Lebanese defense minister condemns Israeli truce violations

Lebanon's Defense Minister General Maurice Slim leaves following a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of the capital Beirut, on September 13, 2021. (AFP)
Lebanon's Defense Minister General Maurice Slim leaves following a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of the capital Beirut, on September 13, 2021. (AFP)
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Updated 06 December 2024
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Lebanese defense minister condemns Israeli truce violations

Lebanese defense minister condemns Israeli truce violations
  • Ceasefire supervisory committee flies over South Litani sector
  • Lebanon closes land crossings with Syria as army patrols stop infiltrators

BEIRUT: The Lebanese Army will continue to cooperate with UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, government figures said on Friday in a meeting with visiting Italian officials.

Caretaker Defense Minister Maurice Slim highlighted Lebanon’s full adherence to UN Resolution 1701 during talks with his Italian counterpart, Guido Crosetto.

He condemned recent Israeli actions on Lebanese territory as a “blatant violation of the ceasefire terms.”




People cross through the destroyed crossing border point between Lebanon and Syria which hit by an Israeli airstrike, in Arida, north Lebanon, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP)

The meeting reviewed “military cooperation between Lebanon and Italy, along with the important role of the UNIFIL Italian contingent,” according to Slim’s office.

Crosetto briefed Slim on Italian efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon and “establish stability, particularly in the south, through existing cooperation between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army.”

Italy “will continue to support the Lebanese Army by organizing further conferences to enhance its capabilities, especially during this critical stage,” said Crosetto.

BACKGROUND

Israel stepped up its campaign in south Lebanon in late September after nearly a year of cross-border exchanges begun by Hezbollah in support of Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel.

Slim said the Lebanese Army “will cooperate as much as possible with UNIFIL, particularly at this critical juncture, as the army plays a central role in maintaining security and stability in the south.”

Crosetto also met Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun.

Italian Army Chief Gen. Luciano Portolano was also present.

They discussed “ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries’ armies.”

The diplomatic efforts continued as Lebanon said it closed all land border crossings with Syria on Friday except for the central route linking Beirut to the Syrian capital, Damascus.

The General Security Directorate said the Masnaa crossing will remain open for entries and exits.

The decision follows a series of Israeli airstrikes that targeted Lebanese-Syrian border crossings on Friday morning.

Closing all but one border crossing will ensure the safety of civilians, the directorate said.

Public Works Ali Hamieh Minister told Reuters that the Israeli strikes targeted the Syrian side of the Aridah border crossing in the north and the Jousieh crossing on the eastern side.

According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the Lebanese Army set up checkpoints and dispatched patrols amid strict measures and procedures.

The agency said that the army was intensively deployed along the border area in Akkar and other villages and towns adjacent to Syrian territory.

In parallel to the Lebanese security measures, rapid military developments were taking place in Syria.

Armed opposition factions were advancing toward the Homs governorate, close to the Lebanese border.

Fears of infiltration attempts into Lebanese territory and illegal immigration also mounted in Lebanon.

Lebanese Army Command said on Friday that “two army units, backed by two military intelligence units, arrested 36 Syrians, including 24 people detained at the Deir Ammar checkpoint in the north, for residing in Lebanon without legal documentation, as well as 12 others in Beit Al-Tashm, Hermel, for clandestinely entering the country.”

Israeli Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed that Israel targeted Syrian routes used for transporting combat equipment, as well as infrastructure established near the border with Lebanon.

The ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel was signed more than a week ago but Israeli violations by air and land continue.

On Thursday night, Israeli drones and jets flew at low altitudes across Lebanese airspace, from Shebaa in the far south to Hermel in the far northeast, passing through Beirut and its southern suburb.

The number of Israeli violations exceeded 60 since the early hours of Nov. 27, resulting in the deaths of 15 people in a series of airstrikes, including one in Haris, which killed six civilians.

On Friday morning, Israeli military vehicles and tanks advanced into Aitaroun in the Bint Jbeil district.

Aitaroun had been subjected to extensive Israeli combing operations with medium-caliber machine guns during the night.

