Good morning, readers!

Conflict seems to be spreading across the globe as the Israel-Hamas conflict rages on.

• Iraq: US airbases under attack.

• US: Congress breached.

• Germany: Synagogue attacked.

• France: Rocked by multiple bomb threats.

How will the US President and EU leaders navigate this issue? First, we look at how Biden is dealing with Israel. 👇🏻

Today’s hotspots

Biden blames Islamic Jihad for the Gazan hospital explosion.

As the Middle East erupts in protests over the horrific explosion that killed hundreds at a Gaza hospital, US President Joe Biden clarified on Wednesday that the incident was caused by “errant rocket fired by a terrorist group in Gaza.”

🐾 US intel confirmation.

• On Wednesday, the US National Security Council (NSC) backed the US Commander-in-chief, clearing Israel of any involvement in the recent Gaza hospital explosion. Their conclusion follows an analysis of overhead imagery, intercepts, and open-source info.

• American intelligence pointed the finger at the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group, a Hamas rival in Gaza.

Their evidence: A ground-level explosion was detected at the hospital, not an airstrike. The lack of a singular crater and the presence of extensive fire damage and scattered debris supports this theory.

🐾 PIJ.

Fathi Abd al-Aziz al-Shikaki founded the PIJ in 1981 out of a wave of radical Islamism sweeping the Middle East. Its founders were influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood, the Iranian Revolution, and the writings of Ayatollah Khomeini (the former Supreme Leader of Iran).

• Their goal: They want to wipe out Israel and create an Islamic state by any means necessary, including suicide bombings and rockets.

• Their approach: They reject any compromise or dialogue with Israel and believe violence is the only solution. They have killed hundreds of Israelis over the years with their attacks.

🐾 PIJ’s allies and rivals.

• Iran: It receives most of its funding and support from Iran, which sees it as a proxy against Israel.

• Syria: It also has ties with Syria, where its leader, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, lives.

• Hamas: While the PIJ and Hamas often collaborate, they’re mostly rivals squabbling over influence and resources.

The PIJ is more radical and secretive than Hamas and does not have the same social or political role. The two groups have clashed over strategy, negotiations, and other issues.

🐾 US wallet.

President Biden also announced that he is seeking an “unprecedented support package for Israel’s defense.”

This is on top of the $100 million in humanitarian aid he promised for both Gaza and the West Bank.

But you may ask: “What if Hamas just… takes the money?”

That’s reassuring.

Quick updates

Click the country's name for more.👇🏻

🇺🇸 United States:

3 Drones try to bomb US troops in Iraq.

As President Biden tries to show solidarity with Israel amid its war with Hamas, Iran-backed militias launch drone attacks on three US bases in Iraq, injuring some troops and damaging equipment.

• Two drones attempted to strike the Al Asad air base, which resulted in “minor injuries.”

• One drone targeted the Al-Harir air base, with no injuries.

This was the first of its kind in nine months.

✱ NOTE: The US has 2,500 troops in Iraq, where tension over the Gaza conflict is high. Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric has condemned Israel and called for global action.

🇺🇸 United States:

Capitol chaos: Pro-Palestinian protesters storm Congress.

A wave of pro-Palestinian activists swarmed into the Cannon House office building, chanting and waving banners, calling for an end to the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.

They were met by Capitol police, who arrested several of them for violating the ban on demonstrations inside Congressional buildings.

✱ NOTE: The protest was organized by two Jewish groups, Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow, who oppose Israel’s policies and actions in the occupied territories.

🇩🇪 Germany:

Synagogue attacked with firebombs in Berlin.

Two unknown assailants hurled Molotov cocktails at a synagogue and a Jewish community center in the German capital early Wednesday morning. Thankfully, no one was hurt and the building was not damaged as the bottles “landed on the pavement and broke, extinguishing the fire.”

The attack comes amid rising tensions between Israel and Hamas, which Germany considers a terrorist group.

✱ NOTE: Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the attack and promised to fight antisemitism in Germany.

🇫🇷 France:

Bomb scares and evacuations rock the nation.

France is on edge as a wave of false bomb threats and security alerts forced the evacuation of several airports, museums, and palaces.

🔎 Recent events:

• France: A teacher was stabbed to death in a suspected terror attack by a radicalized Chechen.

• Belgium: Two Swedish soccer fans were shot dead by a radicalized Tunisian.

✱ NOTE: The security scares may be related to the Israel-Palestine conflict, as President Macron has expressed his support for Israel and condemned Hamas.