Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported on Monday that Israeli warplanes carried out an airstrike near the Rafik Hariri University Hospital in the Jnah area, Beirut.
ORIENT
Bilad al-Sham بلاد الشام
"And I have found both freedom and safety in my madness, the freedom of loneliness and the safety from being understood, for those who understand us enslave something in us. But let me not be too proud of my safety. Even a Thief in a jail is safe from another thief. "
Khalil Gibran (How I Became a Madman)
Khalil Gibran (How I Became a Madman)
Lübnan Marunîleri / Yasin Atlıoğlu
NEWS AND ARTICLES / HABERLER VE MAKALELER
Monday, October 21, 2024
Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut's suburbs after evacuation warnings for five areas - LBC
The Israeli army conducted several airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs late Monday, following earlier evacuation warnings for five areas: Laylaki, Ouzai, Haret Hreik, Borj El Brajneh, and Hadath.
Israeli warplanes massacre Lebanese civilians in Bekaa, South Lebanon - Al-Mayadeen
The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced on Monday that the number of casualties from the Israeli aggression on Lebanon has risen to 2,483 martyrs and approximately 11,628 injured.
The statement noted that the death toll from yesterday's Israeli aggression caused the martyrdom of 19 people and injured 98 others. It is worth noting that the information is being provided by the Ministry's Public Health Emergency Operations Center.
In South Lebanon, 13 were martyred and 36 were injured in the Southern governorate, and six were martyred and 52 injured in the Nabatieh governorate.
This includes four people who were martyred in the town of al-Babiliyeh, including two children, while eight others were injured in Israeli airstrikes.
The Ministry of Health also collected the dismembered body parts of civilians killed in an Israeli airstrike in Kfar Hatta, near Saida. Health authorities are conducting DNA tests to identify the individuals targeted in the attacks, following reports of three individuals missing, while the body of one martyr has been recovered.
Hezbollah says targeted Israeli army intelligence base near Tel Aviv - LBC
Hezbollah said on Monday that it had launched rockets at an army intelligence base in the suburbs of the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.
Hezbollah fighters launched "quality rockets" at "the Glilot base of the Military Intelligence Unit 8200 in the Tel Aviv suburbs," the group said, adding the attack was "in defense of Lebanon," "in response to Israeli aggressions" and dedicated to their slain leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Third week of ground invasion: Israel's intent on creating a buffer zone deep into Lebanon - LBC
Three weeks have passed since the beginning of Israel's ground invasion into South Lebanon, with the claimed objective of returning northern residents to their settlements and dismantling Hezbollah's infrastructure in border villages along the frontier.
The Israeli forces have conducted repeated incursions and withdrawals, engaging in clashes without establishing fixed positions.
However, a pattern reminiscent of Gaza has emerged in southern Lebanon. Entire neighborhoods have been rigged with explosives, detonated, and bulldozed—a strategy replicated in various border villages.
Whole areas have been leveled and reshaped along the Houla and Meiss El Jabal line, such as in the villages of Mhaibib and Yaroun. Mosques have also been rigged and destroyed, as seen in Yaroun and al-Dhayra.
These operations come in addition to the large-scale destruction witnessed in these border villages over the past year. Beneath the devastating scenes of destruction, Israel's aim appears to be discovering Hezbollah's tunnels.
The scale of the destruction signals that this war is different from the wars of 1982 and 2006.
Israel seems intent on creating a buffer zone by altering the landscape of these villages and making it exceedingly difficult for residents to return.
US presidential envoy Amos Hochstein is staying with the government for at least another three months at the request of Vice President Harris - LBC
Sources confirm to LBCI that U.S. presidential envoy Amos Hochstein is staying with the government for at least another three months at the request of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Hezbollah says targeted Israeli troops in Lebanon's Aita al-Shaab village - LBC
The Hezbollah group said it fired at Israeli soldiers located near the municipality of an embattled south Lebanon border village, where state media earlier said the group clashed with troops who blew up houses.
Hezbollah fighters launched "a rocket salvo" at "Israeli enemy soldiers near the municipality of Aita al-Shaab," Hezbollah said in a statement.
Sources: Hochstein's Visit Yielded No Solutions to Israel-Hezbollah Conflict - Kataeb.org
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein that Lebanon could elect a president during the first week after a ceasefire deal is reached, Sky News Arabia quoted knowledgeable sources as saying.
During their meeting early on Monday in Beirut, Berri assured Hochstein that the newly elected president would play a pivotal role in overseeing the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The elected leader would also be tasked with securing a permanent ceasefire.
