Israel and Hezbollah strikes put region on edge; Vance says Trump would veto federal abortion ban: Weekend Rundown

Israel, Hezbollah trade strikes on Lebanon border

Israel launched a wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon on Sunday, saying it had detected a Hezbollah plan for a “large-scale” attack. The militant group returned fire with rockets and drones.

Sunday’s strikes represent a major increase in intensity on the Israel-Lebanon border that risks slipping beyond tit-for-tat retaliation, said Yossi Mekelberg, an associate fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, a London-based international affairs think tank.

“We are on the cusp of something that could be quite dangerous,” he told NBC News, saying it was the most intense exchange of fire since the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Egypt’s foreign ministry warned of the dangers of the region’s “slipping into a state of comprehensive instability,” calling the developments “dangerous and rapid.”

Cease-fire negotiations seeking to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas continued in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, over the weekend, but there are concerns that the latest escalation could stifle an elusive deal.

Harris and Walz ramp up campaigning post-DNC

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will launch a bus tour of southern Georgia this week for their first public events after the Democratic convention in Chicago. The pair will use the postconvention momentum to drive them into the last couple months of the election and are expected to tape their first joint interview this week.

The campaign announced Sunday that it raised $40 million on the heels of Harris’ speech at the convention, bringing the total it has raised since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race to $540 million.

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign had one of its best months yet in July but still raised less than a fourth of its opponents’ windfall, taking in $47.5 million that month, according to a campaign finance report.

Hawaii on storm watch as Hurricane Hone passes the Big Island

Hurricane Hone is “gradually” moving away from Hawaii’s Big Island but will continue to bring gusty winds and widespread rain to the region, the National Hurricane Center said in an update Sunday afternoon.

Hone strengthened to a Category 1 storm overnight, with winds reaching 85 mph. The island’s residents were expected to get 6 to 12 inches of rain and an additional 3 to 6 inches in south-facing slopes, which could lead to flooding, according to the hurricane center. “Life-threatening” surf can also be expected on the island Sunday, it said.

Suspect arrested in deadly Germany knife attack

A suspect in a night knife attack that killed three people and wounded eight others Friday in Germany has been arrested, officials said Saturday.

The German Federal Prosecutor’s Office said the suspect, a 26-year-old Syrian citizen, shares the ideology of the Islamic State and had joined the organization before Friday. The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, had claimed responsibility for the attack in Solingen, where a celebration of the city’s anniversary had been taking place.

Before this arrest, a 15-year-old and another man were arrested in connection with the attack. Investigators believed the 15-year-old may have had previous knowledge of the attack.

Astronauts stuck in space will wait for SpaceX

The two astronauts who have been stuck on the International Space Station since early June after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft ran into problems midflight will hitch a ride back to Earth on a SpaceX craft, NASA said Saturday.

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams’ mission had been planned to last about eight days. They will now stay at the space station for about six more months before they return in February, when the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule arrives.

The decision to go with SpaceX was unanimous among NASA officials, despite Boeing’s confidence in its spacecraft. The Starliner drama has been a major setback for Boeing’s space ambitions, adding to years of struggle to get the capsule off the ground.

Meet the Press

Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, said Trump would veto a federal abortion ban if Congress were to pass one.

Trump has changed his position on abortion policy over the years. Asked in April whether he would sign a national ban if it passed through Congress, he simply answered, “No.” But he didn’t clarify what he considered a ban, and in the past he celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Asked on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” about GOP lawmakers who would want Trump to advocate for and pass one, Vance told moderator Kristen Welker that Trump has “explicitly” said he would veto a ban. “I mean, if you’re not supporting it, as the president of the United States, you fundamentally have to veto it,” he argued.

Vance also evaded multiple questions about whether Trump’s proposed “zero tolerance” policy on immigration would lead to family separation. You can watch the full interview here.

Politics in brief

Judge not: The oldest full-time federal judge on the bench is 97 and refuses to step down. The federal courts are full of judges like her: They could retire but don’t.

Aid pressure: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said the U.S. must “live its values” when it comes to conditioning aid to Israel, telling “Meet the Press” that Israel’s action in Gaza “raises questions about compliance with international law.”

Social media threats: A 37-year-old Tennessee man was charged over alleged threats on X against Biden, Harris and former President Barack Obama, the Justice Department said.

FAFSA problems: The Education Department is assuring schools and students that its financial aid process will be fixed after a botched overhaul led some colleges to say their enrollments were decreasing.

Quinceañeras are getting bigger and bolder

In a TikTok and Instagram world, Latina teens want their 15th birthday parties to be picture perfect.

Miami event planners report less traditional aspects — like quince courts and shoe changing ceremonies — and a bigger focus on partying.

A modern-day quinceañera is filled with outfit changes, professional photo shoots and almost always an “hora loca,” a “crazy hour” when the DJ turns up the music and people come out in costume to hype up the dance floor.

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