Hezbollah steps up attacks on Israeli military targets

Smoke rises in northern Israel, at the country's border with Lebanon, in Israel, October 31, 2023. (Reuters)
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Updated 31 October 2023
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Hezbollah steps up attacks on Israeli military targets

  • Israel responded by launching strikes on Lebanese villages and towns, reportedly using phosphorus shells that are banned in civilian areas under international law
  • An expert analyst in Beirut said: ‘Hezbollah perceives the ongoing battles as a crucial fight for survival’ and is aware ‘it will inevitably face similar circumstances following Hamas’ downfall’

BEIRUT: Hezbollah on Tuesday intensified its military operations against Israeli forces by targeting army positions across the southern border of Lebanon. It came as Israel stepped up its ground assault on the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces responded to the Hezbollah activity by launching air and artillery strikes on Lebanese villages and towns, reportedly using phosphorus shells. The use of such weapons in civilian areas is prohibited under international law.

Abbas Hajj Hassan, Lebanon’s agriculture minister, said: “The Israeli army deliberately burned more than 40,000 old olive trees with internationally banned white phosphorus bombs.”

Hezbollah said it had targeted “an Israeli force positioned on Al-Khazzan Hill in the vicinity of the Israeli Orontes site. The attack involved the use of guided missiles, resulting in accurate hits on the Israeli force, and all of its members were killed or wounded.”

The group also claimed to have hit “the Israeli Al-Marj site in Wadi Hunin, opposite the Lebanese town of Markaba, with guided missiles,” and attacked “the Israeli site in Bayad Blida.”

Israeli forces targeted border towns and villages south of the Litani River, and the area around a Lebanese army base in Ras Naqoura, with shells and raids.

In addition, incendiary phosphorus shells reportedly were fired at the forests around the village of Alma Al-Shaab, and the Wadi Al-Aleq area between the towns of Marwahin and Al-Bustan.

In a message posted on social media site X, the Israeli army said: “Fighter aircraft attacked Hezbollah’s infrastructure on Lebanese territory. Among the infrastructure that was attacked, weapons, sites and places used by the organization were destroyed.”

Peacekeepers from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon activated their sirens several times on Monday night as a result of bombing in the south of the country.

According to Amnesty International, the current deployment of phosphorous weapons by Israeli forces is not the only time they have used them recently.

The rights group said: “The Israeli army fired artillery shells containing white phosphorus during military operations along Lebanon’s southern border between Oct. 10 and 16.”

Aya Majzoub, the organization’s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “The Israeli army’s use of white phosphorus in a way that does not distinguish between civilians and military personnel is a horrific act that violates international humanitarian law.

“The illegal use of white phosphorus in the town of Dhahira in Lebanon on Oct. 16 put the lives of civilians in extreme danger, as many of them were taken to hospitals. Village residents were forced to flee, and their homes and cars were burned.”

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah is scheduled to deliver a speech on Friday. In the meantime there is a clear sense of unease among the Lebanese people, with noticeably less activity at markets and on the roads, particularly in the south of the country and in Beirut and its southern suburbs, compared with the more normal daily bustle in the mountainous regions.

There are also signs that some people are making plans to move to the north of the country, should the fighting in the south get worse.

A real estate agent told Arab News: “All the apartments in the town of Faqra (in Mount Lebanon, northeast of Beirut), for example, and furnished apartments there are fully booked and clients have paid advance rents in anticipation of any possible Israeli escalation.”

Lebanon’s Druze leader Walid Jumblatt said he has sent a message to Nasrallah in which he expressed the hope that “the country would not slide into war,” and added that Nasrallah “is aware of the suffering, I believe, and what is required is restraint.”

Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy director for research at the Malcolm Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, told Arab News: “Hezbollah perceives the ongoing battles as a crucial fight for survival. In the event of Hamas’ defeat there would be a notable shift in Israel’s security and military strategy, favoring preemptive strikes. Hezbollah is cognizant that it will inevitably face similar circumstances following Hamas’ downfall.

“Hezbollah is currently increasing the frequency of its strikes on Israeli military sites. Where it used to strike one or two sites, we now count 11 or 12 sites targeted by Hezbollah daily, and this will escalate as the attack on the Gaza Strip progresses.”

Ali said Hezbollah’s escalation will be limited to a specific geographical area and that Nasrallah’s speech on Friday is not expected to result in any deescalation.

In the meantime, he added, there are ongoing discussions in Israel about extending the battlefront at the northern border with Lebanon. Advocates of this approach argue that it is imperative to address the Hezbollah threat in the near future and that there are more feasible objectives that might be achieved on this northern front than in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We are working to effectively deter the northern front and I repeat to Hezbollah, you will make the mistake of your life if you decide to intervene comprehensively in the battle. You will receive a blow that you cannot even imagine.”

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said: “We continue to respond to every threat targeting us from the north, and whoever drags us into war will pay a heavy price.

“We are on the defensive on the Lebanon front and our forces are ready to respond to any aggression from the north. What is happening in Gaza is a message to Hezbollah.”

Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer warned that Israel “does not seek escalation in southern Lebanon but we must be prepared for that.”

