Israel army says launched 'special, targeted operations' in south Lebanon
"Following intelligence information and the identification of Hezbollah weapons and terrorist infrastructure in several areas of southern Lebanon, the soldiers launched special, targeted operations to dismantle them and prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing itself in the area," an army statement said.
The military did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment on whether this was the first time Israeli troops had operated on the ground in Lebanon since a November ceasefire.
But the army shared a video captioned "footage from a targeted nighttime operation of the 9th Brigade in southern Lebanon", showing troops walking on the ground.
AFP was unable to verify the footage, the time or location it was shot.
The army statement said the 9th Brigade was in the Labbouneh area, just over the border. Troops from the 300th Brigade operated in the Jabal Blat area further west, also within sight of the frontier.
Despite a November truce with Hezbollah, Israel has kept up its strikes on Lebanon, mainly saying it is targeting the group's sites and operatives but also occasionally members of their Palestinian ally Hamas.
The November 27 ceasefire sought to end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, including two months of all-out war that left the group severely weakened.
Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah was to pull its fighters back north of the Litani river, about 30 kilometres from the Israeli border, leaving the Lebanese army and United Nations peacekeepers as the only armed parties in the region.
Israel was required to fully withdraw its troops from the country but has kept them in five places it deems strategic.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
3 hours ago
- The National
Satellite images show extent of Israeli strikes on Yemeni ports held by Houthis
Repeated Israeli strikes on Yemeni ports held by Houthi rebels have had little effect on the operations there, satellite images indicate. Fuel shipments at ports controlled by the Iran-backed group have continued despite disruption to pipelines, with the Houthis finding alternative means of getting supplies ashore, analysis shows. Israel launched its most recent attacks overnight on July 6. Air strikes targeted the Red Sea ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Al Salif, the Ras Kanatib power station and the cargo ship Galaxy Leader − which was hijacked by the Houthis in 2023 and Israel claims was being used to monitor international shipping. Israel has hit key Houthi-controlled ports numerous times Since the start of the Israel-Gaza war, the Houthis have regularly attacked shipping in the Red Sea and fired missiles and drones at Israel. The rebels say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians. Here, The National looks at what Israel has targeted and the impact − or lack of impact − of strikes on Houthi infrastructure. Hodeidah – the Houthis' largest port Hodeidah, the Houthis' main gateway to the Red Sea, has been struck multiple times since July 2024. Imagery from July 4, 2025, reveals heavy crater damage, undoubtedly affecting and limiting fuel operations. Impact on As Salif, Ras Isa and Ras Kanatib after Israeli strikes on July 7, 2025 Below is a series of satellite images showing before and after damage to two ports and a power station along the coast of Houthi-controlled Hodeidah on the Red Sea. All three locations have been key to Houthi refuelling and stockpiles. As Salif port: Strikes along the full length of the pier. Despite damage, cargo vessels remain docked. Ras Isa terminal: Strikes targeted fuel terminals and the hijacked Galaxy Leader, which is docked at the port. Ras Kanatib power station: New damage is visible on what appear to be the main generator units. Ships keep docking and fuel keeps flowing Visual time-lapse satellite data from July 2024 to July 2025 shows fuel shipments to Houthi-held ports have not stopped. Ships continue to dock, and alternative offloading methods are being used to bypass damaged infrastructure. 'Big shipments have been affected significantly. But the Houthis adapt − they use alternate docks or just a simple pipe and a tanker to move oil,' said Baraa Shiban, a senior fellow with the London-based Royal United Services Institute think tank. Offshore fuel transfers Some Houthi-affiliated tankers, such as Valente and VLCC Yemen, are seen transferring fuel offshore, a strategy that allows them to bypass ports altogether. Satellite images show ships anchored in the sea, side-by-side near Hodeidah. While the strikes have targeted port infrastructure, most of the Houthis' weaponry and power bases remain inland, untouched. Analysts have questioned the long-term strategic value of Israel's approach. 'Israel's military goals look very ambiguous, It's not clear what they are trying to achieve through these strikes,' said Mr Shiban. 'If the aim is to eliminate the Houthis threat now, of course, they haven't been successful. The Houthis will continue attacking, attacking Israel. 'But if the aim is just to send a message that they can, hit them. As a form of deterrence, then you can say yes, they've, signalled that multiple times. For the Houthis, the main fear is if they lose terrain, if they lose land, and that's not happening at the moment." Symbolic and disruptive Despite sustained bombing campaigns, the Houthis continue to launch missiles and attack vessels in the Red Sea. Two ships have been sunk in Houthi attacks in the past week or so – the Magic Seas on July 6 and the Eternity C on July 9. While all 22 people on the Magic Seas were rescued, four of the 25 crew on the Eternity C are presumed dead, with another 11 unaccounted for. As images show continued fuel movement and maritime adaptability, the Houthis' resilience raises questions about the effectiveness of Israel's air campaign. While symbolic and disruptive, the strikes have not yet significantly altered the rebel group's operational capabilities.
