Israel continues on the path of occupation. Following the May 3 press announcement of a possible extension of the operation in Gaza, on May 5 the Political and Security Cabinet “unanimously approved the operational plan proposed by the IDF Chief of Staff to defeat Hamas in the Gaza Strip and return the hostages, which is fully in line with what the Prime Minister has said in recent months.”
The cabinet also overwhelmingly approved the possibility of distributing humanitarian aid (if necessary), which would prevent Hamas from taking control of supplies and depriving it of the ability to govern the country. During the cabinet discussion, it was stated that there is currently enough food in Gaza. During the discussion, the Chief of Staff stated: “We are on the path to victory over Hamas and this will help return the kidnapped.”
The plan would include, among other things, occupying and holding the Gaza Strip, moving the population of Gaza south to protect it, denying Hamas the ability to distribute humanitarian aid, and launching massive attacks against Hamas, all of which would help secure a decisive victory.
During the discussion, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that it was a good plan because it could achieve both goals: “defeating Hamas and returning the hostages.” The Prime Minister clarified that the plan differs from previous ones in that it shifts “from an incursion-based approach to the conquest and holding of territory.” “The Prime Minister added that he continues to support Trump’s plan to ensure the voluntary departure of Gazans and that discussions are ongoing with several countries on the issue.”
Itamar Ben-Gvir: “I was the only one who voted against the arrival of humanitarian aid to Gaza in the previous round, and I believe that no aid should come today, and if our prisoners do not eat, Gaza should not have food. I believe that food depots should be bombed, generators bombed and electricity cut off, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that Prime Minister Netanyahu does not make the same mistake. There was a mistake regarding aid, and it must not be repeated.”
According to Haaretz: “Since March 2, Israel has prevented the entry of any humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and residents of the Gaza Strip have relied on what was brought into the Gaza Strip during the ceasefire. Most of the food supplies have been implemented, and the UN bakeries have been closed for a month.”
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid: “The government tonight believed in the ‘occupation of the Strip,’ but no one knows what is meant by the words ‘occupation of the Strip,’ but there is one thing we do know: ‘this war will cost us a lot.’”
Due to the events in the Gaza Strip and Syria, as well as the tight political and security calendar, Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided to postpone his visit to Azerbaijan to another date. Turkey’s refusal to allow Netanyahu’s plane to fly over its airspace has apparently led to the actual cancellation of Netanyahu’s visit to Azerbaijan, Israeli media reported.
Hamas in a press release: “We welcome the Yemeni Armed Forces’ announcement of a large-scale air strike against the Israeli enemy, in response to the Israeli army’s intentions to expand its aggressive operations against Gaza.” […] “The Yemeni Armed Forces’ confirmation of its rejection of Israel’s violation of the Arab lands, especially in Lebanon and Syria, is a responsible confirmation of the unity of destiny and the need to unite efforts to counter the dangerous Zionist plans that target the entire nation”.
Iranian sources told Al-Mayadeen: “A fourth round of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington will be held soon, pending the deadline”.
And now a look at the military scenarios updated at 16:00 on May 5. Between May 2 and 4, at least four ballistic missiles launched from Yemen reached Israeli space but only one hit the area of Ben Gurion Airport on May 4, injuring at least six people. The attack was claimed by Ansar Allah. It announced its intention to establish a complete air blockade of Israel by hitting Ben Gurion Airport. The Israel Defense Forces confirm that despite numerous interception attempts, a long-range ballistic missile Houthi-launched aircraft in Yemen landed near Ben Gurion International Airport in central Israel. The IDF also added that the incident is under investigation.
On May 3, anonymous US officials told several news agencies that the CVN-75 Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) ships will remain in the Central Command area of responsibility for at least another week. The order to extend the deployment was signed late Thursday evening and, according to the Times of Israel, is intended to help maintain the current posture focused on operations against the Houthis in Yemen.
Following the Yemen attack, Israel is considering changing its policy toward Yemen in recent months and responding directly to the bombing. So far, despite Washington’s requests, Israel has refrained from attacking targets in Yemen since the Houthis resumed bombing a few weeks ago.
