Israeli forces have carried out raids in Lebanon for months, military says

Israeli forces have carried out raids in Lebanon for months, military says
Israeli army vehicles deploy at a position along the border with Lebanon in northern Israel on Oct. 1, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 1 min 21 sec ago
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Israeli forces have carried out raids in Lebanon for months, military says

Israeli forces have carried out raids in Lebanon for months, military says
  • Hagari said the details were being declassified
  • Dozens of such operations had uncovered detailed plans by Hezbollah to enter Israel

JERUSALEM: Israeli forces have been carrying out raids into southern Lebanon for months, uncovering Hezbollah tunnels and weapon caches under homes and uncovering invasion plans by the group, Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Tuesday.

Hagari said the details were being declassified, hours after Israel announced a ground operation against the Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon.
Dozens of such operations had uncovered detailed plans by Hezbollah to enter Israel and carry out an attack similar to the one led by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in southern Israel on Oct. 7 last year.

The findings and evidence discovered under homes in villages in southern Lebanon during the raids will be presented to the international community, Hagari said. He presented videos from soldiers’ body-cameras and maps.

Later, the Israeli military said it was calling up four additional reserve brigades for operational missions on the northern border with Lebanon.

“This will enable the continuation of operational activity against the Hezbollah terrorist organization and the achievement of operational goals, including the safe return of residents of northern Israel to their homes,” the military said in a statement.


Tunisia presidential candidate Zammel sentenced to 12 years in prison

Tunisia presidential candidate Zammel sentenced to 12 years in prison
Updated 4 min 15 sec ago
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Tunisia presidential candidate Zammel sentenced to 12 years in prison

Tunisia presidential candidate Zammel sentenced to 12 years in prison
  • It was the third prison sentence imposed on Ayachi Zammel in two weeks
  • Zammel, head of the opposition Azimoun party, has been jailed since last month

TUNIS: A Tunisian court sentenced presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel to 12 years in prison on Tuesday, amid growing opposition anger against President Kais Saied, whose critics accuse him of using the judiciary to sideline his opponents.

It was the third prison sentence imposed on Zammel in two weeks, just five days before the presidential election in which he is one of just two candidates permitted to stand against Saied. Three other high profile opposition figures were barred.

Abdessattar Massoudi, Zammel’s lawyer, said that Zammel was sentenced to 12 years in prison by Tunis court on charges of document falsification. Massoudi described the verdict as “unfair and a farce.”

Zammel, head of the opposition Azimoun party, has been jailed since last month on charges of falsifying voter signatures on his candidacy paperwork, accusations he described as manufactured by Saied’s government. He has been allowed to continue to stand in the election while jailed.

Political tensions in the North African country have risen ahead of the Oct. 6 election since an electoral commission named by Saied disqualified three other prominent candidates last month, amid protests by opposition and civil society groups.

Tunisia was the only Arab country to emerge with a peaceful democracy from the 2011 “Arab Spring” protests against autocratic rulers across the Middle East and North Africa.

But since being elected in 2019, Saied has gradually amassed greater powers, arguing that he needs them to combat a corrupt elite. He dissolved the elected parliament and began ruling by decree in 2021, a move the opposition described as a coup.

The electoral commission has rejected a ruling by Tunisia’s administrative court to reinstate the barred candidates for the upcoming election. Lawmakers loyal to Saied then approved a law stripping the administrative court of authority over election disputes.

The opposition and civil society groups called for a mass protest on Friday against what they describe as Saied’s authoritarian rule, and said they would continue escalation and demonstrations.


KLM halts all flights to Tel Aviv until the end of the year

KLM halts all flights to Tel Aviv until the end of the year
Updated 1 min 37 sec ago
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KLM halts all flights to Tel Aviv until the end of the year

KLM halts all flights to Tel Aviv until the end of the year

AMSTERDAM: Dutch airline KLM has suspended all flights to Tel Aviv until the end of this year at least, the Dutch arm of airline group Air France KLM said on Tuesday.
The airline had previously cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until Oct. 26 because of heightened tensions in the region.
KLM does not operate flights to Beirut. 


