The Times of Israel is liveblogging Wednesday’s events as they unfold.

Ex-FBI chief Comey says he’s innocent, ‘still not afraid’ after indictment

Former FBI director James Comey says he is “still innocent” and unafraid after US authorities indicted the critic of Donald Trump for threatening the life of the president.

“I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go,” Comey says in a video statement.

The indictment by a grand jury in North Carolina stems from an Instagram post the 65-year-old Comey made last May which showed the numbers “86 47” spelled out in seashells — numbers which Trump claimed referred to a potential assassination.

Police arrest 25 suspects for breaking into home of Military Police chief

Police say they have arrested 25 suspects, among them minors, who were involved in breaking into the home of Military Police commander Brig. Gen. Yuval Yamin during a riot in Ashkelon by Haredi extremists.

US soldier charged for threatening to ‘kill every single Jew’ inside a synagogue

A US soldier stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana was arrested last week after he told users on the popular messaging platform Discord that he planned to conduct a mass shooting at a synagogue.

Jakob Marcoulier, 22, was arrested on Thursday and charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce after the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received a tip in February that he had made threats toward synagogues, according to the US attorney’s office for the western district of Louisiana.

According to court documents, the FBI obtained audio from Discord in which Marcoulier allegedly said: “After this deployment if the Jews still have reign over our government, I am going to walk into a synagogue with my AK, with a 75-round drum mag, and all of my extra mags, with my level four plates, and my haka helmet that’s three plus, and I am going to kill every single Jew I know inside of that synagogue. And that’s my goal in life.”

During the communications, Marcoulier told the other users: “You guys will never do anything about but I will. I just have to finish this, I have to go back overseas and do what I have to do. And then you’ll see me in the news. I promise you.”

He also allegedly said that he would “kill these motherf—kers in order to make sure the white youth is f—king secured.”

It is not immediately clear when Marcoulier made the comments, but the United States and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28 following a buildup of US troops in the Middle East.

Beirut claims Israeli strike on Lebanese army patrol killed 5, including 3 medics, and wounded 2 soldiers

An alleged Israeli strike on a Lebanese army patrol has killed five people, including three paramedics, and wounded two soldiers, Lebanon’s Health Ministry says, adding the toll is still preliminary.

The strike was in the southern town of Majdal Zoun, near the coastal city of Tyre.

Israeli forces hit an army patrol that was accompanying Civil Defense medical teams and bulldozers during a rescue operation at the site of a previous Israeli strike, the Lebanese army and Civil Defense say. Some of the responders were trapped under rubble by the second strike, they say.

The Israeli military does not immediately comment.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemns the strike, arguing it is part of a pattern of Israeli attacks on rescue and emergency workers in violation of international law. Israel accuses Hezbollah of embedding itself in the civilian population, including using medical facilities and vehicles for cover.

The Western-backed Lebanese army has largely stood on the sidelines during the recent rounds of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, although dozens of its soldiers have been killed.

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