Israel kills 3 paramedics, Hezbollah official in Lebanon
Israel kills 3 paramedics, Hezbollah official in Lebanon/node/2465421/middle-east
Israel kills 3 paramedics, Hezbollah official in Lebanon
An ambulance and a fire engine rush to the scene where an Israeli drone shot two guided missiles at a building in Kfar Rumman near south Lebanon's town of Nabatiyeh on February 22, 2024. (AFP)
Israel kills 3 paramedics, Hezbollah official in Lebanon
The airstrike targeted the top floor of a building in a residential neighborhood on the Kafr Rumman-Marjayoun Highway, killing Saleh and one other person, and wounding three people
Updated 23 February 2024
NAJIA HOUSSARI
BEIRUT: Israel killed a top Hezbollah official and three paramedics affiliated with the group in airstrikes on Thursday.
Hassan Mahmoud Saleh, a missile unit commander, was killed in the town of Kafr Rumman. The paramedics, from the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Authority, were killed in the town of Blida.
The assassination of Saleh was Israel’s third high-profile strike on top officials belonging to the Axis of Resistance in Lebanon. It follows the killing of Hamas leader Sheikh Saleh Al-Arouri and seven others in Beirut in January, and the killing of Ali Al-Debs, along with civilians, a week ago in Nabatiyeh.
The airstrike targeted the top floor of a building in a residential neighborhood on the Kafr Rumman-Marjayoun Highway, killing Saleh and one other person, and wounding three people.
The Israeli airstrike on the Civil Defense Center of the Islamic Health Authority in Blida on Thursday night led to the destruction of the building, with debris removal continuing until Friday morning.
Hezbollah mourned the three paramedics killed in the strike: Hussein Mohammed Khalil from the town of Baraachit, and Mohammed Yaacoub Ismail and Mohammed Hassan from Blida.
Social media videos showing the funeral processions revealed the extent of material devastation to local neighborhoods as a result of Israeli bombardment.
The funeral procession was attended by a crowd of Hezbollah supporters.
A security source monitoring field developments in southern Lebanon said: “Both Hezbollah and the Israeli army possess a dangerous information bank, with advanced tracking technology for the Israeli side.
“Hezbollah cadre Wissam Al-Tawil was targeted by a drone over a month ago in his town of Kherbet Selem immediately upon his return, and in return, Hezbollah targeted Israeli military positions.”
Hezbollah said: “In response to the attack on the civil defense center in Blida, it targeted, through an aerial attack with two drones, the headquarters of the Regional Council in Kiryat Shmona and accurately hit them.”
The southern Lebanese border area came under Israeli attack on Friday morning. The town of Wazzani was targeted by gunfire and artillery, leading to the wounding of a Lebanese soldier and damage to homes and livestock farms.
While Blida mourned the three dead paramedics, the Israeli army opened fire on the town’s cemeteries, where residents were digging graves.
Israeli artillery hit the outskirts of Halta Farm, the forests of Kfarchouba, Kfarhamam and Jabal Al-Labouneh, as well as the outskirts of Naqoura on the coast.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Army announced “the conclusion of intensive training for warships equipped with missiles at sea in the north of the country.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz informed the UN Security Council presidency that his country “will enforce security on its northern borders militarily if the Lebanese government does not implement Resolution 1701 and prevent attacks from its borders on Israel.”
Katz’s statement also included unprecedented details about Iran’s transfer of weapons to Hezbollah via Syria, an apparent violation of Resolution 1701.
His comments appeared to signal the possibility of Israel launching a full-scale war on Lebanon.
Katz called on the Security Council to “demand that the government of Lebanon fully implement Resolution 1701 and ensure that the area up to the Litani River is free from military presence, assets or weapons.”
WHO chief says Israel tanks fired on Gaza aid convoy
The “incident and the conduct of Israeli forces on the ground put the lives of our staff in danger,” he lamented
Updated 2 sec ago
AFP
GENEVA: The World Health Organization chief on Tuesday said that Israeli tanks at the weekend had fired on an aid convoy that had been cleared to travel back from war-ravaged northern Gaza.
