Fighting intensifies on Lebanon border as Israel responds to Hezbollah rocket attacks

Fighting intensifies on Lebanon border as Israel responds to Hezbollah rocket attacks
Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Lebanese border towns on Saturday, a day after Hezbollah targeted Israeli military sites with dozens of Katyusha rockets. (Reuters/File)
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Updated 13 April 2024
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Fighting intensifies on Lebanon border as Israel responds to Hezbollah rocket attacks

Fighting intensifies on Lebanon border as Israel responds to Hezbollah rocket attacks
  • The Israeli army said that it struck “an extensive Hezbollah military complex in Jabal Al-Rihane”
  • Israeli airstrikes also targeted the Iqlim Al-Tuffah area, north of the Litani River, but there were no casualties

BEIRUT: Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Lebanese border towns on Saturday, a day after Hezbollah targeted Israeli military sites with dozens of Katyusha rockets.
Israeli strikes targeted the Aaramta and Al-Rihane Heights in the Jezzine area.
The Israeli army said that it struck “an extensive Hezbollah military complex in Jabal Al-Rihane.”
Early on Saturday, Israeli airstrikes hit the towns of Taybeh, Odaisseh, the outskirts of Hula, and the area between Ramya and Beit Lif in the Bint Jbeil district, destroying a three-story residential building.
Israeli airstrikes also targeted the Iqlim Al-Tuffah area, north of the Litani River, but there were no casualties.
The Majidiya Plain-GHajjar axis, the outskirts of the town of Mari in the Hasbaya District, the Arqoub-Hasbaya area, and the occupied Shebaa Farms were also hit.
Israeli surveillance aircraft continued to fly over the region.
Hezbollah said on Friday that it launched dozens of Katyusha rockets at Israeli artillery positions in response to attacks on southern villages and civilian homes.
The militant group also said it targeted the Ramot Naftali base in northern Israel with assault drones.
According to the Israeli army, about 40 rockets were launched from Lebanese territory, but most were intercepted by the Iron Dome system, and there were no reports of injuries.
Two Hezbollah assault drones had also been intercepted on Friday, it said.
Sunday marks 190 days since the outbreak of hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israeli army on the southern Lebanese border.
At least 274 Hezbollah fighters have been killed, with the group refusing to disclose the number of wounded.
Late on Friday, the group launched a series of attacks on Israeli military locations, including the Miskaf General site, Israeli artillery positions in Zaoura, the Ruwaizat Al-Alam site in the Lebanese Kfarchouba Hills, Al-Marj, Al-Samaka site in the Kfarchouba Hills, and Karantina Hill.
After inspecting damage in areas in the eastern sector and the Blue Line, UNIFIL commander Gen. Aroldo Lazaro said that “a political and diplomatic solution is the only possible way,” and called on all parties “to stop hostile actions so that people can return and rebuild.”
Hezbollah MP Ihab Hamadeh said: “So long as the Israeli aggression against Gaza continues, the resistance front in Lebanon is open against the Israelis, and the work and performance of the resistance are a fortress and protection for Lebanon.”


Kingdom in contact with all Syria stakeholders, says Saudi official 

Kingdom in contact with all Syria stakeholders, says Saudi official 
Updated 59 min 59 sec ago
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Kingdom in contact with all Syria stakeholders, says Saudi official 

Kingdom in contact with all Syria stakeholders, says Saudi official 
  • 'Current situation direct consequence of Syrian govt’s lack of engagement in the political process'

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has been communicating with all regional actors on Syria and is determined to do what is possible to avoid chaos following the ouster of President Bashar Assad, a Saudi official said on Sunday.

“We are in constant communication with Turkiye and every stakeholder involved,” the official told Reuters, adding that the Kingdom was not aware of Assad’s whereabouts.

His failure to re-engage several regional actors and the opposition was to blame for his downfall, the official said.

“The Turkish government attempted to engage and coordinate with the Syrian government, but these overtures were met with refusal,” he said.

“The current situation is a direct consequence of the Syrian government’s lack of engagement in the political process. This outcome reflects the inevitable result of such intransigence.”

Assad went to Saudi Arabia in 2023 to attend an Arab League summit, after a 12-year suspension.

