Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert

Israel strikes Lebanon saying it has thwarted a large-scale Hezbollah attack, while the Lebanese group announces its own cross-border raids to avenge a top commander's killing.

The Israeli military said its fighter jets had destroyed "thousands" of Hezbollah rocket launchers "aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel", far from the border.

Absolute grief prevails in Israel over the missile attack from Lebanese territory that hit an outdoor area in the Golan Heights, resulting in the death of 12 young children. This has not only triggered a counterattack by the Israeli Armed Forces but also a wave of concern about escalation in the region.

At least 12 children and young people were killed on Saturday when multiple rockets struck a village in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, Israeli officials said, in an attack that has sparked fears of a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said an Israeli strike on a school killed 30 people Saturday, while a rocket fired from Lebanon killed 12 youngsters in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.

Israel's military said Hezbollah fired the rocket from Lebanon, hitting a football pitch in the Druze town of Majdal Shams and killing the youngsters, who were between 10 and 20 years old.

Iraq's president on Feb. 1 assigned the country's former communications minister to form a new government.

Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi announced President Barham Salih's mandate to form the new government on Twitter.

He also addressed protestors urging them to continue their demonstrations until a change was achieved in the country.

German DM: European army is "long-term goal"

BERLIN -- The creation of a European army is our long-term goal, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen has said.

She mentioned the example of the German-Dutch military cooperation in a joint interview with her Dutch colleague Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert given to the daily Bild am Sonntag.