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L'Orient-Le Jour
a day ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Israel weighs resuming campaign against Iran, Tehran says it's ready to retaliate
BEIRUT — Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday evening that Israel could consider resuming its military campaign against Iran, according to Israeli media reports. He made the remarks during a security assessment meeting with senior officials from the army's intelligence services. Katz underscored the importance of maintaining Israel's air superiority, achieved during Operation "Rising Lion," and urged the development of a clear plan to prevent Iran from restoring its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the Jerusalem Post reported. On regional security, Katz said two fronts remain active — Gaza and Yemen — and stressed that both must be addressed in line with what he described as Israel's "successful" offensive strategy against threats from Iran, Lebanon and Syria. He also highlighted the ongoing deployment of Israeli forces at strategic checkpoints and sensitive locations in Syria and Lebanon, calling the military occupation of those areas "essential for the protection of Israeli communities." The defense minister concluded by urging the army to prepare for potential security threats in the coming period. 'We are preparing for all scenarios' In response, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian said that his country was 'fully prepared for any new Israeli military offensive,' in an interview with Al Jazeera. 'Our armed forces are ready to retaliate and strike deep inside Israel,' he said, adding that Tehran does not trust the current cease-fire and is preparing for 'all possible scenarios.' Pezeshkian accused Israel of trying — and failing — to destabilize and dismantle Iran, saying both sides have inflicted heavy blows, though Israel 'conceals its losses.' The war between Israel and Iran killed at least 1,060 people in Iran, according to authorities. On the Israeli side, the official death toll stands at 28. The Iranian president was slightly injured during an Israeli bombing that targeted a building in Tehran where the Supreme National Security Council was meeting. The strike came three days after the outbreak of a 12-Day War between the two countries, triggered by an Israeli airstrike on June 13 that targeted military and nuclear facilities as well as senior figures in the Iranian regime. A cease-fire, brokered under U.S. pressure, has held since June 24 after the U.S. military launched a series of unprecedented airstrikes on several Iranian nuclear sites.
Shafaq News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Israel reaffirms Southern Syria as demilitarized zone
Shafaq News – Middle East Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Saturday that southern Syria will remain a demilitarized zone, cautioning that armed groups attacking the Druze population could soon pose a threat to Israel. 'We do not trust transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa or those targeting the Druze,' Katz told the Jerusalem Post. 'Those attacking the Druze today will be the ones threatening Israel tomorrow.' The warnings come amid escalating violence in Suwayda province, home to Syria's largest Druze community, where clashes between Druze factions, government forces, and tribal armed groups have resulted in over 940 deaths, including numerous civilians. Amid the unrest, Israel is preparing to deliver medical equipment and supplies to the region. According to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (KAN), the Israeli Ministry of Health is overseeing coordination of the aid shipment, which will proceed through military and security channels once all necessary permits are secured. KAN also reported that approximately 2,000 Druze serving in Israel's military and security forces stand ready to assist their Syrian counterparts should the conflict escalate.
New Statesman
17-07-2025
- Politics
- New Statesman
Israel's calculus on Syria
Photo by AliIn the southwestern Syrian town of Sweida recent bloody clashes between Bedouin Arabs and the Druze have left at least 200 dead. Syria's military was dispatched to stop the fighting, but it struggled to quell the violence. Many Syrian Druze believe that the central government, led by former rebel-turned-president Ahmed al-Sharaa, is tied to the very groups attacking them. Israel agrees: it has accused the Syrian government of attacking the Druze and using Arab militias as cover. The Israeli Air Force has spent the last two days striking Syrian military positions in Syria's southwest, with the Jerusalem Post reporting that 160 'aerial attacks' had been conducted as of midday on 16 July. Israel also bombed the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters and areas near the presidential palace in Damascus. If this sounds familiar, that's because Israel conducted a similar operation in May following another round of violence between Druze and Arabs in Jaramana and Sahnaya (both Damascus suburbs) as well as in Sweida, which left 100 dead. On that occasion, Israel conducted 20 airstrikes across Syria and hit multiple targets, including sites close to the presidential palace. The Trump administration will welcome reports of a ceasefire ending the latest round of fighting. The US president remains fixated on expanding the 2020 Abraham Accords — aimed at advancing the normalisation of relations between Israel and Arab states — by making Syria a signatory. After Sharaa helped to bring down the Assad regime in December, this has become a distinct possibility. In May, during a trip to Saudi Arabia, Donald Trump met with Sharaa and praised him as a 'young, attractive guy'. The following month, Trump issued an executive order that rescinded some US sanctions against Syria and waived others. His administration even served as a go-between for backchannel talks between Syria and Israel, decades-long enemies. Seen alongside Trump's 2019 decision to partially withdraw American troops from Kurdish-majority northeastern Syria, where they were shielding the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces from Turkey, these steps represent a big shift in US policy toward Syria, a country convulsed by nearly a decade and a half of civil war. Israel has a different strategy. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu portrays Syria's post-Assad government as dominated by jihadists. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described Sharaa as no better than the masked men of Isis who beheaded prisoners in the middle of the desert. Another Israeli minister was even more harsh: 'Anyone who thinks Ahmad al-Sharaa is a legitimate leader is gravely mistaken – he is a terrorist, a barbaric murderer who should be eliminated without delay.' Israel may justify the latest incursion into Syria as a humanitarian operation. Israel itself is home to around150,000 Druze, concentrated in the country's north: the Galilee, Carmel, and the Golan Heights. Druze make up roughly 1.6 per cent of the total population and are considered loyal citizens, whose young men are subject to the military draft. But Israel's larger strategic objective is evident: exploit the weakness of Syria's new government to create a demilitarised security zone across southern Syria from which the Syrian armed forces are excluded so that Israel has a free hand. The clashes in Sweida enable Netanyahu to advance that agenda, even as he presents himself as the protector of the Druze. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Israel's hardnosed strategy can be traced back to the Assad regime's collapse. With the Syrians in disarray, Israel was quick to strike hundreds of Syrian military targets, including airfields, missile bases, munitions depots, and air defense sites across the country. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soon crossed the 1974 UN-demarcated border line with Syria, entered the buffer zone and pushed it deeper into Syrian territory. Israeli troops also occupied the Syrian side of Mount Hermon. Israeli officials asked the Trump administration to keep Syria weak by maintaining sanctions and even proposed allowing Russia to retain its bases to keep Turkey in check. Israel believes that the regional context favours its strategy. Iran is on the backfoot. Hezbollah, Tehran's ally in Lebanon, has been decapitated. Iran-aligned Assad is gone. And Syria's new rulers face myriad problems as they struggle to extend governance to the entire country, a task made even harder because the military and security forces remain weak. Syria's economy is in a dismal state: GDP has fallen by more than 50 per cent since the civil war started in 2011. Sectarian violence including violence against the Alawites — who dominated Assad's government — and the Druze continues. Seen against this backdrop, Israel's latest intervention isn't driven solely by humanitarianism; it's part of a realpolitik-driven strategy aimed at dominating its northern neighbours. But this is not the only feasible strategy available to Israel. Sharaa, for all his faults, has made it clear that he has no interest in confrontation with Israel (he couldn't possibly come out ahead, militarily or politically). He is committed to coexistence and will abide by the terms of the 1974 agreement. He knows that conflict with Israel would alienate the US and Europe and deprive Syria of the foreign investment it desperately needs to help the long process of economic reconstruction. Israel could therefore chart a different course by engaging in talks with Sharaa's government toward a comprehensive security agreement that includes pulling back their military forces and creating a weapons and troop-free zone on either side of the border. (As part of this accord, Israel would recommit to the 1974 agreement.) They could create political forums to foster cooperation on shared problems. Israel could help forge an agreement between the Druze and the central government based on local autonomy. Alternatively, Israel, trusting in its military superiority, could let Syrians sort out their own affairs. A debilitated, conflict-ridden Syria may well give Israel a stronger hand. But it could also enable hostile forces to sink roots and pose a long-term security threat from a neighbouring country. After the latest strikes, it's hard to see Israel doing anything other than sticking to its current strategy — one in which diplomacy plays no role. [See more: Syria may be broken but it's energised by hope] Related
Extra.ie
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
US Israel ambassador's tweet slammed by Taoiseach
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has rejected comments by the US ambassador to Israel, who asked whether Ireland had fallen into a 'vat of Guinness' over the Occupied Territories Bill. Mike Huckabee made the derogatory remarks this week, accusing Ireland of 'diplomatic intoxication' and calling on the nation to 'sober up'. But his comments have drawn the ire of both the Taoiseach and prominent Irish politicians, who labelled it 'xenophobic' and 'anti-Irish'. In his full remark on social media, Mr Huckabee wrote about the Occupied Territories Bill: 'Did the Irish fall into a vat of Guinness & propose something so stupid that it would be attributed to act of diplomatic intoxication? It will harm Arabs as much as Israelis. Sober up, Ireland! Call @IsraelMFA & say you're sorry!' US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Pic:) Mr Huckabee tweeted an article from the Jerusalem Post, which highlighted the Foreign Affairs Oireachtas Committee hearing earlier this week, which addressed the passage of the Bill. His remarks came as a series of high-profile American politicians also ramped up warnings to Ireland about its pro-Palestinian position, saying that it may be a danger to the Irish economy. There is now growing concern within the Irish Government that Ireland may be targeted by the US administration for its overtly pro-Palestinian stance. In the last week, articles have appeared in US publications, such as The Hill and The Wall Street Journal, criticising the Irish legislation. A number of senior US politicians have now publicly attacked Ireland for its position. Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Pic: Stephen Collins/Collins However, Micheál Martin criticised the tweet by Mr Huckabee, remarking: 'I reject the comments made by the ambassador.' He added: 'The situation is very serious in Gaza, including an appalling loss of human life. 