“Last Saturday, on the way back from a mission to the northern Gaza and after a WHO-led convoy got clearance and crossed the coast road checkpoint, the convoy encountered two Israeli tanks,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X, formerly Twitter.
“Shots were fired from the tanks near the convoy. Luckily nobody was hurt,” he said. “This is unacceptable.”
The incident came just a week after the United Nations said that a convoy carrying workers for a polio vaccination campaign in Gaza had been held at gunpoint at an Israeli military checkpoint.
During that encounter, in the context of a massive vaccination campaign after the first case of polio in 25 years was registered in the Palestinian territory, shots were fired and convoy vehicles were rammed by a bulldozer, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said last week.
The “incident and the conduct of Israeli forces on the ground put the lives of our staff in danger,” he lamented.
“It is critical that Israeli forces take measures to protect humanitarian staff and assets to facilitate their work.”
In his post, Tedros hailed the teams in Saturday’s convoy who “despite the security risk” had managed to reach Al-Shifa, Gaza’s largest hospital, to deliver supplies for the emergency room.
“Supplies were also delivered to support the Palestine Red Crescent Society facilities in the north, including for the treatment of noncommunicable diseases,” he said.
“The teams also facilitated the rotation of emergency medical teams.”
The United Nations health agency chief hailed the “unwavering humanitarian workers in Gaza,” who “amid extreme danger and life-threatening conditions... continue to deliver critical aid.”
They are “serving as the last hope for the survival for two million people in desperate need,” he said in his post.
“The minimum they deserve for their service is safety. The deconfliction mechanism needs to be adhered to. Ceasefire!“
The October 7 attack on southern Israel that sparked the war in Gaza resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Militants also seized 251 hostages, 97 of whom are still held in Gaza, including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 41,252 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry, which does not provide a breakdown of civilian and militant deaths.
Egypt affirms keenness on Lebanon’s security, preventing violation of its sovereignty, statement says
Hezbollah calls it biggest security breach in war with Israel
Iranian ambassador to Lebanon reportedly injured
Updated 17 September 2024
Reuters
CAIRO: Egypt affirmed its keenness on Lebanon’s security and stability and preventing the violation of its sovereignty from ‘any outside party’, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday, shortly after deadly pager blasts in Lebanon that killed at least eight people.
Algeria’s president is being sworn in for a second term after lopsided election
The figures showed Tebboune leading Cherif who had run with the Movement of Society for Peace by around 75 percentage points
Updated 17 September 2024
AP
ALGIERS, Algeria: Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune was sworn in on Tuesday for a second term after being elected in a landslide vote marred by apathy and questions around the vote count.
The ceremony to inaugurate Tebboune’s second five-year term took place at the People’s Palace, in Club-des-Pins, a seaside resort on the west coast of the capital, Algiers. Tebboune’s two challengers, Islamist Abdellali Hassan Cherif and Socialist Youcef Aouchiche attended the ceremony that came three days after Algeria’s constitutional court certified Tebboune’s landslide victory in the Sept. 7 elections.
The court announced on Saturday after a recounting of the vote that Tebboune and his two opponents had called into question.
The figures showed Tebboune leading Cherif who had run with the Movement of Society for Peace by around 75 percentage points. Cherif won nearly 950,000 votes, or roughly 9.6 percent. Aouchiche’s Socialist Forces Front won more than 580,000 votes, about 6.1 percent.
With 7.7 million votes, the incumbent won 84.3 percent of the vote, surpassing his 2019 win by millions of votes and a double-digit margin.
Cherif and Aouchiche were criticized for participating in an election that government critics denounced as a way for Algeria’s political elite to make a show of democracy amid broader political repression.
Throughout the campaign, each of the three candidates emphasized participation, calling on voters and youth to participate and defy calls to boycott the ballot.
The nationwide turnout was 46.1 percent, surpassing the 2019 presidential election when 39.9 percent of the electorate participated, according to the court’s figures.
