Iran Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah in escalation mode
The Lebanese Hezbollah militia and the Israeli armed forces are firing at each other almost daily - one year after the start of the fighting, the situation continues to deteriorate: according to the authorities, at least 36 people were killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon on Tuesday alone.
A further 150 people were injured, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. On Tuesday alone, the emergency committee of the caretaker government registered 137 Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. Meanwhile, according to the Israeli military, the Shiite militia Hezbollah fired around 180 rockets from Lebanon into Israel. Houses and cars were damaged. In Haifa, the third largest city, one woman was slightly injured.
Ministry: Over 2,000 people killed in Lebanon
Hezbollah, which is allied with Iran, began firing rockets at Israel on October 7, 2023, one day after the massacre carried out by Islamist Hamas and other extremists. For its part, the Israeli military repeatedly fired on Shia militia positions. Most recently, the air force significantly expanded its attacks. According to official figures, at least 2,119 people have been killed and 10,019 others injured in Lebanon since the outbreak of fighting a year ago. The Ministry of Health does not differentiate between civilians and Hezbollah fighters.
Activists: several dead in airstrike on Damascus
According to human rights activists and Syrian state media, several people were killed in a suspected Israeli airstrike on the Syrian capital Damascus. The target of the attack was a building frequently visited by leaders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah, reported the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. No Iranian citizens were among the victims, the Isna news agency reported, citing Iran's embassy in Damascus. In April, two generals from the Revolutionary Guards were killed in the Syrian capital in a suspected Israeli attack.
Report: Biden wants to talk to Netanyahu on the phone
After almost two months of radio silence and in view of a possible retaliatory strike by Israel against Iran, US President Joe Biden is expected to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone this Wednesday, according to a report. This was reported by the US news portal Axios, citing three US officials. On Tuesday evening, Netanyahu met with ministers and the heads of the Israeli military and intelligence services to decide on the scope and timing of the Israeli attacks, according to two Israeli officials. According to them, Israel's retaliatory measures are "expected to be significant" and will be a combination of airstrikes on military targets in Iran and covert attacks.
US trip by Israel's Defense Minister Galant postponed
The Israeli government had previously canceled a visit by Defense Minister Joav Galant to the USA at short notice. "We have been informed that Minister Galant is postponing his trip to Washington," said Deputy Pentagon Spokesperson Sabrina Singh. According to a report by Axios, Netanyahu did not want to approve the trip of his defense minister until the security cabinet had decided on a response to the Iranian missile attack and the head of government had spoken with Biden. Relations between Washington and Tel Aviv have recently been tense due to US criticism of Israel's conduct of the war.
Media: Secret talks with Iran on ceasefire on all fronts
According to a report by the Israeli television station Channel 12, the USA and several Arab states have begun secret talks with Iran about a ceasefire on all fronts. Israel is not currently involved in the talks, but has been informed. Last week, Iran attacked Israel directly with around 200 missiles. In addition, the government in Tehran supports the Shia militia Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi militia in Yemen, which in turn repeatedly attack Israel. "We are currently in a position of strength. A ceasefire would have to be agreed on our terms," Channel 12 quoted a senior Israeli official as saying.