“The hope was that this move would influence the Syrian government to engage more constructively with the opposition and the various stakeholders within Syria and in the region, rather than allowing the existing stalemate and fragile peace to be taken for granted,” the official said.

“We emphasized that the situation should not be underestimated, as it remained precarious. Unfortunately, this message did not result in any meaningful action from the Syrian side.”

The official said events in Syria showed some positive aspects that he hoped would continue.

“Notably, the transition has occurred without bloodshed, which is encouraging. Additionally, we appreciate the statements from various stakeholders emphasizing the importance of protecting state institutions, the sovereignty of Syria, and the rights of minority groups,” he said.

“We hope to see these positive trends continue and are committed to doing everything we can to maintain this momentum.”


Egypt calls for consensus, reconstruction in Syria after Assad’s fall

People gather to celebrate the fall of the Syrian government, in Manbij, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP)
People gather to celebrate the fall of the Syrian government, in Manbij, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP)
Updated 08 December 2024
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Egypt calls for consensus, reconstruction in Syria after Assad’s fall

People gather to celebrate the fall of the Syrian government, in Manbij, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP)
  • Egypt urged all Syrian parties “to unify objectives and priorities and initiate a comprehensive and inclusive political process”

CAIRO: Egypt on Sunday urged for national consensus and reconstruction in Syria, hours after the ousting of President Bashar Assad by militants who seized control of the capital Damascus.
In a statement by the foreign ministry, Egypt urged all Syrian parties “to unify objectives and priorities and initiate a comprehensive and inclusive political process that lays the groundwork for a new phase of consensus and internal peace.”
It said Egypt is committed to working with regional and international partners to help the Syrian people, facilitate reconstruction efforts and support the safe return of refugees to their homeland.
Militant group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham and allied factions began a lightning offensive on November 27, seizing swathes of the country from government hands and entering Damascus early Sunday.
The Egyptian foreign ministry, in the statement, said that it affirms “its stand alongside the Syrian state and people and supports them in preserving Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.”
On Thursday, when militant forces were still advancing toward the capital Damascus, Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty expressed concern over the developments in Syria in a phone call with Syrian foreign minister Bassem Sabbagh.
He affirmed “Egypt’s position in support of the Syrian state and its national institutions.”


Russia says Syria’s Assad has left country and gave orders for peaceful power handover

Russia says Syria’s Assad has left country and gave orders for peaceful power handover
Updated 08 December 2024
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Russia says Syria’s Assad has left country and gave orders for peaceful power handover

Russia says Syria’s Assad has left country and gave orders for peaceful power handover
  • The Russian foreign ministry did not say where Assad was now and said Russia had not taken part in the talks around his departure
  • The leader of Syrian opposition group, Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, ordered forces Sunday not to approach official institutions in Damascus

