English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For January 19/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas, the rock
John 01/35-42.: “The next day John again was standing with two of
his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the
Lamb of God! ’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking
for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you
staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was
staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the
afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew,
Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We
have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed).He brought Simon to
Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You are to be
called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter). the rock”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on January 18-19/2025
Hezbollah chief warns Israel over ‘hundreds’ of truce violations
Qassem says no one can 'exclude' Hezbollah from political participation
Lebanon’s president stresses urgent need for Israeli withdrawal from south under
Lebanon's new president stresses urgency of Israeli withdrawal from south under
truce deal
Aoun tells Guterres Israel must withdraw from south by Jan. 26 deadline
UN chief pledges international support as Lebanon rebuilds
US and EU to Provide $179 Million to Support the Lebanese Army
Guterres: Lebanese State Must Have Sole Control Over Weapons
Intelligence Directorate Arrests Smugglers in Kfar Zabad
UN Peacekeepers, Border Issues and Security Concerns: Guterres' Visit in Focus
New Israeli Violations: Ground Incursions in Hula and Yaroun
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on January 18-19/2025
Missile fired from Yemen intercepted over central Israel, military says
Explosions and sirens in central Israel after rocket fired from Yemen
Yemen’s Houthis say will deal with Israel in case of any violations Gaza
ceasefire deal
At least 46,899 Palestinians killed in Israel’s Gaza war since Oct. 7, 2023,
health ministry says
Netanyahu says Israel will not proceed with Gaza ceasefire until it gets hostage
list
Ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will go into effect Sunday morning, officials
say
Foreign minister says Syria looking forward to return to Arab League
Nearly 200,000 Syrian refugees have returned since Assad’s fall: UN
Austin Tice's mother, in Damascus, hopes to find son missing since 2012
A train station was once the pride of Syria's capital. Some see it as a symbol
of revival after war
Iran unveils new underground naval base amid tension with US and Israel
El-Sisi highlights Egypt’s commitment to Libyan unity
Gunman shoots dead 2 judges in Iran's capital tied to 1988 mass executions
Trump comeback restarts Israeli public debate on West Bank annexation
4 Things the Middle Class Likely Won’t Be Able To Afford Once Trump Takes Office
Melania Trump hosts Queen Rania of Jordan in Florida
Thousands gather in Washington to protest Trump inauguration
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on January 18-19/2025
Gaza Ceasefire: Implications for Israel, Hamas, and U.S. Policy/Dennis Ross,
Matthew Levitt, Neomi Neumann/Washington Institute/January 18/2025
A call that could change history: Trump and Pezeshkian’s moment to forge peace/Seyed
Hossein Mousavian, opinion contributor/The Hill/ January 18/2025
Iran's Mullahs: Will the EU Ever Wake Up?/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone
Institute/January 18, 2025
What the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire in Gaza Means for the Middle East/Biden and
Trump played a crucial role – but the situation is still fragile./David Makovsky/U.S.
News & World Report/January 18, 2025
PA Reform Is Key to West Bank Stability—and Possible Rule in Gaza/Neomi
Neumann/The Washington Institute/Jan 18, 2025
What Does the Red Sea Crisis Reveal About Sanctioned Ships?/Noam Raydan/The
Washington Institute./January 18/2025
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on January 18-19/2025
Hezbollah chief warns Israel over ‘hundreds’ of truce violations
AFP/January 18, 2025
BEIRUT: The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group on Saturday accused Israel of
hundreds of violations of a ceasefire, to be fully implemented by next week, and
warned against testing “our patience.”His remarks came during a visit to Lebanon
by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called for Israel to
end military operations and “occupation” in the south, almost two months into
the ceasefire between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel. Guterres on Friday said
UN peacekeepers had also found more than 100 weapons caches belonging “to
Hezbollah or other armed groups.”Naim Qassem, the Hezbollah leader, called “on
the Lebanese state to be firm in confronting violations, now numbering more than
hundreds. This cannot continue,” he said in a televised speech. “We have been
patient with the violations to give a chance to the Lebanese state responsible
for this agreement, along with the international sponsors, but I call on you not
to test our patience,” Qassem said. Under the November 27 ceasefire accord,
which ended two months of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese
army has 60 days to deploy alongside peacekeepers from the UNIFIL mission in
south Lebanon as the Israeli army withdraws. At the same time, Hezbollah is
required to pull its forces north of the Litani River, around 30 kilometers (20
miles) from the border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure it
has in the south. Qassem’s speech came as Guterres met Lebanon’s new President
Joseph Aoun, the former army chief who has vowed that the state would have “a
monopoly” on bearing weapons. Analysts say Hezbollah’s weakening in the war with
Israel allowed Lebanon’s deeply divided political class to elect Aoun and to
back his naming as prime minister Nawaf Salam, who was presiding judge at the
International Criminal Court. Qassem insisted Hezbollah and ally Amal’s backing
“is what led to the election of the president by consensus,” after around two
years of deadlock. “No one can exploit the results of the aggression in domestic
politics,” he warned. “No one can exclude us from effective and influential
political participation in the country.” After his meeting with Aoun on
Saturday, Guterres expressed hope Lebanon could open “a new chapter of peace.”
The UN chief has said he is on a “visit of solidarity” with Lebanon. French
President Emmanuel Macron was also in Lebanon on Friday and said there must be
“accelerated” implementation of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire.
Qassem says no one can
'exclude' Hezbollah from political participation
Agence France Presse/January 18, 2025
Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem has accused Israel of hundreds of violations
of a ceasefire, to be fully implemented by next week, and warned against testing
"our patience." His remarks came during a visit to Lebanon by United Nations
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called for Israel to end military
operations and "occupation" in the south, almost two months into the ceasefire
between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel. Guterres on Friday said U.N.
peacekeepers had also found more than 100 weapons caches belonging "to Hezbollah
or other armed groups."
Qassem called "on the Lebanese state to be firm in confronting violations, now
numbering more than hundreds. This cannot continue," he said in a televised
speech. "We have been patient with the violations to give a chance to the
Lebanese state responsible for this agreement, along with the international
sponsors, but I call on you not to test our patience," Qassem said. Under the
November 27 ceasefire accord, which ended two months of all-out war between
Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese army has 60 days to deploy alongside
peacekeepers from the UNIFIL mission in south Lebanon as the Israeli army
withdraws. At the same time, Hezbollah is required to pull its forces north of
the Litani River, around 30 kilometwrs (20 miles) from the border, and dismantle
any remaining military infrastructure it has in the south. Qassem's speech came
as Guterres met Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun, the former army chief who
has vowed that the state would have "a monopoly" on bearing weapons. Analysts
say Hezbollah's weakening in the war with Israel allowed Lebanon's deeply
divided political class to elect Aoun and to back his naming as prime minister
Nawaf Salam, who was presiding judge at the International Court of Justice.
Qassem insisted Hezbollah and ally Amal's backing "is what led to the election
of the president by consensus," after around two years of deadlock. "No one can
exploit the results of the aggression in domestic politics," he warned. "No one
can exclude us from effective and influential political participation in the
country." After his meeting with Aoun on Saturday, Guterres expressed hope
Lebanon could open "a new chapter of peace." The U.N. chief has said he is on a
"visit of solidarity" with Lebanon. French President Emmanuel Macron was also in
Lebanon on Friday and said there must be "accelerated" implementation of the
Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire.
Lebanon’s president stresses urgent need for Israeli
withdrawal from south under
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/January 18, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun stressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres on Saturday the urgency of an Israeli military withdrawal as stipulated
by a ceasefire deal that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war in November.
President Aoun told the visiting UN chief that it was necessary for “Israeli
forces to withdraw from occupied territories in the south within the deadline
set by the agreement reached on Nov. 27.” Aoun also highlighted “the readiness
of the Lebanese army to replace the Israelis once they withdraw” from the
Lebanese border area, which was invaded on Oct. 1.
“Israel’s continued violations on land and in the air ... blowing up homes and
destroying border villages, completely contradicts what was stated in the
ceasefire agreement,” a statement from Aoun’s office added. Aoun said that the
Israeli breaches were “a continued violation of the Lebanese sovereignty and the
international community’s will to restore stability in southern Lebanon.”
Guterres inspected the Blue Line and met UN peacekeepers carrying out their
operations south of the Litani River. On his second day in Lebanon on Saturday,
he conveyed to Lebanese officials the UN’s “continued commitment to support the
Lebanese army and the Lebanese institutions, as well as President Aoun in his
tenure.” Guterres said that he would “do everything possible to secure the
withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the south within the specified
period.”According to the presidential palace’s media office, Guterres said: “I
am confident that under your leadership, things will go back to normal in
Lebanon, and the country will regain its strength and stability in the
region.”He added: “It is true that your mission is not easy, but a solid will
can achieve what we’re aiming for.”Guterres reiterated “the support of the UN
and all its institutions for Lebanon.”
He said: “We have the will to mobilize to secure the international community’s
support so Lebanon can rise again and recover from the repercussions of the last
years.”According to the president’s media office, Aoun “tackled Israel’s burning
of cultivated lands in southern Lebanon.”He called on “the UN, namely the Food
and Agriculture Organization, to help farmers restore their lands and make them
investment-ready.”Aoun also urged the UN to “help secure the return of the
Syrian refugees to their country since the political and security reasons for
their asylum are no longer valid.”
Following the meeting, Guterres said: “It was an opportunity to express our
solidarity with the people of Lebanon who have suffered so much and our total
support to the president and the future government.”He added: “Now, it will be
possible to consolidate the Lebanese institutions, and it will be possible to
create the conditions for the Lebanese state to protect its citizens fully.“With
the withdrawal of the Israeli forces and with the presence of the Lebanese army
in the whole of the Lebanese territory, it will also be possible to open a new
chapter of peace.”Guterres said: “I know that the Lebanese are dynamic,
resilient and courageous. “And I know that reconstruction begins as soon as a
conflict ends. “I want to express our total support and our will to fully
mobilize the international community to provide Lebanon with all the support for
what we believe will be a speedy recovery of this country, making it again the
center of the Middle East.”
Guterres visited Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at his residence.
After the meeting, Guterres reiterated the UN’s “full support for the ongoing
process in Lebanon, where the country has witnessed the election of a new
president and a new prime minister tasked with forming a government.
“New opportunities are emerging for Lebanon with the completion of the ceasefire
agreement, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the Lebanese armed forces
assuming full responsibilities entrusted to them,” he said. “We are convinced
this development will represent an extraordinary qualitative leap for Lebanon.
“The UN fully supports the president and the Lebanese government in mobilizing
the international community to provide comprehensive support for Lebanon, which
must regain its status as a pivotal center in the Middle East.”Salam said that
he relied on the secretary-general “to mobilize diplomatic support to ensure the
Israelis’ withdrawal on the scheduled day and to rally efforts for the
reconstruction conference mentioned by French President Emmanuel Macron during
his visit to Lebanon on Friday, which will be held soon.”Salam added: “With the
changing situation in Syria, we need to begin preparations with the UN for the
safe and dignified return of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.”The UN chief also met
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. He confirmed the UN’s support for
Lebanon. He said that the government would “soon be formed, representing all
Lebanese parties, and the Israeli army must withdraw after the set
deadline.”Berri’s media office reported that he highlighted “the necessity for
Israel to adhere to its withdrawal from Lebanese territories that it still
occupies, under the terms of the agreement, and to halt its violations and
systematic destruction of villages, fields, agricultural lands, and forests.”
Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued their violations in the south through
incursions and bulldozing operations in the Marjeyoun plain and the towns of
Yaroun and Mays Al-Jabal, as well as extensive operations in Wadi Saluki and the
storming of homes west of the town of Houla. The Red Cross and the Lebanese army
have not yet been able to search for three people targeted by an Israeli drone
three days ago in the Jabal Sadana area, pending the results of UNIFIL’s
communications with the Israeli side.
