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As Iran war drags on, Americans are bracing for more chaos in Middle East, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

Five months into the US war with Iran, Americans who expect the Middle East to slide toward chaos outnumber those who see the war bringing more stability ​by three to one, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The six-day poll concluded on Monday, as Republican President Donald Trump again backed away from threatened "massive attacks" on ‌Iran, underscoring uncertainty surrounding a conflict he initially predicted would bring a swift victory. Fifty per cent of poll respondents said they thought US military action in Iran would destabilize the Middle East over the next year, about three times the 17% who said the war would lead to more stability in the region. Another 16% said stability would stay about the same and 17% said they were unsure or didn't answer the question. Americans were also pessimistic about gasoline prices, which ​have risen as Iran has choked off traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil supplies. Some 58% said they...

Israel strikes south Lebanon after soldiers killed, talks continue in Rome

Israel said two of its soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon on Wednesday while Lebanese ​authorities said Israeli retaliatory attacks killed at least one person, a ‌flare-up in violence that coincided with the latest round of talks between the two countries. The Rome talks, which began on Tuesday and are expected to continue through Thursday, come after ​the two countries agreed in June to a US-brokered security arrangement ​intended to ease hostilities along the border. Despite the ceasefire, Israel ⁠declared a buffer zone in southern Lebanon where its troops continue to operate ​to eliminate what it says is the threat of the Iran-backed group, Hezbollah, on ​its border. The two soldiers were killed and four others wounded by an explosion in a building they had entered as part of a security sweep, according to Israel's Army Radio ​on Thursday. Citing a security source, Army Radio said that it was still ​unclear when the explosive device had been planted in the building, whether it was before ‌or after ⁠the ceasefire. Read: Israel conveys 'concerns' to US on Gaza plan The Israeli military on Wednesday initially described the incident as "a blatant ceasefire violation" by Hezbollah, for which it launched a series of retaliatory strikes in southern Lebanon. But on Thursday, in a statement mourning the death of the ​soldiers, Israeli Defence Minister ​Israel Katz did ⁠not mention Hezbollah or a ceasefire violation, suggesting Israel was not looking to escalate attacks. The Israeli military’s website shows the ​last date a soldier was killed in southern Lebanon was ​June 28. ⁠The Lebanese health ministry said on Wednesday one person was killed and 12 others were wounded in an Israeli strike on the southern town of Tibnin, about 25 ⁠km (15 ​miles) from Mansouri, for which the Israeli military ​had issued an evacuation warning - the first online warning for Lebanon in more than a month.

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