"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
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Hezbollah is just an agent for Iran in its geostrategic conflict with Israel - opinion - The Jerusalem Post
The phrase “yawash yawash” (little by little) – uttered by Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, in the context of tensions with Israel – has become a trend, making him a contender for social media stardom.
This phrase did not appear in Nasrallah’s speech randomly but as part of the philosophy and general objectives of his discourse. Nasrallah realized that his audience had grown weary of threats and promises, and that the cost of Hezbollah’s behavior in Lebanon had escalated.
Lebanon, already facing many accumulated problems, would now potentially be subject to a wide-scale Israeli attack in response to any major military operation the political party might carry out, either in retaliation for the killing of one of its senior leaders, Fuad Shukr, or participating with Iran in its potential attack against Israel – or both.
MP Sayegh: Open Qleiat airport and announce plans to open Hamat and Rayak Airbases - LBC
MP Salim Sayegh held a press conference at the Parliament, where he argued that the best course of action would be to open Qleiat airport and plan to open Hamat Airbase once legal and technical preparations are completed, with similar steps for Rayak airbase.
Sayegh announced that an urgent draft law with a single article would be submitted to expedite the necessary study within three months, requiring the government to begin implementation.
He noted that this basic legislative approach represents the minimum commitment and will be signed by the Lebanese Kataeb Bloc.
He voiced concerns that the war could escalate before the parliamentary process is completed, which would delay necessary actions.
He stressed that while the legislative process is essential, immediate steps should be taken on the ground without any delay.
He noted that Qlayaat Airbase doesn't require new legislation and can be immediately operational.
The delay is due to a minister's claim about the absence of a control tower, which is invalid given coverage from other towers in Beirut, Cyprus, and Syria.
He noted that Hamat Airbase is suitable for military and some civilian flights. It will likely handle most foreign evacuations during wartime, proving its capability as a civilian airport.
He noted that for Rayak Airbase, it is essential to prepare the necessary studies to convert it into a mixed military-civilian airport as part of Lebanon's overall aviation plan.
He emphasized that the best approach is to open Qleiat Airport and announce plans to open Hamat Airport as soon as legislative and study processes are completed, followed by Rayak Airbase.
Hezbollah attacks Golan in response to overnight Bekaa strike - Naharnet
Hezbollah has launched more than 50 rockets, hitting a number of private homes in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.
The attack on Wednesday came a day after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar as he pressed ahead with the latest diplomatic mission to secure a cease-fire in the war in Gaza, even as Hamas and Israel signaled that challenges remain.
Hamas in a new statement called the latest proposal presented to it a "reversal" of what it agreed to previously and accused the U.S. of acquiescing to what it called "new conditions" from Israel. There was no immediate U.S. response.
First responders in Golan Heights said they treated a 30-year-old man who was moderately wounded with shrapnel injuries in Wednesday’s attack. One house was engulfed in flames, and firefighters said they prevented a bigger tragedy by stopping a gas leak.
Hezbollah said the attack was in response to an Israeli strike deep into Lebanon on Tuesday night that killed one and injured 19. On Tuesday, Hezbollah launched more than 200 projectiles toward Israel, after Israel targeted a Hezbollah weapons depot some 80 kilometers from the border, a significant increase in the daily skirmishes.
Israel and Hezbollah have traded near-daily strikes for more than 10 months against the backdrop of Israel’s war on Gaza. The exchanges have killed more than 500 people in Lebanon — mostly militants but also including around 100 civilians and non-combatants — and 23 soldiers and 26 civilians in Israel.
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it, saying it needs the strategic plateau for its security. The United States is the only country to recognize Israel’s annexation, while the rest of the international community considers the Golan to be occupied Syrian territory.
Hezbollah fighter killed as drones target cars in Sidon and Beit Leef - Naharnet
An Israeli drone targeted Wednesday a car in the city of Sidon near the Ain el-Helweh camp, hours after another drone strike on a car in the southern town of Beit Leef killed a Hezbollah fighter.
In response to the Beit Leef strike, Hezbollah targeted the Hadb Yaroun post in northern Israel.
The group also targeted Israeli soldiers in the Zar'it barracks with artillery shells.
Sources told Saudi Al-Arabiya news channel that the man targeted in Sidon is Khalil al-Maqdah, the brother of Fatah Movement official Mounir al-Maqdah.
Hezbollah had launched Wednesday more than 50 rockets on the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights in response to a midnight strike on Bekaa that killed a Hezbollah fighter and injured 20 people.
An Israeli army spokesman accused Hezbollah of "firing indiscriminately at Israeli civilians" in the Golan's Katzrin, warning that Israel will act to "protect its citizens."
Four Hezbollah fighters were also killed Tuesday in the southern border village of Dhayra and two Syrian civilians, including a shepherd, were killed Wednesday in Israeli shelling on al-Wazzani and the outskirts of al-Khiam.
Israeli artillery shelled Wednesday al-Litani and the outskirts of Deir Mimas in south Lebanon.