The UN chief emphasized to the UNIFIL forces during a meeting in Naqoura on
Friday the importance of “enabling them to resume patrols and monitoring tasks,”
stressing that “adapting operational methods is crucial for restoring freedom of
movement and access throughout the UNIFIL operational area.”
Lebanon's new president stresses urgency of Israeli
withdrawal from south under truce deal
Reuters/January 18, 2025
Lebanon's new president Joseph Aoun stressed to United Nations Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres on Saturday the urgency of an Israeli military withdrawal as
stipulated by a ceasefire deal that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war in November.
According to a statement by the Lebanese presidency on X, Aoun told Guterres
during a meeting in Beirut that continued Israeli breaches were a violation of
Lebanese sovereignty and the agreed ceasefire deal. The ceasefire, which took
effect on Nov. 27 and was brokered by the United States and France, requires
Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon within 60 days, and for
Hezbollah to remove all its fighters and weapons from the south. Guterres said
the U.N. would exert utmost efforts to secure an Israeli withdrawal within the
set deadline under the ceasefire terms, according to the statement. He had said
on Friday the Israeli military's continued occupation of territory in south
Lebanon and the conduct of military operations in Lebanese territory were
violations of a U.N. resolution upon which the ceasefire is based. Despite the
deal, Israeli forces have continued strikes on what they say are Hezbollah
fighters ignoring the accord under which they must halt attacks and withdraw
beyond the Litani River, about 30 km (18 miles) from the border with Israel.
Aoun tells Guterres Israel must withdraw from south by Jan.
26 deadline
Agence France Presse/January 18, 2025
Lebanon's new president said on Saturday Israel must withdraw from the country's
south by the January 26 deadline set to fully implement the terms of the
Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire agreed last year. Joseph Aoun told visiting United
Nations chief Antonio Guterres that it was necessary for "Israeli forces to
withdraw from occupied territories in the south within the deadline set by the
agreement reached on November 27," a statement from his office said, adding that
he also warned against "continued Israeli violations" of the deal.
UN chief pledges international support as Lebanon rebuilds
Associated Press/January 18, 2025
António Guterres said the international community will back Lebanon “for what we
believe will be a speedy recovery of this country, making it again the center of
the Middle East.”The U.N. Secretary-General made his comments on Saturday
following a meeting in Beirut with Lebanon’s newly elected president Joseph Aoun.
A new prime minister was also named to form a government following Aoun's
election last week. Lebanon had been without a president for 26 months, part of
internal divisions in the small nation. Guterres said that naming a president
and prime minister makes it possible to consolidate the Lebanese institutions
and to deploy the Lebanese army across the country, including areas from where
Israeli troops will withdraw.“As soon as the conflict ends, reconstruction
begins,” Guterres said. The U.S.-brokered ceasefire is an attempt to end the
Israel-Hezbollah war that has killed more than 4,000 people and wounded over
16,000 in Lebanon. Part of the deal is that Hezbollah will pull out from the
border area with Israel and only Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers can have
armed presence along the Israeli border.
US and EU to Provide $179 Million to Support the Lebanese
Army
This is Beirut/January 18, 2025
The United States and the European Union announced additional aid packages on
Saturday to support Lebanon’s army and internal security forces at the
conclusion of an international donor meeting. The US State Department allocated
$117 million following a virtual donor meeting "with partners and allies to
discuss the essential security assistance that Lebanon needs to fully implement
the cessation of hostilities with Israel."Additionally, the EU will provide 60
million euros to support the Lebanese army’s deployment to the south over the
next three years. Earlier this week, Spain also announced a separate 10 million
euro aid package for Lebanon’s army.
Guterres: Lebanese State Must Have Sole Control Over Weapons
Rayan Chami/This is Beirut/January 18, 2025
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the international community on
Saturday to support Lebanon's sovereignty and guarantee the state's monopoly on
weapons, during a press conference at the Mövenpick Hotel in Beirut.
“Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, and the
Lebanese state must have full control of weapons through Lebanese territory,” he
said, referring indirectly to Hezbollah's arsenal. “This is a central tenet of
Resolution 1701”, he insisted, before adding that ‘this time, Resolution 1701
must be implemented in all its dimensions’.“In the past 40 days, UNIFIL
peacekeepers have uncovered over 100 unguarded weapons caches” in the south of
the country, he stressed. Mr. Guterres, who arrived in Lebanon on Thursday
evening, visited the peacekeepers deployed on the border with Israel in the
south on Friday. On Saturday, he met President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf
Salam and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berry. The conference, held at the
Mövenpick Hotel, concluded his three-day visit, prior to his scheduled departure
that evening.
A “more promising” future
Following his talks with Lebanese leaders, the UN chief said that Lebanon could
look forward to a “brighter” future, thanks to the ceasefire established on
November 27, which he hoped would become permanent. “After one of the most
difficult years in generations, Lebanon is on the cusp of a more hopeful
future,” he asserted, adding that the UN will intensify its support ‘for
recovery and reconstruction throughout Lebanon’. “A window is opening, allowing
for a new era of institutional stability, with a state fully capable of
protecting its citizens and unleashing the immense potential of the Lebanese
people,” he said. Once the government is formed, “will be placed to address the
needs of its people and enforce state authority throughout its territory, but of
course big challenges lie ahead”, he noted.
Situation in South Lebanon
Turning to South Lebanon, the UN Secretary-General recalled that “the ccessation
of hostilities is fragile but it is holding”. The agreement stipulates that the
Lebanese army must deploy alongside peacekeepers in South Lebanon, while the
Israeli army completes its withdrawal within 60 days, until January 26. Mr.
Guterres observed that “Israeli forces have commenced their phased withdrawal
with the Lebanese army deploying in greater numbers south of the Litani River”.
However, he also denounced, “We are still witnessing demolitions of buildings
and infrastructure, as well as deadly air strikes.”“It is now crucial that
Israeli forces withdraw completely from Lebanese territory and that Lebanese
armed forces deploy to the south of the country within the agreed timeframe,” he
stressed. “I have seen first-hand the scale of the destruction caused by the
conflict,” he declared. “Hundreds of thousands of people have returned to South
Lebanon, Beirut's southern suburbs, the Bekaa Valley and elsewhere, often to
find their homes in ruins. The reconstruction needs are immense, but not
insurmountable”, he concluded.
Intelligence Directorate Arrests Smugglers in Kfar Zabad
This is Beirut/January 18, 2025
The Intelligence Directorate in the Beqaa arrested smugglers on Saturday and
seized SUVs and small trucks after setting up an ambush in the border village of
Kfar Zabad in the Beqaa Valley. This operation is part of the Intelligence
Directorate’s mission, which is particularly focused on combating smuggling.
UN Peacekeepers, Border Issues and Security Concerns:
Guterres' Visit in Focus
Soumia Benmerzoug/This is Beirut/January 18, 2025
António Guterres' visit to UNIFIL's headquarters in Naqoura comes amid a
relatively calm but fragile situation in southern Lebanon. The visit aims to
strengthen the peacekeeping mission's mandate and call on all parties to honor
their commitments to UN Resolution 1701. UN Secretary-General António Guterres
visited the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
in Naqoura on Friday. The visit came amid regional tensions and a fragile calm
in the South. During the visit, Guterres voiced his support for UN peacekeepers
and reaffirmed the terms of Resolution 1701, the cornerstone of the UN’s
framework in the region.
Unwavering Support
Leading a UN delegation, the Secretary-General praised the tireless efforts of
peacekeepers, describing their mission as "among the most challenging in the
world." He stated, "You are not only on the Blue Line but also on the frontlines
of peace." The UN chief also emphasized UNIFIL’s crucial role in deterring
violence, supporting de-escalation and protecting civilians. In his speech,
Guterres emphasized that the presence of Blue Helmets is crucial for maintaining
stability in southern Lebanon and along the Blue Line, the border established by
the UN in 2000 between Lebanon and Israel. He also condemned attacks on
peacekeepers as "completely unacceptable," stressing that they violate
international law and could amount to war crimes.
UN Resolution 1701
Adopted in August 2006 after the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah,
Resolution 1701 forms the legal basis for UNIFIL's presence in southern Lebanon.
It calls for the deployment of the Lebanese Army and UN forces south of the
Litani River to establish a zone free of any armed presence other than that of
the Lebanese government and peacekeepers. The resolution also calls for the
withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory and the cessation of
hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Despite these provisions, Guterres
condemned the ongoing Israeli violations within UNIFIL's area of operations, as
well as the presence of non-governmental weapons south of the Litani River. He
disclosed that since the ceasefire took effect on November 27, peacekeepers had
uncovered "over 100 weapon caches belonging to the Iran-backed Hezbollah or
other armed groups."Guterres' visit comes amid heightened tensions between
Hezbollah and Israel, despite a recent ceasefire that ended a weeks-long
conflict. This fragile calm is reflected in the ongoing sporadic clashes and
frequent violations of the Blue Line by both parties. To bolster stability, the
UN chief called on the international community to step up its support for the
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), describing them as "the sole guarantor of Lebanon’s
security." He also emphasized the crucial need for coordination between UNIFIL
and the LAF to ensure the effective implementation of UN Resolution 1701.
Guterres' visit not only highlights the UN's efforts to maintain peace in
southern Lebanon but also underscores the challenges faced by UNIFIL. With local
pressures, regional tensions and constraints from international actors, the UN
mission will need to intensify its efforts to preserve a fragile stability.
New Israeli Violations: Ground Incursions in Hula and
Yaroun
This is Beirut/January 18, 2025
With one week remaining until the 60-day deadline for implementing the
ceasefire, the Israeli army is increasing its violations in the border regions
of southern Lebanon.
As part of a ground incursion from the village of Hula (Marjayoun) toward Wadi
Saluki, Israel carried out a large-scale combing operation on Saturday, using
heavy and medium machine guns. An Israeli bulldozer also conducted a leveling
operation on the eastern outskirts of the Khiam plain. Additionally, an
incursion of Israeli vehicles was observed, moving from Yaroun towards the Dabch
area in Bint Jbeil, where the Israeli army carried out a sweep near a house in
the Dabch neighborhood. An infantry force subsequently attacked a house in the
same neighborhood, after targeting it with a shell. In addition, two explosions
were heard in the Mays al-Jabal neighborhoods due to an Israeli blasting
operation. An Israeli bulldozer also carried out earthworks in the vicinity of
Bab al-Thaniyah, east of the Marjayoun plain. For its part, the Lebanese Army
announced that it would detonate unexploded ordnance in Qlayaa (Marjayoun),
Taybeh (Baalbeck), Khiam-Marjayoun and Kfar Melki (Saida) between 9 AM and 6 PM
on Saturday. Hezbollah Accuses Israel of ‘Hundreds of Violations’ of the Truce.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem accused Israel on Saturday of “hundreds of
violations” of the ceasefire agreement, which came into force on November 27,
2024, warning once again that his party could “lose patience.” His speech came
during UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ stay in Lebanon, ahead of the
January 26 deadline for full implementation of the ceasefire agreement. “I call
on the Lebanese state to show firmness in the face of these violations, which
have exceeded the hundreds. This cannot continue,” said Qassem, in a speech
broadcast by Hezbollah's television station, al-Manar. “We have shown patience
with the violations to give the Lebanese state, which is responsible for this
agreement, and the international sponsors a chance, but our patience must not be
tested,” he added. The whereabouts of Qassem, who succeeded Hassan Nasrallah,
killed in an Israeli strike at the end of September in the southern suburbs of
Beirut, are unknown. The ceasefire agreement stipulates that the Lebanese Army
is to deploy alongside peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, from which the Israeli
army is to withdraw over 60 days, until January 26. Hezbollah, caretaker of the
war, is to withdraw its forces north of the Litani River, some 30 km from the
Lebanese-Israeli border. On Friday, Guterres, who visited peacekeepers in the
south, said that Israel's “occupation” of the area and its military operations
must “cease.”
