Israel marks a year since Oct. 7 attacks and Hurricane Milton strengthens: Morning Rundown

Israel observes the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks as it steps up attacks on Gaza and Lebanon. Hurricane Milton strengthens on its path to Florida. And we look at highlights from the 5th week of NFL matchups.

Here’s what to know today.

After Oct. 7, destruction and anguish mark a Middle East consumed by conflict

It’s been one year since the Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel, where scenes of horror unfolded when Hamas-led militants unleashed an onslaught of violence, leaving 1,200 dead and kidnapping another 251.

Israelis have remained enraged and deeply shaken, with families of Hamas’ remaining hostages suffering the gut-wrenching anguish of not knowing if their loved ones are even alive. The people of Gaza have endured an unmitigated humanitarian catastrophe as Israel carries out one of the most intensive bombing campaigns in history. 

Gaza was already impoverished, overcrowded and largely inescapable, blockaded by Israel and Egypt for 17 years. Now, some 60% of Gaza’s buildings and 65% of its farmland has been damaged or destroyed, according to the United Nations. Entire neighborhoods — schools, medical facilities, mosques, bakeries and homes — have been reduced to a moonscape of rubble, and tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed. And today, IDF has issued urgent evacuation orders for much of northern Gaza in what appears to be a major new offensive in the area.

In the past three weeks, Israel turned its attention north to Lebanon. Airstrikes and a ground invasion have killed around 1,400 people and driven 1.2 million from their homes. Israel stepped up its strikes on Hezbollah, this morning sending new troops to join its ground invasion of southern Lebanon and carrying out heavy strikes on Beirut

Now, Israel and Iran teeter on the edge of all-out war. With the United States and its allies having failed in their attempts to resolve the multifront crisis diplomatically, the possibility of an uncontained conflict between the regional nemeses threatens to drag in Western powers.“There’s no endgame — it’s starting to feel like a forever war,” said Frank Lowenstein, special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations under President Barack Obama.

Hopes for peace have been shredded by a spiraling conflict that shows no signs of ending.

More coverage of Middle East conflict: 

• Watch former hostages discuss how they cope with life after Oct. 7 in a NBC News digital documentary. 
• In Gaza, children who survive Israel’s assault face a lifetime of trauma.
• One year after Hamas’ attacks, hostage families are living in limbo but trying to find hope
• Follow live updates as Israel marks the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks while conflict grips the Middle East. 

Milton strengthens into hurricane on path to Florida as region reels from Helene devastation

Milton rapidly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane with a path aimed at Florida, less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene struck the state. Life-threatening storm surges are due to hit the state’s Gulf Coast as Hurricane Milton is set to make landfall on Wednesday.

Some areas are set to officially order evacuations today, including the coastal city of Anna Maria, south of Tampa, where a mandatory order begins at midday Monday. Gov. Ron DeSantis said that an around-the-clock operation to clear debris and fallen trees from Helene was underway ahead of Milton’s arrival, to minimize the threat from flying objects. 

Milton is already generating waves of 6 to 9 feet in the Gulf of Mexico and would cause “life-threatening surf” on Florida’s normally small-wave west coast, federal forecasters said. Officials urged residents along the west coast of the state to consider evacuating early to avoid traffic jams. Milton will be the fifth hurricane to make landfall on the U.S. mainland in 2024. 

Threat of election chaos looms as the Supreme Court returns to action

The Supreme Court returns from its summer break with a new nine-month term and a slate of cases to decide, but the presidential election remains the main focus. The prospect that the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, including three justices appointed by Republican candidate Donald Trump, could be asked to weigh in on cases before and potentially after the election is high.

Whether disputes that arise will be blockbusters like the 2000 Bush v. Gore case, which effectively decided the outcome in favor of George W. Bush, or duds like the attempts to overturn Joe Biden’s win in 2020 remains to be seen. Unlike lower courts, the justices decide what cases they hear, and in most situations, as with Trump’s efforts in 2020, they decline to intervene.

The stakes could be huge for the court, which continues to face questions about its legitimacy in the wake of the ruling that overturned the landmark abortion-rights decision Roe v. Wade. Claims of ethics shortcomings aimed at justices, most notably conservatives Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, have contributed to the sense of an institution under siege.

Read the full story here.

Highlights from Week 5 of the NFL

Dallas Cowboys slipped by the Pittsburgh Steelers with a huge night from Jalen Tolbert on “Sunday Night Football.” NBC News sports editor Greg Rosenstein breaks down other highlights from Week 5 of the 2024 season.

🙌 After a weather delay caused ‘Sunday Night Football’ to start almost two hours late, the Dallas Cowboys outlasted the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road to move to 3-2. Dak Prescott — who threw for 352 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions — threw the go-head score to Jalen Tolbert with 20 seconds remaining.

👑 Are the 4-1 Texans the best team in the AFC? They certainly made a case for it in Sunday’s 23-20 win against the Buffalo Bills. Houston QB C.J. Stroud threw for 331 yards and a score while Buffalo QB Josh Allen completed only nine passes in his worst game of the season. 

Sam Darnold, drafted in the first round by the Jets in 2018, got revenge on his former team as the Minnesota Vikings defeated New York 23-17 in London. It wasn’t the QB’s best game — he had 179 yards passing and no scores — but his team improved to 5-0 on the season. 

⚡ The future of the NFL is in good hands. Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams, Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels and Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix all had big wins for their respective teams. Williams, the No. 1 pick, was particularly impressive with 304 yards and two scores against the Carolina Panthers. 

The San Francisco 49ers (2-3) could be in trouble. Leading Arizona by 10 points midway through the fourth quarter, a Jordan Mason fumble and a Brock Purdy interception allowed the Cardinals to come back and win on the road. It was the 49ers’ sixth loss with a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter under head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Politics in Brief

Planned Parenthood: JD Vance confirmed to reporters that Trump is “consistent” in his views about defunding Planned Parenthood. 

Abortion rights: Former first lady Melania Trump defended her beliefs on abortion, which she detailed in an upcoming memoir and which seem to be at odds with those of her husband.

Media blitz: Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, are going on a media onslaught that began on Sunday, with the two set to appear in a handful of interviews with traditional and new media figures. 

✦ WANT MORE POLITICS NEWS?

 Sign up for From the Politics Desk to get exclusive reporting and analysis delivered to your inbox every weekday evening. Subscribe here.

Read All About It

•  Two American scientists were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology for their groundbreaking work on how genes behave.
• Madonna’s brother Christopher Ciccone, an artist and interior designer, died at 63 after a battle with late-stage cancer.
• A man fell to his death while canyoneering in Utah’s Zion National Park. 
• Internet personality Jack Doherty crashed his $200,000 McLaren during a livestream this weekend after appearing to look at his phone while driving in the rain.

Staff Pick: Shopping sucks now. Blame microtrends.

Waking up and browsing your closet each morning might sometimes feel like an immense challenge. With social media apps like TikTok having the final say on what’s hot or not, trendy items you buy this month might be obsolete or even cringey by next month. Consumers say they’re constantly shopping and they’ve never owned more clothes, but fashion doesn’t feel fun or personal anymore. As fast fashion dominates and brands churn out new clothes constantly, how can normal consumers filter through the noise and develop a personal style (if that even exists anymore)?

— Sakshi Venkatraman, NBC Asian America reporter

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

 If you’re in the market for any home item, today is the last day of The Home Depot’s Home Decor Days sales sale. It’s online and in stores with up to 50% off, and NBC Select’s editors rounded up the best deals. Plus, don’t forget tomorrow Amazon’s fall Prime Day sale kicks off. You can start shopping the early discounts now.

 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.