Warplanes and drones had raided overnight the southern border towns of Aita al-Shaab, Houla, Alma al-Shaab, al-Naqoura and Wadi Hamoul.
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
IDF strikes Hezbollah military structure in southern Lebanon - The Jerusalem Post
The IAF struck a military structure in the Al-Matmoura area of southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah terrorists were operating, the IDF announced on Tuesday.
The strike was in response to a Hezbollah unmanned aircraft incursion over the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights.
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-815617
Lübnan'dan İsrail'in kuzeyine onlarca füze ve İHA saldırıları düzenlendi - Anadolu Ajansı
İsrail ordusundan yapılan yazılı açıklamada, Lübnan'ın güneyinden İsrail'in kuzeyine 40 füze fırlatıldığı belirtildi.
Ordu açıklamasında akşam saatlerinde çok sayıda İHA'nın Lübnan topraklarından İsrail'in kuzeyine gönderildiği aktarıldı.
Hava savunma sistemlerinin İHA'ların bazılarını düşürdüğü, bazı İHA'ların ise Golan Tepelerine düştüğü ifade edildi.
Hizbullah'tan yapılan yazılı açıklamada ise İsrail ordusuna ait 2 askeri karargahın hava saldırısıyla hedef alındığı kaydedildi.
Açıklamada, saldırılarda ölen ya da yaralanan olup olmadığına dair bilgi verilmedi.
Hezbollah rockets rain down on Israeli army bases after airstrikes hit east Lebanon - The Cradle
Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets at Israeli bases in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights on 20 August in response to heavy airstrikes that hit eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa region hours earlier.
“In response to the Israeli enemy’s aggression that targeted the Bekaa region, the Islamic Resistance fighters bombed … the headquarters of the 210th Golan Division in the Nafah barracks and the headquarters of the Artillery Regiment and Armored Brigade of the 210th Division in the Yarden barracks, with intensive barrages of rockets,” Hezbollah said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Israeli army said around 55 rockets were fired at the Galilee and Golan Heights on 20 August, claiming some were intercepted and others hit open areas.
According to Al Mayadeen, Hezbollah fired over 100 rockets during the operation.
“Barrages were also fired at settlements that had not been evacuated, some were intercepted – and fires broke out in the area,” the Hebrew news site Ynet reported.
The Hezbollah rocket attack came the morning after violent Israeli airstrikes targeting Al-Safri, Tamnin al-Tahta, and Sareyn in the Bekaa Valley. Massive explosions were seen in videos circulating on social media.
Rockets from Lebanon ignite fires in northern Israel - Naharnet
Israel’s military said that a barrage of 55 rockets from Lebanon has ignited fires in northern Israel.
The military said Tuesday that only some of the projectiles were intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems, while others fell in open areas. Firefighters were working to contain the blazes.
Hezbollah said it fired “intense barrages of missiles” at military positions in Israel’s north. Israel said it struck the areas where the missiles were launched in Lebanon.
Monday, August 19, 2024
‘Christian role in Lebanon has ended,’ says Hezbollah-affectionate commentator - The Jerusalem Post
Pro-Hezbollah commentator Reda Saad stirred up a virtual storm in Lebanon following a sharp attack against his Christian compatriots, when he claimed that the Christians’ role in the country is over and American battleships are coming to the region to take them away.
In his controversial rant during an interview with Lebanon On News, Saad addressed his “Christian brethren in Lebanon,” as he named them, warning them to pay attention carefully to his words.
“I fear that the Christians in Lebanon will face a similar destiny to that of the Afghans, when they clung to the wheels of the American helicopters and are thrown from the sky,” he said provocatively. “I fear that you won’t have an airport or a port [to flee from]. And perhaps the foreign warships are coming to take you, to the last of you.”
İsrail'in Lübnan'ın doğusundaki Bekaa bölgesine düzenlediği hava saldırısında 8 kişi yaralandı - Anadolu Ajansı
Lübnan Sağlık Bakanlığından yapılan açıklamada, İsrail savaş uçaklarının Bekaa bölgesine düzenlediği saldırılarda ilk belirlemelere göre 6 Lübnan vatandaşı ile 5 ve 15 yaşlarındaki Suriye uyruklu 2 çocuğun yaralandığı belirtildi.
Açıklamada, tüm yaralıların acil servislerde tedavi altına alındığı kaydedildi.
Lübnan resmi haber ajansı NNA, İsrail savaş uçaklarının, Baalbek kentine bağlı 3 beldeye hava saldırıları düzenlediğini duyurdu.
Baalbek'teki Duhur el-Ayrun, Curud Nebi Şit ve Suheyle beldelerinin peş peşe hedef alındığı, Lübnan semalarında İsrail İHA'larının görüldüğü ifade edildi.
İsrail ordusunun Lübnan'ın güneyinde bir araca düzenlediği hava saldırısında da 1 kişinin öldüğü bildirilmişti.
3 UNIFIL troops injured in Israeli airstrike on Dhayra - Naharnet
Three United Nations peacekeepers suffered light injuries Sunday, the U.N. said, after a blast near their vehicle close to Lebanon's southern border, where Hezbollah and Israel have traded near-daily fire.
