Israel and Hezbollah exchange heavy fire, and Hurricane Hone soaks Hawaii: Morning Rundown

Israel and Hezbollah’s cross-border attacks raise fears of a wider Middle East conflict. Ohio police release body camera footage that shows an encounter before an officer fatally shot a man in a U-Haul believed to be stolen. And Hurricane Hone brings heavy rain to Hawaii’s Big Island. 

Here’s what to know today.

What’s next after Israel and Hezbollah exchange heavy fire

The escalation that long felt inevitable arrived in a blaze of cross-border attacks over the weekend, but the Middle East woke Monday on edge, though having escaped all-out war — for now at least.

Fears of a wider regional conflict grew after Israel launched what it said were pre-emptive strikes on southern Lebanon after saying it had detected plans by Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to launch a “large-scale” attack. 

Hezbollah responded with an assault using a “large number of drones,” with the militant group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah saying fighters had targeted the Glilot base near Tel Aviv and had no intention of targeting civilian infrastructure. 

The militant group said it had launched the attacks as revenge for the assassination last month of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, with both Hezbollah and Iran having vowed retaliation for weeks following the back-to-back assassinations of both Shukr and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. Israel, which typically remains silent on targeted assassinations, has not publicly claimed responsibility for the killings, but is widely believed to have carried them out.

But as fears of further escalation grew, both Israel and Hezbollah appeared to rein in hostilities on Sunday, with both sides confirming the latest round of violence was over, but doing little to assuage fears of future fighting. 

Read the full story here.

More coverage on the Middle East: 

• Over two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are confined to a humanitarian area smaller than Manhattan. 

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Bodycam video shows moment Ohio officer fatally shoots man in U-Haul believed stolen

Police in Akron, Ohio, released bodycam video and security footage showing an officer fatally shooting a man suspected of stealing of a U-Haul box truck earlier this month. 

The video shows the encounter leading up to the death of Michael Jones at a gas station in the early hours of Aug. 17. Officers had been investigating a stolen vehicle, which they had seen in the gas station’s parking lot, police said in the initial news release about the shooting. The vehicle was rented and then wasn’t returned to U-Haul on the agreed upon date, prompting U-Haul to report it stolen, an Akron police spokesperson said. 

Officers repeatedly asked Jones to step out of the truck and told him he’s under arrest, with an officer shooting twice when Jones drives away. The officer involved in the shooting, who has been at the department for 2½ years, has been placed on paid administrative leave under department procedure, police said.

Read the full story here. 

Hurricane Hone brings heavy rain and damaging winds to Hawaii’s Big Island

Hurricane Hone is moving away from Hawaii’s Big Island, but will continue to bring strong winds and widespread rain to the region, the National Hurricane Center said. 

Hone strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane as it hovered about 160 miles southwest of Honolulu on Sunday. It’s expected to weaken to a tropical storm by early Monday. The island’s residents could get anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of rain and an additional 3 to 5 inches in south-facing slopes, the hurricane center said. Flights were canceled at Hilo International Airport and Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park closed its Mauna Loa summit due to the tropical storm conditions on the island. “Life-threatening” surf can also be expected along with flooding. More than 24,000 people were without power on Hawaii’s Big Island overnight. 

More weather coverage:

• Hurricane season was expected to be far more active than normal. What happened? 
• This summer has broken multiple heat records for many across the U.S., but California got a rare August snow in Lake Tahoe. 

Politics in Brief

 Battleground states: Hundreds of Democrats spent the weekend in western Pennsylvania at “Demstock” — a play on Woodstock that featured speakers and live performances, but all for politics. 

Fundraising: The Harris campaign said that it and its allies raised a combined $40 million on the heels of Vice President Kamala Harris’ speech at the Democratic National Convention.

Meet the Press: In an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” Sen. JD Vance didn’t give a direct answer about whether Trump’s policy proposals for the border would lead to family separation. Vance also argued that Trump has “explicitly” said he would veto an abortion ban.

Election 2024: Union members aren’t just voting on labor this year. Some are also prioritizing issues like inflation, abortion and gun control, leaving plenty of room for partisan fissures.

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Staff Pick: The federal courts are full of judges who could retire but won’t

When President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race over concerns about his advancing age, there was commentary about whether America is becoming a gerontocracy, a country where old people are in charge. After all, until a few weeks ago, the election pitted 81-year-old Biden against 78-year-old Donald Trump.

As a longtime legal reporter, my thoughts turned to the federal judiciary, where hundreds of lower court judges with lifetime appointments often fly under the radar. With the help of intern Elleiana Green, we learned that quite a lot of aging judges who are eligible to retire haven’t done so. The resulting story is a nuanced look at how the judiciary handles the tricky issue of cognitive decline.

— Lawrence Hurley, senior Supreme Court reporter

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

 Think your morning commute is long? Think again. One NBC Select reporter used to regularly commute 1,452 miles weekly between Virginia and New York City. Clearly, she’s a pro at picking the essentials — like luggage, tech gadgets and comfy clothes — for a long commute. Here’s her list. 

If you’re more partial to flying than long road trips, these expert tips about in-flight skin care routines can keep you looking flawless.

 Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.

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