Three ground assault cruise missiles and multiple drones fired by Houthi forces in Yemen were intercepted by the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer stationed in the northern Red Sea. It's possible that the Carney's move marked the beginning of the US military's defense of Israel in this crisis.

US orders heavily reinforced military presence

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu encouraged soldiers from the IDF Golani Brigade 51st Battalion at an assembly point near Gaza, ahead of the expected battle with Hamas.

Israel-Palestine war: Netanyahu to soldiers 'fight like lions, win with force'

Israel's currency, the shekel, has plunged to an eight-year low, prompting swift action from the country's central bank. The Central Bank is likely to keep the benchmark interest rate unchanged. The Shekel's weakness is a growing concern among economists and traders, but the Central Bank's focus is clear: Stabilise the markets and provide maximum certainty to the economy and the public.

Israel-Palestine war: War's impact on monetary policy: Bank of Israel's wartime policy

Israel-Palestine war: IDF release footage to 'prove' it's not responsible for Gaza strike

Tensions are high near the border between Israel and Lebanon. Israeli forces and Hezbollah are trading rocket fire. Saudi Arabia has requested that its citizens leave Lebanon in the meantime. Will Hezbollah enter the conflict?

Israel-Palestine War: Artillery exchange escalates between Hezbollah, Israeli forces

A US official and a congressional aide said that the Pentagon plans to send the two iron dome missile defense systems it had previously purchased from Israel back to that country to defend itself against inbound missiles. The White House on Monday said it expected to fulfill additional security requests from Israel as quickly as possible. Biden promised replenishment of interceptors used by Israel's iron dome missile defense system as well as ammunition in addition to redoubling the US military presence in the region.

Day 14: Israel bombs church in Gaza, Biden pledges support with concern for Palestine

<p>The White House faced criticism after it shared an image of President Joe Biden meeting with US troops in Israel as the photo revealed the identities of the soldiers who were helping with the hostage situation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The image showed Biden shaking hands with a soldier of the Delta Force, which is the US Army's elite counter-terrorism unit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The post was deleted just an hour after it was posted and since then, the photo received more than 6,100 likes, and screenshots of the same were shared online.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It revealed the faces of three other Delta Force members and also showed a distinctive tattoo on the arm of a soldier, who was greeting Biden.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-rapidly-expanding-nuclear-arsenal-to-have-1000-warheads-by-2030-pentagon-649090">China rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal, to have 1,000 warheads by 2030: Pentagon</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The caption of the now-deleted post read: "In Israel, President Biden met with first responders to thank them for their bravery and the work they're doing in response to the Hamas terrorist attacks."</p>

<p>Social media users accused the Biden administration of "compromising" the troops’ identities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sharing an edited picture, a US-based journalist claimed on X that the White House shared the image without obscuring the faces of what appeared to be special forces on Wednesday night.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The journalist wrote, "The Whitehouse media team shared this picture last night (I added the black boxes) without blurring or censoring the faces of the 'Delta Force' (CAG) operator's faces."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"They deleted it an hour later after hundreds of thousands had already viewed it. This is a massive failure on the Biden admin," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadian-visa-services-to-face-delays-after-new-delhi-kicks-out-41-diplomats-649134">Canadian visa services to face delays after New Delhi kicks out 41 diplomats</a></strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Whitehouse media team shared this picture last night (I added the black boxes) without blurring or censoring the faces of the “Delta Force” (CAG) operator’s faces. They deleted it an hour later after hundreds of thousands had already viewed it.<br />
<br />
This is a massive failure on… <a href="https://t.co/ROegvYWzit">pic.twitter.com/ROegvYWzit</a></p>
— Sam Shoemate (@samosaur) <a href="https://twitter.com/samosaur/status/1714962125980901873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Hamas hostages: What we know so far</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>White House issues apology&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Responding to the tricky situation, a White House spokesperson said, "We regret the error and any issues this may have caused."&nbsp;</p>

<p>When Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct 7, they killed over 1,000 people and also took around 200 hostages.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US and other Israeli allies are now helping to tackle the hostage situation as soon as possible.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The White House faced criticism after it shared an image of President Joe Biden meeting with US troops in Israel as the photo revealed the identities of the soldiers who were helping with the hostage situation.