Hezbollah has exchanged cross-border fire with the Israeli army in support of ally Hamas since the Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war.
"Earlier today, three peacekeepers on patrol were lightly injured when an explosion occurred near their clearly marked U.N. vehicle in the vicinity of Yarine, in south Lebanon," the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement.
"All peacekeepers in the patrol returned safely to their base. We are looking into the incident," it added.
Earlier Sunday, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency had reported that "Israeli enemy warplanes" struck the village of Dhayra, about one kilometer (0.6 miles) from Yarine, "resulting in injuries."
A UNIFIL source told AFP the explosion that injured the peacekeepers was probably a nearby air strike, but "not a direct hit."
https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/307333-3-unifil-troops-injured-in-israeli-airstrike-on-dhayra
Reality and Illusion - This is Beirut
The people of the Middle East, particularly Lebanese, Israelis, Palestinians, and their near neighbors are understandably living on a knife’s edge of uncertainty about what’s next ever since the killing of Ismael Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, 2024. It was a humiliation for the Iranians to have an honored terrorist guest assassinated in a high-security guest house amidst the celebratory inauguration of their new president, whose predecessor had been humiliatingly killed in the crash of a state-owned and controlled helicopter. Iranian leaders could hardly fume and bluster about their intended retaliation without suffering further loss of face.
Those of us without access to intelligence can only speculate, but what exactly is it that people think the Iranians are going to do? After their last big humiliation, the assassination of a senior IRGC commander and his immediate staff in Damascus in April, the Iranians launched a salvo of drones and missiles that Israel and neighboring states successfully parried. At the state-to-state level, Iran cannot sustain a fight with Israel. It is likely instead to pursue this phase of its campaign against Israel, which started on October 7, back again at the level of asymmetrical proxy war. That way, Iranian leaders have more advantages and fewer risks. Nonetheless, Hezbollah seems loath to escalate too aggressively; a full-blown war with Israel is hardly in the interest of its Iranian master. After all, Hezbollah’s arsenal was not built to defend Lebanon, but to deter Israel from attacking Iran.
https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/world/283179
Israel strikes Hezbollah arms depots in Baalbek region - Naharnet
Israel struck Hezbollah weapons depots on Monday deep in Lebanon's east, a source close to the group told AFP, away from the southern border that has witnessed near-daily clashes between Hezbollah and Israel.
The source close to Iran-backed Hezbollah said "Israel strikes in the (eastern) Bekaa region targeted Hezbollah weapons depots," and Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said three locations in Lebanon's east witnessed "enemy Israeli raids this evening."
Videos from the scene showed a large fire and multiple explosions following the initial strike.
A similar scene took place last month after an Israeli airstrike on the southern coastal village of Adloun hit an arms depot, setting off a series of explosions that hit nearby villages with shrapnel.
https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/307349-israel-strikes-hezbollah-arms-depots-in-baalbek-region
Israel intensifies Lebanon strikes, kills Hezbollah commander, hits warehouse - Al-Monitor
Israel said it killed a prominent Hezbollah member on Monday evening, following strikes against weapons warehouse for the Iran-backed group deep inside Lebanon.
The Israeli government said in a post on X that its fighter jets struck Hezbollah weapons storage facilities in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. “Following the strikes, secondary explosions were identified, indicating the presence of large amounts of weapons in the facilities struck,” they said.
Israel added that its air force killed Hussein Ali Hussein in separate strikes in south Lebanon. The Israeli authorities identified him as "significant terrorist" in Hezbollah’s rocket and missile unit based in southern Lebanon, close to the Israeli border. Hussein was in the Deir Qanoun area of southern Lebanon at the time of the strike, the Israeli official readout said.
Hezbollah confirmed Hussein’s death later Monday evening, referring to him as Hussein Ali Hussein Suleiman, also known as Malak. The group said Hussein was born in 1988 in the village of Tarbikha, presently located in Israel just over the Lebanese border, and lived in Deir Qanoun. Hussein was “martyred on the way to Jerusalem,” Hezbollah said, according to its TV outlet, Al-Manar.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported that eight people were injured in the Israeli strike on the warehouse in Bekaa. Citing the Health Ministry, the agency said six Lebanese citizens, a 5-year-old Syrian girl and a 15-year-old Syrian girl were being treated in the hospital.
The outlet reported at around 8:50 p.m. local time (1:50 p.m. ET) that three Israeli raids occurred in the Baalbek district of Bekaa. The first occurred in Saraain El Tahta, the second outside of Nabi Chit and the third between Tamnine El Tahta and Qsarnaba, according to the agency.
Al-Manar reported Israeli raids in the same area, citing its correspondent.
Video on social media showed projectiles near the site of the explosion, with some claiming that an arms depot was hit.
Geagea urges involving private sector in power generation - Naharnet
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Monday noted that the electricity crisis of the past two days proves that the management of the electricity sector has been a “total failure” for the past 15 years.