Qassem Hails Gaza Ceasefire
Qassem's comments extended beyond the situation in Lebanon. Hezbollah's
Secretary-General paid tribute to the “Resistance fighters and the Palestinian
people,” who, he said, had “succeeded in thwarting the Israeli plan.” Illusory
victory or mere denial? In this context, he congratulated “the Palestinian
people and the Resistance on the ceasefire agreement,” which is due to come into
force at 6:30 AM GMT on Sunday. Considering that there is “no other solution
than the attribution of Palestine to its people,” Qassem stressed that “the
union of fronts in which Hezbollah is engaged has contributed to the victory in
Gaza.”
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on January 18-19/2025
Missile fired from Yemen intercepted over central Israel, military
says
AFP/January 18, 2025
Explosions were heard over Jerusalem after sirens blared across the city and
central Israel on Saturday morning, AFP journalists reported, while the Israeli
military said a projectile had been launched from Yemen. The explosions and
sirens came after Qatar, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, said that the
ceasefire in the war in Gaza would take effect from 0630 GMT on Sunday. Sirens
and explosions were heard over Jerusalem at around 10:20 am (08:20 GMT) on
Saturday, shortly after sirens sounded across central Israel in response to the
projectile launched from Yemen, the military said in a statement. Minutes later,
the military said it had intercepted the projectile launched from Yemen. Yemen’s
Iran-backed Houthi rebels have repeatedly launched missile and drone attacks on
Israel since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023. On Friday, the Houthis
warned that they would keep up their attacks if Israel did not respect the terms
of its ceasefire with Hamas.
Explosions and sirens in
central Israel after rocket fired from Yemen
Agence France Presse/January 18, 2025
Explosions were heard over Jerusalem after sirens blared across the city and
central Israel on Saturday morning, AFP journalists reported, while the Israeli
military said a projectile had been launched from Yemen. The explosions and
sirens came after Qatar, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, said that the
ceasefire in the war in Gaza would take effect from 0630 GMT on Sunday. Sirens
and explosions were heard over Jerusalem at around 10:20 am (08:20 GMT) on
Saturday, shortly after sirens sounded across central Israel in response to the
projectile launched from Yemen, the military said in a statement.
Minutes later, the military said it had intercepted the projectile launched from
Yemen. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have repeatedly launched missile and
drone attacks on Israel since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023. On
Friday, the Houthis warned that they would keep up their attacks if Israel did
not respect the terms of its ceasefire with Hamas. The Houthi rebels, part of
Iran's "axis of resistance", have also been attacking commercial shipping in the
Red Sea throughout the war in Gaza, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians.
In December, 16 people were wounded in Tel Aviv in one of their attacks on
Israel. In response to their attacks, Israel has struck Houthi targets in
several air raids, including in the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa.
Yemen’s Houthis say will deal with
Israel in case of any violations Gaza ceasefire deal
Reuters/January 18, 2025
CAIRO: Yemen’s Houthis said they will coordinate closely with the Palestinian
resistance to deal with Israel in case of any violations to the Gaza ceasefire
deal, the militant group’s military spokesperson said on Saturday.
At least 46,899 Palestinians
killed in Israel’s Gaza war since Oct. 7, 2023, health ministry says
Reuters/January 18, 2025
CAIRO: Israel’s military offensive on the Gaza Strip has killed at least 46,899
Palestinians and injured 110,725 since Oct. 7, 2023, the Palestinian enclave’s
health ministry said in an update on Saturday. 23 Palestinians were killed and
83 were injured over the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said.
Netanyahu says Israel will not proceed with Gaza ceasefire until it gets hostage
list
Reuters/January 18, 2025
JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that Israel reserves
the right to resume fighting in Gaza with US support, as he pledged to bring
home all hostages held in the Palestinian territory. “We reserve the right to
resume the war if necessary, with American support,” Netanyahu said in a
televised statement, a day before a ceasefire is set to take effect. “We are
thinking of all our hostages ... I promise you that we will achieve all our
objectives and bring back all the hostages. “With this agreement, we will bring
back 33 of our brothers and sisters, the majority (of them) alive,” he said. He
said the 42-day first phase, which starts on Sunday, was a “temporary
ceasefire.”“If we are forced to resume the war, we will do so with force,”
Netanyahu said, adding that Israel had “changed the face of the Middle East”
since the war began.
Ceasefire
between Israel and Hamas will go into effect Sunday morning, officials say
Samy Magdy, Melanie Lidman And Sam Mednick/CAIRO (AP)/January 18, 2025
The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will go into effect Sunday at 8:30 a.m.
local time (0630 GMT), mediator Qatar announced Saturday, as families of
hostages held in Gaza braced for news of loved ones, Palestinians prepared to
receive freed detainees and humanitarian groups rushed to set up a surge of aid.
But in a national address 12 hours before the ceasefire was to start, Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was treating the ceasefire as
temporary and retained the right to continue fighting if necessary. He claimed
he had the support of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who told NBC that he
told the prime minister to “keep doing what you have to do.”Netanyahu also
asserted that he negotiated the best deal possible, even as Israel’s far-right
Public Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he and most of his party would
resign from the government in opposition to it.
The prime minister earlier warned that a ceasefire wouldn’t go forward unless
Israel received the names of hostages to be released, as agreed. Israel had
expected to receive the names from mediator Qatar. There was no immediate
response from Qatar or Hamas. The overnight approval of the ceasefire deal by
Israel's Cabinet, in a rare meeting during the Jewish Sabbath, set off a flurry
of activity and a fresh wave of emotions as relatives wondered whether hostages
would be returned alive or dead. Families and thousands of others rallied once
more Saturday night in Tel Aviv.
The pause in 15 months of war is a step toward ending the deadliest, most
destructive fighting ever between Israel and the Hamas militant group — and
comes more than a year after the only other ceasefire achieved. The deal was
achieved under joint pressure from Trump and the outgoing administration of
President Joe Biden ahead of Monday's inauguration. The first phase of the
ceasefire will last 42 days, and negotiations on the far more difficult second
phase are meant to begin just over two weeks in. After those six weeks, Israel’s
security Cabinet will decide how to proceed.
Israeli airstrikes continued Saturday, and Gaza's Health Ministry said 23 bodies
had been brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours. “What is this truce that
kills us hours before it begins?” asked Abdallah Al-Aqad, the brother of a woman
killed by an airstrike in the southern city of Khan Younis. Health officials
said a couple and their two children, aged 2 and 7, were dead. And sirens
sounded across central and southern Israel, with the military saying it
intercepted projectiles launched from Yemen. Iran-backed Houthi rebels there
have stepped up attacks in recent weeks, calling it solidarity with Palestinians
in Gaza.
When the fighting stops
In the ceasefire’s first phase, Israeli troops are to pull back into a buffer
zone about a kilometer (0.6 miles) wide inside Gaza, along its borders with
Israel. With most of Gaza’s population in massive, squalid tent camps,
Palestinians are desperate to get back to their homes, even though many were
destroyed or heavily damaged. In a post on X, Qatar's foreign minister advised
Palestinians and others to exercise caution when the ceasefire goes into effect
and wait for directions from officials. Israel's military later said
Palestinians will not be able to cross the Netzarim corridor that runs across
central Gaza for the first seven days of the ceasefire, and it warned
Palestinians not to approach Israeli forces.
Still, anticipation was high.
“The first thing I will do is go and check my house,” said Mohamed Mahdi, a
father of two who was displaced from Gaza City's Zaytoun neighborhood. He also
looked forward to seeing family in southern Gaza, but is “still concerned that
one of us could be martyred before we are able to meet.”Majida Abu Jarad said
she has moved seven times with her husband and their six daughters during the
war, heeding Israeli evacuation orders and staying in tents, abandoned
classrooms or on the street. “We will remain in a tent, but the difference is
that the bleeding will stop, the fear will stop, and we will sleep reassured,”
she said while packing.
Freed hostages and prisoners
In the ceasefire's first phase, 33 hostages in Gaza are set to be released over
six weeks in exchange for 737 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Israel’s
justice ministry has published a list of the prisoners, all younger or female.
An organization that represents victims of Palestinian attacks vowed to petition
Israel’s Supreme Court to stop the release. According to the ceasefire plan
approved by Israel’s Cabinet, the exchange will begin at 4 p.m. (1400 GMT)
Sunday. The plan says three living female hostages will be returned on Day 1,
four on Day 7 and the remaining 26 over the following five weeks. During each
exchange, Palestinian prisoners will be released by Israel after hostages have
arrived safely. Also to be released are 1,167 Gaza residents who were not
involved in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that sparked the war. All women
and children under 19 from Gaza held by Israel will be freed during this phase.
All Palestinian prisoners who were convicted of deadly attacks will be exiled to
Gaza or abroad — some for three years and others permanently — and barred from
returning to Israel or the West Bank. The remaining hostages in Gaza, including
male soldiers, are to be released in a second phase to be negotiated during the
first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a
lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
Hundreds of aid trucks a day
Gaza should also see a surge in food, medical supplies and other humanitarian
aid. Egypt's foreign minister said the Rafah crossing, Gaza’s main gateway to
the outside world, will start operating “soon." The crossing has been closed
since Israel's military took over the area last May. The minister said 600
trucks of aid, including 50 fuel trucks, should be entering Gaza daily during
the ceasefire. The ceasefire plan approved by Israel’s Cabinet says all trucks
entering Gaza will be subject to Israeli inspections. “It is clear that the
situation in Gaza is still extremely complex and a lot of difficulties still
remain for an effective distribution,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
said Saturday.The Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack killed some 1,200 people and left some
250 others captive. Nearly 100 hostages remain in Gaza. Israel responded with an
offensive that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local
health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say
women and children make up more than half the dead.
Foreign minister says Syria
looking forward to return to Arab League
Reuters/January 18, 2025
CAIRO: Syria’s foreign minister said on Saturday he was looking forward to the
return of Syria to the Arab League as the country’s new rulers seek a place in
the regional political landscape. Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani made his statements
during a joint press conference in Damascus with Arab League Assistant Secretary
General Hossam Zaki, who said the Arab League was working with member states to
activate Syria’s participation.
Nearly 200,000 Syrian refugees
have returned since Assad’s fall: UN
AFP/January 18, 2025
GENEVA: Nearly 200,000 Syrian refugees have returned home since the fall of
Bashar Assad in early December, the UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi said
Saturday ahead of a visit to the region. Between December 8 and January 16, some
195,200 Syrians returned home, according to figures published by Grandi on X.
“Soon I will visit Syria — and its neighboring countries — as UNHCR steps up its
support to returnees and receiving communities,” Grandi said. Hundreds of
thousands of Syrians had returned home last year as they fled Lebanon to escape
Israeli attacks during its conflict with the Hezbollah militant group. Those
returns came before a lightning offensive by Islamist rebels late last year
ousted Assad, raising hopes of an end to a 13-year civil war that killed over
half million dead and sent millions seeking refuge abroad. Turkiye, which shares
a 900-kilometer (560-mile) border with Syria, hosts some 2.9 million Syrians who
have fled since 2011. Turkish authorities, who are hoping to see many of those
refugees return to ease growing anti-Syrian sentiment among the population, are
allowing one member of each refugee family to make three round trips until July
1, 2025 to prepare for their resettlement.
Austin Tice's mother, in
Damascus, hopes to find son missing since 2012
Reuters/January 18, 2025
DAMASCUS: The mother of American journalist Austin Tice, who was taken captive
during a reporting trip to Syria in August 2012, arrived in Damascus on Saturday
to step up the search for her son and said she hopes she can take him home with
her.
