The Times of Israel is liveblogging Sunday’s events as they unfold.
IDF says interceptor fired toward aerial target overnight, in false identification
The IDF says an interceptor missile was launched during the night toward an aerial target identified over the Mediterranean Sea, near the Krayot area near Haifa.
However, a short while later the target was determined to be a false identification, the military adds.
Israel said to believe Hamas ‘playing for time’ in hope war breaks out in Lebanon before truce deal reached
The leader of the Hamas terror group in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, is stalling on the negotiations for a hostage-ceasefire deal with Israel in hopes that a new full-blown war will erupt on the Lebanon front before a deal is finalized, an unnamed Israeli official involved in the talks is quoted as saying by the Haaretz news site.
“Hamas doesn’t want a deal now,” the source says. “It doesn’t want to release the hostages, but rather to play for time. Yahya Sinwar… wants war to erupt in the northern border and therefore will not move toward a ceasefire.”
The report also says mediator Qatar is holding talks with the Hamas leadership to try and bridge the gaps between the latest Israeli proposal — endorsed by the US and the UN Security Council — and the reservations listed by the Palestinian terror group, some of which were cast by Washington as not workable.
While foreign sources are expressing cautious optimism about the prospect of a breakthrough, senior Israeli officials are pessimistic, the report adds.
US CENTCOM says it destroyed 3 Houthi vessels over past day
The US Central Command says in a statement that its forces have over the past day successfully destroyed three Houthi uncrewed service vessels in the Red Sea.
The vessels “presented an imminent threat to US, coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region,” the statement says, adding: “This action was taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.”
The statement reiterates that claims by the Iran-backed Yemeni rebels that they have hit the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier are “categorically false.”
June 22 U.S. Central Command Update
In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed three Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed surface vessels (USV) in the Red Sea.
It was determined these systems presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition… pic.twitter.com/JiWhrCki61
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 22, 2024
Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez slam AIPAC at Bowman rally in NYC; pro-Palestinians disrupt event
Progressive US lawmakers Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders have spoken at a New York City rally promoting the primary election of Rep. Jamaal Bowman, and Israel critic who is facing AIPAC-backed Westchester County Executive George Latimer in this coming week’s high-profile primary, which has focused on the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
In a profanity-laden speech, Bowman leads a “ceasefire now” chant and says: “I’m not supposed to fight back? We’re gonna show them who the fuck we are.”
"I'm not supposed to fight back? We gonna show them, who the fk we are!" Spoke Rep. Bowman along with Rep AOC and Bernie Sanders at a rally in the Bronx as Pro-palestine protesters chant to disrupt the rally.
Video by Ed Quinn Desk@freedomnews.tv to license pic.twitter.com/0UmNJN7FQs
— Oliya Scootercaster ???? (@ScooterCasterNY) June 22, 2024
Sanders slams the pro-Israel AIPAC lobby’s $14 million contribution to Latimer’s campaign, telling the crowd: “What this campaign is about is telling the billionaire class and their greed and their super PACs that they are not going to destroy American democracy.”
I was pleased to join Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nydia Velázquez and others in support of Jamaal Bowman’s campaign.
The temperature at the rally was high, and so was the passion. The people of NY-16 are determined not to let billionaire super PACs buy this election. pic.twitter.com/oy7JiJL0xf
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) June 23, 2024
Ocasio-Cortez similarly says: “These Wall Street people don’t give a damn about us. AIPAC doesn’t give a damn about us. AIPAC doesn’t give a damn about the Bronx. They don’t give a damn about Westchester.”
About 1,200 people attend the rally, according to Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign.
A group of pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protesters demonstrate against the trio, accusing them of not being sufficiently critical of the Jewish state and of supporting US President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. They deface several campaign buses and chant, “Intifada Intifada!” and “Genocide Joe has got to go.”
#NYC As AOC/Bernie/Bowman Bronx rally ended, protesters rushed to the campaign busses, defacing them with markers and stickers as they chanted "Intifada Intifada!" and "Genocide Joe has got to go!"
Desk@freedomnews.tv to license pic.twitter.com/QRwOFKol3H
— Oliya Scootercaster ???? (@ScooterCasterNY) June 22, 2024