Lebanon army makes plea for unity after Nasrallah’s killing

Lebanese army patrols in central Beirut, following the killing of Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli air strike, in Beirut, Lebanon, September 29, 2024. (REUTERS)
Lebanese army patrols in central Beirut, following the killing of Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli air strike, in Beirut, Lebanon, September 29, 2024. (REUTERS)
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Lebanon army makes plea for unity after Nasrallah’s killing

Lebanon army makes plea for unity after Nasrallah’s killing
  • Mikati sticks to diplomacy, says attacks may have forced up to 1m people to flee homes
  • Al-Rahi demands a president who will engage in peace negotiations

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s army on Sunday warned the Lebanese against actions that would disturb public order in the country after Israel’s killing of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.

The army statement called on citizens “to preserve national unity and not to be drawn into actions that may affect civil peace at this dangerous and delicate stage,” following the massive Friday strike that killed Nasrallah and as Israeli attacks continue.

Israel “is working to implement its destructive plans and sow division among Lebanese,” the statement added.

The army appeal came as dozens were killed and wounded on Sunday in Israeli air raids on the southern suburbs of Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa.

According to preliminary statistics from the Ministry of Health issued on Sunday evening, 21 civilians were killed and 47 were wounded in 40 Israeli raids on Baalbek-Hermel.

Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi, in his first comment on the assassination of Nasrallah, said that “the Lebanese paid a heavy price for their departure from the national charter, and Lebanon will not be able to carry out its mission except with positive neutrality.”

Al-Rahi reminded “the international community of the necessity of working to stop the cycle of war, killing and destruction.”

He said: “We all are losers in the war, so it is necessary to adopt negotiations. We hope that by electing a president for Lebanon, he will stop the fire and engage in peace negotiations.”

Amid the Israeli bombardment, the Lebanese ministerial emergency committee continued its discussions on how to manage the vast number of displaced people from the southern suburbs of Beirut, the south, and Bekaa, who had been made homeless.

Some of the displaced are still sleeping in the streets of Beirut, on its seafront, and in front of mosques, while others cannot afford to buy milk for their children or clothes to keep them warm.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said after Sunday’s meeting that the number of displaced people might reach 1 million and that “this current displacement is the largest in Lebanon’s history.”

Mikati said the state’s contributions are “within its capabilities, and we will ask donor countries to help us in these difficult circumstances.”

Regarding political solutions, Mikati stressed that “we have no choice but diplomacy. We demand a ceasefire on all fronts.”

According to official statistics, those who have died since Oct. 8, 2023 amount to 1,640, while the wounded amount to 8,408. The number of missing persons is unknown.

Israeli forces have not given Hezbollah a chance to catch its breath after the assassination of Nasrallah.

Warplanes launched 216 raids within the last 24 hours, including a violent raid on a building between Shiyah and Ghobeiry in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

According to Channel 14, “the target was the prominent leader in the party, Abu Ali Rida, the commander of the Badr Unit.”

Hezbollah denied the claim, saying that he was “well and healthy.”

Hezbollah officially mourned Nabil Qaouk, the deputy head of its executive council, who was killed in a drone attack on Saturday evening in the Chiyah area, indicating that Qaouk “held many organizational responsibilities in the party’s various units.”

It also officially mourned the death of prominent party leader Ali Karaki, whom Israel put on its target list.

Israel also included among its targets an official in the Islamic Group in Lebanon — an ally of Hezbollah in the confrontations in the south.

A warplane launched a raid on the town of Jab Janin in western Bekaa, the first time this town had been targeted, and hit a car carrying the group’s official, Mohammed Dahrouj, who was with his wife, killing them both.

Also on Sunday, Hezbollah’s civil defense personnel retrieved the bodies of Nasrallah and those with him in preparation for their funeral.

A paramedic told Arab News: “We kept digging deep to reach the bodies, and they were pulled out using cranes brought to the site.”

He said the bodies of the party’s secretary-general, Karaki, and two Iranian figures were found.

