Biden, Harris lead US in mourning loss of lives in Gujarat bridge collapse
Washington (PTI): US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday led the country in mourning the victims of the devastating bridge collapse in Gujarat.
Today, our hearts are with India. Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones during the bridge collapse and join the people of Gujarat in mourning the loss of too many lives cut short, Biden said.
The United States and India are indispensable partners, with deep bonds between their citizens. In this difficult hour, we will continue to stand with and support the Indian people, Biden said in a statement.
We stand with the people of India who are mourning the victims of the devastating bridge collapse in Gujarat. Our hearts are with those who lost loved ones and all those impacted, Harris said in a tweet.
Congresswoman Grace Meng, Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations and a member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, said she was devastated by the high number of deaths caused by the bridge collapse.
I'm heartbroken to learn that many of those killed are children, women and the elderly. India is a dear friend and ally of the United States, and we stand with its people during this terrible time of tragedy and sorrow, Meng said.
I thank the first responders who have worked to save lives, and I'm keeping all who are impacted in my thoughts and prayers, especially those who have lost family members, said the Congresswoman.
The United States is deeply saddened by the tragic collapse of a suspension bridge in Morbi, Gujarat, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said.
Our hearts are with the people of India, and we extend our deepest condolences to the victims and their families. The United States stands with our Indian partners during this difficult time, he said.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Senator Jim Risch said his prayers are with those affected by the tragic bridge collapse in Gujarat.
The US stands by its partner and friend India during this difficult time, he said.
State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said the US is deeply saddened by the news of the collapse of a suspension bridge in Morbi, Gujarat on Sunday. Our condolences go out to the victims of this terrible tragedy and their families, and the United States stands with our Indian partners and has offered support to the government of India.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Bob Menendez said as victims, loved ones, and Indian authorities pursue answers, the US must support efforts to swiftly and thoroughly examine this tragedy and ensure this does not happen again.
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Israel launches first airstrike on Lebanon since ceasefire, accusing Hezbollah of breaching truce
Beirut, Nov 28: The Israeli military on Thursday said its warplanes fired on southern Lebanon after detecting Hezbollah activity at a rocket storage facility, the first Israeli airstrike a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold.
There was no immediate word on casualties from Israel's aerial attack, which came hours after the Israeli military said it fired on people trying to return to certain areas in southern Lebanon. Israel said they were violating the ceasefire agreement, without providing details. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said two people were wounded.
The back-to-back incidents stirred unease about the agreement, brokered by the United States and France, which includes an initial two-month ceasefire in which Hezbollah members are to withdraw north of the Litani River and Israeli forces are to return to their side of the border. The buffer zone would be patrolled by Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers.
On Thursday, the second day of a ceasefire after more than a year of bloody conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon's state news agency reported that Israeli fire targeted civilians in Markaba, close to the border, without providing further details. Israel said it fired artillery in three other locations near the border. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
An Associated Press reporter in northern Israel near the border heard Israeli drones buzzing overhead and the sound of artillery strikes from the Lebanese side.
The Israeli military said in a statement that “several suspects were identified arriving with vehicles to a number of areas in southern Lebanon, breaching the conditions of the ceasefire.” It said troops “opened fire toward them” and would “actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement.”
Israeli officials have said forces will be withdrawn gradually as it ensures that the agreement is being enforced. Israel has warned people not to return to areas where troops are deployed, and says it reserves the right to strike Hezbollah if it violates the terms of the truce.
A Lebanese military official said Lebanese troops would gradually deploy in the south as Israeli troops withdraw. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.
The ceasefire agreement announced late Tuesday ended 14 months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that began a day after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza, when the Lebanese Hezbollah group began firing rockets, drones and missiles in solidarity.
Israel retaliated with airstrikes, and the conflict steadily intensified for nearly a year before boiling over into all-out war in mid-September. The war in Gaza is still raging with no end in sight.
More than 3,760 people were killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon during the conflict, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The fighting killed more than 70 people in Israel — over half of them civilians — as well as dozens of Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon.
Some 1.2 million people were displaced in Lebanon, and thousands began streaming back to their homes on Wednesday despite warnings from the Lebanese military and the Israeli army to stay out of certain areas. Some 50,000 people were displaced on the Israeli side, but few have returned and the communities near the northern border are still largely deserted.
In Menara, an Israeli community on the border with views into Lebanon, around three quarters of homes are damaged, some with collapsed roofs and burnt-out interiors. A few residents could be seen gathering their belongings on Thursday before leaving again.