Middle East Eye
4 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Andrew Cuomo: Favourite choice for pro-Israel voices jumps back into NYC mayoral race
He was New York's governor for a decade until he resigned in 2021, following allegations of sexual harassment from at least 11 women. During that same period, he was also alleged to have undercounted the number of Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes by some 50 percent, even as he gained worldwide recognition for his daily press briefings during New York's pandemic lockdown. But Andrew Cuomo just won't quit. Last month, he was handily beaten in the Democratic mayoral primary by newcomer and self-described "Democratic Socialist" Zohran Mamdani. It was, by all accounts, a stunning upset for a man from a political dynasty who thought the candidacy - and the job - was his for the taking. Cuomo conceded the race before it was called, when the numbers showed he wouldn't be able to catch up to his rival. But on Monday, he jumped right back in, this time as an Independent candidate, vowing that he was "in it to win it". New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters In a 90-second video that seemed to mimic what has been a resoundingly successful campaign approach adopted by 33-year-old Mamdani, the 67-year-old Cuomo is seen in a casual summer button-down shirt, shaking hands with New Yorkers as he walks down the street. "My opponent Mandani offers slick slogans, but no real solutions," Cuomo said in the video, once again mispronouncing Mamdani's name as he did repeatedly during their primary debate. "You deserve a mayor with the experience and ideas to make [affordability] happen," he added, referring to Mamdani's key campaign promise but also his relative lack of political experience. In a letter Cuomo sent to supporters, cited by The New York Times, he acknowledged that he "played it safe, believing in the polls that said our campaign was way ahead". 'I was not aggressive enough in communicating my vision for a fairer, safer, more affordable New York, or in debunking and exposing Zohran Mamdani's unrealistic proposals and divisive agenda. I promise you, I will not make that mistake again," he said. One of the biggest shortcomings of his initial campaign was not making himself available to reporters and strictly sticking to a script, The New York Times also reported. And despite outside groups pulling together well over $25m from hedge funders and billionaire CEOs to back his candidacy, Cuomo still only took in 48 percent of the votes compared to Mamdani's 56 percent. Palestinians rights Cuomo was also backed by the old guard of the Democratic establishment, including former president Bill Clinton and Senate Minority Leader and New York Senator Chuck Schumer. They all congratulated Mamdani, but refused to endorse him after he won the party nomination. This was in large part due to Mamdani's support for the Palestinian liberation movement, which also calls for a one-state solution with equal rights for all citizens. More than one million Jewish people reside in New York City alone, the largest number outside of Israel. Some are dual US-Israeli citizens. Cuomo has repeatedly emphasised his pro-Israel credentials and was accused by Mamdani's people of running an Islamophobic campaign. Brad Lander, the city comptroller and highest-ranking Jewish official in New York, echoed that accusation during his own campaign for the Democratic mayoral nomination. On Monday, while reposting Cuomo's video on X, Lander said the vote "did not go the way I had hoped either", but that "unlike Andrew Cuomo, I'm capable of listening to New Yorkers" who rejected him the first time around. Cuomo and Netanyahu Cuomo has long been the favoured choice for the pro-Israel camp among Democrats, but he more firmly embedded himself in the movement last year, when he formed the group "Never Again, NOW!" in light of the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel, which led to the deaths of around 1,200 people, and subsequent start of the war on Gaza. Since then, Israel has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, nearly half of whom were children. In November, Cuomo joined the legal team to defend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, after a warrant was issued for Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court (ICC). "I am proud to be on the legal defense for the prime minister against the arrest warrant at the ICC and I am proud to stand against antisemitism," Cuomo said at the time. Mamdani, meanwhile, pledged to have Netanyahu arrested should he ever set foot in New York City. The general election to decide New York City's next mayor is on 4 November. The current mayor and scandal-plagued former police chief, Eric Adams, will also be running for re-election as an Independent. He was previously charged with accepting bribes from Turkish officials, but when the Trump administration came into power, those charges were dropped.
Zawya
4 hours ago
- Zawya
Ambassador Chen Mingjian Meets with Tanzania Peoples' Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Salum Othman
AFRICA On July 11, Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania H.E. Chen Mingjian met with Lieutenant General Salum Othman, Chief of Staff of Tanzania Peoples' Defence Forces in Dar es Salaam. They discussed bilateral military relations and committed to strengthening exchanges and cooperation. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Republic of Tanzania. Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an 'as is' and 'as available' basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release. The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages. © ZAWYA 2025
