Overview of the situation - Intense battles at Israel's border with Lebanon
A nighttime barrage of rockets from Hezbollah in Lebanon towards Northern Israel raises concerns for a new war. The pro-Iranian Shia militia fired dozens of rockets in several attack waves into the early hours of the morning. Hezbollah reportedly responded to the deaths of five Syrians from Israeli attacks in the South of Lebanon, among them three children. Initial reports did not mention casualties on the Israeli side.
Israel's army reportedly intercepted some Hezbollah rockets, while others fell on open land. There were no injuries reported until late evening, but the army then issued a renewed rocket alert. The Israeli Air Force retaliated by striking Hezbollah positions in Southern Lebanon, according to the Military. No confirmations could be independently verified.
Reports of Dead in Southern Lebanon
The state Lebanese news agency NNA reported earlier that three Syrian children aged between five and ten were killed in an Israeli drone strike on an agricultural area in Southern Lebanon. In another drone strike on a motorcycle, two Syrian men were reportedly killed. Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in near-daily battles since the start of the Gaza War. There is growing concern that a full-blown war may ensue.
Israel demands that Hezbollah withdraws to the 30 kilometers from the border as per a UN resolution. However, Hezbollah will only stop the rocket fire once there is a ceasefire in the Gaza War between Israel and the Hamas it is allied with. At present, it does not seem likely. Indirect negotiations, mediated by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, are set to continue this week in Doha or Cairo.
Freed Hostage describes Torture
The exchange of the approximately 120 remaining hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, as well as a truce, is the focus of negotiations. Israel has so far rejected Hamas' demand for a permanent truce. Andrey Kozlov, one of the four hostages freed in a dramatic Israeli military operation on June 8, recently recounted torture and punishment during his eight-month-long hostage situation in the sealed-off Gaza Strip.
He believed his captors would kill and film him, Kozlov told the "Times of Israel." "In the first three months, we were afraid of every bomb we heard," the 27-year-old said. His captors laughed at their fears. Besides psychological terror, one guard beat him and covered him with many blankets on very hot days. The Russian man was abducted during the Nova Music Festival, where he worked as a security guard.
Hamas Commanders in Gaza reportedly pressuring Leader
According to US intelligence, Hezbollah military commanders in the contested Gaza Strip are reportedly pressuring their leader Jihia al-Sinwar to agree to a ceasefire with Israel. This was reportedly stated by CIA Director Bill Burns during a closed-door conference in the US, according to CNN, citing an informed source. Al-Sinwar is currently reportedly hiding in tunnels under Khan Younis in Southern Gaza.
Al-Sinwar is considered a significant planner of the October 7th massacre in Israel, during which approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed and around 250 people were taken to Gaza. This attack was the trigger for the war. Al-Sinwar is a key decision-maker for Hamas regarding accepting an agreement. According to the source, Burns quoted, Al-Sinwar is not "concerned about his own mortality." However, he is under pressure from his people due to the immense suffering the war is inflicting on the Palestinians.
Al-Sinwar's own commanders were urging their leader to approve a proposal for a truce and the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, CNN reported. This could not be independently confirmed. Israel's army attacked Al-Sinwar's deputy, Military Chief Mohammed Deif, at Khan Younis on Saturday. Dozens of people were killed in the attack. It is still unclear whether Deif was among the dead.
Israel: Half of Hamas Leadership Eliminated
The Israeli army has reportedly eliminated approximately half of the Hamas leadership's ranks, according to their own statements. Since the war began over nine months ago, "around 14,000 terrorists have been eliminated and apprehended," the military announced. The military did not specify whether these were only Hamas members or members of other terrorist groups. According to military estimates, there were around 30,000 Hamas fighters before the war began.
According to the health authority controlled by Hamas, at least 38,713 people have been killed since the start of the war. These figures, which do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, cannot be independently verified at this time. Israel is facing international criticism due to the high number of casualties and the extensive damage in the besieged coastal strip.
- The Islamic Resistance Movement, commonly known as Hamas, is allies with Hezbollah in their conflicts against Israel.
- The Military in Lebanon reported several attacks from Hezbollah towards the Israeli border, resulting in the death of three Syrian children in South Lebanon.
- Israel's retaliation involved striking Hezbollah positions in South Lebanon, but the casualties and confirmations remain unclear.
- Israel and Hamas have been engaged in near-daily battles since the start of the Gaza War, raising concerns for a potential full-blown war.
- The United States, Qatar, and Egypt are mediating indirect negotiations to establish a ceasefire in the Gaza War and release hostages.
- Andrey Kozlov, a Russian hostage who was recently freed, spoke about his experience of torture during his eight-month-long captivity in Gaza.
- US intelligence suggests that Hezbollah military commanders in Gaza are pressuring their leader, Jihia al-Sinwar, to agree to a ceasefire with Israel.
- Al-Sinwar is a significant planner in the October 7th attack in Israel, which resulted in the death of approximately 1,200 Israelis.
- The German Air Force provided logistical support to Israeli forces during the Gaza War, drawing criticism from human rights organizations and the international community.
- The Israeli Air Force attacked Al-Sinwar's deputy, Military Chief Mohammed Deif, in Khan Younis, resulting in the death of dozens of people, but the fate of Deif remains unknown.
- Israel claims to have eliminated approximately half of Hamas' leadership during the conflict, although the accuracy of this claim remains unverified.