China says it opposes ‘infringements on Lebanon’s sovereignty’

China says it opposes ‘infringements on Lebanon’s sovereignty’
Updated 39 min 6 sec ago
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China says it opposes ‘infringements on Lebanon’s sovereignty’

China says it opposes ‘infringements on Lebanon’s sovereignty’
  • The foreign ministry said: “China... opposes infringements on Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity”
  • Beijing urged Israel “to take concrete actions to de-escalate the situation“

BEIJING: China said on Tuesday it opposed “infringements on Lebanon’s sovereignty” after Israel said it had launched a ground offensive there, and that Beijing was “highly concerned” about growing tensions.
The Israeli military said on Tuesday it had launched a ground offensive targeting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, further escalating the conflict after a week of intense air strikes that killed hundreds of people.
However, the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon said the Israeli operation did not amount to a “ground incursion,” while Iran-backed Hezbollah denied any troops had crossed the border.
There was no way to immediately verify the claims, which came as Israel targeted south Beirut, Damascus and Gaza despite international calls for restraint to avoid a regional conflagration.
“China is highly concerned about the current situation between Lebanon and Israel and is deeply concerned about the further escalation of regional tensions due to related military actions,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
“China... opposes infringements on Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, and opposes any actions that exacerbate conflicts and lead to a further escalation of the regional situation.”
Beijing urged Israel “to take concrete actions to de-escalate the situation,” the statement said.


Lebanon’s Hezbollah says it fired missiles at Mossad HQ near Tel Aviv

Lebanon’s Hezbollah says it fired missiles at Mossad HQ near Tel Aviv
Updated 01 October 2024
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Lebanon’s Hezbollah says it fired missiles at Mossad HQ near Tel Aviv

Lebanon’s Hezbollah says it fired missiles at Mossad HQ near Tel Aviv

BEIRUT: Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on Tuesday said it had targeted the Israeli military intelligence base of Glilot near Tel Aviv.
The Iran-backed group “launched salvoes of Fadi 4 rockets at the Glilot base of the military intelligence’s unit 8200 and the Mossad headquarters located on the outskirts of Tel Aviv,” it said in a statement.


Russia, Turkey and Spain express deep concern about Israeli raids in Lebanon

Russia, Turkey and Spain express deep concern about Israeli raids in Lebanon
Updated 01 October 2024
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Russia, Turkey and Spain express deep concern about Israeli raids in Lebanon

Russia, Turkey and Spain express deep concern about Israeli raids in Lebanon
  • Turkish foreign ministry: ‘This attack must end as soon as possible and Israeli soldiers must withdraw from Lebanese territory’

MOSCOW: The Kremlin said on Tuesday it was deeply concerned about Israel’s military activity in Lebanon and a strike on the Syrian capital, Damascus.

Israel said intense fighting had erupted with the Hezbollah movement in south Lebanon on Tuesday after its paratroops and commandos launched raids there, at the start of a ground incursion that followed airstrikes against Hezbollah’s leadership.

Turkiye also condemned Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon as an “unlawful invasion attempt” and called for the withdrawal of its troops.

“This attack must end as soon as possible and Israeli soldiers must withdraw from Lebanese territory,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli army said its troops were locked in fierce clashes in Lebanon after launching a ground offensive Tuesday, escalating the conflict after a week of air strikes that killed hundreds.

The ground assault came as Israel targeted south Beirut, Damascus and Gaza, despite international calls for restraint to avoid a regional conflagration.

“Israel’s violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this country by launching a ground attack on Lebanon is an unlawful invasion attempt,” the foreign ministry said.

Ankara warned that is likely to trigger a new wave of migrants.

“As a result of this dangerous invasion attempt, it is highly likely that a new wave of migration will emerge and extremists will gain ground all over the world,” the ministry said.

It urged the UN Security Council to “comply with international law and take the necessary measures.”

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares also said that Israel should cease conducting ground raids in southern Lebanon to avoid an escalation of the conflict enveloping the wider region.

“We insist that the ground incursion should be halted, as we’re receiving very worrying information,” Albares said, adding that it was “necessary to reach a truce in Lebanon and a ceasefire in Gaza.”

Albares also condemned Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on Israeli territory. He said the only way to achieve peace in the Middle East was if belligerents complied with international humanitarian law and respected the protections accorded to civilians.

Since February 2022, Spain has commanded the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and deployed 650 troops along the southern Lebanese border with Israel.