Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 70, The armies of Titus attack the walls of Jerusalem after a six-month siege. Three days later they breach the walls, which enables the army to destroy the Second Temple. In 1191, Third Crusade: Saladin's garrison surrenders to Philip Augustus, ending the two-year siege of Acre. In 1937, Robert McFarlane, American colonel and diplomat, 13th United States National Security Advisor (died 2022) was born. In 1948, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion orders the expulsion of Palestinians from the towns of Lod and Ramla. In 1948, Elias Khoury, Lebanese intellectual, playwright and novelist (died 2024) was born. In 1961, ČSA Flight 511 crashes at Casablanca-Anfa Airport in Morocco, killing 72. In 1998, The Ulster Volunteer Force attacked a house in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a petrol bomb, killing the Quinn brothers. In 2006, The 2006 Lebanon War begins. In 2007, U.S. Army Apache helicopters engage in airstrikes against armed insurgents in Baghdad, Iraq, where civilians are killed; footage from the cockpit is later leaked to the Internet. In 2012, Syrian Civil War: Government forces target the homes of rebels and activists in Tremseh and kill anywhere between 68 and 150 people. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.