Hezbollah’s operations in northern Israel declined relatively on Sunday.

Hezbollah announced the bombing of the “Sonubar settlement” and “Ofek camp with a batch of Fadi 1 missiles.”

Minister Nasser Yassin, head of the emergency committee, said: “We have reached 740 shelters within a few days with more than 250,000 displaced people.

“The number of displaced persons since the day of Hassan Nasrallah’s assassination on Friday until Sunday morning was estimated at 1 million.”
 
Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee claimed that the raids carried out on the Hezbollah command headquarters led to “the elimination of more than 20 other members of different ranks.”

He alleged that they had gathered inside the underground headquarters and managed the fighting against Israel from there.

Adraee provided a list of names: “Ibrahim Hussein Jazini, the commander of Nasrallah’s security unit; Samir Tawfiq Deeb, Nasrallah’s advisor for many years; Abdul Amir Mohammed Sablini, the official responsible for building the force; and Ali Nayef Ayoub, the official responsible for managing the fire.”

An Israeli raid on the town of Al-Ain, adjacent to Baalbek, led to the killing of 11 civilians.

The army launched a raid on a house in the Marjhin area in the Hermel outskirts, causing the death of more than 10 people.

A raid on a building in the town of Zboud in the Bekaa resulted in the deaths of 17 civilians.

Raids focused on Al-Khader, Tamnin, Nabi Sheet, and Al-Kharibeh in northern Bekaa — areas that support Hezbollah.

The attacks included the town of Choueifat, south of Beirut, targeting hangars belonging to a businessperson from the Al-Moussawi family.

An Israeli raid on a building near a civil defense center affiliated with the Amal Movement, an ally of Hezbollah, resulted in the death of several volunteers in the southern town of Tayr Dibba.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health condemned “this attack and a similar attack on Houmin Al-Fawqa in the south, which led to the death of 14 paramedics in two days.”

The Israeli army claimed in a statement that “it struck hundreds of Hezbollah targets throughout Lebanon in the past hours, including missile launch pads directed toward Israeli territory, weapons storage facilities, and additional terrorist infrastructure affiliated with Hezbollah.”

The army said that it will continue to work to “weaken and dismantle Hezbollah’s capabilities.”

Aircraft and drones remained in the skies of Beirut and its southern suburbs at a low level around the clock.

 


Houthis abduct 428 Yemenis during September revolution anniversary crackdown

Houthis abduct 428 Yemenis during September revolution anniversary crackdown
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Houthis abduct 428 Yemenis during September revolution anniversary crackdown

Houthis abduct 428 Yemenis during September revolution anniversary crackdown
  • Rights Radar, a human rights organization based in Amsterdam, reported on Sunday that the Houthis have arrested people in 10 provinces

AL-MUKALLA: Yemen’s Houthi militia has detained 428 people during a crackdown on commemorations of the 62nd anniversary of the country’s 1962 revolution, a human rights group said.

Rights Radar, a human rights organization based in Amsterdam, reported on Sunday that the Houthis have arrested people in 10 provinces under their control since early last week for commemorating the Sept. 26 revolution in the streets, honoring it on social media, or calling on the others to celebrate.

During the crackdown, the Houthis physically and verbally assaulted people, abducted them, and have prevented them from contacting or seeing their families, according to the organization. 

“Rights Radar has called on the Houthi militia to release all those abducted and detained during these campaigns immediately and to end the ongoing prosecutions related to these celebrations, as security forces are still pursuing dozens in many areas under Houthi control,” it said in a statement.

The province of Ibb had the most detentions, with 179, followed by Sanaa with 109, Dhamar with 56, Hodeidah with 37, and Taiz with 13 cases.

Mahweet, Amran, Hajjah, Al-Bayda, and Dhale also saw people abducted by the militia.

The revolution deposed northern Yemen’s Zaidi Imamate rulers, who had controlled the country for centuries, and paved the way for establishing the Yemen Arab Republic.

