Displaced in southern Lebanon describe ‘significant’ damage to homes caused by Israeli assaults

Displaced in southern Lebanon describe ‘significant’ damage to homes caused by Israeli assaults
People check the rubble of a building in Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel, following Israeli bombardment the previous night, on December 27, 2023. (AFP/File)
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Updated 15 July 2024
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Displaced in southern Lebanon describe ‘significant’ damage to homes caused by Israeli assaults

Displaced in southern Lebanon describe ‘significant’ damage to homes caused by Israeli assaults
  • Hezbollah missiles target Israeli soldiers and spy equipment as explosions rock the Galilee Panhandle and Kiryat Shmona
  • Hezbollah and Amal are allied against Israel on the southern border but continue to compete for dominance elsewhere, sparking sporadic violence

BEIRUT: As hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israeli army along Lebanon’s southern border have de-escalated over the past few days, some displaced residents have taken the opportunity during the relative calm to return and check the condition of their homes.

“The material and moral damage is significant, and the village lost the largest number of young martyrs,” said a woman from the Bazzi family, who fled the village of Bint Jbeil for the safety of Mount Lebanon. “I don’t know how Bint Jbeil could be rebuilt.”

Meanwhile, Hezbollah forces on Monday targeted Israeli soldiers near the Branit barracks and spy equipment at Al-Raheb outpost with missile attacks. Explosions could be heard in the Galilee Panhandle and Kiryat Shmona. The situation in southern Lebanon is closely linked to developments in negotiations with Hamas over the war in Gaza.

Elsewhere, the fierce rivalry between Hezbollah and the Amal Movement continues to grow in areas controlled by the former, as both parties compete to extend their power in each other’s strongholds, particularly the southern suburbs of Beirut and surrounding villages.

A Lebanese security source said there have been repeated clashes in areas where the parties have been vying for support in the run-up to Ashura, an Islamic day of commemoration that falls this year on July 16. Religious tents have been set up for the celebration outside mosques and in other public spaces in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Clashes between Hezbollah and Amal supporters so far have been largely contained before they could escalate, as both groups seek to assert their influence in neighborhoods. Their rivalry peaked on Saturday night when members of the Amal Movement set up a checkpoint and prevented a resident of the suburb of Hay Madi from reaching his building by car, citing security concerns as a pretext.

The incident escalated into an exchange of insults and then a fistfight before shots were fired by an Amal supporter. Other armed individuals intervened, demanding the checkpoint be removed, and the residential area became a war zone as heavy gunfire forced women, children and elderly residents to flee in terror.

Hezbollah security official Samir Kabbani was shot in the head and killed during the fighting. A number of civilians were reportedly injured. The security source said the clash was “not the first but the bloodiest.”

Ali Al-Amin, the editor-in-chief of the Janoubia news website, said a previously declared alliance between Hezbollah and the Amal Movement to confront Israel along the southern border is a forced arrangement and does not reflect any sense of harmony between the parties.

Ashura has “turned from a religious commemoration into an occasion for displaying power,” he added. “Each party now tries to show its capabilities and dominance by encroaching on the territory of others.

“The Hay Madi neighborhood in the southern suburbs of Beirut serves as an extension of the security zone for Hezbollah in the suburbs. Consequently, the clash may have been intended to reinforce the demarcation of influence boundaries.”

The conflict might also have stemmed from a “prevailing atmosphere of demagoguery,” as politicians attempt to appeal to people’s desires and prejudices, Al-Amin added.

Amid the long-running, severe economic crisis in Lebanon, Hezbollah has allocated $3 million to set up religious reception sites, a resident of the southern suburbs said. Each site received $10,000 to fund the distribution of food, drinks and sweets to residents, they added.

Al-Amin said the extravagance of organizing such events indicated “a desire to control the population.”

He added: “These manifestations were not seen last year but are now accompanied by a war led by Hezbollah in the south, resulting in prolonged displacement and unease among residents who had heavily invested in the south under the assumption of its stability.

“Despite the populace’s agitation and their feeling of oppression, disgust and dissatisfaction, they are under the sway of Hezbollah as it is the sole entity that has asserted its capability to compensate the people. Additionally, it wields significant security influence, which may have played a part in the clashes with the Amal movement.

