Reaction to air raid: Hezbollah bombs Israel
Hezbollah in South Lebanon Covers Northern Israel with Numerous Rockets at Night. In Response, Israel Conducts Air Strikes, Killing Several People. International Concerns Grow over Possible War, as Gaza Conflict Negotiations Yield Little Progress.
A nighttime barrage of rockets from Lebanese Hezbollah on Northern Israel raises concerns of a new war. The pro-Iranian Shia militia fired dozens of rockets in several waves into the early morning hours. Hezbollah claimed these attacks were in retaliation for the deaths of five Syrians in Israeli attacks in South Lebanon, among them three children. There were initially no reports of casualties on the Israeli side.
Israel's army reported intercepting some Hezbollah rockets, while others fell on open ground. By late evening, there were no reported injuries. However, the army issued a new rocket alert in the early morning hours. In response, the Israeli Air Force targeted Hezbollah positions in South Lebanon, according to military reports.
Amid renewed Hezbollah attacks, the US is looking to strengthen military cooperation with their ally. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart, Joav Galant, discussed ongoing Hezbollah attacks and explored possibilities for improving military coordination between the US and Israel in response to a series of regional security threats, the Pentagon announced Tuesday in Washington.
Reports of Deaths in South Lebanon
The state-run 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 South Lebanon. Two Syrian men were also reportedly killed in a separate drone strike on a motorcycle. Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in near-daily clashes since the start of the Gaza War. There is growing concern that a full-blown war may ensue.
Israel demands that Hezbollah withdraw to the 30 kilometers from the border as stipulated in a UN resolution. However, the Shia militia will only cease attacks if there is a ceasefire in the Gaza War between Israel and the militant Islamic Hamas. Currently, this does not seem likely. Indirect negotiations, mediated by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, are set to continue this week in Doha or Cairo.
Former 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 subject of ongoing negotiations. Israel has so far rejected Hamas' demand for a permanent truce. Recently, Andrey Kozlov, one of the four hostages freed in a dramatic Israeli military operation on June 8, spoke of torture and punishment during his eight-month captivity in the sealed-off Gaza Strip.
He believed that his kidnappers intended to murder him and film it, he told the "Times of Israel". "In the first three months, we were afraid of every bomb we heard", said the 27-year-old. His kidnappers laughed at their fear. Besides psychological terror, one of the guards beat him and covered him with many blankets on very hot days. The man from Russia was abducted during the terror attack on the 7th of October at the Nova Music Festival, where he worked as a security guard.
Hamas Leader in Gaza reportedly under pressure
The military commanders of Hamas in the contested Gaza Strip are reportedly pressuring their leader Yihya al-Sinwar to agree to a ceasefire agreement with Israel, according to a media report citing US intelligence. CIA Director Bill Burns reportedly made this statement based on US intelligence information at a business conference in the US behind closed doors, as quoted by the US broadcaster CNN, a well-informed source said. Al-Sinwar is seen as a key planner of the massacre in Israel on the 7th of October. Around 1200 Israelis were killed and around 250 people were taken to Gaza. The attack was the trigger for the war. Al-Sinwar is the most important decision-maker for Hamas when it comes to accepting an agreement. Burns told the source that Al-Sinwar is not "concerned about his mortality". He is, however, under pressure due to growing unrest among his people over the immense suffering caused by the war on the Palestinians.
Al-Sinwar's own commanders are reportedly pressuring their leader to approve a proposal for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, CNN reported. This cannot be independently verified. The Israeli 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 killed or captured
The Israeli army claims to have eliminated or arrested approximately half of the Hamas leadership. Since the start of the war over nine months ago, "around 14,000 terrorists have been eliminated or arrested," the military said. It was not clear whether this referred only to Hamas members or to members of other terrorist groups. Before the war began, there were estimated to be around 30,000 Hamas fighters.
According to the health authorities 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 fighters, cannot be independently verified at this time. Israel is facing international criticism due to the high number of casualties and the immense damage in the sealed coastal strip.
- The United States of America is looking to strengthen military cooperation with Israel, expressing concern over the escalating Israel-War and the role of Hezbollah in South Lebanon.
- The escalation of violence has resulted in reports of deaths in South Lebanon, with three Syrian children and two Syrian men killed in separate Israeli drone strikes.
- As negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas continue, hostage-taking remains a contentious issue, with former hostage Andrey Kozlov describing his torture during his eight-month captivity in the Gaza Strip.
- Amidst the ongoing conflict, there are reports of pressure on Hamas leader Yihya al-Sinwar by his own commanders to agree to a ceasefire agreement with Israel and release hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.
- In response to Hamas' actions, Israel claims to have eliminated or arrested approximately half of the Hamas leadership, leading to international criticism for the high number of casualties and damage in the Gaza Strip.