Tice, who worked as a freelance reporter for the Washington Post and McClatchy,
was one of the first U.S. journalists to make it into Syria after the outbreak
of the civil war. His mother, Debra Tice, drove into the Syrian capital from
Lebanon with Nizar Zakka, the head of Hostage Aid Worldwide, an organisation
which is searching for Austin and believes he is still in Syria. "It'd be lovely
to put my arms around Austin while I'm here. It'd be the best," Debra Tice told
Reuters in the Syrian capital, which she last visited in 2015 to meet with
Syrian authorities about her son, before they stopped granting her visas. The
overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December by Syrian rebels has allowed
her to visit again from her home in Texas. "I feel very strongly that Austin's
here, and I think he knows I'm here... I'm here," she said. Debra Tice and Zakka
are hoping to meet with Syria's new authorities, including the head of its new
administration Ahmed al-Sharaa, to push for information about Austin. They are
also optimistic that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who will be inaugurated
on Monday, will take up the cause. "I am hoping to get some answers. And of
course, you know, we have inauguration on Monday, and I think that should be a
huge change," she said. "I know that President Trump is quite a negotiator, so I
have a lot of confidence there. But now we have an unknown on this (Syrian)
side. It's difficult to know, if those that are coming in even have the
information about him," she said.
Her son, now 43, was taken captive in August 2012, while travelling through the
Damascus suburb of Daraya. Reuters was first to report in December that in 2013
Tice, a former U.S. Marine, managed to slip out of his cell and was seen moving
between houses in the streets of Damascus' upscale Mazzeh neighbourhood. He was
recaptured soon after his escape, likely by forces who answered directly to
Assad, current and former U.S. officials said. Debra Tice came to Syria in 2012
and 2015 to meet with Syrian authorities, who never confirmed that Tice was in
their custody, both she and Zakka said.
She criticised outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden's administration, saying they
did not negotiate hard enough for her son's release, even in recent months. "We
certainly felt like President Biden was very well positioned to do everything
possible to bring Austin home, right? I mean, this was the end of his career.
This would be a wonderful thing for him to do. So we had an expectation. He
pardoned his own son, right? So, where's my son?" Debra Tice said her "mind was
just spinning" as she drove across the Lebanese border into Syria and teared up
as she spoke about the tens of thousands whose loved ones were held in Assad's
notorious prison system and whose fate remains unknown. "I have a lot in common
with a lot of Syrian mothers and families, and just thinking about how this is
affecting them - do they have the same hope that I do, that they're going to
open a door, that they're going to see their loved one?"
A train station was once the pride of Syria's capital. Some
see it as a symbol of revival after war
Kareem Chehayeb, The Associated Press/January 18, 2025
A train station in Damascus was once the pride of the Syrian capital, an
essential link between Europe and the Arabian Peninsula during the Ottoman
Empire and then a national transit hub. But more than a decade of war left it a
wasteland of bullet-scarred walls and twisted steel. The Qadam station's
remaining staff say they still have an attachment to the railway and hope that
it, like the country, can be revived after the swift and stunning downfall of
leader Bashar Assad last month. On a recent day, train operator Mazen Malla led
The Associated Press through the landscape of charred train cars and workshops
damaged by artillery fire. Bullet casings littered the ground. Malla grew up
near the station. His father, uncles and grandfather all worked there.
Eventually he was driving trains himself, spending more than 12 hours a day at
work. “The train is a part of us," he said with a deep, nostalgic sigh, as he
picked up what appeared to be a spent artillery shell and tossed it aside. “I
wouldn’t see my kids as much as I would see the train.”The Qadam station was the
workhorse of the iconic Hejaz Railway that was built under the Ottoman Empire’s
Sultan Abdulhamid II in the early 1900s, linking Muslim pilgrims from Europe and
Asia via what is now Turkey to the holy city of Medina in present-day Saudi
Arabia. The line also transported troops and equipment for the empire that
controlled large swaths of the Arabian Peninsula. That glory was short-lived.
The railway soon became a target of Arab fighters in an armed uprising during
World War I backed by Britain, France and other Allied forces that eventually
took down the Ottoman Empire. In the following decades, Syria used its section
of the railway to transport people between Damascus and its second city of
Aleppo, along with several towns and neighboring Jordan. While the main station,
still intact a few miles away, later became a historical site and events hall,
Qadam remained the busy home of the workshops and people making the railway run.
As train cars were upgraded, the old wooden ones were placed in a museum. The
Qadam station, however, retained its structure of Ottoman stone and French
bricks from Marseille. But war tore it apart after Assad's crackdown on
protesters demanding greater freedoms. “The army turned this into a military
base,” Malla said. Workers like him were sent away. Qadam station was too
strategic for soldiers to ignore. It gave Assad's forces a vantage point on key
rebel strongholds in Damascus. Up a flight of stairs, an office became a
sniper's nest. Slogans praising Assad and the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group,
a key ally of the ousted leader, can still be seen on the walls.
“We will kneel and kiss wherever Assad walks,” one says.
The nearby neighborhood of Al-Assali is now mostly in ruins after becoming a no
man’s land between the station and the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk that
became a rebel stronghold and was besieged and bombarded for years by government
forces. The fighting entered the railway station at least once, in 2013. Footage
widely circulated online showed rebels firing assault rifles and taking cover
behind trains. Malla and his family fled their home near the station to a nearby
neighborhood. He heard the fighting but prayed that the station that had long
been his family's livelihood would be left unscathed. Assad's forces cleared the
rebels from Damascus in 2018. The train station, though badly wrecked, was
opened again, briefly, as a symbol of triumph and revival. Syrian state media
reported that trains would take passengers to the annual Damascus International
Fair. It broadcast images of happy passengers by the entrance and at the
destination, but not of the station's vast damage. Syria’s railway never
returned to its former prosperity under Assad, and Malla stayed away as the
military maintained control of much of Qadam. After Assad was ousted and the
insurgents who forced him out became the interim administration, Malla returned.
He found his home destroyed. The station, which he described as “part of my
soul,” was badly damaged. “What we saw was tragic,” he said. "It was
unbelievable. It was heartbreaking.” The train cars were battered and burned.
Some were piles of scrap. The museum had been looted and the old trains had been
stripped for sale on Syria’s black market.
“Everything was stolen. Copper, electric cables and tools — they were all gone,”
Malla said. The trains' distinctive wooden panels had disappeared. Malla and
others believe that Assad's fighters used them as firewood during the harsh
winters. In the former no man's land, packs of stray dogs barked and searched
for food. Railway workers and families living at the train station say an urban
legend spread that the dogs ate the bodies of captives that Assad’s notorious
web of intelligence agencies killed and dumped late at night. Now Malla and
others hope the railway can be cleared of its rubble and its dark past and
become a central part of Syria's economic revival after war and international
isolation. They dream of the railway helping to return the country to its former
status as a key link between Europe and the Middle East. There is much work to
be done. About 90% of Syria's population of over 23 million people live in
poverty, according to the United Nations. Infrastructure is widely damaged.
Western sanctions, imposed during the war, continue. But already, neighboring
Turkey has expressed interest in restoring the railway line to Damascus as part
of efforts to boost trade and investment. That prospect excites Malla, whose son
Malek spent much of his teenage years surviving the war. At his age, his father
and uncle were already learning how to operate a steam engine. “I hope there
will soon be job opportunities, so my son can be employed,” Malla said. “That
way he can revive the lineage of his grandfather, and the grandfather of his
grandfather."
Iran unveils new underground naval base amid tension with
US and Israel
Reuters/January 18, 2025
Iran unveiled an underground naval missile base at an undisclosed Gulf location
on Saturday, state TV said, two days before the start of Donald Trump's second
term as president. It was unveiled at a time when tension with Washington is
widely expected to rise. Iranian leaders are concerned that Trump might empower
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to strike Iran's nuclear sites, while
tightening U.S. sanctions on its oil industry through his "maximum pressure"
policy. State television showed Revolutionary Guards chief General Hossein
Salami visiting the secret base during war games. He said it was one of several
built underground for vessels capable of launching long-range missiles and carry
out distant warfare. "We assure the great nation of Iran that their young people
are capable of coming out honourable and victorious from a battle on the seas
against enemies big and small," Salami said. State television said the base was
built at a depth of 500 metres (yards) somewhere in the Gulf and it showed
tunnels with long rows of what it said were a new version of Taregh-class
radar-evading speedboats which can launch cruise missiles. Earlier this month,
Iran started military exercises that are due to last two months and have already
included war games in which the Revolutionary Guards defended nuclear
installations in Natanz against mock attacks by missiles and drones.Iran, which
says its ballistic missiles are an important deterrent and retaliatory force
against the U.S. and Israel, has in the past unveiled several underground
"missiles cities".
El-Sisi highlights Egypt’s commitment to Libyan unity
AFP/January 18, 2025
CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Saturday hosted Libyan
military leader Khalifa Haftar for their first meeting since September 2021. El-Sisi’s
office said that during their talks, he stressed Egypt’s commitment to “ensuring
the unity and cohesion of Libya’s national institutions.”
He also urged “coordination between all Libyan parties to crystallize a
comprehensive political roadmap” toward long-overdue parliamentary and
presidential elections. Haftar’s last visit to Cairo was a few months before
nationwide parliamentary and presidential elections that were later delayed due
to disagreements over their legal framework. Libya, which borders Egypt to the
east, is struggling to recover from years of conflict after the 2011 NATO-backed
uprising that ended dictator Muammar Qaddafi’s four-decade rule. The country
remains split between the UN-recognized government of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid
Dbeibah in Tripoli and Haftar’s authority in the east. El-Sisi on Saturday said
“all foreign forces and mercenaries must be expelled from Libyan territory.”
Gunman shoots dead 2 judges in Iran's capital tied to 1988
mass executions
Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press/January 18, 2025
A man fatally shot two prominent hard-line judges in Iran's capital Saturday,
officials said, both of whom allegedly took part in the mass execution of
dissidents in 1988. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the
shootings of the judges, clerics Mohammad Mogheiseh and Ali Razini. However,
Razini's involvement in the 1988 executions had likely made him a target in the
past, including an assassination attempt in 1999. Their killings, a rare attack
targeting the judiciary, also come as Iran faces economic turmoil, the mauling
of its Mideast allies by Israel and the return of Donald Trump to the White
House on Monday. Both clerics served on Iran's Supreme Court, the state-run IRNA
news agency reported. A bodyguard for one of the judges also was wounded in the
attack at the Palace of Justice in Tehran, which also serves as the headquarters
of the country's judiciary and typically has tight security.
The attacker, who was armed with a handgun, killed himself, IRNA said.
“According to initial investigations, the person in question did not have a case
in the Supreme Court nor was he a client of the branches of the court,” the
judiciary's Mizan news agency said. “Currently, investigations have been
launched to identify and arrest the perpetrators of this terrorist act.”Asghar
Jahangir, a spokesman for Iran’s judiciary, separately told Iranian state
television that the shooter had been an “infiltrator,” suggesting he had worked
at the courthouse where the killings took place.
Unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, the Iranian Supreme Court has many branches
spread across the country. It is the highest court in Iran and can hear appeals
on decisions made by lower courts. Razini had been targeted previously. In
January 1999, attackers on motorcycles hurled an explosive at his vehicle,
wounding him as he left work as the head of the judiciary in Tehran. Mogheiseh
had been under sanctions from the U.S. Treasury since 2019. At the time, the
Treasury described him as having “overseen countless unfair trials, during which
charges went unsubstantiated and evidence was disregarded.”
“He is notorious for sentencing scores of journalists and internet users to
lengthy prison terms,” the Treasury said. Mogheiseh had pressed charges against
members of Iran's Baha’i minority "after they reportedly held prayer and worship
ceremonies with other members,” the Treasury said. Both men had been named by
activists and exiles as taking part in the 1988 executions, which came at the
end of Iran’s long war with Iraq. After Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ruhollah
Khomeini accepted a U.N.-brokered ceasefire, members of the exiled Iranian
opposition group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or MEK, heavily armed by Saddam Hussein,
stormed across the Iranian border in a surprise attack. Iran ultimately blunted
their assault, but the attack set the stage for the sham retrials of political
prisoners, militants and others that would become known as “death
commissions.”International rights groups estimate that as many as 5,000 people
were executed, while the MEK puts the number at 30,000. Iran has never fully
acknowledged the executions, apparently carried out on Khomeini’s orders, though
some argue that other top officials were effectively in charge in the months
before his 1989 death. The MEK declined to comment when reached by The
Associated Press. While Mogheiseh never addressed the accusation he took part in
the 1988 “death commissions,” Razini gave a 2017 interview published by Iran's
Shargh newspaper in which he defended the panels as “fair and completely in
accordance with the law.”
