injuries.

4:50 p.m.

French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne announced that 10 French citizens have been killed by terrorists in Israel, while 18 are missing. She says that several children have likely been kidnapped.

4:40 p.m.

Eleven intensive care vehicles and six ambulances that will assist Magen David Adom in treating the wounded were sent by the Association of Friends of MDA in the USA, and are expected to arrive by the weekend.

4:20 p.m.

Elon Musk, who owns Twitter and Tesla, wrote “it is done” in response to a tweet that called on Tesla to make its charging stations free in Israel due to the war.

4 p.m.

A British Airways flight from London to Israel was rerouted moments before landing in Ben Gurion airport. A passenger recorded an announcement from the pilot, of BA flight 165, citing “safety issues” but did not specify what the reasons were. The pilot also said that there was no possibility to land nearby, and that the plane would have to return to Heathrow Airport in London.

3:40 p.m.

The Education Ministry has announced that starting Sunday, the school system will transition to a structured, regular format of distance learning. In a statement released on Wednesday, the ministry outlined its plans for educational institutions, including schools and kindergartens, to shift toward distance learning. Lessons and curricula will be adapted to facilitate effective distance learning.The move to regular distance learning is deemed necessary in the current emergency situation to provide support to the public. Previously, the ministry had granted schools the flexibility to choose between online and in-person learning for the remainder of the week.This decision reflects a return to the distance learning model that was employed during the COVID lockdowns, where organized online classes were conducted for a significant portion of the school day.

3:30 p.m.

The Ministry of Health announced that patients will be transferred from hospitals in the north to hospitals in the center of the country, in order to allow assessments and readiness of the hospitals on the northern front for any future development that may occur.