New York City officials are keeping a careful eye on the escalating tensions in the Middle East, as Israel and Iran appear to be on the brink of full-scale war.
Scores of ballistic missiles filled the nighttime sky over Israel between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Reuters reported. Iran launched the barrage to avenge Israel’s pager bomb operation in Lebanon last month, which left dozens dead, including some Hezbollah leaders. Hezbollah, which is deeply involved in Lebanon, is a terrorist organization supported by Iran.
Nearly 200 missiles were launched, most of which were intercepted through the “Iron Dome” missile defense system, according to Reuters. US Navy warships fired more than a dozen interceptor missiles as well, The Pentagon reported. Earlier on Tuesday, Israel also launched that it launched a ground invasion into southern Lebanon in an effort to further disrupt and dismantle Hezbollah’s operation, CNN reported.
These tumultuous developments occurred on the precipice of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, and just days before the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks by Hamas upon Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which left more than 1,200 people dead and hundreds more held hostage. Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza has led to tens of thousands of additional deaths and a humanitarian crisis within the enclave.
Here in New York, Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday he held a briefing with Gov. Kathy Hochul and the NYPD intelligence team on the increasing turmoil in the Middle East.
“We remain committed on the local and state level to ensure New Yorkers of all faiths, including our Jewish New Yorkers, are SAFE,” Adams posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Hochul noted on X that “there are no threats to New Yorkers at this time,” but that state and city officials “are staying vigilant.”
“We will ensure all can feel safe to gather and worship in their communities,” the governor said, adding in a separate post: “We continue to pray for peace and an end to the violence.”
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