Latest news with #militaryoperation
The Standard
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Standard
'A free Ukraine': Kyiv protests law threatening anti-corruption bodies
People take part in an anti-war protest, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Lisbon, Portugal, February 27. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Israel's Chief of Staff: War Against Iran Is Not Over
Israel's Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said Tuesday that the military operation against Iran is not over. He instructed the army to be prepared for 'a continued wide-scale and comprehensive campaign.' During a rare 'multi-front situational assessment' at the Glilot intelligence base - the first of its kind in nearly two years- Zamir said 'Iran and its axis remain in our sights. The campaign against Iran is not over.' He noted that 2026 would be a year focused on preparedness, restoring capabilities, and seizing operational opportunities. On Tuesday, Zamir and top generals reviewed the operational, intelligence, and strategic picture across all fronts. 'The Israeli Army must operate offensively across multiple arenas alongside vital defense in each sector and along our borders,' he said. 'We will continue preserving air superiority and advancing the intelligence effort.' On Gaza, he described the war there as 'one of the most complex' the army has ever faced. 'We have achieved very significant accomplishments, and the Southern Command continues to lead with standing army and reserve brigades in offense and defense. We are paying a heavy price in the fighting,' he said. Zamir also underscored the need for continued operations in the West Bank, against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and against Iranian targets in Syria. Meanwhile, former Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said if the Iranian regime does not abandon its nuclear program, then Israel may have to strike again. According to him, the Iranian government poses a serious threat not only to Israel but also to broader regional stability. Gantz said Israel cannot allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons. 'We made the right decision with our previous strikes,' he said. The former minister noted that the best solution to guarantee that Iran does not possess a nuclear weapon would be peaceful pressure to compel Tehran to abandon its nuclear activities, but this method does not seem to be working in practice. Therefore, military measures may return to the agenda, he said.
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Israel kidnaps two Syrians in south Lebanon raid
Israeli soldiers kidnapped two Syrian agricultural workers when they raided houses in a south Lebanon border area at dawn on Wednesday. Involving about 20 troops, the unit also interrogated a number of others and searched houses, some inhabited, others not, in the raid near Mari, Lebanon's state news agency reported. The Israeli soldiers captured the two Syrians, who were working in the area, taking them as they retreated. The Syrians were later released near to border. The Israeli military did not initially comment on the raid. Al Mari Plain is an agricultural area near the Blue Line that separates Israel and Lebanon. In January the Israeli military kidnapped two beekeepers from the plain and later released them. Israel already occupies five points of Lebanese territory despite being required to withdraw under the terms of a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah that came into force in November. The Israeli military regularly carries out ground raids in pursuit of alleged Hezbollah infrastructure, pressing further into Lebanese territory before retreating. A number of brigades pressed further into south Lebanon this month and destroyed underground networks and weapons allegedly belonging to Hezbollah. Last week, Israel carried out a major aerial bombing campaign on the Bekaa Valley, killing 12 people including seven Syrian refugees. The Israeli military claimed it was destroying training facilities operated by Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force. Hezbollah was severely weakened during a year-long war with Israel that ended with a ceasefire in November. Israel's military campaign destroyed much of the group's infrastructure and killed its leaders and senior commanders. Israel continues to bomb south Lebanon on a daily basis. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hezbollah must pull all military equipment and fighters out of southern Lebanon, and all non-state militant groups must be disarmed across the country. Israel was supposed to withdraw and cease its attacks. Lebanon has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire terms about 4,000 times. Lebanon is under pressure externally and internally to disarm these groups, including Hezbollah and Palestinian factions that have a presence in the country. US envoy Tom Barrack arrived in Beirut on Sunday for discussions on the disarmament of Hezbollah, a previously taboo topic.
France 24
3 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Thailand: Sex scandal shakes Buddhist faithful
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Asharq Al-Awsat
4 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Deir al-Balah Ordered to Evacuate: Is Israel Carving a New Military Corridor?
Israeli forces have issued evacuation orders for parts of Deir al-Balah, a central Gaza area previously designated as a 'safe humanitarian zone.' Residents, many of whom had fled there under Israeli direction earlier in the war, were told to vacate the southwestern parts of the city amid claims of militant activity in the area. This marks the first Israeli military operation in Deir al-Balah since the war began, with officials citing efforts to 'intensify operations to dismantle enemy capabilities and terrorist infrastructure.' The Israeli army's directive included the evacuation of displaced persons living in makeshift tents. Leaflets were dropped and electronic notices distributed, requesting residents to head south toward Al-Mawasi, an already overcrowded strip. The region under evacuation lies between central Deir al-Balah and southern Khan Younis. It houses nearly 100,000 people, many displaced multiple times, and includes Gaza's largest EU-funded desalination plant, which has been out of service for months due to Israeli power cuts. If Israel advances on the ground here, it could mean the loss of another stretch of critical farmland, deepening the already catastrophic famine in the Strip. A New Military Corridor in the Making? Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel may be seeking to carve out a new military corridor, effectively separating Khan Younis from Gaza's central region. Similar divisions were previously enacted when Rafah was isolated from Khan Younis. Observers now anticipate the same pattern could unfold between Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah. Reports suggest Israeli troops might approach from northern Khan Younis to storm the southwestern flank of Deir al-Balah, thereby severing the area from the rest of the city. A comparable strategy was previously employed in the east-west split of Khan Younis through the so-called 'Magin Oz Axis.' Sources further warned that, blocking a ceasefire agreement, Israeli forces may attempt full control of the Netzarim Corridor, effectively dividing northern Gaza from the center. Currently, Israel controls the corridor's eastern flank but has left the western side, Al-Rashid Street, accessible since the last ceasefire ended on March 18. Such fragmentation of the Gaza Strip into isolated zones would grant Israel near-total operational control while pushing civilians into ever-smaller, overcrowded pockets, primarily along the coastline. From Israel's perspective, these military pressures are aimed at squeezing Hamas into more concessions in the ongoing indirect negotiations hosted by Qatar. Sunday saw one of the deadliest days in recent weeks. Over 70 Palestinians were killed in northern Gaza as they gathered near the Zikim military zone, hoping to receive flour from a rare delivery of eight trucks, allowed in for the first time in over a week. Witnesses say Israeli drone fire and artillery struck the crowd, leaving more than 150 injured, many of them children, teenagers, and women. The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed 73 deaths, 67 of them in the north, and warned that many injuries were critical. The tragedy came just a day after 30 others were killed in southern Gaza on Saturday. The incident brings the total number of civilians killed at or near aid distribution points - many of them backed by US humanitarian programs - to more than 1,000 since the end of May. Hamas described the attacks as 'escalation in the genocidal war,' accusing Israel of using food and aid as bait to target vulnerable civilians. 'What's happening in Gaza is a deliberate strategy of ethnic cleansing through hunger, thirst, and violence,' the group stated, urging immediate international intervention. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to spiral. In recent days, at least seven children have died from malnutrition. The Health Ministry reported 18 famine-related deaths within just the past 24 hours.
