In the early hours of January 12. the Israeli Air-force launched a missile attack on Gaza. According to Aftenposten.no the attack caused minimal damage and no one was killed. 

The Lebanese Government collapsed on January 12. after accusations of murder. The Sjia-movement Hizbollah and its allies withdraw from the government in Lebanon causing the coalition to collapse, Dagbladet.no reports. The reason is the investigations of a United Nations supported jury looking into the murder of the previous Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, father of the current Prime Minister, Saad Harri. The Hizbollah deny having had anything to do with the killing.

Washington Post quoted Hillary Clinton on Jan 13. who said the Middle East faces disaster without the necessary reforms.

This area was highlighted in the chart for the Solar eclipse of January 4. 2011.

Astro*Cartography chart for the Solar Eclipse of January 4. 2011