world news
Israel seeking to create 5 km. ‘dead zone’ in southern Lebanon – report
An investigation by the Financial Times has claimed that the IDF’s operations in southern Lebanon are part of a plan to create a 5 km. “dead zone” on the border.
The FT combined data from satellites along with research from US universities using “synthetic aperture radar” satellites to detect changes in buildings without being affected by cloud cover.
Following the beginning of the war in October, Hezbollah began firing on Israel, with Israel responding in kind.
The report also stated that that over 95,000 Lebanese have been displaced, as well as 60,000 Israelis.The FT also reported that Israel has killed more Hezbollah commanders in this flare-up than died in the 2006 war.
Hezbollah fighters quoted in the report balked at the idea that they would withdraw from southern Lebanon.
Lebanese officials seemed to hope that a wider war could be stemmed by the creation of a buffer zone and a diplomatic solution.
The IDF denied it was creating a buffer zone. The IDF claimed it was only pushing back Hezbollah in order to prevent persistent attacks on Israeli residents of the North.
Many Lebanese have only been able to return to their villages during funerals, which appear to be one of the few respites from airstrikes.
“Every day, the destruction is getting worse,” Hassan Shayt, mayor of Kfar Kila, told FT.
A new era of war
“The damage is massive,” Hashem Haidar, the head of Lebanon’s Southern Council, said.
“The type of weaponry that’s being used is different from what we saw in 2006. Before, when a house was bombed, the damage would be confined to the house and its immediate surroundings. Now, there are entire neighborhoods that are being affected by one bombing.”
A senior Israeli military official defending their position said, “Every third home in south Lebanon is used by Hizbollah for weapons storage, training, firing positions, and meeting points for a possible cross-border attack.”
Several residents of targeted villages told FT that they believed that Israel was targeting the homes of people who returned to retrieve their belongings. Some of them noted that within two hours of returning to retrieve their belongings, the IDF had struck their house.
However, the FT also reported that soon after an airstrike they witnessed, Hezbollah fighters told them that their fighters had been hiding and storing weapons in abandoned homes.
There were also questions raised about Israel’s tactics for clearing brushland near the border, with several clips of Israeli troops employing unconventional methods, such as the use of trebuchets to launch flaming projectiles across the border and even flaming arrows.
Wow. Fighting Middle Age-mindset terrorists with Middle Age technology.The IDF soldiers built a TREBUCHET to clear foliage/bushes that Hezbollah have been hiding in and firing from.pic.twitter.com/24cURSYdw2
— Kosher (@KosherCockney) June 13, 2024
They also raised issues regarding Israel’s use of white phosphorus in combat. Israel claims that the use of white phosphorus is in line with international law and is strictly used for smokescreens and not fired at combatants.
העדכון החדש של מייפל סטורי נראה מטורף pic.twitter.com/x2cmBJUm9i
— David Yerman (@davidyerman) June 13, 2024
Although local mayors claim that this use has contaminated agricultural land, that may take years to undo, with some estimates of over $1.7 billion in damage.
world news
‘When America’s weak, the axis strengthens’: Fmr. Mossad official says Hezbollah fears war
Oded Ilam, a former senior Mossad official, spoke recently with Arel Segal on his show on 103FM radio to discuss the implications of Biden’s failure in the recent presidential debate against Donald Trump and the possible escalation in the North.
Ilam began by saying, “The Americans, although I don’t think they are anti-Israeli, continue to misunderstand the situation we are in. Biden and his administration have their hearts in the right place. The famous ‘warning’ that Biden gave to the Iranians didn’t move them at all. They attacked Israel anyway, and the American response was that the administration issued condolences for Raisi’s death. The American administration repeatedly shows weakness, which is also reflected in the ongoing negotiations.”
“Every time Hamas does not accept a deal with Israel, we are forced to step back two more steps. It is hard for me to see a situation where Hamas allows us to write up another agreement that doesn’t include withdrawing from the Philadelphi Corridor,” Ilam noted. “I can assume that when America is weak, the axis strengthens. This confrontation is very significant. I saw Biden’s performance in Atlanta, where he was different than at the recent debate. He was excellent. The same team that advised him to go to the debate is exactly the same team that shapes America’s policy.”
Israel-Lebanon conflict parties aim to avoid war
Ilam further added that “the Israel-Lebanon situation is interesting. All four main players, the US, Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel, do not want war. The one who least wants war is Nasrallah, who entered the situation in a very difficult state, both economically and in terms of his legitimacy from within Lebanon itself.”
“All four players do not want war. Nasrallah is waiting for the moment when Sinwar signs an agreement. I think they are sending him messages to urge him to sign. Even if this does not happen, the chance of a full-scale war decreases in favor of a settlement. Is a settlement good for Israel based on the current situation? That is another question,” Ilam concluded.
Edited by Michal Kedosh for 103FM radio.
world news
IDF forces demolish home of terrorist who murdered 14-year-old West Bank shepherd
IDF forces began demolishing the house of Ahmed Duabsha, a terrorist from the village of Duma, according to Ynet reported on Tuesday night.
Duabsha had been responsible for the murder of Binyamin Achimair, a 14-year-old shepherd, in April.
The terrorist was arrested on April 12 by The IDF, Shin Bet, and Israel Police during an overnight operation.
Duabsha admitted during interrogation to assaulting the teenager, which resulted in his death.About Binyamin Achimair
Achimair had been missing for 24 hours before his body was discovered on April 13.
Achimair had left Gal farm in the Samaria region of the West Bank on the morning of April 12 to allow his sheep to graze, and after several hours, the herd returned without him.
After news of Achimair’s body being found, a few violent incidents – including setting cars on fire – happened in the village Duma, and one person was killed by settler gunfire according to Palestinian reports, Walla reported at the time.
YUVAL BARNEA contributed to this report.
world news
IDF strikes West Bank terror cell as they plant explosive devices
Aircrafts carried out a targeted strike on Tuesday night on the Nur Shams camp, in the West Bank, eliminating a terror cell as they placed explosives, Israeli media reported. The IDF surrounded the squad and attacked it from the air while it was placing the devices.
Maariv, citing Palestinian reports, claimed that 5 people were killed in the strike. The report indicated that only one of the 5 killed were terrorists and that several others were wounded. The Palestinian Health Ministry placed the number of casualties at 4, according to Reuters.
The attack took place near an incident in Jenin in which 22-year-old Captain Alon Sacgiu was killed after his vehicle hit one of the explosive devices.
Uptick in attacks in the area over the last 3 days
This is the third attack in the last three days and, since the outbreak of the war, more than 50 attacks have been carried out in the area.
The Palestinian Health Ministry claimed that Israeli fire, following a military vehicle hitting an explosive device, resulted in the death of a woman and a child.
The ministry did not comment on the age of the child or whether those reportedly killed or wounded were engaged in attacks on the Israeli personnel operating in the area.
Sergeant-Major (Res.) Yehuda Geto, 22, was killed after hitting explosives.
The incident occurred during an operation to counter terrorism in the camp. According to the details of the initial investigation, a bomb exploded under a military vehicle where Geto, who served as a driver in the unit, and a commander were inside.
The IDF said that the military vehicle was in an area where there was no risk of explosives, therefore no searches were conducted for them, Israeli media reported.
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