Syria

Spotlight on Iran (July 3 – 10, 2024)

Following the election of Masoud Pezeshkian as president of Iran, there has been a marked Iranian effort to emphasize Iran’s commitment to continued support for the “resistance front” it leads: the Iranian media has highlighted the message of support sent by the president-elect to Hezbollah’s secretary-general, in which he stressed Iran’s continued support for Hezbollah and the “resistance” in the region against Israel; Senior Iranian officials once again threatened Israel against the possibility of an offensive initiative against Hezbollah; Iran’s president-elect spoke with Syrian President Bashar Assad and stressed that Iran would continue to support Syria and the “resistance.”; The Houthis in Yemen and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed joint responsibility for launching a drone at Eilat. The IDF Spokesperson reported the downing of a suspicious target over the Red Sea. In addition, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for three attacks of its own against targets in Israel. The IDF Spokesperson confirmed that a drone had been downed; Representatives of the pro-Iranian militias reportedly agreed to act against American interests and targets in Israel if war broke out in Lebanon; The Houthis reported three attacks against civilian vessels in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden. There were no casualties or damage. A Greek warship intercepted two Houthi drones en route to a merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden.
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Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria (July 1 – 8 , 2024)

This past week Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 47 attacks on military and civilian targets in northern Israel, up from 38 attacks the previous week. The intensity of the attacks increased in response to the killing of Muhammad Naama Nasser, commander of the Aziz Unit. In response to the IDF's eliminating another senior operative, Hezbollah attacked new Israeli targets. An IDF officer was killed and nine soldiers and civilians were injured, fires broke out and property was extensively damaged; Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked Hezbollah targets and operatives in south Lebanon and the Lebanon Valley; Hezbollah revealed rare documentation of the weapons and methods used by its artillery unit; Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah said that despite criticism, the organization would not withdraw its support for the Gaza Strip. Senior Hezbollah figures said there might be a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, after which the IDF might transition to a new combat phase and escalate the conflict in south Lebanon; Nasrallah met with a Hamas delegation to discuss efforts for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and to coordinate activities against Israel. Nasrallah's deputy met with a senior German intelligence official; Internal Lebanese criticism against Hezbollah continues.
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Spotlight on Iran (June 26—July 3, 2024)

Acting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri spoke with foreign ministers in the region and around the world aiming to bring an end to the war in the Gaza Strip. He warned against the possibility of an Israeli offensive initiative against Hezbollah, which would lead to an expansion of the war. Meanwhile, Iran is intensifying its threats in light of the possibility of an all-out confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah; The IRGC commander declared that the “resistance front” was destined for victory; The Houthis in Yemen and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed joint responsibility for four attacks against Haifa and against ships in Haifa Port and on their way to Haifa. In addition, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for an attack on Eilat. However, no verification of the claims has been received from other sources; he coordination committee of the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq decided to escalate its actions against Israel in the event of an all-out war in Lebanon; The Houthis continued to report attacks against civilian vessels and unveiled new weapons intended to attack vessels. The Houthi leader threatened to attack the American aircraft carrier expected to arrive in the Red Sea.
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Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria (June 24 – July 1 , 2024)

This past week Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 38 attacks on military and civilian targets in northern Israel, similar to the previous week. Eighteen IDF soldiers were injured in the northern Golan Heights by a UAV attack; Israeli Air Force fighter jets and UAVs attacked Hezbollah targets and operatives in south Lebanon. Nine Hezbollah operatives and a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative were killed; Senior Hezbollah figures warned Israel not to expand the conflict in Lebanon. According to reports, Hezbollah put its border units on higher alert out of concern for Israeli military infiltration. Several countries called on their citizens to leave Lebanon for fear of escalation; According to reports, Iran provided Hezbollah with new weapons, including unmanned naval vessels; The prime minister of the transitional government in Lebanon, Najib Mikati, visited south Lebanon and said the country was already at war; Syria: A Hezbollah operative was killed in an attack on a Jihad al-Bina Association target. The attack was attributed to Israel; For the first time since 2016, the Arab League announced it did not designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
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Spotlight on Iran (June 19-26 , 2024)

Acting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri-Kani visited Qatar and met with the Qatari prime minister and the head of Hamas’ political bureau. Bagheri stressed Iran’s support for Hamas and called for expanding the “resistance” to the legal, political, and diplomatic spheres; Against the backdrop of Israel’s threats to initiate an all-out campaign against Hezbollah, senior Iranian officials warned Israel against expanding the war on Hezbollah; The Houthis and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed joint responsibility for attacking ships in Haifa port and en route to Haifa. In addition, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for carrying out four drone attacks against Israel. The IDF intercepted a drone approaching Israel, and another fell into the sea near Eilat, with no casualties; The pro-Iranian militias in Iraq announced their intention to assist Hezbollah in the event of a large-scale war against Israel; The Houthis continued to report attacks on civilian vessels. The American aircraft carrier Eisenhower left the Red Sea after eight months.
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Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria (June 17 – 24 , 2024)

This past week, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 38 attacks on military and civilian targets in northern Israel. An IDF soldier was injured by a UAV and two reserve soldiers were injured by an anti-tank missile; Israeli Air Force fighter jets and UAVs attacked Hezbollah targets and operatives in south Lebanon. A senior terrorist operative of al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya was killed in a targeted attack in the Lebanon Valley; Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah secretary general, warned that the organization would act without limitations in the event of an all-out war against Israel, could hit any target in Israeli territory and could invade the Galilee. He warned Cyprus not to participate on Israel's side in the event of a war; According to reports, Hezbollah uses the Beirut International Airport to store Iranian weapons, including missiles and rockets; Hezbollah published a video of a UAV that photographed security and civilian facilities in the Haifa area. Another video threatened to attack strategic sites in Israel; The estimated damage to south Lebanon since the beginning of the fighting is over $1.5 billion and there are more than 90,000 displaced persons; The American envoy Amos Hochstein held talks in Lebanon in an attempt to prevent further escalation in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
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