MOSCOW: The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that Syrian President Bashar Assad had left office and departed the country after giving orders there be a peaceful handover of power.
In a statement, the ministry did not say where Assad was now and said Russia has not taken part in the talks around his departure.
“As a result of negotiations between B. Assad and a number of participants in the armed conflict on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to resign from the presidency and left the country, giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power.
“Russia did not participate in these negotiations,” the ministry said.
Moscow was extremely worried by events in Syria and urged all sides to refrain from violence, it said.
“We urge all parties involved to refrain from the use of violence and to resolve all issues of governance through political means,” the statement said.
“In that regard, the Russian Federation is in contact with all groups of the Syrian opposition.”
It said Russia’s military bases in Syria had been put on a state of high alert, but that there was no serious threat to them at the current time.
Assad flew out of Damascus for an unknown destination on Sunday, two senior army officers earlier said, as the opposition announced they had entered the capital with no sign of army deployments.
A Syrian Air plane took off from Damascus airport around the time the capital was reported to have been taken by opposition forces, according to data from the Flightradar website.
The aircraft initially flew toward Syria’s coastal region, a stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect, but then made an abrupt U-turn and flew in the opposite direction for a few minutes before disappearing off the map.
Reuters could not immediately ascertain who was on board.
Syrian foreign ministry says will continue to serve citizens abroad
Syria’s foreign ministry said Sunday that it would continue to serve citizens abroad after opposition forces seized the capital Damascus.
The ministry “and its diplomatic missions abroad will remain committed to serving” and assisting all citizens, its website said, as several other ministries and public institutions called on employees to return to work, reassuring Syrians services would continue.
Syrian PM calls for free elections, confirms contact with opposition leader
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Jalali said on Sunday that Syria should hold free elections to allow its people to decide their leadership.
In an interview with Al-Arabiya, Jalali also said he had been in contact with opposition commander Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani to discuss managing the current transitional period, marking a notable development in efforts to shape Syria’s political future.
Opposition statement read over state TV
Syrian state television earlier aired a video statement by a group of men saying that President Bashar Assad has been overthrown and all detainees in jails have been set free.
The man who read the statement said the Operations Room to Conquer Damascus, an opposition group, is calling on all opposition fighters and citizens to preserve state institutions of “the free Syrian state.”
“Long live the free Syrian state that is to all Syrians in all” their sects and ethnic groups, the men said.
Official institutions in Damascus to remain under the prime minister
The leader of Syrian opposition group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani, ordered forces Sunday not to approach official institutions in Damascus, saying they would remain under the prime minister until they are “officially” handed over.
“To all military forces in the city of Damascus, it is strictly forbidden to approach public institutions, which will remain under the supervision of the former prime minister until they are officially handed over,” Jolani said in a statement on Telegram, using his real name Ahmed Al-Sharaa instead of his nom de guerre, and adding: “It is forbidden to shoot into the air.”
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Jalali said Sunday he was ready to “cooperate” with any leadership chosen by the people.
In a speech broadcast on his Facebook account, premier Jalali said “this country can be a normal country that builds good relations with its neighbors and the world.”
“But this issue is up to any leadership chosen by the Syrian people. We are ready to cooperate with it (that leadership) and offer all possible facilities,” he added.
Jalali said he was “ready for any handover procedures.”
Transfer of power to a transitional governing body
The Syrian opposition coalition said it is continuing work to complete the transfer of power in Syria to a transitional governing body with full executive powers.
“The great Syrian revolution has moved from the stage of struggle to overthrow the Assad regime to the struggle to build a Syria together that befits the sacrifices of its people,” it added in a statement
Just hours earlier, opposition forces announced they had gained full control of the key city of Homs after only a day of fighting, leaving Assad’s 24-year rule dangling by a thread.
Intense sounds of shooting were heard in the center of the Damascus, two residents said on Sunday, although it was not immediately clear what the source of the shooting was.
In rural areas southwest of the capital, local youths and opposition forces took advantage of the loss of authority to come to the streets in acts of defiance against the Assad family’s authoritarian rule.
Thousands of Homs residents poured onto the streets after the army withdrew from the central city, dancing and chanting “Assad is gone, Homs is free” and “Long live Syria and down with Bashar Assad.”
Opposition forces fired into the air in celebration, and youths tore down posters of the Syrian president, whose territorial control has collapsed in a dizzying week-long retreat by the military.
The fall of Homs gives the opposition control over Syria’s strategic heartland and a key highway crossroads, severing Damascus from the coastal region that is the stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect and where his Russian allies have a naval and air base.
Homs’ capture is also a powerful symbol of the opposition movement’s dramatic comeback in the 13-year-old conflict. Swathes of Homs were destroyed by gruelling siege warfare between opposition forces and the army years ago. The fighting ground down the opposition forces, who were forced out.
Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham commander Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani, the main opposition leader, called the capture of Homs a historic moment and urged fighters not to harm “those who drop their arms.”
Opposition forces freed thousands of detainees from the city prison. Security forces left in haste after burning their documents.
Syrian opposition commander Hassan Abdul Ghani said in a statement early Sunday that operations were ongoing to “completely liberate” the countryside around Damascus and opposition forces were looking toward the capital.
Existential threat to region
The pace of events has stunned Arab capitals and raised fears of a new wave of regional instability.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Turkiye and Russia issued a joint statement saying the crisis was a dangerous development and calling for a political solution.
But there was no indication they agreed on any concrete steps, with the situation inside Syria changing by the hour.
Syria’s civil war, which erupted in 2011 as an uprising against Assad’s rule, dragged in big outside powers and sent millions of refugees into neighboring states.
Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, the strongest opposition group, is the former Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria regarded by the US and others as a “terrorist organization,” and many Syrians remain fearful it will impose a strict rule.
Jolani has tried to reassure minorities that he will not interfere with them and the international community that he opposes attacks abroad. In Aleppo, which the opposition captured a week ago, there have not been reports of reprisals.
When asked on Saturday whether he believed Jolani, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov replied, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group withdrew from the Syrian city of Qusayr on the border with Lebanon before opposition forces seized it, Syrian army sources said on Sunday.
At least 150 armored vehicles carrying hundreds of Hezbollah fighters left the city, long a point on the route for arms transfers and fighters moving in and out of Syria, the sources said. Israel hit one of the convoys as it was departing, one source said.
Allies’ role in supporting Assad
Assad long relied on allies to subdue the opposition. Russian warplanes conducted bombing while Iran sent allied forces, including Hezbollah and Iraqi militia, to reinforce the Syrian military and storm opposition strongholds.
But Russia has been focused on the war in Ukraine since 2022 and Hezbollah has suffered big losses in its own gruelling war with Israel, significantly limiting its ability or that of Iran to bolster Assad.
US President-elect Donald Trump has said the US should not be involved in the conflict and should “let it play out.”


