Middle East - Hezbollah attacks Israel after killing a commander
The Lebanese Hezbollah fired more than 200 rockets and 20 drones at Israel in response to the killing of a high-ranking commander, according to their own statements. The slain individual was reportedly responsible for an unit handling the launching of rockets at Israel.
Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran, will only stop attacking Israel when there is a weapons truce in the Gaza War. Hezbollah stated that they are acting out of solidarity with the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas. The "Lebanon Front" is described by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a "support front."
The cause of the Gaza War were the massacres and hostage-takings by Palestinian terror organizations like Hamas on October 7 in Israel.
Circles: Negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage exchange
Intense negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza War and for a hostage exchange of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons are gaining momentum.
A high-ranking Israeli negotiation delegation is reportedly in Cairo, Egypt, according to informed sources. During their extended visit to Egypt, they aim to find a way to reach an agreement.
Israel previously stated that they would consider a Hamas proposal. The mediating countries, USA, Qatar, and Egypt, have presented the Israeli negotiation team with a Hamas draft, as the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced.
The Hamas also shared that they would exchange "some ideas" with the mediators to achieve an end to the war. The content of the Hamas proposal is currently unknown. It is also unclear how it differs from the previously discussed plan.
Israel: The war ends only when Hamas is destroyed
So far, an agreement has failed primarily because Hamas demands a complete end to the Gaza War and an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
Israel rejects this and speaks of a time-limited ceasefire for the exchange of hostages and the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.
Israel's government has consistently emphasized that the war will only end when Israel has achieved all its goals, including the destruction of Hamas and the release of all hostages.
In the sealed coastal strip, up to 120 hostages are believed to still be held, many of whom may no longer be alive.
Daily shelling along the border between Israel and Lebanon
In the north of Israel, sirens wailed frequently. Israel's army identified approximately 200 projectiles and over 20 drones that had flown into Israeli territory, according to their own statements. The military retaliated by targeting launch sites in Lebanon.
The Lebanese news agency NNA reported that a person was killed in an Israeli attack in Hula in southern Lebanon. In addition, a woman was injured in another attack, according to NNA.
Hezbollah confirmed the death of one of its members. The man was reportedly from Hula. Hezbollah did not provide further details about where, when, or how the fighter was killed. Israel's army stated that they had targeted "Hezbollah military buildings" in Hula, among other places.
Israel and the Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah have been engaging in near-daily battles since the start of the Gaza War. The intensity of these confrontations has recently increased significantly. There are concerns that these clashes could escalate into a regional conflict. Iran is not only allied with Hezbollah and Hamas, but also with non-state actors in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
Israel aims to achieve this through military and political pressure, making the Hisbollah withdraw behind the 30 kilometer border of the Litani River - as stipulated in a UN resolution.
- Hezbollah, backed by Iran, is continuing its attacks on Israel, firing over 200 rockets and 20 drones, following the killing of a high-ranking commander responsible for rocket launches towards Israel.
- Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah referred to the coordinated attacks as a "support front" for the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas, involved in the conflicts in the Gaza Strip.
- The Gaza War, causing tensions in the Middle East, began due to massacres and hostage-takings by Palestinian terror organizations like Hamas in Israel on October 7.
- Egypt, mediating the conflicts, is hosting a high-ranking Israeli negotiation delegation aiming to reach an agreement for a ceasefire and hostage exchange.
- The mediation team, consisting of the USA, Qatar, and Egypt, presented the Israeli delegation with a Hamas draft proposal, urging an end to the Gaza War and an Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territories.
- Despite the ongoing negotiations, Hamas demands a complete end to the Gaza War and the release of all hostages, which Israel categorically rejects.
- Daily bombardment from Israel targeting Hamas military sites in the Gaza Strip continues, raising concerns of a humanitarian crisis amid reports of Palestinians still held as hostages.
- Israel, supported by Egypt, is pushing for a limited ceasefire for hostage release and humanitarian aid deliveries, while actively pursuing the destruction of Hamas and the release of all remaining hostages.
- The tensions between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon also escalated, with daily shelling and drone attacks along the border, raising fears of a potential regional conflict involving Iran's allies in the Middle East.
