Fighter jets shoot down drone over northern Israel
Israeli fighter jets intercepted the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) south of the Sea of Galilee after sirens sounded earlier today in the occupied Golan Heights. The Israeli military said the UAV was launched from the east and entered Israel from Syria. No damage or casualties have been reported.
Islamic Resistance in Iraq claims drone attack on Golan Heights
The Iraqi armed group said it attacked “by drone, a military target in the north” of Israel’s occupied territories, in a statement on Telegram. The Times of Israel linked the attack to sirens sounding in the occupied Golan Heights and said that no injuries were reported.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq is comprised of Iran-backed militias and has carried out dozens of rocket and drone attacks on targets in Israel as well as US forces in Iraq and Syria since Israel’s war on Gaza began.
Israel, Lebanon trade fire as mass displacement continues
We are around 20km from the Israel-Lebanon border. Over the past few hours, there have been several Israeli air strikes and we have also seen rockets being launched and intercepted by the Iron Dome system.
This whole area is overwhelmed with displaced people seeking shelter. Some are sleeping in the streets or sharing homes with relatives. Up until now, the city of Tyre has not been hit, but villages around Tyre have been hit continuously.
In Lebanon now, there are more than 500,000 displaced people in a country that is already bankrupt and with few resources.
Israel ‘pushing region towards all-out war’
The foreign ministers of Egypt, Iraq and Jordan have condemned Israel’s “aggression” against Lebanon, warning that it is “pushing the region towards all-out war”.
In a joint statement issued after a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the ministers said the “serious escalation going on in the region” was discussed and stopping the “dangerous escalation under way in the region … begins by halting Israel’s aggression in Gaza”.
“Ministers called on the international community and the Security Council to take their responsibilities in stopping the war, pointing out that Israel bears full responsibility for this deterioration, which will have serious consequences on the region.”
Tens of thousands of people fled southern Lebanon with little idea where to find safety as intense Israeli bombardment across Lebanon killed at least 569 people, including 50 children.
The aggressor here is certainly the Israeli military
Everything points towards more and more escalation on the northern border, more and more escalation into communities inside Lebanon.
Netanyahu has decided to postpone his trip to New York for the UN General Assembly. He will be meeting ministers and security and military establishment officials for consultations likely on how to continue the conflict in the north.
One report also says that Israel has asked the US to warn Iran not to interfere as it carries on and warned Iran to be prepared for any attacks if it does.
Inside Israel, sirens were sounding this morning. We are expecting a lot more today, especially since that missile was fired towards Tel Aviv by Hezbollah last night.
Hezbollah is stating it does not want to hit population centres and really, the results speak for themselves. The death toll since this uptick on the Israeli side still stands at zero. Whereas on the Lebanese side, it is being counted in the hundreds.
The aggressor here is certainly the Israeli military. And they’re leaving very little room for any party in the region to come to any sort of negotiated deal at this stage.
