Author: Steven Sahiounie

On Friday, the Israeli army reported that Hezbollah fired approximately 222 shells from Lebanon toward Israel. Hezbollah also announced on Friday that its fighters targeted Israeli forces in a border region in southern Lebanon. According to the group, its artillery units struck Israeli military vehicles and personnel in the Maroun al-Ras plain, confirming injuries among Israeli forces, as reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP). In a statement, the Israeli military said it had killed Mohammad Rashid Skaffi, a key Hezbollah communications commander, in a “precise strike based on intelligence information” in Beirut on Thursday, as reported by Reuters. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s government…

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, confirmed in a statement on Friday evening the death of its senior leader, Zahi Yasser Awfi, in an Israeli airstrike on Tulkarm, West Bank. Alongside Awfi, seven other fighters were also killed in the attack. The Israeli military claimed responsibility for the strike, stating that Awfi, who was the head of Hamas in Tulkarm, was killed during an operation on Thursday. Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army spokesperson, posted on his “X” account, saying, “The IDF and Shin Bet eliminated the leader of Hamas’ terrorist network in Tulkarm, who was planning an imminent…

Late Friday evening, media outlets affiliated with the Houthi movement reported three U.S.-British airstrikes on the coastal area of Al-Jabana, west of Hodeidah, Yemen. The U.S. military executed 15 airstrikes on Friday, targeting Houthi military positions linked to Iran. Residents reported hearing explosions near military sites and the airport. According to CENTCOM, the strikes aimed at Houthi offensive military capabilities. However, no specifics were given about whether the targets included missiles, drones, or radar systems. Earlier that Friday, Houthi-controlled media and local residents mentioned that airstrikes had hit various parts of Yemen, including the capital, Sana’a, and Hodeidah airport. The…

Following three days of Iranian missile attacks on Israeli territory, Iranian oil tankers have left their positions at the country’s main oil export terminal, amid threats from Israel to launch strikes on targets within Iran, including oil facilities. According to TankerTrackers.com Inc, a company specializing in tracking and monitoring ships using satellite data, the oil tankers departed from Iran’s largest oil terminal. In a tweet on its platform, X, the company stated, “It appears that the National Iranian Oil Company fears an imminent attack by Israel. Empty supertankers have left the country’s largest oil terminal, Kharg Island, as of yesterday.”…

The head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency issued a warning on Friday that the upcoming anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 could be a “triggering event” for domestic disturbances. Next Monday marks the first anniversary of the unprecedented attack that ignited the war in Gaza and sparked conflict with Hamas allies in Lebanon, Iran, and elsewhere. Thomas Haldenwang, head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, stated that unrest in the Middle East tends to provoke reactions in Germany. He cautioned about a “high likelihood of sympathy, polarization, and extremism” during the anniversary.…

Israeli media reported today that the Israeli Security Cabinet has decided to respond to the Iranian missile attack. Sources from Channel 13 indicated that “Israel aims to ensure that its response to Iran does not lead to an exchange of strikes in the near future.” The report added, “We want to carry out a significant operation in response to Iran, but we do not want options that divert us from our war objectives.” This decision coincides with ongoing consultations between the United States and Israel regarding the nature of the response, with the potential targeting of Iranian oil facilities being…

Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized President Joe Biden over his recent statements suggesting that Israel should not target Iran’s nuclear sites. Trump described these remarks as “the most baffling thing I’ve ever heard.” In an interview with Fox News reporter Bill Melugin, conducted before a campaign rally in Saginaw, Michigan, on Thursday, the Republican presidential candidate expressed his frustration with Biden’s stance on Iran’s nuclear program. Trump stated, “This is the greatest threat we face — nuclear weapons. Leaving these weapons unchecked is not the right answer.” He emphasized that Iran is “on the verge of obtaining nuclear weapons,…

On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden commented on ongoing discussions about a potential Israeli strike on Iranian oil facilities. These talks come in response to the recent missile attack launched by Iran on Israel. During remarks at the White House, Biden was asked, “Do you approve of Israel striking Iranian oil facilities?” He responded, “We are having discussions about it. I think it will be…” but did not complete his sentence, leaving room for speculation on the direction of these talks. When further questioned before leaving the White House for a trip to the southern U.S., Biden was asked, “What…

The Lebanese army announced on Thursday that one of its soldiers was killed and another injured in an Israeli airstrike while they were participating in a rescue mission alongside the Lebanese Red Cross in southern Lebanon. In a post on the platform “X” (formerly Twitter), the Lebanese military stated: “One soldier was martyred and another was wounded as a result of Israeli aggression while conducting an evacuation and rescue mission in the town of Taybeh-Marjeyoun in southern Lebanon, in cooperation with the Lebanese Red Cross.” In addition to the soldier’s death, officials reported that four medics lost their lives during…

On Wednesday, the Israeli army confirmed the deaths of eight soldiers during battles with Hezbollah following the Israeli military’s incursion into southern Lebanon. Israeli media revealed that most of the soldiers killed in these clashes belonged to the elite Egoz commando unit, marking one of Israel’s most significant human losses on the Lebanese front in nearly a year of ongoing hostilities with Hezbollah. But what is the Egoz unit, and why is it crucial in Israel’s military operations, especially in conflicts with Hezbollah? A Look Into Israel’s Egoz Unit The Egoz unit, part of the Israeli army’s elite forces, was…