Senior Russian security official and former president Dmitry Medvedev said on Saturday that the United States was mistaken if it thought that Moscow would not use nuclear weapons if its existence was threatened, the TASS news agency said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed necessary steps for regional de-escalation with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, according to a statement from the State Department.The press release stated that Blinken emphasized the importance of creating a day-after plan that provides "governance, security, and reconstruction." He and Dermer discussed the state of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, and reviewed steps Israel has taken to improve the situation.The two officials discussed a diplomatic resolution in Lebanon, and Blinken reemphasized the US's "ironclad" support for Israel.

The Pentagon says it has ordered the deployment of additional ballistic missile defense destroyers, fighter squadron and tanker aircraft, and several B-52 long-range strike bombers to the Middle East.The Pentagon says these forces will begin to arrive in the coming months as the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group prepares to depart.

Lebanon's Public Works and Transportation Minister Ali Hamie announced on Friday that a border crossing in the northeast of the country had been temporarily closed following an Israeli strike, according to Lebanese media.According to Hamie, the strikes happened on the Syrian side of the border, the border was temporarily closed but was reopened for private vehicles shortly after.

At least one drone was intercepted and several crashes were detected, with damage being reported at a factory in Achziv north of Nahariya, Army Radio reported.This was reported as at least three drones were fired by Hezbollah on Saturday morning, with rocket and drone intrusions sirens sounding between 8:30 and 9 a.m.

The governor of Washington State on Friday said he was activating some members of the National Guard to be on stand-by after information and concerns regarding potential violence related to the 2024 election.The state, where Democrat Kamala Harris is easily expected to defeat Republican Donald Trump according to polling, was one of two where ballot boxes were set on fire earlier in the week.Early voting is available to those in Washington, and more than 2 million have already cast their ballots, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida."Based upon general and specific information and concerns regarding the potential for violence or other unlawful activity related to the 2024 general election, I want to ensure we are fully prepared to respond," Governor Jay Inslee wrote in a letter published on his website on Friday.Hundreds of ballots were damaged or destroyed by the use of the incendiary device in the drop box in the city of Vancouver, according to Inslee.