Israel PM says ordered military to ‘seize’ Syria buffer zone

Israel PM says ordered military to ‘seize’ Syria buffer zone
Updated 28 min 11 sec ago
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Israel PM says ordered military to ‘seize’ Syria buffer zone

Israel PM says ordered military to ‘seize’ Syria buffer zone
  • Israeli forces ‘will continue to operate as long as necessary in order to preserve the buffer zone and defend Israel’

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he had ordered the Israeli military to “seize” a demilitarised buffer zone on the border with Syria after the overthrow of Bashar Assad in Damascus.
The Israeli premier said a 50-year-old “disengagement agreement” between the two countries had collapsed and “Syrian forces have abandoned their positions.”


As a result, he said, “I directed the IDF (military) yesterday to seize the buffer zone and the commanding positions nearby. We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border.”
The announcement, which Netanyahu made while visiting the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights which abut the buffer zone, came after the military said it had deployed forces to the area.
Israel had already said the day before, as the Islamist-led rebels swiftly advanced across Syria, that its soldiers entered the UN-patrolled buffer zone to assist peacekeepers in repelling an attack.
On Sunday, the army announced a troop deployment there, citing “the possible entry of armed individuals into the buffer zone.”
“Following the recent events in Syria... the IDF (military) has deployed forces in the buffer zone and in several other places necessary for its defense, to ensure the safety of the communities of the Golan Heights and the citizens of Israel,” a military statement said.
Israeli forces “will continue to operate as long as necessary in order to preserve the buffer zone and defend Israel,” it added.
The statement stressed that the Israeli military “is not interfering with the internal events in Syria.”
Since the rebel coalition, led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, began its renewed offensive against government forces on November 27, Syrian government forces have left positions near the Israeli-held Golan, according to a war monitor.
Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said on Saturday that Syrian army forces had withdrawn from positions in Quneitra province, which includes part of the Golan Heights.
Most of the plateau has been occupied since 1967 by Israel, which later annexed it in a move not recognized by most of the international community.
In 1974, the buffer zone was established, separating the Israeli-held and Syrian territories, with UN peacekeepers stationed there since.
A UN Peacekeeping spokesperson said on Saturday that UNDOF personnel had observed “unidentified armed individuals in the area of separation, including approximately 20 who went into one of the mission’s positions in the northern part of the area of separation.”
The Israeli army said it was “assisting the UN forces in repelling the attack.”
The UN spokesperson said that “peacekeepers continue to carry out their mandated activities on the Golan.”
On Sunday, Lebanese media outlets reported an Israeli strike on Quneitra targeting an arms depot. The Israeli military declined to comment.
In a separate statement, the Israeli military said schools in the northern Golan Heights, in an area covering four Druze towns, would move to online teaching, also declaring a “closed military zone” in agricultural lands in the area.
Early in Syria’s war, which began in 2011 following the repression of anti-government protests, rebel forces and jihadist groups had taken over parts of Quneitra province.
In August 2014, Islamist rebels attacked UNDOF and took more than 40 Fijian peacekeepers hostage, holding them captive for almost two weeks.