The Israeli Army had prohibited residents of the border area from returning until further notice, continuing the demolition of buildings, houses and facilities it had begun before the ceasefire.

Lebanese Army Command said that the five-party committee overseeing the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, chaired by the US, would hold its first meeting early next week.

The committee conducted an aerial tour by helicopter over the South Litani sector and assessed the field situation.

It includes US Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, French Brig. Gen. Guillaume Ponchin, and Lebanese representative and commander of the South Litani sector, Brig. Gen. Edgar Lowndes.

 


Israel airstrikes kill family of 5 in Gaza Strip

Israel airstrikes kill family of 5 in Gaza Strip
Updated 10 sec ago
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Israel airstrikes kill family of 5 in Gaza Strip

Israel airstrikes kill family of 5 in Gaza Strip
  • Hamas said on Monday that talks over some core issues for a ceasefire deal in Gaza have made progress, an official in the Palestinian group said

CAIRO: At least 14 Palestinians, including a family of five people, were killed in three separate Israeli airstrikes on Monday in northern Gaza Strip, Palestinian medics said.
One strike hit a group of people in the Daraj neighborhood in Gaza City, killing at least seven people including two children, the Health Ministry’s emergency service said. Two more people were killed in Jabaliya Al-Balad area in northern Gaza, it said.
Another five people were wounded in the strike, it said.
A third strike hit Salaheddin school, which shelters displaced families in the western part of Gaza City.
The strike killed two parents and their three children, according to the Al-Ahly Hospital which received the casualties.
The Israeli military did not have an immediate comment on the strikes.
Hamas said on Monday that talks over some core issues for a ceasefire deal in Gaza have made progress, an official in the Palestinian group said.
“The negotiation over some core issues made progress and we are working to conclude what remains soon,” added the official.
The administration of President Joe Biden sees a possible truce as soon as this week, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told Bloomberg News on Monday, adding that there were no guarantees that the parties would agree to such a deal.
Sullivan, speaking to Bloomberg in an interview, added that Biden’s administration has been in contact with incoming President Donald Trump’s team and sought a united front on the issue ahead of Washington’s Jan. 20 transition of power.
“The pressure building here toward the end of President Biden’s term has been considerable,” Sullivan said. “It’s there for the taking.”
Biden leaves office next week after Democrats lost the White House in November’s election, handing back the US government to Trump and his fellow Republicans, who will control both chambers of Congress.
Envoys of both Biden and Trump attended weekend talks on the potential deal.
“The question is now: Can we all collectively seize the moment and make this happen,” Sullivan told Bloomberg, adding that Biden had directed him to work closely with the incoming team.

 


Israel army says intercepted projectile launched from Yemen

Israel army says intercepted projectile launched from Yemen
Updated 13 January 2025
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Israel army says intercepted projectile launched from Yemen

Israel army says intercepted projectile launched from Yemen
  • Israeli military also intercepted a drone launched from Yemen on Monday

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said it intercepted a projectile fired from Yemen on Monday before it crossed into Israeli territory, in the latest in a series of ongoing attacks.
“One projectile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF (Israeli air force) prior to crossing into Israeli territory,” the military said in a statement.
Earlier on Monday the military said it had also intercepted a drone in southern Israel that was launched from Yemen.
Since the war in the Gaza Strip broke out in October 2023, the Iran-backed Houthi militants who control swathes of Yemen have repeatedly fired missiles and drones at Israel in what they say is a show of solidarity with the Palestinians.
In retaliation, Israel has struck Houthi targets several times inside Yemen, including in the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa.


Iraqi PM outlines vision for UK relations ahead of official visit

Iraqi PM outlines vision for UK relations ahead of official visit
Updated 13 January 2025
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Iraqi PM outlines vision for UK relations ahead of official visit

Iraqi PM outlines vision for UK relations ahead of official visit
  • Mohammed Al-Sudani will meet with King Charles, PM Keir Starmer
  • Visit ‘reflects my government’s commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership’

LONDON: Iraq’s prime minister has called for bolstering economic, trade and security ties with the UK ahead of an official visit to the country.