“Our friends and I who are among the 20 judges in the country, we did our best
to ensure the security of that time and the years after and from then, we
guaranteed that the hypocrites (the MEK) could never become powerful in this
country,” he reportedly said.
Trump comeback restarts
Israeli public debate on West Bank annexation
AFP/January 18, 2025
JERUSALEM: When Donald Trump presented his 2020 plan to end the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it included the Israeli annexation of swathes of
the occupied West Bank, a controversial aspiration that has been revived by his
reelection. In his previous stint as prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu pushed
for partial annexation of the West Bank, but he relented in 2020 under
international pressure and following a deal to normalize relations with the
United Arab Emirates. With Trump returning to the White House, pro-annexation
Israelis are hoping to rekindle the idea. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel
Smotrich, himself a settler in the Palestinian territory, said recently that
2025 would be “the year of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria,” referring to the
biblical name that Israel uses for the West Bank. The territory was part of the
British colony of Mandatory Palestine, from which Israel was carved during the
1948 Arab-Israeli war, with Jordanian forces taking control of the West Bank
during the same conflict. Israel conquered the territory from Amman in the 1967
Arab-Israeli war and has occupied it ever since. Today, many Jews in Israel
consider the West Bank part of their historical homeland and reject the idea of
a Palestinian state in the territory, with hundreds of thousands having settled
in the territory. Excluding Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem and its 200,000
Jewish residents, the West Bank is home to around 490,000 Israelis in
settlements considered illegal under international law. Around three million
Palestinians live in the West Bank. Israel Ganz, head of the Yesha Council, an
umbrella organization for the municipal councils of West Bank settlements,
insisted the status quo could not continue. “The State of Israel must make a
decision,” he said. Without sovereignty, he added, “no one is responsible for
infrastructure, roads, water and electricity.” “We will do everything in our
power to apply Israeli sovereignty, at least over Area C,” he said, referring to
territory under sole Israeli administration that covers 60 percent of the West
Bank, including the vast majority of Israeli settlements. Even before taking
office, Trump and his incoming administration have made a number of moves that
have raised the hopes of pro-annexation Israelis.
The president-elect nominated the pro-settlement Baptist minister Mike Huckabee
to be his ambassador to Israel. His nominee for secretary of state, Marco Rubio,
said this would be “the most pro-Israel administration in American history” and
that it would lift US sanctions on settlers. Eugene Kontorovich of the
conservative think thank Misgav Institute pointed out that the Middle East was a
very different place to what it was during Trump’s first term. The war against
Hamas in Gaza, Israel’s hammering of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the fall of Syrian
president Bashar Assad, all allies of Israel’s arch-foe Iran, have transformed
the region. “October 7 showed the entire world the danger of leaving these
(Palestinian) territories’ status in limbo,” Kontorovich said, referring to
Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel 15 months ago that sparked the Gaza war. He
said “the war has really turned a large part of the Israeli population away from
a two-state solution.”The two-state solution, which would create an independent
Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank, has been the basis of
Israeli-Palestinian negotiations going back decades. Even before Trump won
November’s US presidential election, NGOs were denouncing what they called a de
facto annexation, pointing to a spike in land grabs and an overhaul of the
bureaucratic and administrative structures Israel uses to manage the West Bank.
An outright, de jure annexation would be another matter, however. Israel cannot
expropriate private West Bank land at the moment, but “once annexed, Israeli law
would allow it. That’s a major change,” said Aviv Tatarsky, from the Israeli
anti-settlement organization Ir Amim. He said that in the event that Israel
annexes Area C, Palestinians there would likely not be granted residence permits
and the accompanying rights.
The permits, which Palestinians in east Jerusalem received, allow people freedom
of movement within Israel and the right to use Israeli courts. West Bank
Palestinians can resort to the supreme court, but not lower ones. Tatarsky said
that for Palestinians across the West Bank, annexation would constitute “a
nightmare scenario.” Over 90 percent of them live in areas A and B, under full
or partial control of the Palestinian Authority. But, Tatarsky pointed out,
“their daily needs and routine are indissociable from Area C,” the only
contiguous portion of the West Bank, where most agricultural lands are and which
breaks up areas A and B into hundreds of territorial islets.
4 Things the Middle Class Likely Won’t Be Able To Afford
Once Trump Takes Office
Heather Altamirano/GOBankingRates/January 18, 2025
President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office for a second time on Jan. 20,
and big changes are expected due to his proposed policies. While he has promised
the country a shift in the economy, it might not be in the way people expect.
Instead of more money in the pockets of Americans, things could get more
expensive. Read More: The Trump Economy Begins: 5 Money Moves the Middle Class
Should Make Before Inauguration Day Try This: 4 Unusual Ways To Make Extra Money
That Actually Work. Trump has promised to stick a 10% tariff on global imports,
a 60% tariff on goods coming from China and, until his conditions are met, a 25%
tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports, which he would enact on the first day of
his new term and would likely increase the prices of everyday household items.
“The U.S. imports various electronic devices, such as tablets, smartphones and
laptops, from China,” said Anna Yen, CFA, with MoneyLion. “The hike in the
import tariffs can result in a price rise of up to 46% on these items.
Therefore, they can become less affordable for the middle class.”But that’s not
all. Look for higher prices on appliances, such as refrigerators, blenders and
dishwashers. “As it is, these items are expensive enough,” Yen said. “The hike
in import tariffs could push their prices further by around 19%.”Everyday goods
aren’t the only things consumers will likely pay more for. Here are four things
the middle class might not be able to afford once Trump returns to the White
House.
Healthcare and Insurance Coverage
In 2024, 20.8 million people signed up for the Affordable Care Act, per the U.S.
Department of the Treasury, and prices are expected to soar under Trump, because
he wants to dismantle parts of the ACA. “Monthly premiums might skyrocket by
20%-30% for middle-class families, pre-existing conditions could once again
become a barrier to coverage, many employers might reduce health benefits to cut
costs, and prescription drug prices could increase without price controls,” said
finance expert Andrew Lokenauth, founder of TheFinanceNewsletter.com. Americans
enrolled in the ACA will likely see cost changes when a key tax credit from the
COVID-19 pandemic expires at the end of this year. According to the KFF, if
Trump doesn’t renew the subsidies, which cuts costs for millions, premiums could
double in some states. Find Out: How President-Elect Trump’s Win Could Impact
Grocery Prices
Higher Education
Pursuing a higher education could cost even more under Trump, and students
should start bracing for costly changes, according to Lokenauth. “Federal
student loan interest rates might increase, income-driven repayment plans could
become more restrictive, public university funding might decrease, leading to
higher tuition, and student loan forgiveness programs could be eliminated or
reduced,” he explained.
Housing
High interest rates are just one of the many difficulties homebuyers have dealt
with over the last few years, but the Federal Reserve reduced the interest rate
three times in 2024, bringing the range down to 4.25% to 4.5%. In September, the
Federal Reserve slashed the interest rate by half a percentage point for the
first time since 2020. In November, the Fed reduced the rate by another 0.25 and
another 0.25 in December. Another potential win for the market is Trump’s
promise of more affordable housing, but according to Lokenauth, homebuyers could
still face financial challenges.
“Mortgage rates might climb due to economic policies, first-time homebuyer
programs could face cuts, property taxes might increase in middle-class
neighborhoods, and the mortgage interest deduction could be modified, affecting
affordability,” he explained.
Trump’s policies could make housing unattainable for some. “President-elect
Trump will accelerate the growth of the budget deficit more quickly than Vice
President Harris would,” Michael Nourmand, president of the brokerage Nourmand &
Associates, told CNBC. In addition, he stated that Trump’s proposed tariff plans
could also boost inflation and raise prices.
Transportation
Leading up to the election, Trump regularly touted his tariff plans, but his
policies are likely to raise the price of cars. “There’s no such thing as a 100%
American vehicle,” Ivan Drury, director of insights at Edmunds, told CNBC.
“There’s so much complexity, even though it’s a seemingly straightforward
thing.” But that’s not the only way transportation costs could increase.
Lokenauth explained that gas prices might rise due to international trade
policies, public transportation funding might decrease, and electric vehicle tax
credits could be eliminated under the Trump administration, which the president
indicted while campaigning. Nobody can predict what policies Trump will enact
once he returns to the White House, but significant changes will come if his
planned tariffs are imposed, and prices are expected to increase.
Editor’s note on political coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives
to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on
politically focused finance stories. For more coverage on this topic, please
check out 7 Little Luxuries the Middle Class Will Be Able To Afford When Trump
Takes Office.
Melania Trump hosts Queen Rania of
Jordan in Florida
Arab News/January 18, 2025
LONDON: Jordan’s Queen Rania met incoming US First Lady Melania Trump in Florida
on Thursday. Trump hosted the queen in Palm Beach during her visit to the US.
The queen said on Instagram that “it was a pleasure reconnecting” with Melania,
who will return for a second term as first lady when her husband Donald is sworn
in as president on Monday. The two women “discussed various issues of mutual
interest, including children’s welfare, as well as improving their education,”
the queen’s office said. The meeting, which was followed by a lunch, is the
third to take place between the two in the US. In 2018, Trump welcomed Queen
Rania and her husband King Abdullah II to the White House ahead of meetings with
the president. The royals also visited the White House in 2017 and toured an
all-girls school in Washington.
Thousands
gather in Washington to protest Trump inauguration
Gabriella Borter/WASHINGTON (Reuters)/January 18, 2025
Several thousand people, mostly women, gathered in Washington on Saturday to
protest President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, with some wearing the pink
hats that marked the much-larger protest against his first inauguration in 2017.
In Franklin Park, one of three kickoff locations for the "People's March" that
will wind through downtown, protesters gathered in light rain to rally for
gender justice and bodily autonomy. Other protesters gathered at two other parks
also near the White House, with one group focused on democracy and immigration
and another on local Washington issues, before heading toward the march's final
gathering at the Lincoln Memorial. Police cars, with sirens on, drove between
the kickoff locations. Protests against Trump's inauguration are much smaller
than in 2017, in part because the U.S. women's rights movement fractured after
Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in November. Vendors hawked buttons
that said #MeToo and “Love trumps hate,” and sold People's March flags for $10.
Demonstrators carried posters that read “Feminists v. Fascists” and “People over
politics.”“It’s really healing to be here with all of you today in solidarity
and togetherness, in the face of what’s going to be some really horrible
extremism,” Mini Timmaraju, the head of advocacy group Reproductive Freedom for
All, told the crowd as events kicked off. She said the good news was that
abortion rights remain popular despite Trump’s win, leading a chant of “We are
the majority!”Reproductive groups joined civil rights, environment and other
women's groups in organizing the march against Trump and his agenda as he
prepares to take office on Monday. Trump won all seven battleground states and
the popular vote in November's election.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on January 18-19/2025
Gaza Ceasefire: Implications for Israel,
Hamas, and U.S. Policy
Dennis Ross, Matthew Levitt, Neomi Neumann/Washington Institute/January 18/2025
https://youtu.be/SM4bB0LYdfw
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/gaza-ceasefire-implications-israel-hamas-and-us-policy
Ambassador Dennis Ross
Dennis Ross, a former special assistant to President Barack Obama, is the
counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute.
Matthew Levitt
Matthew Levitt is the Fromer-Wexler Senior Fellow and director of the Reinhard
Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at The Washington Institute.