 


Nations call for stability, end of fighting in Syria

Nations call for stability, end of fighting in Syria
Updated 4 min 54 sec ago
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Nations call for stability, end of fighting in Syria

Nations call for stability, end of fighting in Syria
  • Egypt foreign ministry says it is following the situation with great care
  • Turkiye’s top envoy: International and regional actors should ensure a smooth transition

CAIRO: Nations have called for stability and an end of fighting in Syria after president Bashar Assad fled Damascus and militants took control of the capital, ending his 24-year rule.

Egypt has called on all parties in Syria to preserve the capabilities of the state and national institutions, the Egyptian foreign ministry said on Sunday, following the surprise ousting of Assad.

The foreign ministry, in the first comments on the situation in Syria from an Arab government, said it was following the situation with great care, affirming its support for the Syrian people and the country’s sovereignty and unity.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Sunday that international and regional actors should ensure a smooth transition from the Assad government of after Islamist-led militants took Damascus.

“We have to work very hard... with Syrian people, not just Turkiye, but also regional actors, the international actors, to make sure that there is a good and smooth transition period, no more harm to the civilian people,” Fidan said at the Doha Forum in Qatar.

In a press conference, Fidan said the Syrian people were not in a position to rebuild on their own and international actors and regional powers had to act with prudence and preserve the country’s territorial integrity.

Terrorist organizations must not be allowed to take advantage of the situation, he added.

“As of this morning, Syria has reached a stage where Syrian people will shape the future of their own country. Today there is hope,” Fidan said.

“The new (Syrian) administration must be established in an orderly manner, the principle of inclusiveness must never be compromised, there must never be a desire for revenge... It is time to unite and reconstruct the country,” he added.

Asked about the whereabouts of Assad, Fidan said he believed he was out of the country.

Germany’s top diplomat called the fall of Assad “a great relief” for the people of war-torn country, while warning against radicalization.

“The end of Assad represents for millions of people in Syria a great relief,” said Annalena Baerbock, adding, “the country must not now fall into the hands of other radicals, whatever form they take.”

Jordan affirms the importance of preserving the unity and security of Syria in light of the fast-developing recent events, the government said on Sunday.

Jordan added that bolstering the state of security in the region “is being worked on”, according to Petra News Agency. Jordan underscored its dedication to safeguarding Syria’s security, stability, and territorial integrity, and further emphasized the urgency of restoring the functionality of Syria’s national institutions, Petra reported.

France meanwhile welcomed news of the fall of Assad and called for fighting to end and a peaceful political transition in the country.

“Now is the time for unity in Syria,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Spain will support a peaceful solution for Syria that provides stability for the region, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said following the reported fall of the Assad regime.

Madrid wants “any solution for the future of Syria to be a peaceful one... that benefits the Syrian people and in some way brings new stability to the Middle East and not more instability”, Albares told Spanish public television.

“We have to take steps to ensure that it’s the Syrian people who decide how they are governed and by whom in future and, of course, that Syria’s territorial integrity is maintained,” he said.

China’s foreign ministry said Sunday it hopes Syria “returns to stability as soon as possible.”

Beijing “is closely following the development of the situation in Syria and hopes that Syria returns to stability as soon as possible”, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The UAE diplomatic advisor to the president said that non-state actors should not be allowed the opportunity to exploit political vacuums, shortly after Syrian opposition fighters declared the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in Damascus.

 

“Unfolding events in Syria are also a clear indication of political failure and the destructive nature of conflict and chaos,” Anwar Gargash told the Manama Dialogue security forum in the Bahraini capital in the first official comments from the UAE on the matter.

Gargash also urged Syrians to collaborate to avert tumult: “We hope that the Syrians will work together, that we don’t just see another episode of impending chaos.”

UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen underscored the clear desire expressed by millions of Syrians that stable and inclusive transitional arrangements are put in place, according to a statement published on Sunday.

The diplomat urged all Syrians to prioritize dialogue, unity, and respect for international humanitarian law and human rights as they seek to rebuild their society, adding he stands ready to support the Syrian people in their journey toward a stable and inclusive future.

with wires