Lebanon official media: Israeli strike kills civilian in south

Update Lebanon official media: Israeli strike kills civilian in south
A Hamas ally, the Iran-backed militant group has traded near-daily fire with Israeli forces since the Palestinian group’s October 7 attack on Israel triggered war in Gaza. (File/Reuters)
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Updated 11 June 2024
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Lebanon official media: Israeli strike kills civilian in south

Lebanon official media: Israeli strike kills civilian in south
  • The death came after Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group said it targeted an Israeli military position following overnight strikes in eastern Lebanon that killed three of its fighters
  • NNA said “an enemy drone carried out a strike” in Naqura later reporting that a “civilian who was seriously wounded” in the raid had died

BEIRUT: Lebanese official media said a civilian was killed on Tuesday in an Israeli strike in the country’s south, with the local water company saying he was an employee, as cross-border violence escalates.
The death came after Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group said it targeted an Israeli military position following overnight strikes in eastern Lebanon that killed three of its fighters, hours after the Iran-backed movement downed an Israeli drone.
The official National News Agency said that “an enemy drone carried out a strike” in Naqura, a coastal town on the Israeli border, later reporting that a “civilian who was seriously wounded” in the raid had died.
The agency published a statement from the South Lebanon Water Establishment announcing that one of its employees was killed “while he was carrying out his duty to ensure the continuity of the water supply” in Naqura.
The statement urged official and international bodies to condemn the strike and pressure Israel “to stop its attacks on vital and relief sector employees and workers immediately.”
Hezbollah meanwhile announced the death of three of its fighters, while a source close to the group, requesting anonymity, said they were killed overnight in east Lebanon’s Hermel area.
An AFP correspondent said a building in the Hermel region was completely destroyed.
The Shiite Muslim movement claimed several attacks on Israeli troops and positions on Tuesday, including two that came “in response” to Israeli attacks in eastern and southern Lebanon.
A Hamas ally, Lebanon’s Hezbollah has traded near-daily fire with Israeli forces since the Palestinian militant group’s October 7 attack on Israel triggered war in Gaza, with violence intensifying in recent weeks.
On Monday, Hezbollah said it had downed an Israeli Hermes drone over Lebanon.
The Israeli military said that overnight its “fighter jets struck a military complex of... the logistical reinforcement unit of the Hezbollah terrorist organization.”
“The unit is used to smuggle weapons to and from Lebanon,” it said in a statement, adding that it had hit two targets in eastern Lebanon’s Baalbek area, a Hezbollah stronghold located in the Bekaa valley.
The Israeli army said it also struck in southern Lebanon overnight, adding that the strikes came after one of its drones was shot down on Monday.
Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said an “Israeli strike” targeted “a convoy of tankers entering Lebanon on the border with Syria.”
He said at least three Syrians working with Hezbollah were killed, adding that the Lebanese militant group controls both sides of the frontier in the area where the strike hit.
Hezbollah for years has fought on the side of President Bashar Assad in Syria’s civil war, which erupted in 2011.
More than eight months of cross-border violence has killed at least 463 people in Lebanon, mostly fighters but also including almost 90 civilians, according to an AFP count.
On the Israeli side of the border, at least 15 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed, according to the army.


US Mideast envoy says phase two Gaza talks to continue this week

US Mideast envoy says phase two Gaza talks to continue this week
Updated 31 sec ago
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US Mideast envoy says phase two Gaza talks to continue this week

US Mideast envoy says phase two Gaza talks to continue this week
NEW YORK: US Middle envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that talks on phase two of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas would continue this week “at a location to be determined” to figure out how to reach a successful conclusion.
He told Fox News that he had “very productive and constructive” calls on Sunday with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and Egypt’s director of intelligence.
Witkoff said they spoke about “the sequencing of phase two, setting forth positions on both sides, so we can understand ... where we are today, and then continuing talks this week at a location to be determined so that we can figure out how we get to the end of phase two successfully.”

Bahrain successfully administers first CRISPR-based sickle cell treatment outside the US

Bahrain successfully administers first CRISPR-based sickle cell treatment outside the US
Updated 16 February 2025
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Bahrain successfully administers first CRISPR-based sickle cell treatment outside the US

Bahrain successfully administers first CRISPR-based sickle cell treatment outside the US
  • Bahrain approved Casgevy for use on Dec. 2, 2023, becoming the second country globally and the first in the Middle East to do so

MANAMA: The Bahrain Oncology Centre announced on Sunday it had successfully treated a sickle cell disease patient using CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy Casgevy (exagamglogene autotemcel), marking the first time the treatment had been administered outside the US.

