A Pentagon readout from today’s call between U.S. Defense Secretary Austin and his Israeli counterpart says: “…Secretary Austin assured Minister Gallant that Israel could count on full U.S. support to defend Israel against Iranian attacks, which Tehran has publicly threatened.”

WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters -The United States said on Thursday it had restricted its employees in Israel and their family members from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva areas amid Iran's threats to retaliate against its regional adversary.

JERUSALEM, April 11 (Reuters) - Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Thursday that Israel would respond directly to any attack by Iran.

BERLIN, April 11 (Reuters) - Germany's foreign minister Annalena Baerbock discussed the tense situation in the Middle East with her Iranian counterpart and urged all sides to act responsibly and exercise restraint, the foreign ministry in Berlin said on Thursday.

LONDON, April 11 (Reuters) - Global benchmark Brent hovered around $90 a barrel on Thursday as persistent inflation dampened rate cut optimism in the short term, but stayed near six-month highs as investors braced for a potential attack on Israeli interests by Iran.

UPDATE:

Iran’s mehr news agency removes report about closing Iranian airspace over Tehran, denies publishing such a report -Reuters news

Iran's Mehr news agency cites defence minister as saying all air traffic over Tehran will be suspended due to 'military drills' from midnight local time- Reuters wire

BERLIN, April 10 (Reuters) - Germany's Lufthansa on Wednesday said after careful evaluation it decided to suspend flights to and from Tehran until probably Thursday, April 11, 'due to the current situation in the Middle East'.

TEL AVIV, April 10 (Reuters) - Israel will open a new land crossing into the Gaza Strip designed mainly to facilitate deliveries to Palestinians of aid from overseas or neighbouring Jordan, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Wednesday.

NICOSIA, April 10 (Reuters) - Aid shipments to Gaza are expected to resume soon from Cyprus, officials said on Wednesday, after the project was brought to a halt last week following Israel's killing of seven aid workers.

JERUSALEM, April 10 (Reuters) - Israel has agreed in Gaza war ceasefire talks in Egypt to concessions about the return of Palestinians to the north of the enclave, but believes Islamist group Hamas does not want to strike a deal, Israeli officials said on Wednesday.

April 10 (Reuters) - Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 33,482 Palestinians and wounded 76,049 since Oct. 7, the Palestinian enclave's health ministry said on Wednesday.

The Pentagon refers questions about the Defense Secretary to the….White House

NEW: There were at least 8 internal dissent memos sent by State Department staff in the first two months of the Gaza war, nearly triple what was previously reported.

There have likely been many more since.

independent.co.uk/news/world/ame…

JERUSALEM, April 8 (Reuters) - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that a date has been set for an Israeli invasion of Rafah, Gaza's last refuge for displaced Palestinians, without disclosing that date as a new round of ceasefire talks take place in Cairo.

DAMASCUS, April 8 (Reuters) - Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian inaugurated a new site for Iranian consular services in the Syrian capital on Monday, Syrian state media reported, in a building near the previous consulate flattened in an Israeli airstrike last week.

April 8 (Reuters) - At least 33,207 Palestinians have been killed and 75,933 others wounded in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since Oct.7, Gaza's health ministry reported on Monday.

Here was ⁦National Press Club⁩ President ⁦Emily Wilkins⁩ welcoming Palestinian photojournalist motaz shahin Azaiza to U.S. and making him a Club member. Motaz was one of the leading photographers documenting the tragedy in #Gaza . Thanks to ⁦Jason Rezaian⁩ for connecting us.

JERUSALEM, April 7 (Reuters) - The Israeli military has withdrawn all ground troops from the southern Gaza Strip except for one brigade, a military spokesperson said on Sunday.

LONDON, April 6 (Reuters) - A British Royal Navy ship will supply aid to Gaza as part of an international effort to help set up a new humanitarian maritime corridor in early May, the foreign office and ministry of defence said on Saturday.