Yemenis say that the Houthis and Imamate rulers share the same ideologies that restricted the country’s rule to Hashemite families.

The Houthis have accused the revolutionaries of being tools for the US and other countries to undermine security in areas under their control, as well as to put pressure on them to stop attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The American Center for Justice also said on Saturday that the Houthis launched a “large-scale” campaign against Yemenis commemorating the anniversary, resulting in the abduction of hundreds of people, including lawyers, human rights activists, political party leaders, and others in Ibb, Hodeidah, Dhamar, Sanaa, and Amran.

The center said that the Houthis deployed heavy military vehicles and forces dressed in military uniforms and civilian clothing to disperse gatherings, accusing the Houthis of violating international and local laws protecting people’s rights to free expression and peaceful assembly.

The center “calls on the international community and human rights organizations to pressure the Houthi group to end all forms of repression against Yemenis, immediately release all detainees, and ensure the right of citizens to express their opinions and participate in national celebrations without fear or intimidation,” it said.


Jordan and Ireland explore trade and investment cooperation

Jordan and Ireland explore trade and investment cooperation
Updated 29 September 2024
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Jordan and Ireland explore trade and investment cooperation

Jordan and Ireland explore trade and investment cooperation
  • The meeting between Mohammad Shoha and Marianne Bolger covered key sectors such as industry, technology, renewable energy, and agriculture

LONDON: The chairman of Jordan’s Irbid Chamber of Commerce met with the Irish ambassador to the kingdom on Sunday to discuss strengthening trade and investment relations between the two countries.

The meeting between Mohammad Shoha and Marianne Bolger covered key sectors such as industry, technology, renewable energy, and agriculture, Jordan News Agency reported.

During the talks, Shoha underscored the pivotal role of the chamber in supporting and developing the region’s commercial sector, which boasts a membership of around 16,000 businesses.

He highlighted the vitality of the Jordanian market and the ambition of local traders and investors to expand their operations both domestically and internationally.

Shoha also emphasized the chamber’s role in acting as a bridge between the Jordanian government and the private sector. He stressed the importance of dialog in overcoming obstacles and seizing new opportunities for growth.

While acknowledging the impact of regional political instability on investment, Shoha expressed confidence in Jordan’s ongoing efforts to attract foreign capital.
He said that, under the leadership of King Abdullah II, the government was focused on removing investment barriers by continuously updating laws, legislation, and infrastructure to enhance the business environment.

Bolger affirmed Ireland’s commitment to expanding its trade ties with Jordan and extended an invitation to Jordanian investors to visit Ireland to explore the country’s investment climate and opportunities.

Both sides exchanged views on promoting sustainable cooperation and building strategic partnerships aimed at fostering economic growth and enhancing trade and investment ties between the two nations.


Israel launches strikes on Yemeni Houthi targets

An Israeli fighter jet returning to base flies above an area near Tel Aviv on September 26, 2024. (File/AFP)
An Israeli fighter jet returning to base flies above an area near Tel Aviv on September 26, 2024. (File/AFP)
Updated 29 September 2024
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Israel launches strikes on Yemeni Houthi targets

An Israeli fighter jet returning to base flies above an area near Tel Aviv on September 26, 2024. (File/AFP)
  • Israeli military said in a statement that dozens of aircraft, including fighter jets, attacked power plants and a sea port at the Ras Issa and Hodeidah ports

TEL AVIV: Israel launched strikes at Houthi targets in Yemen on Sunday after the Houthi militants fired missiles at Israel over the past two days, marking a fresh exchange in another front of the regional conflict.
The Israeli military said in a statement that dozens of aircraft, including fighter jets, attacked power plants and a sea port at the Ras Issa and Hodeidah ports.
The strikes caused power outages in most parts of the port city of Hodeidah, residents said.
“Over the past year, the Houthis have been operating under the direction and funding of Iran, and in cooperation with Iraqi militias in order to attack the State of Israel, undermine regional stability, and disrupt global freedom of navigation,” the statement said.
Yemen’s Houthi militants have fired missiles and drones at Israel repeatedly in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians, since the
Gaza war
began with a Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
In their latest attack, the Houthis said they had launched a ballistic missile on Saturday toward the Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, which Israel said it intercepted. Israel also intercepted another Houthi missile on Friday.
The Houthi movement earlier mourned Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, its ally in an Iran-backed alliance opposing Israel, following his death in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut.


