اخبار لبنان
موقع كل يوم -صحيفة الجمهورية
نشر بتاريخ: ٩ كانون الثاني ٢٠٢٤
The border areas are under scrutiny, and 'destructive confrontations' are escalating in the southern Lebanese front, while the wave of assassinations continues. In response to the assassinations of prominent military leader Wissam Al-Taweel and Hamas Deputy Political Bureau Chief Saleh Al-Arouri, Hezbollah announced that it targeted the headquarters of the Israeli Armys Northern Region in the occupied city of Safed (Dado Base) with several assaultive raids. The funeral of Hezbollah leader Al-Taweel, killed by an Israeli strike on his car in Khirbet Salim, took place amid difficulty as the partys flag-draped coffin was raised among mourners.
In this context, Hezbollahs Deputy Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, emphasized that the assassinations, including Al-Taweel, 'should not be a point of retreat but a catalyst for resistance.'
Hezbollah responded to Israeli claims of killing the Southern Region commander in its Airborne Unit, stating, 'The militant brother, responsible for the Marches Unit in Hezbollah, was not subjected to any assassination attempt, as the enemy falsely claimed.'
From Ain el-Tineh, the UN Deputy Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, affirmed the commitment of the Secretary-General and the UN to Lebanon, continuing efforts with the international community to de-escalate towards a permanent ceasefire. He expressed concern about the ongoing escalation in the region and Lebanon.
Lebanese President Nabih Berri commended the efforts of international emergency forces, testifying to Israeli daily aggression violating not only UN Resolution 1701 but also rules of engagement, affecting residential areas, civilians, ambulances, and journalists.
In a joint meeting between Lacroix and Prime Minister Mikati, the government reiterated the international communitys call for an end to Israeli aggression, expressing readiness for Lebanon to engage in negotiations for long-term stability in Southern Lebanon and at the northern borders of occupied Palestine, adhering to international resolutions and the ceasefire agreement.
In the evening, the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers announced that Mikati is preparing to call for a government session to discuss essential issues.
Regionally, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are meeting in Aqaba, south of Jordan, to discuss the Gaza war and developments in the occupied West Bank.
Sky News reported, citing a high-ranking Egyptian source, that an Israeli delegation visited Cairo to discuss a long-term ceasefire agreement, linked to the release of detainees in Gaza.
On the 95th day of the catastrophic war in Gaza, Hamass political bureau chief, Ismail Haniyeh, urged Islamic countries to 'support the resistance with weapons' as the conflict with Israel continues in Gaza.
In another context, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli military for 'running over' the body of a young man, calling it a moral degradation and reflecting official Israeli instructions and incitement, demonstrating a fascist colonialist mindset.
On another front, the Israeli Defense Minister affirmed during his meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in Tel Aviv that intensifying pressure on Iran is 'necessary' to avoid escalation in other regions amid the ongoing Gaza war. He emphasized in the meeting that military operations in the Khan Yunis area in the southern Gaza Strip would intensify and continue.
In a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken stressed 'the importance of avoiding further harm to civilians and protecting civilian infrastructure in Gaza.' He considered that 'Israel should cease undermining the Palestinians ability to govern themselves,' revealing that the latter 'agreed to the principle of sending a UN mission to assess the situation in northern Gaza.'
Amid the rising toll of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza reaching 23,210 casualties, the Israeli army announced that 185 soldiers have been killed since the start of the ground assault in late October.
Moreover, 'Reuters' reported, citing three Egyptian security sources, that Egypt rejected an Israeli proposal to enhance Israeli supervision of the buffer zone on the border between Egypt and Gaza. Sources clarified that 'Cairo prioritizes mediation efforts for a ceasefire before working on post-war arrangements.'
In addition, the International Criminal Court confirmed its investigation into possible crimes against journalists in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, where dozens of reporters were killed.
In Syria, the Ministry of Defense announced 'the death of 8 military personnel and a civilian, with 13 others injured, including two civilians, due to a terrorist attack with a car bomb on a military bus in the Syrian Badia south of Tadmur today.'
Internationally, the U.S. Secretary of State and the Israeli president, along with leaders of Middle Eastern countries, will participate in the World Economic Forum in Davos next week amid the ongoing war in Gaza, according to the forums announcement.
Furthermore, the British Foreign Secretary confirmed that the UK governments lawyers do not consider Israel to have violated international law in its military response to the Hamas attack. He pointed out that some developments witnessed during the war in Gaza were 'very concerning.'
In a new development, Gabriel Attal was appointed as the head of the French government, becoming the youngest Prime Minister in the history of the Republic and the first openly gay person to hold this position, as part of a cabinet reshuffle expected to give fresh impetus to Emmanuel Macrons second term.
In the United States, Donald Trump warned that continued legal pursuits against him as a former president and the leading Republican candidate for the presidential elections could lead to 'chaos.'
In the context of U.S.-China relations, the Chinese Foreign Minister stated that they 'stabilized' last year, confirming that 'thanks to persistent efforts, the two sides resumed dialogue and communication, halting the deterioration of relations.' In a related context, the Chinese President pledged to intensify the fight against corruption, particularly in key sectors such as finance, energy, and infrastructure.
Lastly, the launch of a Chinese satellite on Tuesday prompted a warning message to be sent to all mobile phones in Taiwan, cautioning against its flight in the islands airspace, four days before crucial elections for the regions security. In the latest developments of the ongoing war, the Kremlin announced that the Russian army would take all necessary steps to stop the increasing Ukrainian shelling on the Russian border city of Belgorod.