Hochstein’s visit, however, reportedly highlighted a shift in the U.S. stance regarding any possible amendments to Resolution 1701. Sources indicated that any amendment to Resolution 1701 would require approval from Russia, China, and the United States. Given the complex geopolitical dynamics, there appears to be no immediate plan to pursue such amendments, reflecting the broader international reluctance to engage in this issue.
The sources emphasized that Hochstein's visit did not offer any concrete solutions to the ongoing war raging between Israel and Hezbollah.
Hezbollah fires ballistic missiles into occupied territories - IRNA
The Zionist media reported on Monday that Hezbollah fired long-range ballistic missiles into the occupied Palestinian territories, which led to the activation of the Arrow Missile Defense System.
According to the report, sirens were sounded in Katzrin in the occupied Golan, and the rockets hit the southern occupied Golan.
Massive explosions were also heard in Haifa, Katzrin, and Emek HaHula.
Sirens were also sounded in Zar'it, Shtula, Shomera, and Even Menachem in western Galilee and eastern Nahariyya.
According to media reports, sirens were sounded in Snir in the Galilee, Merom in the northern Golan Heights, and Nahariyya in northern Palestine.
https://en.irna.ir/news/85635101/Hezbollah-fires-ballistic-missiles-into-occupied-territories
Syria says two killed in Israeli strike on Damascus - LBC
Syria's defense ministry said two civilians were killed in an Israeli strike that targeted a vehicle earlier on Monday.
"At approximately 17:05 p.m. (1417 GMT), the Israeli enemy launched an air strike targeting a civilian car in the residential neighborhood of Mazzeh in Damascus, killing two civilians and injuring three," the ministry said in a statement.
Casualties reported as Israeli airstrike hits Merouaniyeh village in Sidon District, Lebanon - LBC
An Israeli airstrike on the village of Merouaniyeh in the Sidon District killed seven and injured several others on Monday.
In a separate incident, another airstrike hit the town of Kharayeb, though no casualties have been reported at this time.
Paying 'Israel's' war bills may force difficult choices: AP - Al-Mayadeen
In addition to the heavy death toll, "Israel's" war on Gaza and Lebanon has been expensive, raising concerns about the long-term impact of the aggression on the occupation's economy. Military spending has surged and growth has stalled, especially in the dangerous border areas that have been evacuated. Economists warn that "Israel" may face a decline in investment and an increase in taxes as the war strains government budgets, forcing a choice between social and military programs.
The Israeli government spends significantly more each month on the military, increasing from $1.8 billion before the war began last year to approximately $4.7 billion by the end of last year, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Last year, the occupation's government spent $27.5 billion on the military, ranking fifteenth globally, behind Poland but ahead of Canada and Spain, both of which have larger populations. Military spending as a percentage of annual economic output stood at 5.3%, compared to about 3.4% for the US and 1.5% for Germany.
PM Mikati meets Hochstein, urges ceasefire and full implementation of Resolution 1701 - LBC
During a meeting with U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati emphasized the priority of achieving a ceasefire and the full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which he described as the cornerstone of stability in the region.
Mikati pointed out that diplomatic efforts are actively ongoing to reach a ceasefire soon.
Hochstein echoed the importance of diplomacy, stating that serious efforts are underway to secure a ceasefire in the coming period.
Exclusive: MP says al-Qard al-Hassan depositors won't lose a penny - Al-Mayadeen
MP Ihab Hamadeh, a member of the Loyalty to the Lebanese Resistance Bloc, assured depositors in al-Qard al-Hassan that they would not lose any of their funds.
His remarks to Al Mayadeen follow a series of aggressive raids by the occupation on Sunday, which specifically targeted branches of al-Qard al-Hassan financial institution in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Baalbek, and southern Lebanon.
Hamadeh emphasized that the foundation serves all Lebanese citizens and noted its provision of scholarships for 5,000 university students studying abroad. He also highlighted that the attacks on al-Qard al-Hassan coincided with the arrival of the US envoy Amos Hochstein in Beirut.
'Everyone not dead or injured is mentally damaged': Israeli army hit by silent crisis - The Cradle
After a year of committing genocide in Gaza, more and more Israeli soldiers are quietly refusing orders to return to the strip to fight, saying they are depressed, worn out, psychologically damaged, and unmotivated, according to a report by Ha-Makom magazine published on 20 October.
The ultra-Orthodox-oriented magazine interviewed multiple soldiers and parents of soldiers who refuse to return to Gaza. When a platoon of 30 soldiers of the Nahal Brigade was recently ordered to enter Gaza for the latest of several tours, only six reported for duty.
“I call it refusal and rebellion,” says Inbal, the mother of one of the soldiers in the platoon.
“They return to the same buildings that they cleaned, each time trapping them anew. They have been to Al-Zaytoun neighborhood three times already. They understand that it is futile and pointless.”
