Syria detains two leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad
The group said the men had been detained 'without any explanation of the reasons'An official from Syria's interior ministry confirmed the detentions DAMASCUS: Syrian authorities have detained two senior members of the Palestinian militant faction Islamic Jihad, which took part in the October 2023 attacks on Israel from Gaza, the group's armed wing and a Syrian official said on Tuesday.In a statement, the Al Quds Brigades said Khaled Khaled, who heads Islamic Jihad's operations in Syria, and Yasser Al-Zafari, who heads its organizational committee, had been in Syrian custody for five days.The group said the men had been detained 'without any explanation of the reasons' and 'in a manner we would not have hoped to see from brothers,' and called for their release.An official from Syria's interior ministry confirmed the detentions, but did not respond to follow-up questions on why the pair had been arrested. A Palestinian source in Damascus also confirmed the arrests.Islamic Jihad joined its ally Hamas, Gaza's ruling group, in the attack on Israel in 2023. It is a recipient of Iranian funding and know-how, and has long had foreign headquarters in Syria and Lebanon.But its allies in both countries have recently suffered devastating blows: an Israeli air and ground offensive last year severely weakened the Lebanese Iranian-backed group Hezbollah, and Syria's leader Bashar Assad, closely allied to Tehran, was ousted by a rebel offensive last year.The new Islamist leadership in Damascus has cut diplomatic ties with Iran and is hoping to rebuild Syria's regional and international backing, not least to eliminate sanctions and fund reconstruction after a brutal 14-year civil war.The US has given Syria a list of conditions to fulfill in exchange for partial sanctions relief, Reuters reported last month. Sources said one of the conditions was keeping Iran-backed Palestinian groups at a distance.Israel has carried out strikes against Islamic Jihad in Syria for years. Last month, it said it struck a building on the outskirts of Damascus that it said Islamic Jihad was using as a command center, an assertion denied by the group.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
an hour ago
- Saudi Gazette
British PM calls Saudi Crown Prince to emphasize efforts for regional de-escalation
Saudi Gazette Report JEDDAH — Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman received on Saturday a phone call from Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer. During the call, they discussed the latest developments in the region, especially the repercussions of Israeli military operations against Iran. They emphasized the importance of making every effort to de-escalate the situation and resolve differences through diplomatic means, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Saudi Gazette
2 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia asserts no radiation risk from Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities
Saudi Gazette Report RIYADH — Saudi Arabia reiterated on Saturday that there is no environmental contamination in the vicinity of the Natanz and Isfahan uranium enrichment plants in Iran following the Israeli strikes on Friday. The Nuclear Emergency Operations Center at the Saudi Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission (NRRC) stated that this assertion is based on a briefing by the Emergency Incident Center of the International Atomic Energy Agency in accordance with what it had received from the Iran Nuclear Regulatory Authority. The Saudi nuclear regulatory authority stated that this information is made available within the framework of the agreement on early notification of a nuclear incident. Previously, the NRRC stated that Saudi Arabia's proactive national capabilities to anticipate radioactive fallout include the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and it does not believe the situation requires the activation of nuclear emergency response plans. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said that the level of radioactivity outside the Natanz site has remained unchanged and at normal levels indicating no external radiological impact to the population or the environment from this event. Speaking at the United Nations Security Council on Friday, he said that Israel's recent airstrike on Iran's Natanz nuclear facility has caused radiological and chemical contamination inside the facilities, though the type of radiation present inside the facility, primarily alpha particles, is manageable with "appropriate" radiation protection measures. He said the IAEA has been in permanent contact with the Iran Nuclear Regulatory Authority to ascertain the status of relevant nuclear facilities and to assess any wider impacts on nuclear safety and security. "Iran has confirmed that at present, only the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant site has been attacked in today's strikes. This facility contains the Fuel Enrichment Plant and the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant. At Natanz, the above-ground part of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, where Iran was producing uranium enriched up to 60% U-235, has been destroyed. Electricity infrastructure at the facility (electrical sub-station, main electric power supply building, emergency power supply and back-up generators) has been destroyed," he said. Israel launched a large-scale airstrike on Iran early Friday morning, targeting nuclear facilities and military sites, including the Natanz and Esfahan facilities and Revolutionary Guard headquarters in Tehran.
Saudi Gazette
3 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Iran considers closing Strait of Hormuz after Israeli strikes, says lawmaker
TEHRAN — Iran is considering closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli military strikes, a senior Iranian lawmaker said on Saturday. Esmaeil Kowsari, a member of the Iranian parliament, told the state-run Press TV that Tehran is weighing the option of blocking the critical waterway, which is one of the world's most important oil transit routes. 'Iran is considering blocking the Hormuz Strait in the Persian Gulf, which sees more than 17 million barrels of oil pass through it every day,' Kowsari was quoted as saying. The remarks come a day after Israel launched a wave of airstrikes across Iranian territory, targeting nuclear and missile infrastructure early Friday. The attacks reportedly killed several senior military officials and scientists. According to Iran's envoy to the United Nations, at least 78 people were killed and 320 others injured in the Israeli strikes. In retaliation, Iran launched ballistic missiles at targets in Israel, with media reports stating that at least three people were killed and over 170 injured. The potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a vital chokepoint for global energy supplies — would represent a major escalation in the already volatile conflict between Iran and Israel. — Agencies