The White House faced criticism after it shared an image of President Joe Biden meeting with US troops in Israel as the photo revealed the identities of the soldiers who were helping with the hostage situation. The image showed Biden shaking hands with a soldier of the Delta Force, which is the US Army's elite counter-terrorism unit. The post was deleted just an hour after it was posted and since then, the photo received more than 6,100 likes, and screenshots of the same were shared online. It revealed the faces of three other Delta Force members and also showed a distinctive tattoo on the arm of a soldier, who was greeting Biden. Also read: China rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal, to have 1,000 warheads by 2030: Pentagon The caption of the now-deleted post read: "In Israel, President Biden met with first responders to thank them for their bravery and the work they're doing in response to the Hamas terrorist attacks." Social media users accused the Biden administration of "compromising" the troops’ identities. Sharing an edited picture, a US-based journalist claimed on X that the White House shared the image without obscuring the faces of what appeared to be special forces on Wednesday night. The journalist wrote, "The Whitehouse media team shared this picture last night (I added the black boxes) without blurring or censoring the faces of the 'Delta Force' (CAG) operator's faces." "They deleted it an hour later after hundreds of thousands had already viewed it. This is a massive failure on the Biden admin," he added. Also read: Canadian visa services to face delays after New Delhi kicks out 41 diplomats The Whitehouse media team shared this picture last night (I added the black boxes) without blurring or censoring the faces of the “Delta Force” (CAG) operator’s faces. They deleted it an hour later after hundreds of thousands had already viewed it. This is a massive failure on… pic.twitter.com/ROegvYWzit — Sam Shoemate (@samosaur) October 19, 2023 × Watch: Hamas hostages: What we know so far × White House issues apology Responding to the tricky situation, a White House spokesperson said, "We regret the error and any issues this may have caused." When Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct 7, they killed over 1,000 people and also took around 200 hostages. The US and other Israeli allies are now helping to tackle the hostage situation as soon as possible. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

White House faces backlash for accidentally revealing identities of US troops in Israel

President Biden on Wednesday firmly backed Israel’s position that it was not responsible for the recent blast at a Gaza hospital site that killed numerous people, making his comments during a risky trip here while the region is still engulfed in turmoil.

Joe Biden pledges solidarity with Israelis and suggests ‘other team’ to blame for hospital blast

Israel receives armoured vehicles from the US amid war with Hamas. These US vehicles will replace the Israeli vehicles damaged during the war. The shipment came after US President Joe Biden's visit to Israel.

Israel-Palestine War: US cargo plane carrying a shipment of armoured vehicles arrives in Israel

Israel-Palestine war: Netanyahu gives war cry to Israel, says 'fight like lions, win with force'

Footage released by the Israel Defense Forces is said to show strikes on Hezbollah targets along the Israel-Lebanon border.

IDF footage shows strikes on Hezbollah targets on Lebanon border

'You will fight like lions,' Netanyahu tells Golani soldiers at Gaza front

Israel security officials signal readiness for ground offensive into Gaza. Israel security officials have signalled their readiness to embark on a ground offensive into Gaza that they say will be far more comprehensive and ferocious than any previous conflict with Hamas.

Israel-Palestine war: Israel deploys, soldiers on Gaza border as 'ground offensive' looms

The US Department of State has issued a rare worldwide caution travel advisory telling Americans to be on alert everywhere they go overseas. This due to increased tensions and potential for terror attacks as Israel's war with Hamas rages.

US issues worldwide travel advisory alert, official advise citizens abroad to 'stay alert'

US President Biden pushes for more US aid to Israel

In pics | Israel-Hamas war: Around 300 arrested after protesters storm US Capitol demanding ceasefire in Gaza

A resolution that would have called for a ceasefire in the conflict to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza and denounced Hamas' onslaught on Israel was rejected by the United States.

UN Human Rights body concerned over Gaza humanitarian crisis | WION Newspoint

Israel says it is in talks with Elon Musk's SpaceX for setting up Starlink internet services as the war rages on. Musk's Starlink satellites have been aiding Ukraine for a year now. The billionaire's biography has revealed that he halted the service before a Ukrainian attack. Should business mogul get to take national-security level decisions?

Israel-Hamas war: Israel seeks to deploy Elon Musk's Starlink wartime backup | Gravitas

While the death toll continues to go up in the Palestinian territory of Gaza tensions are also on the rise on the Northern front. Talking about Israel's northern border with Lebanon, Israel shares a 130 km border with Lebanon and the situation is always tense in this region. Lebanon is home to one of the most powerful Islamist movements, the Hezbollah group, and has a powerful military faction. It has extended its full support to Hamas.

Israel-Hamas war: Hezbollah's powerful military wing extends support to Hamas

It has been 13 days since the Israel-Hamas war began, at least 1,400 Israelis are dead and close to 4,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli campaign of relentless airstrikes. An estimated of 200 Israelis, many of whom are soldiers, are held captive under the custody of Hamas.

Israel-Hamas war | Experts: Israel wants to destroy Hamas & its tunnel network

As Israel prepares for a ground offensive in Gaza, hundreds of tanks have been deployed near the border.

