Syria

Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria (March 14 – 18, 2024)

Hezbollah continued attacking against Israeli military targets along the border, carrying out 29 attacks. In response, IDF forces attacked Hezbollah targets in south LebanonGiven the increase of IDF attacks in Lebanon, Hezbollah issued a video threatening reprisals in kind if the IDF continues expanding its attacks in Lebanon.According to a report, last month Esmail Qaani, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps' Qods Force, met with Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Hezbollah. Nasrallah reportedly told him that Hezbollah would fight on its own against Israel, and called on Iran to remain uninvolved in direct fighting out of concern for the safety of its nuclear facilities and to avoid a confrontation with the United States.Hezbollah targets northeast of Damascus were attacked in an airstrike attributed to Israel.The British Telegraph reported that Iran smuggled weapons to Hezbollah using ships passing through the Suez Canal en route to ports in Europe.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., March 6, 2024)

IDF forces continued their activity in the Hamad neighborhood in northwest Khan Yunis, while forces in the central Gaza Strip operated mainly against armed terrorist groups.For now, there is apparently no progress in the negotiations. The Hamas delegation remained in Egypt for another day of talks. Hamas claimed to have demonstrated the "flexibility" required to reach a binding agreement and accused Israel of continuing to evade its commitments. The United States airlifted another load of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Senior Hamas members acknowledged the aid but claimed it was "better" for the aid to be delivered through the border crossings. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 11 attacks. Referring to the visit of American mediator Amos Hochstein in Lebanon, Hezbollah's deputy secretary general claimed they were not aware of messages he brought, adding that Hezbollah's position was clear: as long as the war in the Gaza Strip continued, the Lebanese front would continue .A stabbing attack was carried out at the Yitzhar Junction (south of Nablus) in which an IDF soldier was seriously injured. Mahmoud Abbas, PA chairman, met in Ankara with the president of Turkey.The senior military advisor to the Iranian supreme leader claimed Iran's strategic depth was the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, and Iran should increase its "defensive" strategic depth to 5,000 kilometers (about 3,100 miles) using its naval and air forces. The Islamic Resistance reported it had launched a UAV at Haifa. The Houthis reported attacking a United States military destroyer in the Red Sea.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., March 3, 2024)

On March 3, 2024, the IDF forces launched a large-scale attack in western Khan Yunis. Over the weekend they continued operating in previous and new areas. They also operated in the Abasan area east of Khan Yunis, near the Israeli border. Rockets were launched at Israel for three consecutive days including Hatzerim Airbase; the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) claimed responsible for two of the attacks. The Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo to continue talks for a ceasefire and hostage deal. Hamas insisted that the temporary cease-fire become permanent and the IDF withdraw from the Strip. Hamas refused Israel's request for a list of the hostages. In cooperation with Jordan, an American plane airlifted humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Some people in the Gaza Strip were critical, claiming the supplies were insufficient, did not reach the right recipients and made UNRWA's role redundant. Over the weekend Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 20 attacks against Israel. Three operatives of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Imam Hossein Division were killed in a targeted aerial attack on the Naqourah road,. A building in the city of Baniyas in the Tartus Governate was attacked. Three people were killed, one of them a military advisor to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Two terrorist attacks were carried out' two people were killed. A third diplomatic meeting dealing with the war in the Gaza Strip was held in Turkey under the auspices of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Russia initiated a meeting in Moscow attended by representatives of the Palestinian "organizations." The summary announcement of the meeting detailed ten points on which the organizations had agreed; further meetings will be held in the future.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., February 29, 2024)

During the past day, IDF forces focused on western Khan Yunis and the Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza City. The forces exposed terrorist facilities and clashed with armed squads of terrorist operatives.  According to reports, Hamas' ministry of the interior established a "people's defense committee" in Rafah to help enforce the law against business owners who raised prices in the markets.  Hezbollah claimed responsibility for four attacks. It was reported that Hassan Nasrallah, secretary general of Hezbollah, and Esmail Qaani, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps' Qods Force, met in Beirut, and Qaani gave Hezbollah a green light to escalate its attacks if the IDF began a ground operation in Rafah. According to reports, two attacks on Hezbollah and its affiliated militias were carried out in Syria and attributed to Israel. Mahmoud Abbas sent communiqués to a number of presidents, prime ministers and heads of organizations stating the PA's opposition to the Israeli government's plan for "the day after" the war in Gaza.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., February 25, 2024)

After the IDF activity at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis the forces left the compound, however, military activity continued and expanded to the Abasan area, southeast of the city. In Gaza City, activity continued mainly in the Zeitoun neighborhood. IDF forces also clashed with armed terrorist squads in the northern and central Gaza Strip. The Hamas delegation concluded its talks in Cairo.. Talks were held in Paris, attended by representatives from Israel, the United States, Qatar and Egypt, and were described as "good." Hamas members stated they had not received reports about the results of the talks. UNRWA reported that deliveries to the northern Gaza Strip had to be stopped because the trucks were in danger of being attacked by civilians. Over the weekend, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 25 attacks. The IDF responded by attacking Hezbollah targets from the air and with artillery fire. An IDF UAV attacked a vehicle carrying Yasser Hanoun, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist operative from Jenin, who was on his way to carry out an attack. Over the weekend, American, British and other forces thwarted several attacks by the Houthis on ships in the Red Sea. They also attacked targets in Yemeni territory.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., February 22, 2024)

IDF activity continues, focusing on Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip and the Zeitoun neighborhood in eastern Gaza City. In Khan Yunis the forces uncovered another tunnel used by senor Hamas operatives. Musa Abu Marzouq, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said that for every Israeli hostage released, Hamas demanded the release of 500 Palestinian prisoners. He also noted that there might soon be a breakthrough regarding a ceasefire. Senior Hamas members continue to reiterate that Hamas has adhered to the conditions it presented in response to what was agreed upon in Paris. A Jordanian Air Force plane airlifted medical aid to the Jordanian field hospital in the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 14 attacks, including firing anti-tank missiles which damaged homes, and launching a barrage of rockets at the cities, towns and villages in the Western Galilee. The IDF responded with airstrikes and artillery fire. Three Palestinian terrorists in two cars carried out a shooting attack near Ma'ale Adumim. One person was killed and eight were injured. Two of terrorists were killed and the third was captured. Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) welcomed the attack and called on the Palestinians to continue attacking. The Iranian leader claimed the Gaza Strip was currently the main focus of the Islamic world. The Iranian foreign minister condemned the United States' decision to veto the UN Security Council proposal for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. On the morning of February 22, 2024, IDF aerial defense fighters used the Arrow anti-ballistic missile system to intercept a missile fired at Israel from the Red Sea. United States military forces attacked Houthi targets.
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