Israel-Gaza-Lebanon live updates: 1 dead, 10 hurt in strike in Israel, officials say

(WASHINGTON) — China has nearly tripled its nuclear warhead arsenal since 2020, according to the Pentagon’s latest China military power report released Wednesday.

“DOD estimates the PRC has surpassed 600 operational nuclear warheads as of mid-2024,” a senior U.S. defense official told reporters this week.

In 2020, the Pentagon estimated China’s nuclear stockpile was in the low 200s.

“The PLA continues its rapid nuclear build up,” the official said, using an acronym for the People’s Liberation Army, adding that China is expected to exceed 1,000 warheads by 2030.

China is also diversifying the kinds of nuclear weapons it’s building, the official said.

“When you look at what they’re trying to build here, it’s a diversified nuclear force that would be comprised of systems ranging from low-yield precision strike missiles all the way up to ICBMs, with different options at basically every rung on the escalation ladder, which is a lot different than what they’ve relied on traditionally,” the official said.

China’s budding nuclear arsenal, still dwarfed by those of the U.S. and Russia, is just one part of a broader strategy to build its influence on the global stage, the official said.

“The PRC seeks to amass national power to achieve what Xi Jinping has referred to as the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation by 2049 and to revise the international order in support of the PRC system of governments and its national interests,” the official said.

Despite economic and corruption-related setbacks, China’s military is making steady progress in modernizing its non-nuclear capabilities as well, according to the official.

“They also are showing some interest in developing a new conventional ICBM that could strike Hawaii, Alaska and the continental United States. And I think this is in part to address what they’ve seen as a long-standing asymmetry in the U.S.’s ability to conduct conventional strikes against the PRC, and for many decades, their inability to reach out and strike the U.S. territory with anything other than nuclear and ballistic missiles,” the official said.

Beijing has become ever more willing to use military coercion to help achieve its aims, according to the DOD report.

“Throughout 2023, the PRC escalated tensions with the Philippines in the South China Sea by ramming and boarding vessels en route to supply Second Thomas Shoal. The PRC also amplified its diplomatic, political and military pressure against Taiwan in 2023 and into this year,” the senior defense official said.

But the People’s Liberation Army has identified some of its own shortcomings, including with the strength of its leaders, according to the report.

“The PLA to continues to highlight what they refer to as the ‘five incapables,’ which is a PLA slogan asserting that some PLA commanders are incapable of judging situations, understanding higher authorities’ intentions, making operational decisions, deploying forces or managing unexpected situations,” the defense official said.

Despite several soft spots, the U.S. lists China as the Defense Department’s No. 1 “pacing challenge.”

“Our National Security Strategy identifies the PRC as the only competitor with the intent, and increasingly, the capability, to reshape the international order,” the official said.

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(LONDON) — Israeli forces continued their intense operations inside Gaza after Hamas leader and Oct. 7, 2023 attack mastermind Yahya Sinwar was killed in a firefight with Israeli forces.

The development comes as Israel continues intense air and ground campaigns against Hezbollah in Lebanon and against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and mulls its response to Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack.

‘Beirut in flames’ after night of airstrikes, foreign minister says

“Beirut in flames,” Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on X on Monday following an intense night of airstrikes on the Lebanese capital.

“A wide-scale Israeli attack targeted Hezbollah’s financial infrastructure in Beirut and across Lebanon last night,” Katz said.

“Massive fires were seen above Beirut as over 15 buildings were struck following evacuation warnings to residents,” the foreign minister wrote.

“Hezbollah has paid and will continue to pay a heavy price for its attacks on northern Israel and its rocket fire. We will keep striking the Iranian proxy until it collapses.”

-ABC News’ Guy Davies

IDF claims ‘dozens’ of strikes on Hezbollah financial targets

Israel Defense Forces warplanes launched “a series of targeted, intelligence-based strikes against dozens of facilities and sites used by the Hezbollah terrorist organization to finance its terrorist activities,” the IDF said in a Monday post to X.

The Sunday night strikes hit targets in Beirut, southern Lebanon and elsewhere “deep within” the country, the IDF added.

The IDF said the targets were linked to the Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association, which Israel has accused of acting as a key financier of Hezbollah activities.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

US investigating intelligence leak on Israel’s alleged plan to attack Iran

Documents purporting to show classified U.S. intelligence-gathering on Israel’s preparations for a possible retaliatory strike against Iran appeared on social media platforms late last week.

The impact of the circulation of these documents on current and future planning by the Israeli military is unclear at this time.

U.S. officials declined to comment on the situation when reached by ABC News. However, a law enforcement source on Sunday confirmed with ABC News that there is an investigation underway.

Markings on the documents indicate that they would have originated from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which collects, analyzes and distributes intelligence gleaned from satellite and aerial imagery.

If the documents are authentic, it would indicate a major intelligence breach.

According to Mick Mulroy, an ABC News national security and defense contributor, who served as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East: “The future coordination between the U.S. and Israel could be challenged, as well.”

The Department of Defense, Federal Bureau of Investigation and a spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence all declined to comment when contacted by ABC News.

House Speaker Mike Johnson appeared on CNN Sunday and acknowledged that there is an investigation underway into the possible intelligence leak, adding, “We’re following it closely.”

-ABC News’ T. Michelle Murphy

IDF says it’s targeting infrastructure in Lebanon of group allegedly financing Hezbollah

The Israel Defense Forces announced it was targeting infrastructure Sunday night in Lebanon that has been linked to the Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association, an organization it alleges is involved in financing Hezbollah.

The United States placed sanctions on the Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association in May 2021 related to financing Hezbollah activities.

The Al-Qard Al-Hassan group has 31 branches in Lebanon — including in Beirut and Bekaa, officials said. At least one strike was reported Sunday evening in the Chyah neighborhood of Beirut.

“The ‘Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association’ is involved in financing the terrorist activities of the Hezbollah organization against Israel, and therefore the IDF has decided to attack this terrorist infrastructure,” the IDF said in a statement Sunday. “The IDF continues to work forcefully to destroy Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure. Therefore, we call on people inside buildings used by Hezbollah to stay at least 500 meters away from them for the next few hours.”

-ABC News’ Victoria Beaule

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(LONDON) — Syrian state media said Thursday that government forces were withdrawing from the city of Hama in the face of a rebel advance, marking another major setback for President Bashar al-Assad and his backers in Russia and Iran.

The Syrian Arab News Agency said government forces withdrew to positions outside the central Syrian city. The report came hours after opposition fighters — led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group — claimed to have entered the city and struck towards its center.

Hama is Syria’s fourth largest city. It sits between the capital Damascus to the south and Aleppo — Syria’s second city — to the north. Aleppo fell to the lightning rebel offensive on Nov. 29. Hama was one of the few major cities that did not fall to anti-government forces following the 2011 revolution against Assad’s rule.

The Syrian army said its troops withdrew after rebel fighters broke through government defenses in Hama. The army accused the opposition groups of using suicide attacks to breach government lines.

The army’s General Command said the withdrawal was ordered to “preserve civilian lives” by avoiding fighting inside the city, SANA reported.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Someyah Malekian contributed to this report.

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