After four months of fighting in Khan Younis – and amid ceasefire talks – Israel withdraws troops for ‘tactical reasons’. Plus: a total solar eclipse
Good morning.
Israel has pulled all of its ground troops out of southern Gaza for “tactical reasons”, the country’s army has said, relieving reservists after nearly four months of intense fighting in the decimated southern city of Khan Younis. Displaced Palestinians from the city may now be able to return to their homes.
While two brigades will remain in northern Gaza, the withdrawal raises questions about the future direction of the war. The Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant, said on Sunday evening that the move was part of preparations to launch a ground attack on Gaza’s southern-most city of Rafah, but the timing of the announcement coincided with the beginning of a round of mediated talks in Cairo aimed at securing a second ceasefire and hostage release deal.Boeing engine cover falls off during takeoff
In the latest in a series of safety problems facing the aircraft manufacturer Boeing, US airline regulators have opened an investigation after an engine cowling on a Boeing plane fell off during takeoff on Sunday and struck the wing flap. Southwest Airlines flight 3695 rose to about 10,300 ft (3,140 metres) before returning safely 25 minutes after takeoff to Denver international airport, where it was towed to a gate. There were no injuries.In other news …Stat of the day: Trillions of cicadas are about to erupt from the earth in the US
Trillions of cicadas are expected to emerge from the earth in much of the mid-western and eastern US when the surfacing of two separate cicada broods coincide. These are periodical cicadas with a life cycle that involves the juvenile cicadas living underground and feeding on plant sap for years before surfacing en masse.
