Hamas official denies progress in Gaza ceasefire talks
'(Israel) has not yet delivered any new or revised maps regarding military withdrawals from the Gaza Strip,' Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas political bureau, told AFP, accusing Israel of wanting to 'prolong military control' in Gaza for the long term.
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Al Arabiya
26 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Israel to raise defense spending amid military offensive on Gaza
Israel will raise defense spending by 42 billion shekels ($12.5 billion) in 2025 and 2026, the finance and defense ministries said on Thursday, citing the country's security challenges. The budget agreement will allow the Defense Ministry to 'advance urgent and essential procurement deals critical to national security,' the ministries said in a statement. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the new defense budget 'fully covers the intense fighting in Gaza, alongside comprehensive security preparations for all threats — from the south, the north, and more distant arenas.' Israel's military costs have surged since it launched its military offensive on Gaza following the deadly attacks by Hamas militants on Israel on October 7, 2023. Since then, Israel has also fought Hezbollah in Lebanon and waged a 12-day air war with Iran, and carried out airstrikes in Syria this week after vowing to destroy government forces attacking Druze in southern Syria and demanding they withdraw. Over the past 21 months, Israel's missile defense systems have been working almost daily to intercept missiles fired by Hezbollah, Iran and Houthis in Yemen. Current annual defense spending is 110 billion shekels - about 9 percent of gross domestic product - out of a total 2025 budget of 756 billion shekels. The extra budgetary funding 'will allow the Defense Ministry to immediately sign procurement deals for the weapons and ammunition required to replenish depleted stocks and support the IDF's ongoing operations,' said Amir Baram, director general of the Defence Ministry. It would also enable the defense establishment to initiate development programs to strengthen the Israel Defense Forces' qualitative edge for future systems, he said. Multiple scenarios Defense Minister Israel Katz said the funds would allow Israel to prepare for multiple scenarios since 'enemies are openly declaring their intent to destroy this we require complete military, technological and operational superiority.' Separately, the Defense Ministry said it had signed a deal with state-run Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to accelerate serial production of Arrow interceptors. The Arrow, developed and manufactured in cooperation with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, is a missile defense system designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles. The Arrow had a high interception rate during the conflicts with Hamas and Iran. As part of the deal, IAI will supply the military with a significant additional amount of Arrow interceptors. 'The numerous interceptions it carried out saved many lives and significantly reduced economic damage,' Baram said. On Wednesday, the ministry signed a $20 million deal with Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) to supply advanced machine guns aimed at significantly enhancing the IDF ground forces' firepower capabilities. ($1 = 3.3553 shekels)
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Israel to boost defense spending by $12.5 billion amid regional conflicts on multiple fronts
JERUSALEM: Israel will increase defense spending by 42 billion shekels ($12.5 billion) this year and in 2026, the finance and defense ministries announced on Thursday, citing mounting security challenges. The budget agreement will enable the Defense Ministry to "advance urgent and essential procurement deals critical to national security," the ministries said in a joint statement. The funding boost comes as Israel remains engaged on multiple regional fronts, including its ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza, marked by heavy casualties and widespread destruction. As well as cross-border hostilities with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and recent strikes with Iran last month in an unprecedented escalation between the two countries. Israel has also intensified its airstrikes in Syria, targeting sites near the presidential palace and the defense ministry in central Damascus. Meanwhile, it has carried out a series of aerial attacks on Houthi positions in Yemen in response to Houthi attacks.
Saudi Gazette
2 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Syria leader vows to protect Druze after sectarian violence in Suweida
DAMASCUS — Syria's interim president has said it is his "priority" to protect the country's Druze citizens, after Israel vowed to destroy government forces it accused of attacking members of the religious minority in Suweida province. In his first televised statement since Israel's air strikes on Damascus on Wednesday, Ahmed al-Sharaa also warned that Syrians were not afraid of war. Syrian state media reported that the military was withdrawing from Suweida under a ceasefire agreement with Druze leaders. But it is not clear whether that will hold. More than 350 people are reported to have been killed since sectarian clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes erupted in the province on Sunday. The government responded by deploying its forces to the predominantly Druze city of Suweida for the first time since Sharaa's Sunni Islamist group led the rebel offensive that overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December, ending 13 years of civil war. However, the fighting escalated and government forces were accused by residents and activists of killing Druze civilians and carrying out extrajudicial Druze religion is an offshoot of Shia Islam with its own unique identity and beliefs. In addition to Syria, there are sizeable communities of Druze in Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and the occupied Golan Druze and other minorities have remained suspicious of Sharaa since he took power because of his jihadist past. His Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), is a former al-Qaeda affiliate that is still designated as a terrorist organisation by the fears have been heightened by several outbreaks of deadly sectarian violence, including one in May between Druze militias, security forces and allied Islamist fighters that also prompted Israel intervene his speech early on Thursday, Sharaa stressed that the Druze were "a fundamental part of the fabric of this nation", and that he rejected any attempt for them to be dragged into the hands of what he called "an external party".The president said government forces deployed to Suweida had "succeeded in restoring stability and expelling outlawed factions despite the Israeli interventions", which he said caused a "significant complication of the situation" and "a large-scale escalation"."We are not among those who fear the war. We have spent our lives facing challenges and defending our people, but we have put the interests of the Syrians before chaos and destruction," he for security in Suweida would now be handed to religious elders and some local factions "based on the supreme national interest", he ended the speech by promising that the government was "keen on holding accountable those who transgressed and abused our Druze people".On Wednesday, Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, told the country's own Druze citizens that Israeli forces were "acting to save our Druze brothers and to eliminate the gangs of the regime".The Israeli military said its aircraft struck the Syrian military's headquarters in Damascus and a military site near the presidential palace, as well as armoured vehicles on their way to Suweida, and firing posts and weapons storage facilities in southern Syria."We are acting decisively to prevent the entrenchment of hostile elements beyond the border, to protect the citizens of the State of Israel, and to prevent the harming of Druze civilians," the military's chief of staff, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, said during a visit to the Golan Heights."We will not allow southern Syria to become a terror stronghold," he general also said there was "no room for disorder near the border fence", after hundreds of Druze crossed the heavily fortified frontier with Syria on US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said it was speaking to all of the parties involved and had "agreed on specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end"."This will require all parties to deliver on the commitments they have made and this is what we fully expect them to do," he added, without giving any Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, says more than 350 people have been killed since include 79 Druze fighters and 55 civilians, 27 of whom were summarily killed by interior ministry and defence ministry forces, according to the least 189 members of the government forces and 18 Bedouin tribal fighters have also been killed in the clashes, it was not immediately possible to verify the SOHR's casualty figures, but Syrian security sources also said Wednesday that the death toll was close to 300. — BBC