“There is not a single indication that this management will change, and accordingly only one solution remains: involving the private sector immediately in the process of producing electricity and distributing it across Lebanon,” Geagea said.
He accordingly called on the head of the public works parliamentary committee, MP Sajih Atiyeh, to speed up the discussion of one or two draft laws in his possession in order to send them to the Joint Committees as soon as possible.
Geagea also called on Speaker Nabih Berri to call for an urgent parliamentary session in order to “pull the Lebanese citizen out of darkness.”
The state-run Zahrani Oil Installations on Saturday pumped five million liters of fuel oil on loan to the Zahrani power plant through the supply line that connects them, a day after Lebanon’s state utility Electricité du Liban announced that its power plants had exhausted their supply of fuel oil and would stop producing electricity.
Sunday, August 18, 2024
Rai Unveils What Citizens in Southern Lebanon Sent to Him in Letters - This is Beirut
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai stated, “We have received letters from (inhabitants of) southern Lebanon describing their catastrophic situation due to the war. In front of this dark tunnel, our people are divided: some have been forced to flee, while others have remained on their land to preserve their livelihoods, and this group challenges all difficulties.”
In his Sunday sermon from Diman, the Maronite Patriarch pointed out that “the events we are experiencing, including conflicts, wars, and the maltreatment of Christians, raise many questions,” highlighting “the role of the Church and Christians in preserving the image of Christ in every person.”
Rai also asserted that “at a time when talks are taking place in the region, it is essential to elect a president of the Republic, especially since the Parliament has lost its power of legislation.”
The Last to Leave Switches the Lights Off… - This is Beirut
This sentence was once scrawled along the road to Buenos Aires airport. At that time, amid a crisis, Argentina was experiencing a massive wave of emigration.
In Lebanon, innovation is in full swing. While the last Lebanese hasn’t quite left yet (but we’re getting there), the power has been shut off. Today, the state’s electricity, or “dawleh” as the Lebanese call it, has become a thing of the past. At this stage, one should be entitled to raise some pertinent questions.
So, where did the $45 billion allocated for electricity go? Since 2010, a series of Energy ministers have cycled through, all closely affiliated with the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM). Yet another stellar achievement for the FPM, alongside their alliance with Hezbollah, which has pushed the country into a deadlock on every front. Today, the party is getting a “makeover.” Some of its most prominent and brilliant members have either left or been ousted. Their sin? Thinking. What an absurd notion! The FPM is like a baby walker: it staggers in every direction and bumps into every wall.
Saturday, August 17, 2024
'Not interested in a broad war': Former Hezbollah official says response may be limited - The Jerusalem Post
A former senior Hezbollah official told the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Anbaa on Saturday that he expects a measured response from the organization following the assassination of senior official Fuad Shukr Abu Mohsen, as "the organization is not interested in a broad war."
According to the report, Hezbollah did not place much hope in the talks held by the American envoy Amos Hochstein and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné, as they claimed that Israel did not commit to reducing tensions and even continued actions against the organization's senior members.
The former official estimated that in his upcoming speech, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah will "console the people" and that the speech is expected to come after the organization's response to Shukr's assassination.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-815100
Hezbollah attacks Israeli settlement in response to Nabatieh massacre - Arab News
BEIRUT: Hezbollah said on Saturday that it struck the Ayelet Hashahar kibbutz in northern Israel in retaliation for a new massacre in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military said that two soldiers were wounded in a rocket attack from Lebanon, adding that a total of 55 rockets had been fired in the latest strikes.
Hezbollah said that its attack came in response to “the Israeli army’s assaults on the Kfour village in Nabatieh, north of the Litani Line, earlier on Saturday, killing 10 people, including Syrian children and their mother, and injuring others, including Sudanese workers.”
Hezbollah said that it added Ayelet HaShahar to its firing schedule and struck the settlement with Katyusha rockets for the first time.
According to Hezbollah’s military media, the settlement “is located northeast Safad in the upper Galilee and some 10 km from the Lebanese southern border.”
In another statement, Hezbollah announced “targeting a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the Al-Burj site with two attack drones, hitting it directly.”
Israeli media outlets said that “the barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon toward the north landed in areas that weren’t evacuated, causing fires to erupt.”
They added that “violent explosions were heard in Safad and its surroundings, in addition to heavy shelling with dozens of rockets launched from Lebanon toward the upper Galilee, causing casualties.
“Ambulances headed to the perimeter of the Mahanayim intersection, while the Hatzor HaGlilit area experienced a power outage following the bombing.”
Israeli Army Radio said that “around 40 rockets were launched from Lebanon toward the upper Galilee.”
The Israeli media reported that “a drone exploded in Margaliot, the upper Galilee,” adding that “settlers of areas located in the Hula valley in the upper Galilee were instructed to stay near shelters.”
Tension escalated on the Lebanese southern border on Friday night and Saturday morning, as 10 people died in Kfour, Nabatieh, as a result of an Israeli raid that targeted a building in the village.