Ali suggested that the best option for Hezbollah would be to adopt a more defensive strategy. He said that Nasrallah is likely, during his speech on Friday, to highlight the growing anger among Arabs about Israeli massacres of Palestinians. He predicted the speech would represent a significant moment for the wider Arab community, possibly encouraging many people to participate in demonstrations.

Hezbollah “still has many actions pending within its operational framework,” he said, adding that he fears the potential Israeli retaliation.


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

Updated 14 sec ago
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Yemen’s Houthi rebels 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.

Israeli defense minister officially steps down

Updated 32 min 45 sec ago
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Israeli defense minister officially steps down

  • Israel has been rocked by Gallant’s dismissal, with the news setting off mass protests across the country
  • Israel Katz, his replacement, currently serves as foreign minister and is a longtime Netanyahu loyalist and veteran Cabinet minister
Israel has been rocked by Gallant’s dismissal, with the news setting off mass protests across the country
Israel Katz, his replacement, currently serves as foreign minister and is a longtime Netanyahu loyalist and veteran Cabinet minister

TEL AVIV: Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant officially stepped down Friday in a ceremony that replaced him with Israel Katz, the former foreign minister, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Gallant earlier this week.
Israel has been rocked by Gallant’s dismissal, with the news setting off mass protests across the country. Many in Israel view Gallant as the sole moderate voice in a far-right government, and see his removal as a sign that the far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu has lost interest in returning hostages still held in Gaza.
Israel Katz, his replacement, currently serves as foreign minister and is a longtime Netanyahu loyalist and veteran Cabinet minister.
Also Friday, the Israeli military body handling aid to Gaza, COGAT, said it is preparing to open a new aid crossing into Gaza as the deadline for a US deadline to increase desperately-needed aid into the war-ravaged territory approaches. But the body did not say when the crossing will open nor if aid will be delivered to north of Gaza, where the UN and aid groups say the humanitarian situation is most dire.
The United Nations humanitarian office says Israel’s monthlong offensive in northern Gaza is preventing the estimated 75,000 to 95,000 Palestinians in the north from receiving essential items for their survival.
On Thursday, the Israeli military says it will allow 300 truckloads of humanitarian aid supplied by the United Arab Emirates to enter the Gaza Strip in the coming days. That’s less than the 350 trucks per day that the United States said it wants to see enter the war-ravaged territory.
The Israel-Hamas war began after militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 250 others. Israel’s military response in Gaza has killed more than 43,000 people, Palestinian health officials say. They do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, but say more than half of those killed were women and children.
Hezbollah began firing into Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, in solidarity with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Since the conflict erupted, more than 3,100 people have been killed and some 13,800 wounded in Lebanon, the health ministry reported.

Turkiye, Greece must work together to resolve host of issues, Turkish minister says

Updated 08 November 2024
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Turkiye, Greece must work together to resolve host of issues, Turkish minister says

  • Issues between NATO allies Turkiye and Greece are not limited to disagreements over maritime boundaries and jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean

ANKARA: Issues between NATO allies Turkiye and Greece are not limited to disagreements over maritime boundaries and jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday, adding the historic rivals must work together to resolve them.
Speaking at a press conference in Athens alongside his Greek counterpart, Fidan also repeated Ankara’s view that a federation model to resolve the dispute over the ethnically-split island of Cyprus was no longer viable, calling for a two-state solution.
He also said Turkiye wanted to deepen cooperation with Greece on irregular migration and counter-terrorism, while increasing cooperation on tourism and cultural affairs.


HRW urges immediate action on incendiary weapons amid Gaza, Lebanon wars

Updated 08 November 2024
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HRW urges immediate action on incendiary weapons amid Gaza, Lebanon wars

  • Weaponry ‘among cruelest in modern warfare’: Human Rights Watch
  • ‘A complete ban on incendiary weapons would undoubtedly have the greatest humanitarian benefits’

LONDON:Countries must work to prohibit the use of incendiary weapons amid growing evidence of their harm on civilians in Gaza and Lebanon, Human Rights Watch has said.

The organization released a 28-page report examining the recent use of the weaponry, which can inflict “excruciating burns, respiratory damage and psychological trauma.”

The report draws on HRW interviews with survivors of incendiary weapons, medical professionals and members of civil society.

It comes ahead of a UN meeting in Geneva next week of states party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

HRW urged those countries to condemn the use of incendiary weapons and commit to redressing two loopholes in the treaty’s Protocol III that undermine the protection of civilians.

Since October 2023, Israel has widely deployed airburst and ground-launched white phosphorus munitions in populated areas of Gaza and Lebanon, photographic evidence has shown.

Bonnie Docherty, senior arms adviser at HRW, said: “Incendiary weapons are being used in several conflicts, endangering civilian lives and livelihoods.

“Governments need to take immediate action to protect civilians, civilian infrastructure and the environment from the horrific effects of these weapons.”

HRW described incendiary munitions as “among the cruelest weapons in modern warfare.” As well as harming people, the weapons also cause socioeconomic and environmental damage by burning homes and crops, it said.

Israel has used white phosphorus munitions, a type of incendiary weapon, in at least 17 Lebanese municipalities, including five cases of illegally deployed airburst weapons over southern Lebanon, between October 2023 and June this year.

CCW Protocol III, signed by 117 countries, contains loopholes permitting white phosphorus and features weaker regulations for ground-launched munitions than air-launched weaponry, HRW said.

Hundreds of Lebanese civilians have been displaced following Israeli white phosphorus attacks, with survivors suffering respiratory damage months after exposure.

Lebanese olive groves, a crucial source of income for many, have also come under attack, with white phosphorus able to start wildfires and cause long-term damage to soil quality.

Internationally, pressure has mounted in recent years to address the proliferation of incendiary weapons.

At the most recent CCW meeting last November, more than 100 countries condemned the humanitarian consequences of the weaponry.

HRW urged countries at next week’s Geneva meeting to “initiate informal consultations” that address the loopholes in Protocol III.

Docherty said: “Governments should seize the moment to reiterate their concerns about incendiary weapons and discuss ways to strengthen the law to better protect civilians.

“A complete ban on incendiary weapons would undoubtedly have the greatest humanitarian benefits.”


Israel must comply with ICJ measures to prevent genocide: UN human rights chief

Updated 08 November 2024
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Israel must comply with ICJ measures to prevent genocide: UN human rights chief

  • Volker Turk’s office publishes report covering violations between November 2023, April 2024
  • UN Human Rights Office: Almost 70% of fatalities in Gaza are children, women

NEW YORK: The UN high commissioner for human rights on Friday called on Israel to “fully and immediately” comply with the provisional measures issued in January by the International Court of Justice demanding action to prevent a genocide from being perpetrated against the Palestinians.

Volker Turk also called on states to honor their obligations under international law and “assess arms sales or transfers and provision of military, logistical or financial support to a party to the conflict, with a view to ending such support if this risks serious violations of international law.”

His warning comes as a new report by his office, published on Friday, warned that “if committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, (Israel’s violations) may constitute genocide.”

In January, after considering an original case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide, the ICJ issued a ruling that included provisional measures ordering Israel to take action to prevent and punish the commission of, or the incitement to commit, genocide; to halt the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians; and to immediately facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

Turk said Israel’s compliance with the ICJ ruling is now “even more critical and urgent” in light of the new report, which details “the horrific reality that has unfolded for the people of Israel and Gaza since 7 October 2023,” and concludes by demanding justice with respect to the grave violations of international law that have been committed.

The ICJ measures are also more pertinent than ever given the most recent events, Turk said, including Israel’s operations in northern Gaza and its adoption of legislation banning the main UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees from operating in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem.

“It is essential that there is due reckoning with respect to the allegations of serious violations of international law through credible and impartial judicial bodies and that, in the meantime, all relevant information and evidence are collected and preserved,” said Turk.

The new report covers violations that occurred from November 2023 to April 2024, including the killing of civilians and breaches of international law that it said could amount to war crimes.

“If committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population, further to a State or organizational policy, these violations may constitute crimes against humanity,” the report says.

Turk urged support for the work of accountability mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, in relation to the conflict in Gaza, for the exercise of universal jurisdiction to investigate and try crimes under international law in national courts, and for compliance with extradition requests of suspects of such crimes to countries where they would receive a fair trial.

The report highlights repeated statements from Israeli officials calling for Gaza’s entire destruction and the exodus of its people.

It documents Israel’s efforts to “rationalize discrimination, hostility and violence towards, and even the elimination of, Palestinians.”

The report underscores how civilians have borne the brunt of the attacks, including through the initial “complete siege” of Gaza, as well as Israel’s continuing “unlawful failures” to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and mass displacement of Palestinians.

“This conduct by Israeli Forces has caused unprecedented levels of killings, death, injury, starvation, illness and disease,” the reports says, adding that Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups have also committed serious violations of international law on a wide scale

“The rules of war, in force now for 160 years, were designed to limit and prevent human suffering in times of armed conflict,” Turk said.

“Their wanton disregard has led to the current extremes of human suffering which we continue to see today.

“It seems inconceivable that the parties to the conflict refuse to apply universally accepted and binding norms developed to preserve the very bare minimum of humanity.”  

The UN Human Rights Office says close to 70 percent of fatalities in Gaza are children and women, indicating “a systematic violation of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, including distinction and proportionality.”

The continuation of these attacks “demonstrates an apparent indifference to the death of civilians and the impact of the means and methods of warfare selected,” the report states. 

It also raises concerns over the forcible transfer of Palestinians, attacks on hospitals in “apparent systematic fashion” as well as journalists, and the reported use of white phosphorus munitions.

“Our monitoring indicates that this unprecedented level of killing, and injury of civilians is a direct consequence of the failure to comply with fundamental principles of international humanitarian law — namely the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack,” Turk said. 

“Tragically, these documented patterns of violations continue unabated, over one year after the start of the war.

“The trends and patterns of violations, and of applicable international law as clarified by the International Court of Justice, must inform the steps to be taken to end the current crisis,” he added.

“The violence must stop immediately, the hostages and those arbitrarily detained must be released, and we must focus on flooding Gaza with humanitarian aid.”