“People might protest and express their dissent but where can they turn to? They will ultimately return to those who offer them protection, and this authority currently lies not with the government but with Hezbollah, who proclaim this both in words and actions.”


Netanyahu appoints Yechiel Leiter as new ambassador to US

Netanyahu appoints Yechiel Leiter as new ambassador to US
Updated 4 sec ago
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Netanyahu appoints Yechiel Leiter as new ambassador to US

Netanyahu appoints Yechiel Leiter as new ambassador to US
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed US-born Yechiel Leiter, an official who previously served as chief of staff in the finance ministry, as the next Israeli ambassador to the United States.
“Yechiel Leiter is a highly capable diplomat, an eloquent speaker, and possesses a deep understanding of American culture and politics,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
His appointment was also welcomed by Yisrael Ganz, the head of the Yesha Council, an umbrella organization representing councils of Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a territory Palestinians want as part of a future state.
Ganz said Leiter, who lives in the Gush Etzion settlement area, as “a key partner in English-language advocacy for Judea and Samaria,” a name used by many Israelis for the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.
Leiter’s appointment came three days after Donald Trump’s election to a second term as US president, celebrated by many Israelis because of his strong support for Israel.
As well as serving in the finance ministry, Leiter also held positions as deputy director general in the Education Ministry and acting chairman of the Israel Ports Company.
His son was killed last year in the Gaza war against Palestinian militant group Hamas while serving with the Israeli military.

Jordan’s King Abdullah returns home after meetings with King Charles, Keir Starmer during UK visit

Jordan’s King Abdullah returns home after meetings with King Charles, Keir Starmer during UK visit
Updated 5 min 34 sec ago
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Jordan’s King Abdullah returns home after meetings with King Charles, Keir Starmer during UK visit

Jordan’s King Abdullah returns home after meetings with King Charles, Keir Starmer during UK visit
  • King Abdullah met Starmer at Downing Street on Wednesday to discuss Middle East crises
  • Meeting with Charles III marked the Jordanian monarch’s silver jubilee — 25 years since ascending to the throne

LONDON: King Abdullah II of Jordan returned home on Friday following a working visit to the UK.

The visit this week featured key engagements with King Charles III and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Earlier in the visit, King Abdullah met Starmer at Downing Street on Wednesday, where discussions reinforced the close ties between the two kingdoms, Jordan News Agency reported.

They also called for an immediate ceasefire and stronger efforts for de-escalation and humanitarian aid in Gaza.

They warned that Israel’s ban on UNRWA activities could worsen the humanitarian crisis and highlighted the need to address violence in the West Bank.

The King emphasized the UK’s crucial role in seeking resolutions to regional conflicts and achieving a just, comprehensive peace based on a two-state solution, JNA added.

King Abdullah then met Charles at Windsor Castle on Thursday.

The occasion marked the Jordanian monarch’s silver jubilee — 25 years since ascending to the throne — and King Charles commemorated the milestone by presenting King Abdullah with a specially engraved silver beaker, featuring the ciphers of the king and queen.

The formal welcome at Windsor began with the Jordanian monarch receiving a royal salute, accompanied by the Jordanian national anthem.

Major Edward Emlyn-Williams, the captain of the guard, invited King Abdullah, in Arabic, to inspect the guard, followed by a military march-past.

The two kings exchanged conversation as they interacted with the guards before proceeding into the castle for tea.

The long-standing relationship between the two monarchs was highlighted by King Charles’s five visits to Jordan as Prince of Wales, most recently in 2021. King Abdullah’s last visit to Charles took place at Buckingham Palace in November 2022.

King Abdullah’s visit comes months after his son and heir, Crown Prince Hussein, and Crown Princess Rajwa welcomed their daughter, Princess Iman, in August.

Britain’s Prince and Princess of Wales attended the wedding of Hussein and Rajwa in June last year.


