Syrian state media reported that Israeli airstrikes in Damascus and its northwest suburbs resulted in the deaths of at least 15 people. This escalation follows a series of attacks by Israel targeting Iranian-linked sites in Syria, which have intensified since the Hamas attacks on October 7. Israeli military officials stated that the strikes aimed at strongholds of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an ally of both Hamas and Hezbollah. They emphasized their commitment to targeting any infrastructure in Syria that produces weapons for Hezbollah.

In Lebanon, explosions were reported in the suburbs of Beirut, where Israeli bombings have continued for a third consecutive day, with state media confirming a separate strike in eastern Lebanon that killed at least nine individuals. Amid these developments, Human Rights Watch accused Israel of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, citing the forced displacement of nearly two million Palestinians, which they described as ethnic cleansing. Israel has previously dismissed such allegations.

In the United States, a Pentagon report revealed a troubling increase in military suicides, with 523 reported in 2023, up from 493 in 2022. The majority of these cases involved young men using firearms, highlighting ongoing challenges despite efforts to enhance mental health support and gun safety education within the military.

Meanwhile, New Jersey is facing a drought warning as parts of the Northeast experience their driest conditions in nearly 120 years. Unprecedented wildfires have erupted in areas that have not seen significant rainfall since August, including a brush fire on the northern tip of Manhattan, which has since been contained. Authorities in New York and New Jersey have charged two individuals with starting separate smaller fires in the region.