Neomi Neumann
Neomi Neumann is a visiting fellow at The Washington Institute, focusing on
Palestinian affairs. She formerly served as head of the research unit at the
Israel Security Agency, or Shin Bet, and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Neumann recently began her doctoral studies at Tel Aviv University.
Brief Analysis
Watch an expert webcast examining the Hamas-Israel ceasefire agreement, which
includes the release of thirty-three Israeli hostages in the agreement's first
phase.
After months of tortuous negotiations, the U.S. and Qatari governments have
announced a ceasefire in the Hamas-Israel war that includes the release of
thirty-three Israeli hostages during the agreement’s initial phase. The accord
envisions three phases in all, though negotiations over phases two and three
will not begin until phase one is well underway. Will this ceasefire hold, and
if so, what implications might it have for Israel’s Likud-led government, Hamas,
and the Palestinian Authority? In Washington, what role did Donald Trump’s
incoming administration play in reaching the agreement, and what do its terms
tell us about his Middle East policy in the months ahead?
To discuss these and other questions, The Washington Institute is pleased to
host a virtual Policy Forum featuring:
Dennis Ross, the Institute’s Davidson Distinguished Fellow and former U.S.
presidential envoy for Middle East peace.
Matthew Levitt, the Institute’s Fromer-Wexler Senior Fellow, director of its
Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, and author of the
landmark book Hamas: Politics, Charity, and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad.
Neomi Neumann, a visiting fellow at the Institute, former head of the research
unit at the Israel Security Agency/Shin Bet, and coauthor (with Ghaith al-Omari)
of the 2024 report "Reforming the Palestinian Authority: A Roadmap for Change."
The Policy Forum series is made possible through the generosity of the Florence
and Robert Kaufman Family.
A call that could change history:
Trump and Pezeshkian’s moment to forge peace
Seyed Hossein Mousavian, opinion
contributor/The Hill/ January 18/2025
The incoming Trump administration has expressed support for a negotiated
solution with Iran on all outstanding issues. When asked about a message to
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President-elect Trump simply said, “I wish
him luck.” During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump indicated that his Iran
policy in the second term would be “very different” than that in his first. He
rejected the “regime change” policy and reiterated that he wants Iran to be
successful, but also that he opposes the country’s acquisition of nuclear
weapons. In September 2024, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that
Tehran is ready for “constructive” dialogue and is “ready to engage” with the
West about nuclear power, and willingness to improve relations with the U.S.
Nevertheless, the gaps between Washington and Tehran will be difficult to
bridge. If Trump wishes to break the deadlock by negotiating with Iran, he will
face fierce opposition within the U.S., in Iran, and in the region. Last month,
Israel’s former war Cabinet member, Benny Gantz, called for Iran to be targeted
“directly.”
Assuming Trump wants an alternative to another endless conflict, the first step
must be a new nuclear agreement with Iran. It is likely that Israel will want
the dismantlement of Iran’s enrichment capabilities. When I was the spokesperson
for Iran’s nuclear team (2003-05), however, in a private meeting, Ayatollah
Khamenei told Rouhani — then Iran’s top nuclear negotiator — that “if Iran is to
abandon its right to enrich, it will either have to happen after my death, or I
will have to resign from leadership.” Forcing this option would therefore likely
mean the failure of negotiations, just as they failed from 2003-13. If Trump’s
main objective is to ensure that Iran does not acquire a nuclear bomb, however,
he needs a plan that would permanently block the acquisition of nuclear bombs
not only by Iran but also by other ambitious countries in the region. As
President Biden warned, “if Iran gets the bomb, then Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and
Egypt will follow.”
Here are the elements of such a plan:
First, as in the Obama administration’s Iran nuclear deal, Iran would agree to
complete transparency of its nuclear programs and the most stringent level of
International Atomic Energy Agency verification measures. Second, the key
principles of the agreement would be that it applies to all the countries in the
region, making it possible to make permanent the main nonproliferation
limitations of the deal, including limiting uranium enrichment to below 5
percent and no separation of plutonium from spent fuel. Third, following the
implementation of a new nuclear deal, Washington and Tehran would need to engage
in discussions about regional security. Both countries should temporarily
suspend all threats and hostilities as a first step and goodwill gesture. Some
years ago, Robert Einhorn, then a U.S. nuclear negotiator told me that “when we
raise the necessity of regional talks, some Iranians mistakenly believe that we
mean the dismantling of Iran’s missile and defense capabilities. All countries
including Iran have the right to the defense capabilities they need. We
understand that Iran, like us, has its own security concerns. Both sides must
therefore engage in a serious and fair dialogue to address each other’s
legitimate and lawful concerns and find a balanced solution.”
Ayatollah Khamenei is the ultimate decision-maker regarding Iran’s relations
with the United States. On Jan. 8, 2024, he said that the U.S. is fundamentally
hostile to the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic, wishing for the
destruction of Iran. Based on the several decades of understanding I have of his
views, I believe that the essence of his concerns regarding the relations with
the U.S. can be summarized in three key points: the threat to Iran’s
independence through interference in internal affairs, the “regime change”
policy and the lack of respect for and recognition of Iran’s national interests.
On the other side, during 15 years of research at Princeton University on
U.S.-Iran relations, I believe that “challenging and threatening the U.S.
interests in the region” is the most important concern the U.S. has regarding
Iran’s policies after the 1979 revolution. If there is going to be a fair and
balanced deal, both capitals should acknowledge each other’s legitimate regional
interests and commit to not threatening those interests. This would require some
realignment of their regional security and diplomacy strategies, especially with
their key allies. Moreover, it would require a credible and sustainable model
for regional stability and peace. Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf
Cooperation Council countries in the Persian Gulf, could achieve such an
arrangement through a new collective security and economic framework modeled on
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The arrangement would
facilitate establishing balanced and normal relations with the Western and
Eastern blocs; regional arms control arrangements including a nuclear
weapons-free zone and the reduction of U.S. military forces and expenditures in
the region. The agreement could also link a cessation of military conflict
between Iran and Israel with a just and durable solution to the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on a two-state solution as required by
multiple UN resolutions. Finally, the deal could also include significant
economic cooperation between the U.S. and Iran, potentially involving projects
worth hundreds of billions of dollars in sectors such as petrochemicals,
aviation and clean energy. This would create major economic stakes in the
agreement within both countries, making the new arrangements more robust. On his
first day in office at the White House, President Trump could agree in a phone
conversation with his Iranian counterpart, President Pezeshkian, to have special
envoys from both countries quickly initiate direct talks for such a fair,
sustainable and historic agreement. Seyed Hossein Mousavian is Middle East
security and nuclear policy specialist at Princeton University.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Iran's Mullahs:
Will the EU Ever Wake Up?
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/January 18, 2025
Even though Iran keeps increasing its military support for Russia's invasion of
Ukraine -- posing a significant threat to the European Union, the EU policy of
appeasing the mullahs persists.
"These drones [in Russia] aren't just a threat to Ukraine — they're a threat to
every NATO country bordering Russia." — Henrik F. Rasmussen, executive director
of the Institute for Science and International Security, politico.eu, November
13, 2023.
"The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was responsible for at least 11
attempted attacks in Europe between June 2018 and June 2024, making it clear
Tehran sees Europe as one of the battlefields in its conflict with Israel and
the West, going so far as to partner with organized crime to achieve its ends."
— Oliver Rolofs, Strategic security and communication expert and the director of
the Austrian Institute for Strategic Studies and International Cooperation,
politico.eu, October 9, 2024.
Europe is bankrolling Iran to devour it.
Even though Iran keeps increasing its military support for Russia's invasion of
Ukraine -- posing a significant threat to the European Union, the EU policy of
appeasing the mullahs persists, and the EU blithely continues to trade with
Iran. (Image source: iStock/Getty Images)
The EU blithely continues to trade with Iran, the top state sponsor of
terrorism. The Tehran Times bragged in a recent report that the country's
exports to the EU have increased by 28% in just 9 months:
"The Eurostat's data show that Iran exported commodities worth €799 million to
the union in the nine-month period of this year, while the figure was €623
million in the same time span of the previous year, IRNA reported.
"The EU's export to Iran has also risen 31 percent to €3.148 billion from €2.402
billion.
"According to the Eurostat, the total value of trade between Iran and the
European Union reached €3.947 billion in January-September 2022, while the
figure was €3.025 billion in the same period of 2021.
"Iran exported €72 million worth of goods to the EU in September, while
importing €472 million from the mentioned union. The value of the Islamic
Republic's exports to the EU stood at €68 million last September, and the
imports from the union were reported to be €308."
Iran's growing exports to the EU are also increasing the regime's revenues,
thereby assisting it in supplying more weapons to Russia.
Does the EU not know that the Russian President Vladimir Putin received huge
support for his invasion of Ukraine from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei? Iran has been supplying kamikaze drones to Russia. This is evidently
why, according to the Ukrainian foreign ministry's press service, Ukraine
stripped Iran's ambassador in Kyiv of his accreditation and reduced the
embassy's diplomatic staff.
The EU's appeasement of the ruling mullahs has continued even as the EU itself
acknowledged that Iran was indeed "provid[ing] military support for Russia's
unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine" via the
"development and delivery of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Russia."
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly noted in a statement:
"These cowardly drone strikes are an act of desperation. By enabling these
strikes, these individuals and a manufacturer have caused the people of Ukraine
untold suffering."
The EU has been allowing Iran to act with impunity -- most likely the reason it
began sending troops to Crimea to assist Russian forces in Ukraine and sharpen
the deadliness of their suicide drones.
"These drones," notes Henrik F. Rasmussen, executive director of the Institute
for Science and International Security, "aren't just a threat to Ukraine —
they're a threat to every NATO country bordering Russia."
Oliver Rolofs, Strategic security and communication expert and the director of
the Austrian Institute for Strategic Studies and International Cooperation,
warns:
"The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was responsible for at least 11
attempted attacks in Europe between June 2018 and June 2024, making it clear
Tehran sees Europe as one of the battlefields in its conflict with Israel and
the West, going so far as to partner with organized crime to achieve its ends."
The Biden administration similarly never imposed any pressure on the EU to stop
its business dealings with Iran, even though the Biden administration
acknowledged that it had evidence that Iranian troops were "directly engaged on
the ground" in Crimea to increase the efficacy of Russia's drone attacks.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said:
"The systems themselves were suffering failures and not performing to the
standards that apparently the customers expected. So the Iranians decided to
move in some trainers and some technical support to help the Russians use them
with better lethality."
Iran also recently agreed to send ballistic missiles and additional drones to
Russia. Iran appears to have had the largest and most diverse ballistic missile
arsenal in the Middle East. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remarked:
"In eight months of full-scale war, Russia has used almost 4,500 missiles
against us. And their stock of missiles is dwindling. Therefore, Russia went
looking for affordable weapons in other countries to continue its terror. It
found them in Iran. I have a question for you – how does Russia pay Iran for
this, in your opinion? Is Iran just interested in money? Probably not money at
all, but Russian assistance to the Iranian nuclear program."
The European Union would be well-advised to keep in mind Winston Churchill's
famous warning:
"Each one hopes that if he feeds the crocodile enough, the crocodile will eat
him last. All of them hope that the storm will pass before their turn comes to
be devoured."
Europe is bankrolling Iran to devour it.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, is a business strategic and advisor, Harvard-educated
scholar, political scientist, board member of Harvard International Review, and
president of the International American Council on the Middle East. He has
authored several books on Islam and US Foreign Policy. He can be reached at
Dr.Rafizadeh@Post.Harvard.Edu
*Follow Majid Rafizadeh on X (formerly Twitter)
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
What the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire in Gaza Means for the Middle East/Biden and
Trump played a crucial role – but the situation is still fragile.
David Makovsky/U.S. News & World Report/January 18, 2025
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/what-israel-hamas-ceasefire-gaza-means-middle-east
For Jews and Palestinians, peace is the only solution, writes journalist Amir
Tibon, who survived the Oct. 7 attack.
