Israel’s Treasury proposes tax hikes to pay for war: Report
Israel’s Finance Ministry is proposing higher taxes, including on the country’s lowest income earners, to help pay for the mounting war costs, The Times of Israel is reporting. Other proposed changes include increasing insurance contributions for the unemployed and skimming more money from pension contributions, according to The Times of Israel.
Israel’s direct costs for its wars on Palestine and Lebanon have been estimated at more than 250 billion Israeli shekels ($57bn), The Times of Israel reported.
Israel’s economy has also seen deep declines.
In the end, the US tax payer will likely pay for Israel's deficits.
Israel tells US it won’t hit Iran’s nuclear or oil facilities: Reports
Israel has assured the White House that a planned retaliatory attack on Iran would not target nuclear or oil facilities, according to US media.
Quoting unnamed US officials, The Washington Post reported that Israeli PM Netanyahu told the White House a counterstrike it’s contemplating would target only military sites.
The Wall Street Journal, also quoting anonymous US officials, said the pledge came in a call between US President Joe Biden and Netanyahu last week, as well as in conversations in recent days between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant.
Israel has promised to counterattack after Iran fired ballistic missiles at the country on October 1 in response to Israel’s killing of Tehran-aligned leaders in the region, including Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah.
Seems like a deal was made for THAAD deployment in Israel. However I doubt it would stop Iran retaliating again, so it's just for PR reasons. It likely won't stop further escalation. Only if Israel keeps it small and Iran can downplay it like back in April. Otherwise this 'tit for tat' will escalate as now in Lebanon.
Israel will act in ‘national interest’ in response to Iran attack
Israel will take into account the “opinion” of the US but will act in response to Iran’s recent missile attack based on its own “national interests”, the prime minister’s office says.
“We listen to the opinions of the United States, but we will make our final decisions based on our national interest,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
The statement followed news reports, quoting unnamed US officials, that Netanyahu reassured the White House any counterstrike would be limited to military sites, not nuclear or oil facilities. Israel has promised to retaliate against the Iranian missile attack, with Defence Minister Gallant saying the response would be “deadly, precise, and surprising”.
US warships, military bases ‘within range’, warns Iran official
Brigadier-General Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the chief commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, says any US military support for Israel if it attacks Iran will lead to retaliation.
“The Americans should know that if one day they enter the battlefield and want to take action against the Islamic Iran, their bases, interests and ships will be within the reach of our weapons,” Jabbari told Iran’s Press TV.
The US “is not prepared at all to confront us, the axis of resistance and the Muslim world”, he said. However, Jabbari added, the US was unlikely to take part in such a “foolish act”.
“Although the Americans support Israel, it is unlikely that they will commit a folly and engage in a conflict with Iran. They always advise the [Israeli] regime not to engage in a conflict with the Islamic republic.”
Israel faces ‘shortage’ of air defence missiles: Report
Israel is facing a “shortage” of air defence missiles, prompting the Netanyahu government to seek help from the US, the Financial Times reports.
“Supply constraints” and the demands of war have left the Israeli military “relying on the US to fill the gaps in protective shields”.
In recent days, the US announced it is deploying the anti-missile system THAAD to Israel as it continues to provide “ironclad” support for its ally during mounting tensions with Iran.