Casgevy, developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, is the first licensed therapy to utilize CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology.

It is designed as a potential treatment for SCD and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia, two inherited blood disorders that affect patients’ health and life expectancy.

Bahrain approved Casgevy for use on Dec. 2, 2023, becoming the second country globally and the first in the Middle East to do so. The approval followed an assessment of the therapy’s safety, quality, and effectiveness.

The treatment involves a multi-step process. Firstly, stem cells are collected from the patient’s bone marrow. Then, they are genetically edited to enable the production of functional hemoglobin. Lastly, the modified cells are reinfused into the patient after thorough safety testing.

Bahrain’s Minister of Health Dr. Jaleela bint Al-Sayed Jawad Hasan said the successful administration of the treatment highlighted the kingdom’s commitment to integrating advanced medical innovations.

“We are delivering on our mandate to provide access to life-changing therapies for all beneficiaries and positioning Bahrain as a hub for innovative medical care, in line with the directives of King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa,” she said.

Dr. Shaikh Fahad bin Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, commander of the Royal Medical Services, added: “Bahrain is proud to be at the forefront of cutting-edge healthcare advancements in the region. This achievement provides new hope for patients with complex blood disorders and underscores Bahrain’s growing role in medical innovation.”

Dr. Edward Rowland, CEO of the Bahrain Oncology Centre, described the development as a reflection of the institution’s focus on advanced technology and global partnerships.

The initiative is part of Bahrain’s national healthcare strategy, which prioritizes medical innovation and collaboration, and has been supported by the Ministry of Health, the Royal Medical Services, government hospitals, and the National Health Regulatory Authority.


Lebanon official media say Israeli gunfire kills woman in border town

A photo taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjayoun, shows smoke rising from buildings in a southern Lebanese village
A photo taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjayoun, shows smoke rising from buildings in a southern Lebanese village
Updated 16 February 2025
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Lebanon official media say Israeli gunfire kills woman in border town

A photo taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjayoun, shows smoke rising from buildings in a southern Lebanese village
  • Lebanon’s army shortly later urged residents against heading to border areas where its forces had not completed deployment
  • NNA said Israeli “occupation forces shot in the direction of Hula neighborhoods after residents entered, leading to the death of a woman and the wounding of other people”

BEIRUT: Lebanese official media said Israeli forces killed a woman in a southern border town on Sunday as residents sought to return home, two days ahead of an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deadline.
Lebanon’s army shortly later urged residents against heading to border areas where its forces had not completed deployment.
The official National News Agency (NNA) said that Israeli “occupation forces shot in the direction of Hula neighborhoods after residents entered, leading to the death of a woman and the wounding of other people.”
“Three citizens were kidnapped by Israeli forces in the town,” the NNA added, after earlier reporting that residents had entered by passing a Lebanese army checkpoint and “dirt barriers set up by the Israeli army.”
A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah came into effect on November 27 after more than a year of hostilities including two months of all-out war.
Under the deal, Lebanon’s military was to deploy in the south alongside United Nations peacekeepers as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period.
Hezbollah was also to pull back north of the Litani River — about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border — and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.
The withdrawal period was extended to February 18, after Israel missed the initial deadline.
Both sides have accused each other of violations.
When the initial ceasefire deadline expired in late January, Lebanese authorities said Israeli fire killed 26 people in two days as residents tried to return to border villages.
Lebanon’s army on X emphasized “the need for citizens not to head toward southern areas where the (Lebanese military) deployment has not been completed... in order to preserve their safety and avoid the death of innocent people.”
It pointed to “the danger of unexploded ordnance left by the Israeli enemy, as well as the possibility of the presence of enemy forces in those areas.”
This week, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee on X again warned people against heading south, noting that the Israeli army “is still deployed on the ground.”
On Saturday, the NNA said an Israeli strike on a vehicle in the south’s Lebanon’s Iqlim Al-Tuffah area killed two people. The Israeli army said it targeted a senior militant from Hezbollah’s aerial unit.
On Thursday, a senior Israeli security official said the military was prepared to withdraw from Lebanese territory “within the timeline” set by the US-French-mediated ceasefire agreement.
The same day, Lebanon’s parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri said the United States had informed him that, while Israel would withdraw on February 18, “it will remain in five locations.”
Lebanese officials have rejected the demand.