How an EU-led operation to salvage a burning Red Sea oil tanker hopes to prevent a major environmental disaster
Operation Aspides launched a critical salvage mission to prevent an oil spill that threatens to devastate the marine ecosystem
The Greek-flagged oil tanker, MV Sounion, was attacked by Houthi militants, raising fears of a major ecological and economic disaster
Updated 17 September 2024
Nadia Al-Faour
DUBAI: An EU-led operation to salvage a stricken oil tanker, which has been burning in the Red Sea for almost a month after coming under attack by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia, reached an important milestone on Monday, potentially staving off one of the worst ecological disasters in history.
The Greek-flagged oil tanker MV Sounion was attacked by Houthi militants on Aug. 21 off the coast of Hodeidah. Carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, the tanker was left severely damaged and at risk of spilling its cargo into one of the world’s most fragile marine ecosystems.
On Sept. 14, the salvage mission, led by the EU’s Operation Aspides, finally got underway after repeated delays. On Monday, it issued a statement via the social media platform X announcing the ship had been moved.
The Sounion “has been successfully towed to a safe area without any oil spill,” the EU mission said. “While private stakeholders complete the salvage operation, Aspides will continue to monitor the situation.”
On Monday, the EU’s Operation Aspides issued a statement announcing the ship had been moved. (X/@EUNAVFORASPIDES)
Until the vessel has been safely docked and unloaded, however, the environmental and commercial threat posed by a major spill remains.
The initial attack on the Sounion involved missiles launched by Houthi militants, which struck the vessel as it navigated through one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Soon after, the militants returned and detonated explosive charges, setting parts of the ship ablaze.
The attack is part of a broader Houthi campaign to disrupt global shipping as a show of solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing war in Gaza. The Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels in the Red Sea since October 2023, killing at least four sailors.
In response to the attacks, the US and UK have mounted strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. However, these strikes have failed to deter the militia’s attacks on shipping.
A satellite image taken on August 29, 2024 and released by Maxar Technologies shows fire on the deck of the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion. (AFP/Maxar Technologies)
The Sounion attack presents a multifaceted crisis. The immediate concern is the possibility of a catastrophic oil spill, potentially four times worse than the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska, which spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil and devastated the local ecosystem.
The Red Sea’s marine life, including its renowned coral reefs, is especially vulnerable, and a spill could have lasting consequences, affecting species and habitats for many decades to come.
Oil-soaked sea otters lie dead on Green Island beach more than a week after the beginning of the1989 Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska, which spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil and devastated the local ecosystem. (AFP)
Julien Jreissati, Greenpeace’s Middle East and North Africa program director, warned that the Red Sea’s unique coral species, some of the most resilient to climate change, are under threat.
Should a spill occur, its “magnitude could be nearly impossible to contain, spreading contamination across vast areas of seawater and coastlines,” Jreissati said in a statement.
The long-term impact on marine life would be “devastating, with oil residues potentially persisting in the environment for years or even decades,” he said, adding that the “potential for a major environmental disaster is significant as the vessel could break apart at any time.”
IN NUMBERS
150k Tonnes of crude oil aboard the Greek-flagged MV Sounion.
80 Vessels targeted by the Houthi militia since Oct. 7, 2023.
The economic and humanitarian impact would be equally severe. The Red Sea is not only home to diverse marine life but is also a vital global shipping route, connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa. A major oil spill would disrupt this passage, affecting global trade.
Furthermore, a spill could contaminate desalination plants that supply fresh water to millions in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Eritrea.
The Red Sea’s closed nature, bordered by the Suez Canal to the north and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait to the south, means that any contamination could persist in the water for an extended period.
Efforts to salvage the Sounion have been fraught with complications. The EU’s Aspides naval mission, established in February to protect merchant vessels in the region, is leading the rescue operation, working closely with private sector actors.
Early in the operation, the crew of 23 Filipinos and two Russians, along with four private security personnel, were rescued by a French vessel and taken to Djibouti.