According to Ynet, both batteries of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system deployed in southern Israel, as well as the Arrow-2/3 missile defense system, failed to intercept a long-range ballistic missile launched by the Houthis toward central Israel. However, the Israeli Defense Ministry says that the ballistic missile that fell near Tel Aviv was not a new or advanced hypersonic variant never previously launched against Israel, as Houthi-affiliated media have claimed, as the same type of missile had previously been intercepted by the IDF.
From Syria, it is reported that US-led coalition forces are reducing their bases in the eastern Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor and withdrawing them to Hasakah province. 200 trucks departing from the Deir ez-Zor oil fields were sent to the US bases in Kasrek and Shaddadi, in the Hasakah countryside. Starting on May 2, Israeli aircraft began striking the Syrian Army’s 41st Regiment near the Harasta Military Hospital in Damascus.
On May 3, Israeli troops were deployed to southern Syria and are ready to prevent “hostile forces” from entering Druze villages, the army said in a statement. The IDF also carried out drone strikes against targets in As-Suwayda, also on May 3, the Israeli army sent the call-up order for thousands of reservists, source Channel 13.
On May 3, according to a Syrian TV reporter: “Israeli reconnaissance aircraft are intensively flying over the eastern province of Daraa.” The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned the Israeli strikes in Syria.
On May 4, a Turkish media outlet reported: “For the first time, Turkish fighter jets ‘confronted’ Israeli aircraft in Syria and came ‘face to face’ with them during a wave of Israeli strikes in Syria over the weekend.” According to the opposition-linked Turkish daily Suez, during the massive Israeli strike on Friday, Turkish F-16 fighter jets entered Syrian airspace and transmitted “warning signals” to Israeli aircraft. Israel was also reported to have attacked the bases of the pro-Turkish Syrian militias “Sultan Murad” and “Suleiman Shah.” On May 5, the IDF confirmed that last week it had: “captured the headquarters of the military unit responsible for the Mount Hermon area under the former Syrian regime.” An Israeli Druze general visited Sweida and spoke with the local Druze leadership.
Municipal elections were held in Lebanon: municipal lists supported by Hezbollah, the Amal Movement and the Free Patriotic Movement won in the villages of Lassa, Almat, Ras Osta, Hajoula, Fidar, Bshtlida Afqa and Ain al-Ghuwaybeh in the Jbeil district. The “Development and Loyalty” lists won in the districts of Chouf, Aley, Baabda and Jbeil.
An army unit, supported by a patrol from the Intelligence Directorate, raided a Captagon pill production plant on the Lebanese-Syrian border, in the Harf al-Samaka – Hermel area. The unit dismantled the facility and seized a large quantity of pills, as well as the raw materials used for their manufacture. The seized items were handed over to the relevant authorities and an investigation was launched. Extensive damage caused by a large fire that broke out at dawn in a tourist resort on the Bahsas-Tripoli road in northern Lebanon. An Israeli drone carried out 3 consecutive raids targeting an open area on the outskirts of Al-Mahafer – Al-Matit in Aitaroun, Bint Jbeil district.
Ben Gurion Airport was temporarily closed on May 4 completely closed to take-offs and landings after debris fell in the Israeli army’s attempt to intercept a missile launched from Yemen, Kan TV reported. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened “seven multiple strikes” in response to Yemen’s shelling of the Ben Gurion airport area. The death toll from the Houthi missile attack has risen to six. Some victims were injured by the impact, others were injured by thrown objects and sabotage on the way to the protected area. Two people were also treated for anxiety disorders.
On May 4, an Israeli soldier was killed after being hit by a car in Nahal Oz, near the Gaza Strip. Since 11:30 on May 5, raids have rocked the Gaza Strip against displaced persons. According to Al-Mayadeen correspondent: “Injured as a result of an occupation airstrike against a group of citizens in front of Al-Quther Tower on Al-Rabat College Street,” west of Gaza. Killed and injured in an Israeli attack in the city of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip in the same area, the Al-Qassam Mosque was bombed during a funeral. Israeli drone strike against a civilian vehicle near Al-Sabaa area, in the Al-Daraj neighborhood of Gaza.
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/