The raid hit a cement stone factory in the industrial zone of Toul-Kfour.
Countrywide power outages as EDL announces complete depletion of fuel oil reserves - L'Orient Today
BEIRUT — As of midday Saturday "the last operational unit at the Zahrani power plant was forced to shut down completely, due to the complete depletion of the plant's fuel oil reserves, resulting in a total power outage across all Lebanese territories," the state power provider Electricité du Liban (EDL) announced in a statement.
The shutdown affects "essential facilities such as the airport, port, water pumps, sewage systems and prisons," the statement said.
EDL said that it "will reactivate the units that were forced offline, in line with the reserves available, once fuel oil is secured, and subsequently, power and electricity supply will be gradually restored to their previous levels."
EDL "will keep all citizens informed of any developments regarding electricity supply through subsequent statements on this matter," the statement concluded.
Contacted by our publication, the caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayad indicated a timeline of 24-48 hours for the restoration of power. Fayad stated that a procedure is being finalized to transfer, in the next 24 to 48 hours, fuel compatible with EDL's power stations that is stored in Lebanese oil installations.
According to the caretaker minister, this will in principle enable EDL to operate 200 megawatts of production units to enable EDL to hold out until the next delivery of fuel, which should take place on Aug. 25.
The South Lebanon Water Establishment meanwhile said in a statement Saturday that the EDL outage has had a "significant impact on its ability to pump adequate water supplies" following the shutdown of the last functioning production unit at the Zahrani power plant.
In response, the South Lebanon Water Establishment is “urging citizens to conserve water as much as possible due to the expected reduction in water supply. Although the institution will activate its generators to mitigate the effects of the power outage, these measures are not enough to fully compensate for the reduced water production. As a result, the establishment may not be able to adequately serve all cities and towns within its coverage area.”
“Citizens are advised to take immediate precautions and limit water usage until further notice,” the statement concluded.
On Wednesday, following a cabinet meeting chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, the cabinet announced that an agreement had been reached to "purchase some of the necessary fuel" to prevent Electricité du Liban (EDL) from shutting down all its power plants.
Lübnan Başbakanı, ülkenin güneyine yönelik saldırılarını durdurması için İsrail'e baskı yapılmasını istedi - Anadolu Ajansı
Lübnan Başbakanı Necib Mikati, Lübnan'ın güneyine yönelik saldırılarını durdurması için İsrail'e baskı yapılmasını talep etti.
Lübnan resmi haber ajansı NNA'ya göre, Mikati, İngiltere Dışişleri Bakanı David Lammy ile telefon görüşmesi gerçekleştirdi.
İsrail ordusunun Lübnan'ın güneyinde 10 kişinin ölümüne neden olan saldırısının ardından gerçekleşen görüşmede, ülkenin güneyindeki gelişmeler ele alındı.
Mikati, Lübnan'ın güneyindeki köy ve kasabalara düzenlediği, ölümlere ve büyük yıkıma neden olan saldırılarını durdurması için İsrail'e baskı yapılmasını istedi.
Lübnan Başbakanı, şiddet sarmalının, istenmeyen sonuçlar doğuracak bir gerilime neden olmasından endişe ettiğini dile getirdi.
İngiltere Dışişleri Bakanı Lammy ise gerilimin düşürülmesi için diplomatik temaslarını artıracağını vurguladı.
İsrail savaş uçaklarının bugün Lübnan'ın güneyindeki Nebatiye vilayetine bağlı Kefur Şimali'de bir metal fabrikasına düzenlediği saldırıda Suriye uyruklu 2'si çocuk 10 kişi hayatını kaybetmişti.
İsrail, Lübnan'a korku salmak için bir psikolojik savaş yöntemi olarak sonik patlamalara başvuruyor - Anadolu Ajansı
İsrail ordusu ve Hizbullah Hareketi arasında 8 Ekim 2023'ten bu yana sınır üzerinde "kontrolü çatışmalar" yaşanıyor. İsrail'e ait savaş uçakları özellikle Lübnan'ın güneyindeki hava sahasını ihlal edip sınır bölgelerinde ses duvarını aşarak sonik patlamalar gerçekleştiriyordu.
Ancak İsrail işgali altındaki Golan Tepelerinde bulunan Dürzi Mecdel Şems kentine yönelik 27 Temmuz'da düzenlenen roket saldırısı ve ardından İsrail'in misilleme bahanesiyle başkent Beyrut'a Hizbullah'ın 2 numaralı ismi Fuad Şükür'ü öldürmesiyle birlikte taraflar arasındaki tansiyon yükseldi.
Mecdel Şems olayından önce İsrail'e ait savaş uçakları sadece Lübnan'ın güneyindeki Sur, Nebatiye ve Sayda kentlerinde sonik patlamalar gerçekleştirirken, 27 Temmuz'dan sonra yoğun bir şekilde ve art arda başkent Beyrut'ta da benzer durumlar yaşanmaya başladı.