Egypt’s El-Sisi discusses Mideast peace with World Jewish Congress chief

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi meets with the head of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder (2L) on Sunday.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi meets with the head of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder (2L) on Sunday.
Updated 16 February 2025
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Egypt’s El-Sisi discusses Mideast peace with World Jewish Congress chief

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi meets with the head of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder (2L) on Sunday.
  • During his meeting with Lauder in Cairo on Sunday, El-Sisi called for starting the reconstruction of Gaza “without displacing its residents from their land”

CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi told the head of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder on Sunday that the establishment of a Palestinian state is “the only guarantee” for lasting peace in the Middle East.
During his meeting with Lauder in Cairo on Sunday, El-Sisi called for starting the reconstruction of war-battered Gaza “without displacing its residents from their land,” according to a statement from his office.
The Egyptian leader’s remarks come as Arab countries are scrambling to come up with an alternative to a controversial plan floated by US President Donald Trump to take over Gaza, redevelop the coastal territory and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Trump’s proposal envisages permanently resettling Gaza’s Palestinian residents elsewhere, including Egypt and Jordan, drawing widespread condemnation from Arab and world leaders.
“The establishment of a Palestinian state... is the only guarantee to achieve lasting peace,” El-Sisi told Lauder on Sunday.
According to the Egyptian presidency statement, Lauder praised Egypt’s “wise efforts” to restore stability in the region.
The leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are set to met in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss Trump’s proposal, ahead of an emergency Arab League summit in Cairo a week later to discuss the same issue.
 


Shipment of ‘heavy’ US bombs arrives in Israel

Shipment of ‘heavy’ US bombs arrives in Israel
Updated 16 February 2025
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Shipment of ‘heavy’ US bombs arrives in Israel

Shipment of ‘heavy’ US bombs arrives in Israel
  • Development takes place as US secretary of state discusses Gaza truce with Israel PM 
  • Israel, Hamas complete sixth swap of nearly month-old ceasefire after 15-month war

TEL AVIV:  Israel’s defense ministry said Sunday that a shipment of “heavy” US-made bombs arrived overnight in Israel, as Marco Rubio began his first visit to the country as Washington’s top diplomat.
“A shipment of heavy aerial bombs recently released by the US government was received and unloaded overnight in Israel,” the ministry said in a statement, referring to MK-84 munitions recently authorized by President Donald Trump’s administration.
Rubio landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and is due to hold talks with Israeli officials on Sunday when he will highlight Trump’s controversial proposal to take control of the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by more than 15 months of war between Hamas and Israel.
Coming from Munich, where he took part in a security conference dominated by the Ukraine war, the top US diplomat is set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Sunday.
Netanyahu, who recently visited Washington where he met Donald Trump, expressed his appreciation for the US president’s “full support” for Israel’s next moves in Gaza.
“Israel will now have to decide what they will do,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday.
“The United States will back the decision they make!” he added.
Rubio arrived in Israel hours after Hamas freed three Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in the sixth swap of a nearly month-old ceasefire.
The ceasefire came close to collapse earlier this week and Netanyahu credited “President Trump’s firm stance” with ensuring Saturday’s releases went ahead.
In his meetings, the US top diplomat is expected to discuss the second phase of the ceasefire, which should see the release of remaining hostages and a more permanent end to the war but which has yet to be agreed in detail.
A source close to the negotiations said mediators hope to begin talks on the second phase “next week in Doha.”
Washington has expressed openness to alternative proposals from Arab governments but has stressed that currently, “the only plan is Trump’s.”
Trump has proposed taking control of the Palestinian territory and displacing its residents to Egypt or Jordan, both of which strongly oppose the proposal.
Trump has warned of repercussions for Egypt and Jordan if they do not allow in the more than two million Palestinians in Gaza.
“Right now the only plan — they don’t like it — but the only plan is the Trump plan. So if they’ve got a better plan, now’s the time to present it,” Rubio said on Thursday.