Although they had only a fifth of their personnel, the commander still insisted they enter Gaza.
“Because they were a small team, they couldn't go out on missions. They just stayed there and waited for the time to pass. It was even more unnecessary.”
US, Iran in 'tug of war' over Lebanon - Naharnet
With Iran-backed Hezbollah on the defensive after a series of heavy Israeli blows, the United States and Iran are locked in a showdown over Lebanon's future, analysts said.
Hezbollah, the most powerful regional force backed by Iran, which arms and finances it, has long held sway in Lebanon.
But the group's influence is now in question after Israel's assassination of its leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in a significant setback.
Hezbollah's losses have left Lebanon in a "tug of war between Iran and the United States," said Michael Young of the Carnegie Middle East Center think tank.
"The Israelis with the Americans... are trying to use military force to try to transform the balance of power in Lebanon to their advantage," he told AFP.
"There are no signs that the Iranians are going to accept this without a fight."
Hezbollah is considered better armed than Lebanon's national military and remains the only group that did not put down its weapons after the 1975-90 civil war.
Last year, it opened a new front with Israel over the conflict in Gaza, in support of its ally Hamas.
It carefully calibrated attacks to avoid a full-blown conflict, which eventually came on September 23 when Israel stepped up bombing of Hezbollah strongholds, including south Beirut.
Hezbollah Downs Israeli Hermes 900, Repels Hostile Aircraft, Strikes Enemy Gatherings and Sites - Al-Manar
Hezbollah shot down a new Israeli Hermes 900 drone, the resistance group announced on Monday as it kept up strikes against Israeli gatherings, sites and settlements in the Zionist entity’s north.
Hezbollah’s Military Media declared several operations after midnight on Sunday, stressing they were “in support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, in solidarity with their noble resistance, and in defense of Lebanon and its people.”
The first statement mentioned that the Air Defense Unit of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon shot down an Israeli Hermes 900 late on Sunday.
It’s the eighth Israeli medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV to be downed by Hezbollah since the Lebanese resistance group opened the southern front in support of Gaza on October 8, 2023. Last week, the Hezbollah downed two Hermes 450 drones.
The second statement on Monday mentioned that the Islamic Resistance fighters launched a barrage of rockets targeting an Israeli artillery position in the so-called settlement of Odem.
Israeli airstrikes destroy financial institutions across Lebanon - The Cradle
Israel unleashed a massive wave of airstrikes across Lebanon on the evening of 20 October, targeting buildings linked to Hezbollah’s Al-Qard al-Hassan financial institution, which provides interest-free loans to citizens and other services.
Israeli strikes target Hezbollah's al-Qard al-Hassan in Dahieh, Bekaa, South - Naharnet
Israeli airstrikes were targeting Beirut's southern suburbs on Sunday night, after the Israeli army warned that it would target Hezbollah's al-Qard al-Hassan financial institution in Haret Hreik, Shiyyah, Ghobeiri, Choueifat, Tahwitat al-Ghadir and Burj al-Barajneh.
The National News Agency reported 11 strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, many of them targeting al-Qard al-Hassan. Other strikes hit the association in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley and in the country's south, NNA added.
It also reported that a strike had landed near Beirut's airport, the main entry-point of humanitarian assistance to the country and a major evacuation hub for those fleeing the conflict.
AFP footage showed large plumes of smoke rising close to the facility.
“It’s a big deal,” said David Asher, an expert on illicit financing who has worked at the U.S. Defense and State Departments and is now a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.
“AQAH is a cash-based organization. The cash will be trash” in the event of strikes, he said, adding that it has large accounts with big Lebanese banks.
Al-Qard al-Hassan in a statement called the decision to target it a sign of Israel’s “bankruptcy” and assured customers it had taken “measures” to ensure their funds were safe. A stream of people left the areas surrounding its branches in Beirut.
In one evacuation notice, for the Choueifat area south of Beirut, the Israeli military mislabeled one target, causing confusion and panic. The location was labeled as Grand Cinema ABC Verdun, a theater in an upscale shopping mall in central Beirut more than 10 kilometers (6 miles) away.
'Israel' strikes Lebanon, Beirut Suburb, targets al-Qard al-Hassan - Al-Mayadeen
The Israeli occupation continues its air and ground invasion of Lebanon, increasing the number of civilian casualties across the country.
During a late-night aggression on Sunday, the Israeli occupation targeted several areas in Beirut’s Southern Suburb. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, over the past 24 hours, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 16 people and injured 59. That said, most casualties occurred in southern Lebanon and Nabatieh, with additional injuries reported in the Beqaa region.
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