Eighty vessels have been targeted by the Houthi militia since Oct. 7, 2023. (AFP)
Aspides initially attempted to tow the vessel earlier in September, but the mission was paused due to unsafe conditions and concerns about further damage to the tanker. It was not until mid-September that salvage crews were able to secure a connection to tow the vessel.
The towing process has been dangerous. The tanker, still smoldering and billowing smoke, had to be moved at a “painfully slow” pace to a safe location in the northern Red Sea.
Greek news agencies reported over the weekend that the rescue vessel, Aigaion Pelagos, was towing the Sounion, escorted by the rescue tug Panormitis and several frigates equipped with firefighting and oil spill recovery capabilities.
According to the Greek state news agency ANA-MPA, “three frigates, helicopters and a special forces unit” were involved in the salvage operation.
An image obtained from the US Central Command on March 6, 2024 shows a Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier after it was hit by anti-ship ballistic missile launched by the Houthis. (AFP)
“Despite challenging conditions, with temperatures reaching up to 400 degrees Celsius due to the fire, the specialized salvage team successfully secured the tanker to the Aigaion Pelagos,” ANA-MPA reported.
The destination of the vessel remains undisclosed, and both ships’ radars have been turned off for safety reasons.
The complexity of the operation reflects the broader challenges faced by the international community in addressing the fallout from Houthi attacks.
While the US Navy has offered assistance, the operation is currently being managed by private entities, with no direct involvement from American forces.
A handout picture by Yemen’s Houthi Ansarullah Media Center shows what they say is their targeting of Chios Lion, a Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker, by unmanned surface vessels in the Red Sea on July 15, 2024. (AFP)
Sabrina Singh, the deputy spokesperson for the US Department of Defense, confirmed earlier this month that the US Navy is “standing by” but has not been called into action.
The Houthi militia has justified its attacks on international shipping as part of its resistance to Israeli actions in Gaza, claiming that the Sounion belongs to a company with alleged ties to Israel.
However, the militia has also attacked multiple vessels with no ties to Israel.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree vowed further attacks as the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack that triggered the Gaza war approaches, signaling that the threat to Red Sea shipping is far from over.
Oil from FSO Safer (L) is transferred to a UN vessel on July 25, 2023. (AFP)
The Sounion crisis echoes the near catastrophe of the FSO Safer, another oil tanker that posed an enormous environmental threat in the Red Sea. The decaying vessel was anchored off the coast of Yemen for years with more than 1 million barrels of oil on board.
After months of international negotiations and funding efforts, the Safer was finally unloaded in 2023 under a UN-led effort, narrowly avoiding what could have been one of the worst oil spills in history.
The Safer’s precarious condition and the drawn-out efforts to secure it illustrated the difficulty of managing such crises in conflict zones.
Jordan armed forces downs drone attempting to cross Jordanian territory
Petra: ‘The border guard forces ... shot it down and it was transferred to the specialized authorities’
Jordan neighbors Syria and Iraq — both countries where Iranian proxy forces operate — and also is next door to Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank
Updated 17 September 2024
Reuters
CAIRO: Jordanian armed forces thwarted an attempt by a drone to cross the kingdom’s territory, Jordan’s state news agency Petra said on Tuesday, without clarifying the direction from which it was coming.
“The border guard forces ... shot it down and it was transferred to the specialized authorities,” Petra said citing an official source in the army’s leadership.
Petra also quoted the source as saying: “We are dealing firmly with various threats on the kingdom’s borders.”
Jordan neighbors Syria and Iraq — both countries where Iranian proxy forces operate — and also is next door to Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The Jordanian statement came shortly after Lebanon’s Hezbollah group accused Israel of detonating pagers across Lebanon, killing at least eight people and wounding nearly 3,000 others including Iran’s envoy to Beirut.
In April, the kingdom shot down Iranian drones flying over to Israel.
More recently in September, a gunman from Jordan killed three Israelis at the Allenby Bridge border crossing in the occupied West Bank before security forces shot him dead.
