Prime Minister Netanyahu says Yahya Sinwar’s death “marks the end” of the war in Gaza. US President Joe Biden and presidential candidate Kamale Harris praised the elimination of Yahya Sinwar. Biden said that “US intelligence helped Israel track down the deceased Hamas leader Sinwar”.
“The Israeli military has discovered more advanced Russian weapons in Hezbollah tunnels and hideouts in southern Lebanon”, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported. Italy has imposed an arms embargo on Israel.
While “Russia has warned Israel against attacking Iranian nuclear facilities”. Russian news agency TASS quotes Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister as saying: “We warn Israel against even thinking about striking Iranian nuclear facilities.” But according to Israeli sources, an attack on Iran is indeed imminent.
The daily newspaper Israel Today reports that a drone struck a group of Israeli army soldiers in the border area in southern Lebanon, wounding 31 Israeli soldiers. The Israeli army announced 53 injuries among its ranks in the last 24 hours, including 50 wounded on the border with Lebanon and 3 wounded in Gaza. 21 officers and soldiers have been killed and 368 others wounded since the start of the limited ground incursion on the border with Lebanon. News from October 18. The Israeli army decides to mobilize an additional reserve brigade for the war on the Lebanese border.
Hezbollah immediately after Sinwar’s death announced via social media: “The war with Israel has entered a new phase and its results will be evident in the coming days. Hezbollah also claimed to have used guided missiles to hit Israeli forces for the first time.”
On October 16, Hezbollah accounts claimed that Lebanon had suffered 45 deaths and 179 injuries from Israeli air strikes or artillery strikes: South, 12 deaths and 41 injuries; Nabatieh: 25 deaths and 88 injuries; Beqaa: 3 deaths and 14 injuries; Baalbek-Hermel: 5 deaths and 36 injuries.
On October 18, an institutional wound opened between Lebanon and Iran. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Azmi Mikati has attacked the Iranian parliament speaker and the leadership over a false news report that Iran offered to negotiate with France “for the implementation of UN Law 1701. Where were you when the US said it supported the Israeli war in Lebanon? Where were you when the UK supported the war in Lebanon? Where were you when when when. This theatrics will not encourage Western countries to help us in the post-war period, this will only help you save your billions and your luxury private jet and your boat.”
A source close to Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has denied recent reports suggesting that Ghalibaf had made comments regarding a ceasefire in Lebanon, the statements appeared in French daily Le Figaro. “Iran is ready to discuss a ceasefire in Lebanon and the implementation of UN resolution 1701. This would mean that only the Lebanese army and UNIFIL would be stationed in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah would withdraw to the north,” Le Figaro.
The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs will summon the Iranian Charge d’Affaires regarding Ghalibaf’s statements.
A very long list of militias and groups of the Axis of Resistance who joined in chorus in offering condolences to Hamas for the death of Yahya Sinwar, number one of Hamas. The official spokesman of Ansar Allah, Muhammad Abdel Salam; the Supreme Political Council of the Republic of Yemen; Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi; The Martyr Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades; the Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Front. The Secretary General of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, Ziad al-Nakhalah. The coalition of political parties and forces opposing Israel. Statement issued by the leadership of Hezbollah. The Al-Nujaba Movement.
And now a look at the front line as of 16:00 on October 18.
In northern Israel, drones infiltrated the area of the Ramat David air base near Afula. The Iraqi Islamic Resistance claimed the attack.
Drone attack in Safed claimed by the Islamic Resistance. Sirens sounded in Shlomi and Betzet in the Western Galilee. State of alert declared late on October 17 in the settlements of Dishon, Avivim and Malkia in northern Israel, for fear of Hezbollah infiltration. The IDF requested settlers remaining in the settlements of Dishon, Avivim and Malkia to stay in their homes and ensure that the doors are properly locked. Several roads closed in the north.
Alert in Eilat, southern Israel. New rocket fire towards the Zofulon area in Haifa. Several impacts were reported.
An Israeli soldier was seriously injured in the Golan. The Islamic Resistance claimed responsibility for an attack on the Yoav barracks in the Golan with a rocket launcher. Sirens in action in Netiv Atif, north of the Golan.
In southern Lebanon: the current situation after more than a month of operations is that Israel has managed to protect 37.6 square kilometers of territory. An attack by the Axis of the Resistance against a gathering of Israeli forces in Wadi Katamon, near the Rmeish base, was recorded. Israeli airstrikes on the towns of Nabatieh, Habboush, Harouf, Kawthariyah Al-Sayyad, Aita Al-Jabal and Taybeh.