AA muhabiri psikolojik bir savaşın parçası olan "sonik patlamaların" başkent Beyrut sakinleri üzerinde yarattığı etkileri uzman isimlere ve vatandaşlara sordu.
İç savaşın acı anıları hafızada yer buluyor
Beyrut'ta yaşalan Psikolog Dr. Riham Monzer, sonik patlamaların meydana gelmesinin ardından özel kliniğine bu şikayetlerden dolayı gelen yetişkin ve çocukların sayısında ciddi bir artışın yaşandığını belirtiyor.
Yetişkinler üzerinde yarattığı etkiye değinen Monzer, şunları ifade etti:
"Patlama, korku yaratmanın yanı sıra birçok savaş görmüş Lübnanlıları geçmişe de götürüyor. Lübnan'daki iç savaştan şu ana kadar ülkedeki önemli birçok süreçte ölüm ve çatışmalar yaşandı. Birisi patlamayı duyduğu zaman daha önce hafızasında ölüm gibi kötü hatıraların olduğu iç savaş veya diğer çatışma günlerini anımsayıp yeniden o durumun yaşanacağı tedirginliği hissediyor. Maalesef ses duvarını aşan sonik patlamalar toplumsal hafızada yara açıyor."
Patlamaların çocuklar üzerinde nasıl bir etki bıraktığı ve bunun nasıl idare edilmesi gerektiği hususunda Monzer, "Ailelerin veya yetişkinlerin sonik patlamaya vermiş olduğu tepkiye göre çocuklar da hareket ediyor. Büyüklerde yaşanan korku direkt çocuklara da yansıyor ve onların korkularını artırıyor. Normalde patlamadan dolayı çocuklarda çok büyük bir korkuyu gözlemlemiyoruz ancak yetişkinler korkup panik olunca, bu korku onlardan direkt çocuklara geçiyor." diye konuştu.
Friday, August 16, 2024
Hezbollah unveils underground Imad 4 missile facility: Footage - Al-Mayadeen
Hezbollah, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, has released a new video showcasing a sophisticated underground facility and an extensive tunnel network, complete with missile launchpads.
The video titled "Our Mountains, Our Strongholds" features the Imad 4 facility, which highlights the Resistance's missile capabilities.
The footage reveals Hezbollah freedom fighters inside a sophisticated underground complex, with visible signs marking the facility as Imad 4, and displaying the Quranic verse: "Prepare against them whatever you can of [military] power."
The video also shows missile trucks moving from within the facility toward a blast door, preparing them for launch.
Profiting from displacement - Now Lebanon
As more than 100,000 people have been displaced from south Lebanon since hostilities along border areas broke out on October 8, rents across Beirut and Mount Lebanon – but generally all over the country – have recently skyrocketed from an average of 300 dollars to as high as 1,400 per month, a 367% increase, with real estate agents also demanding months of rent in advance, The Public Source reported.
Alongside appeals for solidarity for the populations affected by the war – the Palestinians in Gaza, first and foremost, but also the Lebanese of the south and the Beqaa valley, Facebook walls are crowded with dozens of posts that read: “Furnished apartment for rent in Al-Kfour area – ground floor with garden – 12 amp solar energy – gas stove – air conditioners – very quiet location – monthly rent of 500 dollars – insurance of 200 dollars – office fees – small family wanted;” or, in the southern district of Nabatieh, directly hit by Israeli airstrikes: “Furnished apartment for rent in Kfar Jouz, 5 rooms for rent 700 dollars;” “Independent house for rent in Nabatieh, 600 dollars, unfurnished;” “Apartment for rent in Deir Al-Zahrani, ground floor, 3 bedrooms, rent 500 dollars, 3 months in advance;” “Furnished apartment for rent in Upper Nabatieh, fourth-last floor, area of 170 square meters, American system, water well 24/24 – solar energy 10 amps – contract for one year – monthly rent 500 dollars.”
And the reality in the Beirut governorate and its mountain regions – until now unaffected by direct Israeli attacks, with the exception of the capital’s southern suburbs – is even harsher, with rents reaching 1,500 dollars per month.
At the opposite extreme of the solidarity economy – the harsh logic of profit, where the displaced families from the border areas, while cities are emptied of foreigners or citizens with the possibility to leave the country, instead of being welcomed free-of-charge in vacant and relatively safe apartments, are burdened with exorbitant rents: as long as the owners earn something from them. Surely, the fear of Hezbollah commanders hiding among the displaced – the risk of transforming Beirut and Mount Lebanon into a new south, torn by targeted Israeli strikes – is also pushing many Lebanese not to rent their emptier and emptier apartments to the displaced civilians, aggravating the sectarian tensions latent beneath Lebanon’s social fabric. But if safety, in the context of war, becomes a relative concept – profit surely does not.
Geagea accuses govt of 'high treason' over south - Naharnet
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday accused the caretaker government of committing “high treason” due to “what’s happening in the south.
“It is responsible for the Lebanese people, even if it is a caretaker government,” Geagea said at a press conference.
“U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein arrived carrying proposals and met with a number of officials, but he takes the answer from Hezbollah through mediators,” Geagea added.