As the diplomatic correspondent for Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Amir Tibon is
accustomed to reporting on some of the world’s worst crises. But on Oct. 7 last
year, he and his family became part of a horrific news story when Hamas invaded
their small community near Israel’s southern border with Gaza.
For 10 hours, Tibon and his family huddled in a darkened safe room, surrounded
by gunfire and explosions, until they were rescued by his father, a 62-year-old
retired general with the Israel Defense Forces.
In his new book, “The Gates of Gaza: A Story of Betrayal, Survival, and Hope on
Israel's Borderlands,” Tibon recounts his experiences on and after Oct. 7, 2023,
weaving in the history of his kibbutz, Nahal Oz, and Israeli-Palestinian
relations since the late 1940s. He discussed the book, his reflections on the
last year and his hopes for the war’s end with U.S. News. This interview has
been edited for length and clarity.
U.S. News: How are you feeling one year after the events of last Oct. 7?
Amir Tibon: If you had told me a year ago that we would arrive on the
anniversary of Oct. 7 and the war in Gaza would still be ongoing, people would
still be dying every day, and my neighbors who were kidnapped on that day by
Hamas would still be held over there in dark tunnels, I just wouldn't believe
that. It's very personal for me. I have two friends over there, and I know
several close relatives of other hostages. It's unbelievable that it's still
happening a year later. So it's a sad anniversary. There's no sense of closure
or overcoming.
Tell us what happened to you and your family that day.
My wife and I live in a small community very close to the Israeli border with
Gaza, half a mile from the border. Nahal Oz is a kibbutz, a communal
agricultural-like village, home to 450 people. On that day, starting from around
7 in the morning, our kibbutz was invaded by more than 100 heavily armed Hamas
terrorists.
We woke up from the mortars at 6:30 a.m., and we ran to what we call the safe
room. In these homes in communities on the border, there's always one room that
is supposed to withstand even a direct hit by a mortar or rocket. And in most
communities, that's where you put the kids to sleep at night, because when you
live so close to the border, you have 7 seconds to reach shelter when there's a
rocket or a mortar. We shut the door, and it was all quiet and it was OK. We'd
been through this many times before, so we were beginning to pack in the dark
because we understood we're going to have to leave because some kind of a war
was starting. But the real shock was around 7 a.m. when we began to hear
automatic gunfire. That is something that has never happened before, and that's
when we realized this was something different. This was a full-on invasion by
Hamas.
It was completely dark, just my wife and I and our two young daughters – 3 1⁄2
years old and 2 years old at the time – and our house was surrounded by
terrorists. They were firing bullets in our living room, and we had to keep the
girls quiet [in the safe room] so that they would not hear us, for almost 10
hours with no food, no light, no air conditioning, no nothing – in complete
darkness and in real fear for our lives.
Fifteen [of our neighbors] were murdered on that day. So out of a community of
450 people, that's basically 3% of the entire population. Seven of our friends
were taken hostage. The youngest was an 8-year-old girl, and the oldest was an
84-year-old woman. Five of the seven hostages were released in November thanks
to the hostage deal orchestrated at that time by President Joe Biden. We still
have two friends here. [When] we were evacuated, the last thing we saw was an
area just outside our neighborhood completely on fire.
How did you keep calm during the 10 hours when you and your family were waiting
for a chance to escape?
My wife is a social worker [who] works with children on the autism spectrum, and
she's a very patient and sensitive person. On that morning, she had to utilize
all of her knowledge and all of her instincts to try to keep our own daughters
calm while there were bullets fired in our living room. She did not lie to them.
As parents, living in a place so close to the border, we never lied to our
girls. We never tried to make up stories to explain noises or unusual events
that happened, such as rockets being fired at our community or having to leave
the house for a few days because there was some military tension. We always told
them the truth in words that are appropriate for their age.
We did the same thing that morning. We told them that there are dangerous noises
outside our house and that we have to be quiet right now, and that their
grandfather is trying to get to our house and find us. I was worried that they
wouldn't be able to control themselves for so long without any food. But they
surprised us.
They sound incredibly brave.
There were many, many heroes on Oct. 7, a lot of people who saved lives on that
day. And I write about many of the heroes, specifically in the story of my
community. But the biggest heroes were the young children, and the young
children are also the biggest victims. It's impossible to understand what
children are going through in this reality – Israeli and Palestinian children.
On that question, it doesn't really matter. A child is a child, and I can say
that on that day, the children were really the biggest heroes.
What was life like on the kibbutz, so close to Gaza, before Oct. 7? Do you hope
to return one day?
We used to say that it's 95% heaven and 5% hell, because it would be an amazing
place to live – beautiful, pastoral, green. And then every few months, there
would be another round of fighting between Israel and Hamas and all of a sudden,
you would have hundreds of rockets launched on the community, and you would have
to evacuate your family under fire for a few days and wait for the hostilities
to subside.
On Oct. 7, it became 100% hell. Today, the kibbutz is almost empty. There are
something like 20 people living there, out of 450.
Most of the community are still refugees in our own country, evacuated to other
parts of the country, waiting to come back. But the war is still going on.
Looking into the future, we want to go back. We also have to think about what
happens on the other side of the border. Because if it's hell in Gaza, it will
be hell on our side as well. This is not sustainable in the long run. We cannot
live next to a place that is completely in ruins and devastated.
Where are you living now, and what has life been like for you and your family in
the last year?
We were evacuated as a community together to a kibbutz near Haifa, which is in
north central Israel. This kibbutz has been hosting us very, very generously
since Oct. 8 of last year. They opened a kindergarten for our children, and the
older children have been absorbed into their school. We lived in dorm rooms –
every family received a small room for the entire family – which was a tough
period. We slept on mattresses on the floor. Not everybody had their own
bathroom. At the end of April, they brought trailers for our community and built
this trailer park neighborhood for us, and that's where we've been staying
since.
But the plan is to go back home at the end of the current school year. For that
to actually happen, two really important things have to happen: The war has to
end, and our hostages have to return.
02 Nov 2023: Amir Tibon photographed in Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek in north of
Israel.
What was most important for you in piecing together your memoir of the
experience? And what do you hope readers take away from your book?
I constructed the book in a way that tells the story of our family and our
community on Oct. 7, and the history of our community, of this kibbutz, starting
from the foundation of Israel in the late 1940s. My kibbutz, like all the other
communities that were attacked on that day, was not born on Oct. 7, and I don't
want that terrible day to be the only thing affiliated with Nahal Oz. You can't
really understand Oct. 7 without understanding the history that preceded and in
many ways led to it: the history of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians,
the missed opportunities for peace, the relationships that used to exist between
people from our community and people on the other side in Gaza, how those
relationships came to end. All of that is very important historical context.
I also tried to tell the history through the personal stories of people from the
community. So instead of just writing, “And then there was another war in 1956
and then a war in 1967,” I told those wars through the personal stories of
people from the community.
When I write about how in the 1970s, people from Gaza used to come to weddings
in our kibbutz, I don't just mention it as a fact. I actually tell the story of
someone in the community who had guests from Gaza City in his wedding.
And when I talk about the peace process of the 1990s – the optimism abroad, and
then the disappointment when it failed – I tell it through the eyes of a young
girl who grew up in the kibbutz during those years and the optimism that she saw
when peace was possible, and then what happened when it all failed and rockets
began to rain on her hometown. Personal stories make a big difference in how the
history is told, but it was very important for me to tell that history, because
without it, you cannot really understand Oct. 7.
Israel is now engaged in war on multiple fronts – with Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran.
Meanwhile, there are nearly 100 hostages still unaccounted for in Gaza. What
should be done to get them freed? And is this war sustainable?
I think we have to make a deal for the hostages, and that this deal will include
the end of the war. This is the only realistic move right now to get our people
back alive. If we wait for too long, all of them will die. It will be an
unbelievable tragedy. So we need to make this deal. We need to end the war.
That is separate from the questions of what we do in Lebanon and what we do
regarding Iran. I think in Lebanon, we can also reach a deal, but it will have
to include Hezbollah – the terrorist organization that is very powerful there –
withdrawing some of its forces away from the Israeli border. They were using
[their proximity to the border] to target Israeli civilian communities on the
other side and to plan an attack like Oct. 7 on the north of Israel. So there
has to be an agreement in which they move back their forces away from the
border. With Iran, I think it's a little too late for any kind of an agreement
right now.
At the end of the day, there will be some kind of diplomatic solution, perhaps
with the involvement of the United States and Russia. This is not a local issue.
A war between Israel and Iran is a regional and global issue. And I think
everybody involved will want to try and stop it from actually happening. But we
have to start with ending the war in Gaza with a hostage deal. This is the No. 1
priority: Gather people and save their lives.
In your book you talk about hope. Where do you see hope for peace?
It's hard to find hope after Oct. 7 and after the war. But at the end of the day
in this land, you have millions of Jews and millions of Palestinians and
nobody's going anywhere. I have no illusion about peace with Hamas, but I do
believe, at the end of the day, we will have to find a way to share the land
between the two peoples, because our children deserve a better life than what
they have right now.
PA Reform Is Key to West Bank Stability—and Possible Rule
in Gaza
Neomi Neumann/The Washington Institute/Jan 18, 2025
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/pa-reform-key-west-bank-stability-and-possible-rule-gaza
Although the Palestinian Authority’s increased governance activities may not
indicate deep change, they could help stabilize the security situation in the
West Bank and, perhaps, pave the way for PA rule in postwar Gaza.
For the first time in years, the Palestinian Authority has been stepping up its
activities in various areas of governance. This includes increasing its
counterterrorism operations in the West Bank, appointing a temporary replacement
for President Mahmoud Abbas in the event he is incapacitated, and signaling
willingness to reform the mechanism for payments to prisoners.
This unusual surge in activity appears to be aimed primarily at demonstrating
the PA’s governance and enforcement capabilities against opposition forces
challenging its authority. This is particularly important at a time when Hamas
is already challenging the PA in the West Bank and could do so even more
energetically once Israel releases Hamas prisoners as part of the new deal to
free hostages in Gaza. Their release could strengthen Hamas politically and
militarily, reinvigorating the idea of victory through “resistance.” The PA’s
current activity also serves as a message to Israel and the incoming U.S.
administration that it can address internal challenges in the West Bank,
implement necessary reforms, and be an alternative to Hamas in Gaza on the “day
after” the war.
At this stage, the scope and effectiveness of the PA’s measures in the West Bank
remain unclear, partly because it is making greater efforts in some areas,
particularly security initiatives, and less on political and social issues.
Given the PA’s poor functionality and low public standing, these measures are
unlikely to represent a profound change, nor are they expected to transform the
PA—certainly not during Abbas’s tenure.
Nevertheless, given the complex situation Israel faces and the challenges it
will likely encounter in the near future, it would do well to continue
supporting the PA, particularly in security and governance, to maintain a stable
security situation in the face of terrorist entities in the West Bank that are
continually enhancing their military capabilities. Moreover, some fifteen months
after the October 7 attack, Israel is still struggling to identify a viable
alternative to Hamas in Gaza, and the PA seems to have emerged as the least bad
of all the bad options.
PA Security Operations in the Northern West Bank
Over the past month, PA security forces have been carrying out intensive
operations for the first time in a decade, acting with determination to
eliminate pockets of terrorism and lawlessness in the Jenin area, particularly
the Jenin refugee camp. Dubbed “Homeland Defense,” the operation began on
December 14 and has targeted the terrorist groups (“battalions”) that emerged in
the northern West Bank (Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nablus) in recent years and began
spreading to other areas, like Ramallah.
These groups—which often clash with Israeli forces—are funded by Iran and also
receive support from established organizations, particularly Hamas and
Palestinian Islamic Jihad Jihad (PIJ). They also oppose the PA and undermine its
authority. In recent months, an increasing number of images and videos have been
circulating online showing armed militants conducting marches and parades in
various West Bank locations. At these events, they express support for Hamas and
opposition to the PA, accusing it of collaborating with Israel.