Between midnight and 9:00 a.m. on October 18 in southern Lebanon, the targets were: Al-Duwair, Ansar, Sajd, Al-Khiyam, Jabal Al-Rafi’a, Al-Zarariyeh, Al-Shaitiya, Al-Bazouriyeh, Al-Malikiyah. Maaroub bombed.
And now a look at the five fronts opened by Israel in southern Lebanon: Ayta al Chab and Ramyeh. The Islamic Resistance targeted twice within a few minutes with a rocket launcher a gathering of Israeli soldiers near the town of Aita al-Shaab. The second time the Israeli army was evacuating the wounded. Starting at 12:00 clashes in the border village of Ayta al Chab between Israel and Hezbollah. Two Israeli airstrikes are reported.
In the afternoon, Lebanese residents of the village of Rmeich allowed the IDF to enter their village and operate safely there to create a new axis to surround Ayta al Chab. Israeli vehicles are moving safely into Rmeich and have closed the main road with two M113 vehicles. Israeli armored vehicles enter the Christian village of Rmeich from Israel and blockaded the Al-Marj neighborhood before moving from there towards Ayta al Chab. The village that fought an entire division of the Israeli army and faced monstrous air strikes, artillery, bulldozers, tanks and infantry will now be surrounded by Israeli forces. Map of the road used by the IDF to bring in equipment. Their stronghold in the southeast of the city is effectively cut off. A Hezbollah withdrawal north towards Debl is now likely. An Israeli flag was raised on the water tower west of the city, at coordinates 33.09808, 35.3335. However, the rumors of a complete control are false. Israeli air strikes hit positions in the northeast of the city, indicating the presence of Hezbollah.
Front: Al-Udaysah, Kfarkila, Rab El Thalathine, and Markaba. Monitoring the movements of Israeli soldiers on the outskirts of the city of Kafr Kila, the Islamic Resistance hit the Israeli soldiers with artillery shells. Rocket launchers were also used. Hezbollah targeted Israeli soldiers in the settlement of Zarit, Ras Naqoura and at the Kafr Kila ferry in the afternoon.
Axis Labbouneh and Naqoura. Lebanese Hezbollah targeted Israeli soldiers gatherings in the Zarit settlement and the Ras Naqoura naval site with a rocket launcher, and on the Kafr Kila ferry with artillery shells.
Meiss El Jabal, Mhaibib, and Blida there are no updates from this side of the front.
Maroun El-Ras and Yaroun axis. Hezbollah announced that it attacked two Merkava tanks in Jal al-Deir near the Avivim settlement opposite the town of Maroun al-Ras with guided missiles on the night of October 17. They confirmed that the tanks were seen burning and that the crew was injured. In total, 6 tanks were attacked in southern Lebanon in different areas late on October 17. Despite Israeli activity in Ayta al Chab, Maroun al-Ras and Yaroun, the area is still not secure. Heavy artillery fire was reported in both Maroun and Yaroun on the morning of October 18. Hezbollah claims to have attacked an Israeli force in Maroun al-Ras with an ATGM. In this city where the Israeli army has already been operating for 17 days and has raised its flag in the garden. The area, jal al-Dier, is the most peripheral of the city and literally on the edge of the Israeli border opposite the settlement of Avivim. Hezbollah’s ability to fire from the hill means that the resistance has not yet been defeated.
And any demonstration of resistance will delay Israel’s declaration of victory before moving towards Bint Jbeil and the villages in the rear.
In northern Gaza Al-Qassam Brigades targeted a “Merkvah” tank with an “Al-Yassin 105” shell near the Shadia school, west of Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip. Israelis injured in a trapped house near Al-Saftawi crossing. East of Jabalia camp another Merkava hit by Qassam IEDs.
In the West Bank Hamas in the Al-Thaghra axis detonated a number of pre-prepared devices in Israeli military vehicles. Clashes were reported in the Al-Thaghra axis and the cemetery axis, during which Hamas ambushed Israeli forces.
Security incident on the Jordanian-Israeli border, south of the Dead Sea. Three men dressed as Jordanian soldiers opened fire on Israeli soldiers. Two of them were killed, a third is fleeing. Two Israeli soldiers were wounded. Hamas reported that the Jordanian axis of resistance today opened a new development in the battle against Israel. Jordan denies that the gunmen belonged to the Jordanian army.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
Follow our updates on Geopolitical Gleanings - Spigolature geopolitiche: https://t.me/agc_NW and on our blog The Gleanings of AGCNEWS - Le Spigolature di AGCNEWS: https://spigolatureagcnews.blogspot.com/
