Israel tells its troops to prepare for a possible ground operation in Lebanon

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Israeli army chief says the military is preparing for a possible ground operation in Lebanon. He made the statement Wednesday as Hezbollah hurled dozens of projectiles into Israel, including a missile aimed at Tel Aviv that was the militant group’s deepest strike yet. Addressing troops on the northern border, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said the latest Israeli airstrikes were designed to “prepare the ground for your possible entry.” The Lebanese health minister said Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed more than 50 people. That raised the death toll from the past three days to 615, with more than 2,000 people wounded. Also on Wednesday, a drone hit the port of the southern Israeli city of Eilat an Iran-backed militia in Iraq claimed responsibility.

Pope expels a bishop and 9 other people from a Peru movement

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has taken the unusual decision to expel 10 people from a troubled Catholic movement in Peru after a Vatican investigation uncovered “sadistic” abuses of power, authority and spirituality. The move against the leadership of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, or Sodalitium of Christian Life, followed Francis’ decision last month to expel the group’s founder, Luis Figari, after he was found to have sodomized his recruits. The decision was announced Wednesday by the Peruvian Bishops Conference, which posted a statement from the Vatican embassy on its website.

China test-fires an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China has test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean. The Defense Ministry said the ICBM launched Wednesday morning carried a dummy warhead and fell into the targeted area. The ministry statement said the launch was part of annual routine training and was not directed against any country. The U.S. and non-governmental organizations have said China has been building up its missile silos, but it’s unclear how many missiles have been added to its arsenal. The U.S. remains China’s main global rival, although Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and others have territorial disputes with Beijing that occasionally threaten to develop into military clashes. China maintains a “no first use” of nuclear weapons policy, even as its desire for regional predominance grows.

Putin lowers threshold of nuclear response as he issues new warnings to the West

MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin says any nation’s conventional attack on Russia that is supported by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack on his country. The strong, new warning to the West was outlined in a revision of Moscow’s nuclear doctrine. The threat was clearly aimed at discouraging the West from allowing Ukraine to strike Russia with longer-range weapons and appears to significantly lower the threshold for the possible use of Russia’s nuclear arsenal. He announced that a revised version of the document says that an attack against his country by a nonnuclear power with the support of a nuclear power will be seen as their “joint attack on the Russian Federation.”