As part of its efforts in Jenin and beyond to prevent terrorism and chaos, the
PA has deployed special forces (e.g., Units 9 and 101) and utilized advanced
measures against wanted individuals, such as firing rocket-propelled grenades at
their residences. Security forces have arrested 700 Palestinians, seized and
destroyed dozens of booby-trapped vehicles, and uncovered significant quantities
of weapons and ammunition. These actions foiled planned attacks on Israeli
targets.
The PA security apparatus is also cracking down on those expressing support for
Hamas or PIJ or promoting protests against the PA. The measures taken include
economic penalties, border crossing restrictions, and arrests. The PA plans to
continue these measures, as decided in a recent meeting chaired by General
Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Majid Faraj.
Despite the PA’s operation in Jenin, Palestinian terrorism in the West Bank
continues to exact a bloody price. The weeks since December 14 have seen eight
terrorist attacks categorized as “significant” by the Israel Security Agency
(killing four Israelis), along with forty-five other attacks. In all of them,
the perpetrators came from the northern West Bank. Israel also thwarted ninety
attack plots and arrested 140 Palestinians for involvement in terrorism.
Although PA security forces have shown a willingness to eradicate such activity,
their operational capabilities are limited, and they must make profound changes
and obtain external assistance in training, intelligence, and equipment.
Fattouh as Abbas’s Temporary Replacement
In the political realm, there appears to be a change, though some perceive it as
superficial. For over a decade, the eighty-nine-year-old Abbas has faced
external and internal pressure to appoint a successor who could lead the
Palestinians after his departure. The primary concern is that his absence could
spark a power struggle among competing candidates for the presidency. The war in
Gaza has added urgency to these discussions as Arab states and Washington
explore alternatives to Hamas rule, including proposals to reinvigorate and
reorganize the PA.
Abbas avoided appointing a successor, possibly because he lacked a preferred
candidate or feared that a nominee might act against him during his lifetime.
Nevertheless, in a surprising move, he recently announced that if he is
incapacitated, Rawhi Fattouh will become president for ninety days until general
elections can be held.
Fattouh is not a candidate for PA chairman in future elections. After Yasser
Arafat’s death in November 2004, he served as interim chairman until Abbas was
elected in January 2005. Today, he is considered close to Abbas and aligned with
the president’s political positions, but his role would be a temporary one. His
appointment is apparently intended to address external pressures and ensure
immediate stability post-Abbas.
Reforming the Prisoner Payment System
For many years, Israeli and international officials have pressured Abbas to
reform the policy of paying Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and the
families of Palestinians killed by Israel. The current system is based on the
length of the prisoner’s sentence, essentially rewarding individuals who kill
more Israelis with higher payments. The United States, European countries, and
Israel have asked the PA to adopt a system based on social welfare criteria
instead, but Abbas has resisted such changes, likely because the prisoners have
symbolic significance in Palestinian society.
Recently, a PA legal representative indicated that current discussions on this
issue may lead to a shift in this longstanding policy. In addition to addressing
a key point of contention between the PA, Israel, and the United States,
implementing such a shift could fulfill the requirements of the 2018 Taylor
Force Act, which prohibits U.S. aid to the PA as long as it continues its
current prisoner payment policy.
Conclusion
The fragile security situation has underscored to President Abbas that he cannot
remain passive and must address the centers of terrorism and chaos in the West
Bank to avoid losing control. Additionally, a hostage-prisoner exchange between
Israel and Hamas and the attendant release of Palestinian prisoners could
strengthen Hamas’s military, political, and public standing in the West Bank.
Furthermore, regional and international developments in recent
months—particularly the weakening of Iran’s Shia axis, the fall of the Syrian
regime, and the election of Donald Trump—have shown Abbas that continued
inaction might deprive him of not only a Palestinian state, but also a
meaningful legacy.
Accordingly, while Abbas boycotted Trump during his first term, he is now
signaling a willingness to cooperate with Washington and is taking steps to
demonstrate his control over the West Bank. These actions might also demonstrate
the PA’s ability to govern postwar Gaza if given the opportunity. While the
current security operations and political changes may not represent a deep
transformation—certainly not one that will alter the military, political, and
social system under Abbas’s leadership—they underscore the importance of
continued U.S. and Israeli support for the PA in various areas, particularly
security. Specifically, this support should include:
maintaining cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian security officials to
What Does the Red Sea Crisis Reveal About Sanctioned Ships?
Noam Raydan/The Washington Institute./January 18/2025
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/what-does-red-sea-crisis-reveal-about-sanctioned-ships
Part of a series: Maritime Spotlight
or see Part 1: Tracking Maritime Attacks in the Middle East Since 2019
Two sanctioned Russia-linked oil tankers, which were attacked by the Houthis in
2023 and 2024, recently changed their names and are flying the Djiboutian flag
amid stricter Western sanctions.
In 2024, the Washington Institute’s Maritime Spotlight explored several trends
in the Houthi maritime campaign, captured in this maritime incident tracker.
These included attacks on tankers transporting Russian oil that were struck by
the Houthis as a result of outdated shipping information. Maritime Spotlight’s
latest research shows that the Houthi campaign has indirectly brought attention
to ships carrying Russian cargoes, including via the Red Sea to
Asia—particularly India and China, the key purchasers of Russian oil. As Britain
and the United States recently imposed strict, sweeping sanctions against ships
linked to the Russian oil trade—known as the shadow fleet—some vessels began
changing names and flags, a common practice for sanctioned ships seeking to
evade restrictions and obfuscate the process of tracking them. These include a
couple of vessels attacked by the Houthis in 2023–24 based on outdated
information that recently changed names and are now flying the Djiboutian flag.
In recent years, sanctioned vessels have adopted the flag of this East African
country, including tankers linked to the Iranian and Venezuelan oil trade.
Apar (Formerly Andromeda Star)
The European Union–sanctioned, Djibouti-flagged crude oil tanker Apar (IMO
9402471), formerly known as Andromeda Star (flagged to Panama), gained attention
twice in 2024. The first time was in March, when it was involved in a collision
in the Danish straits. According to some reports, the tanker was sailing with
invalid insurance and was scheduled to load Russian crude oil at the port of
Primorsk. The following month, the tanker was attacked by Houthis in the
southern Red Sea while on a voyage to deliver crude oil to India. The Yemeni
group used three antiship ballistic missiles against the tanker, which was
broadcasting “no contact with Israel,” a message used by many ships sailing
through the southern Red Sea to avoid Houthi attacks (see The Washington
Institute’s maritime incident tracker). While the Houthis claimed Apar was
“British,” Washington Institute research shows that this information was
outdated.
Between December 2023 and December 2024, Apar was involved in moving Russian oil
at least three times to India and China, as confirmed by TankerTrackers.com, a
maritime intelligence company that specializes in following the global shadow
fleet. Automatic Identification System (AIS) data from MarineTraffic shows that
the tanker changed its name from Andromeda Star to Feng Shou and then Apar
during a short period in December 2024, which was when it also transferred its
flag from Panama to Djibouti—a change confirmed by Lloyd’s List Intelligence
analyst Bridget Diakun. There are several known cases in which ship flag
registers (including Djibouti and Panama) had to deflag sanctioned vessels. It
remains to be seen if Apar and other sanctioned vessels will continue using the
Djiboutian flag.
AIS shipping data from MarineTraffic and the market intelligence firm Kpler
shows that Apar was mainly in Chinese waters toward the end of 2024. It was last
seen in the Red Sea in July 2024.
Lahar (Formerly Sai Baba)
On December 23, 2023, a few weeks after the Houthis launched their maritime
campaign as a way to support Hamas in the Gaza war, the Gabon-flagged crude oil
tanker Sai Baba (IMO 9321691) was targeted by a Houthi one-way attack drone. The
U.S. Navy destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58), which was patrolling the area,
responded to the distress call of the tanker, which was on its way to India with
a Russian oil cargo.
In October 2024, the British government, as part of what was described as its
“biggest wave of sanctions” against the Russia-linked shadow fleet, added Sai
Baba to its list of sanctioned vessels. Later in December, the ship switched
from the Gabonese to the Djiboutian flag, and as of January 14, 2025, the
vessel’s name appeared to be Lahar, not Sai Baba. It was, like Apar, seen in
Chinese waters toward the end of 2024. The last time it was identified in the
southern Red Sea was August 2024, based on AIS data from MarineTraffic.
Open imageiconA screenshot from MarineTraffic.com showing the Djibouti-flagged
Lahar tanker and its AIS data. The vessel was formerly known as Sai Baba with
Gabonese flagging.
A screenshot from MarineTraffic.com showing Lahar and its AIS data.
The Red Sea’s Importance for Russian Oil
Both Apar and Lahar, as well as other Russia-linked tankers, continued to use
the Red Sea route after the Houthis attacked them in 2023 and 2024, largely
based on inaccurate information. While many commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden
and southern Red Sea were significantly affected by the Houthi attacks (see the
Institute’s recent analysis here), Russia-linked ships do not appear to have
been similarly affected. According to a Kpler research note published on
December 6, 2024, “Russian crude oil has been the only cargo type that has not
seen a reduction in [the] Suez Canal.” Tankers transporting Russian oil that
were attacked by the Houthis were not deterred by the very high risks, and
continued sailing in the region instead of taking the longer route around the
Cape of Good Hope (see this Maritime Spotlight post). According to the Kpler
research note, the share of Russian crude exports via the Suez Canal averaged
around “55% in 2024, in line with last year’s [2023] levels.”
The author’s research indicates that one of the latest cases involves the oil
tanker Blue Lagoon I (IMO 9248447), which the Houthis targeted more than once in
September 2024 in the southern Red Sea. The vessel was carrying an oil cargo
loaded at Russia’s Ust-Luga oil terminal, and its AIS signaled “RUS ORIG CGO
ONBOARD” (Russian-origin cargo onboard), according to data from MarineTraffic.
While some sources suggest that the ship may have been targeted because the
owner had vessels visiting Israel, no solid evidence confirms this, and most
likely the tanker was attacked based on inaccurate data. Moreover, as of January
9, 2025, the Blue Lagoon I was sailing again in the southern Red Sea on its way
from India to the Suez Canal, with its AIS switched on. Shipping data indicates
that the tanker’s navigation was smooth, and the Houthis did not attack the ship
this time.
Open imageiconA screenshot from MarineTraffic.com shows the Blue Lagoon I
transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait on January 9, 2025.
A screenshot from MarineTraffic.com showing the Blue Lagoon I transiting the Bab
al-Mandab Strait on January 9, 2025.
A Washington Institute analysis published last year noted that some China- or
Russia-linked ships that were attacked due to inaccurate information later
sailed in the Red Sea without incident, possibly indicating that they could now
sail safely off Yemen. Meanwhile, as of December 21, 2024, the Houthis were
still launching attacks over the Red Sea amid U.S. strikes against their
military sites in Yemen. U.S. Central Command indicated on December 21 that U.S.
forces shot down multiple Houthi one-way-attack uncrewed aerial vehicles and an
antiship cruise missile over the region. Between December 1 and December 10, the
Houthis launched two separate attacks against a convoy consisting of two U.S.
destroyers, the USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane, escorting U.S.-flagged merchant
supply ships heading to Djibouti (see the maritime incident tracker). While the
attacks were foiled, they signaled that the Yemeni group was still defiant that
month. Attacks against commercial ships, however, have diminished, as seen in
this infographic, dropping from fifteen in June to only three in November. In
December 2024, there were only two incidents involving U.S.-flagged merchant
supply ships in the Gulf of Aden (see the maritime incident tracker). This is
partly because other shipping companies left the region toward the end of 2024,
opting to take the Cape route, in response to the intense fourth and fifth
phases of the Houthi maritime campaign, which occurred between May and December
2024.
View the maritime incident tracker here.