Israel says it will re-open crossing into Gaza as pressure builds to get more aid in

Israel says it will re-open crossing into Gaza as pressure builds to get more aid in
Updated 08 November 2024
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Israel says it will re-open crossing into Gaza as pressure builds to get more aid in

Israel says it will re-open crossing into Gaza as pressure builds to get more aid in
  • Aid agencies have warned of a gathering humanitarian crisis in the north of the enclave

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said on Friday it was planning to reopen the Kissufim crossing into central Gaza to increase the flow of aid into the southern end of the Gaza Strip.
The move comes amid growing international pressure on Israel to get more aid into Gaza, where aid agencies have warned of a gathering humanitarian crisis in the north of the enclave, where Israeli troops have been conducting a major operation for more than a month.
The new crossing would be opened following engineering work over recent weeks by army engineers to build inspection points and paved roads, the army said.
Last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote to Israeli officials demanding concrete measures to address the worsening situation in the Palestinian enclave.
The letter, which was posted to the Internet by a reporter from Axios, gave the Israeli government 30 days to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Among the demands included in the letter was for the opening of a fifth crossing into Gaza.


Sudan army govt accuses paramilitaries of causing 120 civilian deaths in 2 days

Sudan army govt accuses paramilitaries of causing 120 civilian deaths in 2 days
Updated 08 November 2024
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Sudan army govt accuses paramilitaries of causing 120 civilian deaths in 2 days

Sudan army govt accuses paramilitaries of causing 120 civilian deaths in 2 days
  • The Janjaweed militia (paramilitaries) committed a new massacre in the town of Hilaliya

PORT SUDAN: The Sudanese foreign ministry accused paramilitaries late Thursday of causing at least 120 civilian deaths over two days in Al-Jazira state, reportedly in attacks involving gunfire, food poisoning and lack of medical care.
“The Janjaweed militia (paramilitaries) committed a new massacre in the town of Hilaliya in Al-Jazira state over the past two days, resulting in 120 martyrs so far, killed either by gunfire or due to food poisoning and lack of medical care affecting hundreds of civilians,” the ministry of the army-backed government said in a statement obtained by AFP.


Yemen’s Houthi militants shoot down what they say was a US drone as American military investigates

Yemen’s Houthi militants shoot down what they say was a US drone as American military investigates
Updated 08 November 2024
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Yemen’s Houthi militants shoot down what they say was a US drone as American military investigates

Yemen’s Houthi militants shoot down what they say was a US drone as American military investigates
  • The US military acknowledged the videos circulating online showing what appeared to be a flaming aircraft dropping out of the sky
  • The Houthis claimed to have downed an American MQ-9 Reaper drone

DUBAI: Yemen’s Houthi militants shot down what they described as an American drone early Friday, potentially the latest downing of a US spy drone as the militants continue their attacks on the Red Sea corridor.
The US military acknowledged the videos circulating online showing what appeared to be a flaming aircraft dropping out of the sky and a field of burning debris in what those off-camera described as an area of Yemen’s Al-Jawf province. The military said it was investigating the incident, declining to elaborate further.
It wasn’t immediately clear what kind of aircraft was shot down in the low-quality night video. The Houthis, in a later statement, claimed to have downed an American MQ-9 Reaper drone.
The Houthis have surface-to-air missiles — such as the Iranian missile known as the 358 — capable of downing aircraft. Iran denies arming the militants, though Tehran-manufactured weaponry has been found on the battlefield and in sea shipments heading to Yemen for the Shiite Houthi militants despite a United Nations arms embargo.
The Houthis have been a key component of Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance” during the Mideast wars that includes Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Hamas and other militant groups.
Since Houthis seized the country’s north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the militants have shot down MQ-9 Reaper drones in Yemen in 2017, 2019, 2023 and 2024. The US military has declined to offer a total figure for the number of drones it has lost during that time.
Reapers, which cost around $30 million apiece, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land. The aircraft have been flown by both the US military and the CIA over Yemen for years.
The Houthis have targeted more than 90 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that has also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have also included Western military vessels.
The militants maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran. The tempo of the Houthi sea attacks also has waxed and waned over the months.
In October, the US military unleashed B-2 stealth bombers to target underground bunkers used by the Houthis.