“We do not want a civil war but we want to discuss the matters as they should be discussed,” the LF leader went on to say, calling on the government to “take charge of things” in the south.
Geagea also called for the gradual implementation of Resolution 1701, Hezbollah’s pullback from the border by 8 or 10 kilometers and the Lebanese Army’s control of this area.
“The government must take a patriotic decision, seeing as it should not be a mere subordinate that says and does what Hezbollah wants,” Geagea added.
https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/307303-geagea-accuses-govt-of-high-treason-over-south
Egypt FM affirms Arab support for Lebanese security in Beirut talks Previous - Arab News
BEIRUT: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said in Beirut on Friday that Cairo will “make every possible effort to spare Lebanon and its brotherly people the woes of any uncalculated escalation.”
Abdelatty condemned “all provocative policies, including the violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty.”
He repeated Egypt’s rejection of “the Israeli aggression on Beirut’s southern suburb and the policy of assassinations.”
Abdelatty added that the security and stability of Lebanon “is an Egyptian interest and an Arab interest that we are working on maintaining.”
His talks in Beirut came two days after visits by US mediator Amos Hochstein and French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne.
Thursday, August 15, 2024
Majdal Shams, the Gambler & the Carpet Weaver - Al-Mayadeen
On July 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the Kremlin during an unannounced visit to Moscow. During the meeting, the Russian President informed his Syrian counterpart, "I am very interested in your opinion on how the situation in the region as a whole is developing," adding, "Unfortunately, there is a tendency towards escalation, we can see that. This also applies directly to Syria."
While many news agencies and analysts have linked this unannounced meeting between the two leaders to recent attempts to broker a rapprochement between Syria and Turkey, the latest Israeli provocations and regional escalation, present a different perspective. This is particularly evident when considering Putin’s remarks about a “tendency towards escalation," which he specifically applied to Syria.
https://english.almayadeen.net/articles/blog/majdal-shams--the-gambler---the-carpet-weaver
Hizbullah, ABD’nin “havucunu” kabul etmedi - Harici
ABD, İran’ın İsrail’e Heniyye suikastı nedeniyle misilleme yapmasını önlemek için Gazze’de ateşkes müzakerelerini yeniden canlandırırken aynı taktiği Lübnan’da da uygulamak için ABD Başkanı’nın Kıdemli Danışmanı Amos Hochstein’i bölgeye gönderdi.
İsrail-Hizbullah geriliminin başladığı 8 Ekim’den bu yana bölgeye 5. Ziyaretini gerçekleştiren Hochstein Lübnanlı yetkililerle görüştü.
Hizbullah’ın müttefiki olan Lübnan Meclis Başkanı Nebih Berri ile yaptığı görüşmenin ardından, Hochstein, “Gazze’de ateşkes için masada olan çerçeve anlaşmasını ele aldıklarını ve artık kaybedecek zaman olmadığı ve daha fazla gecikme için taraflardan herhangi birinin geçerli bir mazereti kalmadığı konusunda hemfikir olduklarını” söyledi.
Hochstein, “Diplomatik bir çözüme ulaşılabileceğine inanıyoruz çünkü hiç kimsenin Lübnan ve İsrail arasında tam ölçekli bir savaşı gerçekten istemediğine inanmaya devam ediyoruz” ifadelerini kullandı. ABD temsilcisi ayrıca, yaptığı açıklamada diplomasinin “kritik bir noktada” olduğunu söyleyen geçici Başbakan Necip Mikati ile de bir araya geldi.
https://harici.com.tr/hizbullah-abdnin-havucunu-kabul-etmedi/
Al-Rai: ‘Lebanon Needs to Elect a President’ - This is Beirut
Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rai asserted on Thursday that “Lebanon needs to elect a president because he is the only guarantor of unity in diversity.”
In this context, al-Rai cited Article 49 of the Constitution during the Mass of the Feast of Annunciation of Virgin Mary in Diman, which stipulates that the president of the Republic is “the sole head of state and the symbol of national unity.”
Al-Rai also focused on the aspects that unite Christianity and Islam, stressing the need to “return to them and invest them in our national life, which is the basis for the system of cultural and religious pluralism in Lebanon.”
'Israel' faces crippling naval blockade from Iran, Hezbollah: Reports - Al-Mayadeen
"Israel" is reportedly suffering from a de facto naval blockade imposed by Iran and Hezbollah, according to a recent report from the Israeli news outlet Walla! This blockade, which has come into effect "before any missile strikes", has already caused severe operational paralysis in key Israeli ports, and experts warn that the situation could deteriorate further if the ongoing war escalates.
Blockade Without Missiles: A Strategic Move
The report details how this blockade has been strategically enforced by Iran and Hezbollah as a preemptive measure "in anticipation of the expected responses to the assassination of Hezbollah commander martyr Fuad Shukr in Beirut's southern suburbs and Hamas political bureau chief martyr Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran." Despite no missiles being fired, the blockade has effectively crippled "Israel's" maritime trade routes.