Pope Francis, asked about Israeli strikes, slams attacks that go ‘beyond morality’

Pope Francis talks to journalists on the flight back to Rome at the end of his four-day visit to Belgium and Luxembourg.
Pope Francis talks to journalists on the flight back to Rome at the end of his four-day visit to Belgium and Luxembourg.
Updated 29 September 2024
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Pope Francis, asked about Israeli strikes, slams attacks that go ‘beyond morality’

Pope Francis talks to journalists on the flight back to Rome at the end of his four-day visit to Belgium and Luxembourg.
  • Pontiff said countries cannot go “over the top” in using their military forces
  • “War is immoral. But the rules of war give it some morality,” he said

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT: Pope Francis, asked on Sunday about Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon that killed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah as well as non-combatants, criticized military attacks that he said go “beyond morality.”
On the flight back to Rome from Belgium, the pontiff said countries cannot go “over the top” in using their military forces. “Even in war there is a morality to safeguard,” he said. “War is immoral. But the rules of war give it some morality.”
Responding to a question during an in-flight press conference about Israel’s latest strikes, the 87-year-old pope said: “Defense must always be proportionate to the attack. When there is something disproportionate, you see a tendency to dominate that goes beyond morality.”
Francis, as leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, often makes calls for an end to violent conflicts, but is usually cautious about appearing to determine the aggressors. He has spoken more openly in recent weeks about Israel’s military actions in its nearly year-long war against Hamas.
Last week, the pope said Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon were “unacceptable” and urged the international community to do everything possible to halt the fighting. In a Sept. 28 press conference, he decried the deaths of Palestinian children in Israeli strikes in Gaza.
Francis said on Sunday he speaks on the phone with members of a Catholic parish in Gaza “every day.” He said the parishioners tell him about conditions on the ground, and “also the cruelty that is happening there.”


Israel army says ‘more than 20’ Hezbollah members killed alongside Nasrallah

Israel army says ‘more than 20’ Hezbollah members killed alongside Nasrallah
Updated 29 September 2024
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Israel army says ‘more than 20’ Hezbollah members killed alongside Nasrallah

Israel army says ‘more than 20’ Hezbollah members killed alongside Nasrallah
  • Ibrahim Hussein Jazini and Samir Tawfiq Dib who were “among Nasrallah’s closest associates” had been killed

BEIRUT: The Israeli military said on Sunday the strike that killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah this week in Beirut also “eliminated” more than 20 other members of the Lebanese armed group.
“More than 20 other terrorists of varying ranks, who were present at the underground headquarters in Beirut located beneath civilian buildings, and were managing Hezbollah’s terrorist operations against the state of Israel, were also eliminated,” the military said in a statement that listed some of them.
According to the statement, Ibrahim Hussein Jazini and Samir Tawfiq Dib who were “among Nasrallah’s closest associates” had been killed.
“Due to their proximity to him, they served a significant role in the day-to-day operations of Hezbollah and Nasrallah in particular,” it said.
Hezbollah on Saturday confirmed Nasrallah’s death, and on Sunday said Ali Karake, the group’s top commander in south Lebanon, were killed in the Friday attack.
Other names listed by the Israeli military include Abed Al-Amir Muhammad Sablini and Ali Naaf Ayoub.
In recent days, Israel has shifted the focus of its military operations from Gaza to Lebanon, after nearly a year of low-level cross-border fire with Hezbollah, killing hundreds in Lebanon.
The group began firing on Israel in what it described as a show of solidarity with ally Hamas a day after the Palestinian militant group’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, which triggered war in the Gaza Strip.