`Be ready`: Israeli Defense minister tells soldiers as Gaza ground offensive looms

<p>Hamas militants, who were killed in the surprise attack on Israel on October 7, were found to have consumed a drug called Captagon pill - which is a synthetic amphetamine-type stimulant that is produced in southern Europe and gets trafficked to the consumer markets present in the Arabian Peninsula via Turkey, as per local media reports.<br />
<br />
The reports of drugged militants surfaced after the pills were discovered in the pockets of many Hamas terrorists who were killed on Israeli soil.<br />
<br />
The stimulant drug, which is also called the "cocaine for the poor", gave the terrorists a sense of calmness and indifference&nbsp;when they killed the civilians. It also suppressed their appetite and kept them highly alert for long durations.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-joe-bidens-wartime-address-hails-india-middle-east-europe-corridor-649015">Israel-Hamas war: Joe Biden's wartime address hails India-Middle East-Europe corridor</a></p>

<h2><strong>ISIS militants used Captagon pills</strong></h2>

<p>The drugs gained notoriety in 2015 when it was found that it was being consumed by ISIS terrorists to suppress their fear before carrying out terrorist operations.<br />
<br />
After some time, Syria and Lebanon started producing and distributing Captagon pills on a large scale. Gaza emerged as a popular market for the drug, especially&nbsp;because of the young individuals&nbsp;who were addicted to it.<br />
<br />
Captagon is from the amphetamine family and was developed initially to address narcolepsy, attention disorders, and depression.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Hamas hostages' kin speaks to WION | Family members share pain, await return</strong></p>

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<p>Even though the pill has a highly addictive nature and carries the potential to lead to psychotic reactions, it has been enjoying popularity in the Middle East because of its ease of manufacturing and affordability.<br />
<br />
In poor countries, people can purchase the drug for a dollar or two, however, in wealthier nations, it costs around 20 dollars per pill.<br />
<br />
The drug's primary effects include reducing the need for sleep, providing sustained energy, arousing feelings of euphoria and suppressing appetite.<br />
<br />
As per the medical professionals in Lebanon and Syria, the drug has not only enjoyed popularity among terrorists but is also used frequently by civilians residing in conflict zones.<br />
<br />
The drug, which was once a major source of revenue for the members of ISIS through its smuggling, has now become Syria's major source of income and has been completely supported by Hezbollah.<br />
<br />
As per an investigation carried out by The New York Times around two years ago, it was found that people associated with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, as well as his family members, had set up a thriving industry for producing Captagon pills.</p>

<p><em><strong>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</strong></em></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

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Hamas militants, who were killed in the surprise attack on Israel on October 7, were found to have consumed a drug called Captagon pill - which is a synthetic amphetamine-type stimulant that is produced in southern Europe and gets trafficked to the consumer markets present in the Arabian Peninsula via Turkey, as per local media reports.

Hamas militants, who were killed in the surprise attack on Israel on October 7, were found to have consumed a drug called Captagon pill - which is a synthetic amphetamine-type stimulant that is produced in southern Europe and gets trafficked to the consumer markets present in the Arabian Peninsula via Turkey, as per local media reports. The reports of drugged militants surfaced after the pills were discovered in the pockets of many Hamas terrorists who were killed on Israeli soil. The stimulant drug, which is also called the "cocaine for the poor", gave the terrorists a sense of calmness and indifference when they killed the civilians. It also suppressed their appetite and kept them highly alert for long durations. ALSO READ | Israel-Hamas war: Joe Biden's wartime address hails India-Middle East-Europe corridor ISIS militants used Captagon pills The drugs gained notoriety in 2015 when it was found that it was being consumed by ISIS terrorists to suppress their fear before carrying out terrorist operations. After some time, Syria and Lebanon started producing and distributing Captagon pills on a large scale. Gaza emerged as a popular market for the drug, especially because of the young individuals who were addicted to it. Captagon is from the amphetamine family and was developed initially to address narcolepsy, attention disorders, and depression. WATCH | Hamas hostages' kin speaks to WION | Family members share pain, await return Even though the pill has a highly addictive nature and carries the potential to lead to psychotic reactions, it has been enjoying popularity in the Middle East because of its ease of manufacturing and affordability. In poor countries, people can purchase the drug for a dollar or two, however, in wealthier nations, it costs around 20 dollars per pill. The drug's primary effects include reducing the need for sleep, providing sustained energy, arousing feelings of euphoria and suppressing appetite. As per the medical professionals in Lebanon and Syria, the drug has not only enjoyed popularity among terrorists but is also used frequently by civilians residing in conflict zones. The drug, which was once a major source of revenue for the members of ISIS through its smuggling, has now become Syria's major source of income and has been completely supported by Hezbollah. As per an investigation carried out by The New York Times around two years ago, it was found that people associated with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, as well as his family members, had set up a thriving industry for producing Captagon pills. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Were Hamas terrorists high on this drug during Oct 7 attacks? Reports suggest they were

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Ever since Israel began its total siege of the Gaza strip. The issue of the Palestinian refugees from Gaza. It has dominated the discussion - the key question here remains where will Gaza's 2.1 million go?

Israel-Palestine War: 1.1 mn people ordered to move South from North Gaza; Where would Gazans go?

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