Since November, the port of Eilat has been non-operational due to ongoing Yemeni operations in the Red Sea. As a result, shipments destined for Eilat have been redirected to the ports of Haifa and Ashdod. However, with insurance costs skyrocketing and the increasing reluctance of shipowners to send vessels to these ports, the crisis is deepening.
Naim Qassem: ‘The Strike Against Israel Will Take Place’ - This is Beirut
Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, stressed on Thursday that “the decision to respond to Israel has been made and will be implemented.”
This statement by Hezbollah’s number two comes at a time when a meeting sponsored by the United States, Qatar and Egypt is being held in Doha to relaunch talks for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages held by Hamas since October 7, 2023.
Naim Qassem also described the visit of the US President’s envoy Amos Hochstein to Beirut as a “show,” adding that “the United States wants to show that it is acting, while it is talking in a vacuum and has no specific proposals to put forward.”
Israel’s Channel 13 reported that “Israel now believes that Hezbollah is determined to respond to the assassination of one of its leaders, Fouad Shokr.”
It added that “Hezbollah (…) has not yet determined its targets.”
As a reminder, these reprisals, threatened by Hezbollah and its Iranian sponsor, follow the assassination of Hamas bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh – blamed on Israel – which took place in Tehran on July 31, and that of Hezbollah’s senior military officer and close advisor to its Secretary-General, Fouad Shokr, the next day. Shokr killed by the Israeli army in Haret Hreik, in the heart of Beirut’s southern suburbs, Hezbollah’s stronghold.
Almost 400 Hezbollah members dead in 10 months of Israel clashes - Arab News
BEIRUT: Ten months of cross-border violence between Hezbollah and Israeli forces has killed senior commanders and several hundred fighters from the Iran-backed group, causing destruction and displacing tens of thousands on both sides.
Hezbollah has seen more fighters killed since October than when it last went to war with Israel in the summer of 2006.
AFP looks at the mounting toll for the Shiite Muslim movement, which has been trading near-daily fire with the Israeli army in support of Hamas since the Palestinian militant group’s October 7 attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war.
Israeli strikes have killed key Hezbollah commanders in recent months, the most senior of them top operations chief in south Lebanon Fuad Shukr, who died in a raid on Beirut’s southern suburbs on July 30. Hezbollah has vowed to respond to his killing.
In January, a commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, Wissam Tawil, was killed in an Israeli strike on his vehicle in south Lebanon.
Two out of its three area commanders in south Lebanon have also been killed — Mohammed Nasser and Taleb Abdallah.
Hezbollah divided its operations in south Lebanon into three areas following the 2006 war, each with its own “military formation, commander, personnel, weapons and capacities,” the group’s chief Hassan Nasrallah said last month.
He said south of the Litani river comprised two areas: a western sector, covered by Hezbollah’s Aziz unit, and an eastern sector running to the contested Shebaa Farms manned by the group’s Nasr unit, which opened Hezbollah’s cross-border attacks in October.
The third sector, north of the Litani river up to the coastal city of Sidon, is covered by the group’s Badr unit.
Aziz unit commander Nasser was killed in an Israeli strike last month, while Nasr unit commander Abdallah was killed in a raid the month before.
Israel has repeatedly said it has killed other Hezbollah fighters whom it has called “commanders.”
The violence has killed some 570 people in Lebanon, most of them fighters from Hezbollah but also including dozens from allied armed groups including Hamas, according to an AFP tally, with at least 118 civilians among the dead.
On the Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan Heights, 22 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed, according to military figures.
Hezbollah has issued statements announcing the deaths of more than 370 members who have been killed in Lebanon, according to the AFP tally.
The Lebanese group has mostly described them as “martyred on the road to Jerusalem,” the phrase it uses to refer to those killed in Israeli strikes.
Another 25 have been killed in neighboring Syria, where Israel has for years carried out strikes on army positions and pro-Iran fighters, also seeking to cut off Hezbollah supply lines to Lebanon from Tehran.
According to the statements, around 320 of the slain Hezbollah fighters were from south Lebanon, with some 60 from the eastern Bekaa Valley, which borders Syria.
Several south Lebanon villages close to the Israeli border each count around a dozen slain fighters, the statements have indicated.
Around 70 percent of the more than 230 fighters killed since late January, when Hezbollah began to provide the year of birth on its death statements, were aged 40 or under.
At least six were aged 20 or under, with three born the same year as the 2006 war or after it.
A source close to Hezbollah, requesting anonymity, told AFP that fewer than 300 fighters from the group were killed in the 2006 conflict.
Hezbollah has said it is seeking to tie up Israeli military resources in the country’s north in support of ally Hamas.
The escalating attacks have raised fears of a broader conflict, and Lebanon has been on edge since Shukr’s death.
Earlier this month, the heavily armed group said it had carried out 2,500 “military operations” against Israel since October.
It claimed to have targeted “border positions” 1,328 times and “military barracks” 391 times, using a variety of weapons including artillery, rockets, “guided missiles” and “air defense weapons.”
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