'Terrible war crimes are being committed. Ireland has consistently condemned Hama,s and we equally condemn Israeli breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza. The slaughter of children must stop. The slaughter of innocent civilians queuing for food must stop. What is going on is beyond any moral compass. Ireland stands for peace and a political pathway forward.' contacted both spokespeople for the Taoiseach, asking Mr Martin to comment on the anti-Irish nature of Mr Huckabee's comments, but did not receive a further reply. Sinn Féin's foreign affairs spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire. Pic: Leah Farrell/ Sinn Féin's foreign affairs spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said Mr Huckabee's comments were 'absurd, plainly xenophobic, and plainly intended to provoke. It leans into old tropes of the drunken Irish. It is quite bizarre that he assumes the only reason for having a different position from his administration is intoxication,' he said. 'Unfortunately this is not out of character, Mr Huckabee has a history of controversial comments, and is someone who does not believe in a two-state solution. His comments are wrong, but more worrying is the fact that a man who has such views as Mr Huckabee carries influence within the US administration, and what that says about US policy in the Middle East.' Mr Huckabee is staunchly pro-Israel, and in an interview in 2017 with the CNN news network, he said: 'There is no such thing as a West Bank. It's Judea and Samaria [the territory's biblical name]. There's no such thing as a settlement. They're communities, they're neighbourhoods, they're cities. There's no such thing as an occupation.' US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Pic:) He has gone as far as to question Palestinian identity. During his 2008 Republican presidential campaign, he said: 'I need to be careful about saying this, because people will really get upset – there's really no such thing as a Palestinian.' Gary Gannon, the Social Democrats justice spokesman, said that the comments about Ireland were 'xenophobic' and 'anti-Irish', adding that the Irish-American vote should be asked to push back at Mr Huckabee. There have been several comments about Ireland's position from senior US politicians in the last 48 hours, in what looked like a coordinated move by senior Republicans against the Bill, which seeks to ban the import and sale of goods and services from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Gary Gannon, the Social Democrats justice spokesman. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos Senator Lindsay Graham, a significant political ally of Donald Trump, tweeted: 'I hope that Ireland will reconsider their efforts to economically isolate Israel, as they are in a fight for their very existence. I do not believe these efforts would be well received in the United States, and they certainly would not go unnoticed.' Congressman Mike Lawler said: 'Ireland's draft BDS [Boycott, Divest and Sanctions] law is reckless and sets a dangerous precedent. Targeting Israel won't bring peace, and will only reward extremism. Ireland should reject this misguided legislation and stand against hate.' Congressman Josh Gottheimer wrote: 'Ireland's proposed legislation targets Jewish communities by singling out settlements tied to Israel. American companies with a presence in Ireland who complied with [it] would violate US anti-boycott statutes and face penalties in the US. America will continue to stand with our ally.' While Congressman Andy Ogles wrote: 'Ireland's proposed ban of Jewish-made products is nothing short of anti-semitic. This proposal not only harms American businesses but undermines the very principles of Western civilisation. I vehemently oppose this decision and urge Ireland to reconsider.' Congresswoman Lisa McClain tweeted that the Bill was 'extreme anti-semitic hate' while Rick Scott, a Republican senator from Florida, said Ireland should think twice about the message they're sending by passing this bill'. Daniel Mulhall, the former Irish Ambassador to the United States, said that Ireland could not expect a 'free lunch' for its position on Palestine in relation to how American politicians, particularly, Republicans, viewed the issue. Mr Mulhall pointed out that Mr Huckabee is a politician who became an ambassador. 'He expresses himself more like the politician he was, than the ambassador he is,' he said. Mr Mulhall said the comments were 'extreme and over the top' but they 'point to a strong set of opinions across the political world, particularly in the Republican side of the house about Israel, which means we have to be conscious that when we do things related to Israel and the Middle East, it's not a free lunch'. 'It doesn't mean we do nothing, but we should bear in mind that opinions can be perceived as hostile and to be anti-Israeli.' 'We can't ignore the reality that some of the positions we may be about to take go down very badly in the United States.'
See - Sada Elbalad
16-07-2025
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Israel Agrees to Wider Withdrawal from Gaza Amid Stalled Ceasefire Talks
Ahmed Emam Negotiations over a Gaza ceasefire continue in Qatar, now entering their second week without significant progress. However, an Israeli official has indicated a possible breakthrough in the discussions Israel's Channel 13 reported that a senior Israeli official participating in the talks in Doha said Tel Aviv has agreed to a broader withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and has shown increased flexibility to reach a new agreement. According to Israeli officials cited by Channel 13, the new Gaza withdrawal plan approved by Israel is temporary in nature. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they said, does not intend to end the war following the initial 60-day ceasefire period. On Tuesday, Israel submitted its third proposed map detailing the deployment of its forces across Gaza during the proposed 60-day ceasefire, sources told the Jerusalem Post. Key points of contention between Israel and Hamas remain the extent of the Israeli troop withdrawal during the ceasefire and the mechanisms for distributing humanitarian aid within Gaza. The latest Israeli map proposal reportedly demonstrates 'greater flexibility' regarding troop positions along the Gaza-Egypt border, specifically in the area between the Morag and Philadelphi crossings, according to the Jerusalem Post. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Arts & Culture Hawass Foundation Launches 1st Course to Teach Ancient Egyptian Language Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream
