Egypt condemns Israeli military escalation in Lebanon

Smoke billows after an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Abbasiyeh on September 24, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 24 September 2024
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Egypt condemns Israeli military escalation in Lebanon

  • Egyptian Foreign Ministry expressed ‘sincere solidarity’ with the Lebanese people, offered its sympathies to the families of victims
  • Arab League chief echoes concerns and says international community must halt ‘this perilous slide toward a regional war’

CAIRO: Egypt on Tuesday condemned the escalation of Israeli military operations in Lebanon and the killing and wounding of hundreds of Lebanese citizens, including women and children.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry expressed “sincere solidarity” with the Lebanese people, offered its sympathies to the families of victims, wished the injured a speedy recovery, and affirmed its “categorical rejection of any violations of the sovereignty of Lebanon and its territories.”

It previously warned of the “gravity of the continued Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip and the danger of its expansion, which puts the region at risk of sliding into a full-fledged regional war.”

The ministry said that while “Egypt continues its efforts toward achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and containing the dangers resulting from the war there, it calls on world powers and the UN Security Council to immediately intervene to halt the Israeli escalation in the region, which jeopardizes the fate of its peoples and undermines prospects for peace.”

Egypt “calls for a peaceful settlement of the crisis, an immediate deescalation and the start of the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, with no selectivity and allowing for diplomatic solutions, especially since military escalation will only exacerbate the crisis,” it added.

Resolution 1701 was adopted in 2006 with the aim of resolving the war that year between Israel and Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, the Arab League’s secretary-general, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, also “vehemently condemned the extensive Israeli raids and military operations against Lebanon, which have resulted in a significant loss of life and thousands of injuries.”

He warned that this “alarming escalation constitutes a flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty and poses a grave threat to regional stability, with the potential to ignite a broader conflict that would have devastating consequences for all involved,” said Gamal Roshdy, a spokesperson for the organization.

Aboul Gheit called on the international community to act with urgency and shoulder its responsibilities in efforts to halt this “perilous slide toward a regional war, driven by the Israeli leadership's personal and political ambitions.”

In particular, he urged the UN Security Council to fulfill its duty to safeguard international peace and security by taking immediate action.

He said the current escalation must be halted without delay, warned that the devastation seen in Gaza must not be repeated in Lebanon, and reaffirmed the Arab League’s “unwavering solidarity with Lebanon in the face of these egregious Israeli assaults.”


Two Egyptian pilots killed in helicopter crash in Suez: army

Updated 2 sec ago
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Two Egyptian pilots killed in helicopter crash in Suez: army

The Egyptian air force operates aircraft from various countries

CAIRO: Two Egyptian air force officers were killed on Tuesday when a helicopter crashed during a training exercise, the military said.
The helicopter went down near a key air base in the town of Shalufa, in Suez province, “due to a technical malfunction,” military spokesman Gharib Abdel Hafez said in a post on his official Facebook page.
He did not specify the manufacturer or model of the aircraft.
The Egyptian air force operates aircraft from various countries, including France, Russia and the United States.
In November 2022, the military said a fighter jet had crashed during a military exercise but it reported no casualties.
In December 2019, an aircraft crashed during a training exercise. The pilot ejected safely.

US soldier injured during Gaza pier operation has died: military

Updated 15 min 56 sec ago
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US soldier injured during Gaza pier operation has died: military

  • “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley,” Captain Shkeila Milford-Glover said
  • In addition to the injuries, the project faced other problems starting in May, when the pier was damaged by bad weather and had to be removed for repairs

WASHINGTON: An American soldier has died after being injured during Washington’s problem-plagued operation to establish a temporary aid pier on the coast of Gaza, the US military said Tuesday.
The pier effort aimed to boost deliveries of desperately needed humanitarian assistance into the war-wracked Palestinian territory as Israel held up shipments by land.
But the effort ran into repeated weather issues and the United States ended it in mid-July, some two months after its installation.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley, a recently retired motor transport operator,” Captain Shkeila Milford-Glover, spokesperson for the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, said in a statement.
She did not say when Stanley died or what kind of injury he had sustained, specifying only that the soldier had been receiving treatment in a long-term care facility.
He was one of three US military personnel who suffered non-combat injuries at sea during the pier operation.
The two others suffered minor injuries, a sprained ankle and a hurt back, the military said in May.
In addition to the injuries, the project faced other problems starting in May, when the pier was damaged by bad weather and had to be removed for repairs.
It was then reattached on June 7, but was moved to Ashdod on June 14 to protect it from anticipated high seas — a situation that was repeated later in the month.
US President Joe Biden announced the pier project during his State of the Union address in March as Israel held up deliveries of assistance by land, and the Pentagon has said it helped push the Israeli government to open more aid routes.


Japanese prime minister praises Saudi Arabia’s role in addressing the Gaza crisis

Updated 31 min 34 sec ago
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Japanese prime minister praises Saudi Arabia’s role in addressing the Gaza crisis

  • PM Ishiba made the remarks during a telephone summit with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
  • Ishiba stated that he would like to strengthen the strategic partnership between Japan and Saudi Arabia

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hailed “Saudi Arabia’s leadership on Gaza” and expressed his determination to continue working with the Kingdom to bring stability to the Middle East.

Ishiba made the remarks during a telephone summit with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, during which he expressed his hope that Saudi Arabia would continue to play a leading role in stabilizing the global oil market.

The Foreign Ministry in Tokyo said the crown prince expressed his wish to deepen cooperation with Japan in various fields, including politics, economics, security, and potentially technology transfer and cultural exchange.

Ishiba said he would like Japan and Saudi Arabia to expand cooperation to areas including clean energy, advanced technology, and entertainment.

With 2025 marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Ishiba reiterated his commitment to peace and stability in the region. He stated that he would like to strengthen the strategic partnership between Japan and Saudi Arabia and work even more closely together to promote these values. The crown prince also affirmed his commitment to these goals, stating that Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to its relations with Japan and welcomes further cooperation.

The Foreign Ministry added that both leaders shared their concerns about conflicts in the Middle East and the need for all parties involved to exercise maximum restraint. Ishiba said he appreciated Saudi Arabia’s leadership on Gaza, and the two leaders agreed to continue working closely together to achieve stability in the Middle East.


Syrian state media: Israel attacked town near Lebanon border

Updated 32 min 41 sec ago
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Syrian state media: Israel attacked town near Lebanon border

DAMASCUS: An Israeli strike hit a Syrian town near the border with Lebanon on Tuesday, Syrian state media said, less than a week after deadly strikes on the same area.
“An Israeli aggression targeted the industrial zone in Al-Qusayr” in Homs province, the official SANA news agency said. There was no immediate news of casualties or damage.

Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria mainly targeting army positions and Iran-backed fighters including from Hezbollah.
The Israeli military has intensified its strikes on Syria since it launched its war on Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon.
Israeli authorities rarely comment on the strikes, but have repeatedly said they will not allow arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence in Syria.


Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says war death toll at 43,391

Updated 05 November 2024
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Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says war death toll at 43,391

  • The toll includes 17 deaths in the previous 24 hours

GAZA STRIP: The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Tuesday that at least 43,391 people have been killed in the year-old war between Israel and Palestinian militants.
The toll includes 17 deaths in the previous 24 hours, according to the ministry, which said 102,347 people have been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.