Mohammed Al-Sudani will arrive in London on Jan. 13 and will meet with King Charles, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and senior British officials.

Writing in the Telegraph on Sunday, Al-Sudani said the visit “reflects my government’s commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between Iraq and the UK.”

He warned that it comes amid “unprecedented and escalating events in the Middle East” that threaten the region and the wider world.

Al-Sudani wrote that regional and international solidarity will ensure that the “free will and aspirations of the Syrian people are respected.”

He praised the UK’s support for Iraq’s fight against Daesh, and said the bilateral relationship had significantly transformed in recent decades.

“Today, as our country achieves greater levels of security and stability, the time has come to transition to a new phase of sustainable economic partnership,” he added.

Al-Sudani will aim to attract British investment in Iraqi energy infrastructure during his visit. It is part of a larger plan to establish Iraq as an international trade hub.

“We will continue to encourage more British investments in oil and gas, as well as in renewable energy projects, recognizing the importance of diversifying energy sources and addressing environmental challenges in the long term,” he wrote.

Al-Sudani highlighted banking reform as another area of potential cooperation with the UK, whose financial institutions and expertise can “improve government services and enhance administrative efficiency.”

He added: “We are determined to channel investments into developing education and training to equip young Iraqis with the skills required to meet the demands of the next phase of development.”

Counterterrorism efforts involving the UK could protect both domestic and regional stability, Al-Sudani said, adding that Iraq could benefit from British military industries.

“My upcoming meetings in London carry a clear message: Iraq is committed to building partnerships based on shared interests and forward-looking vision,” he said.

“We seek a global partner with political and economic weight, and the UK is well-positioned to play this vital role as we embark on a new chapter of growth and reconstruction.”

The Iraqi delegation to the UK includes ministers, MPs, Basra’s governor and representatives from the private sector.


UAE sends 35 trucks in 3 convoys to deliver aid to Gaza

UAE sends 35 trucks in 3 convoys to deliver aid to Gaza
Trucks carrying aid from the UAE crossing into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing (WAM)
Updated 13 January 2025
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UAE sends 35 trucks in 3 convoys to deliver aid to Gaza

UAE sends 35 trucks in 3 convoys to deliver aid to Gaza
  • The latest Emirati delivery of essential supplies includes medical equipment such as dialysis machines and ultrasound devices, plus food and shelter materials
  • The UAE has dispatched 153 humanitarian convoys to Gaza since November 2023, with 2,391 trucks delivering more than 29,274 tonnes of aid

LONDON: Three convoys of trucks carrying aid from the UAE this week crossed into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt.

A total of 35 trucks carried more than 248.9 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, including more than 100 tonnes of medical supplies, the Emirates News Agency reported.

The deliveries are part of an ongoing Emirati humanitarian campaign to help the Palestinian people during the war between Israel and Hamas. Since the launch of “Operation Chivalrous Knight 3” in November 2023, the UAE has sent 153 convoys into the Gaza Strip, with a total of 2,391 trucks delivering more than 29,274 tonnes of aid.

The essential supplies delivered by the latest convoys included medical equipment such as dialysis machines, ultrasound devices, resuscitation sets, wheelchairs and respiratory masks, the news agency added. Other items included food, tents and sacks of flour.

Fadel Al-Shamsi, a spokesperson for the Emirati aid operation, said care was taken to maintain the highest standards of safety and quality during the storage and transportation of the medical supplies to Gaza.


Palestinian president meets British FM in Ramallah

Palestinian president meets British FM in Ramallah
Updated 13 January 2025
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Palestinian president meets British FM in Ramallah

Palestinian president meets British FM in Ramallah
  • Mahmoud Abbas briefed David Lammy on Israeli aggression in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem

LONDON: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Monday at the Palestinian Authority’s headquarters in Ramallah.

Abbas discussed with Lammy the need to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2735, which calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the coastal enclave.

He highlighted the UK’s backing for the efforts to gain international recognition of the State of Palestine and its full membership in the UN, as part of the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

He briefed Lammy on the latest Israeli aggressions in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, the WAFA news agency reported.