Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to retaliate. Plus, Walz and Vance clash over abortion• Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up hereGood morning.The conflict in the Middle East is escalating on multiple fronts.What are the hopes for de-escalation in the region? “In such dangerous times, the region has historically looked to Washington to contain and reverse the logic of escalation,” writes the Guardian’s Julian Borger. “But the man currently inhabiting the Oval Office is a lame duck president who has been ignored to the point of humiliation in recent months by the US’s closest ally in the Middle East.”Follow our live blog hereWhat are the presidential polls saying? It’s neck and neck. Nationally, Kamala Harris is averaging 48.6% versus Donald Trump’s 45.9%, but the races are even closer in the key swing states that will matter most in determining the outcome. Continue reading...