Haaretz quotes officials: Israel is studying potential scenarios to prevent the Houthis from launching missiles from Yemen towards Israel. Options include a deal with Hamas or Iran that explicitly or implicitly includes a ceasefire from Yemen. Options for dealing with Yemen include continued Israeli and possibly other military operations against the Houthis. The United States continues to keep four B-52H strategic bombers in Diego Garcia. From there, they can still attack Yemen and Iran. An Arleigh Burke-class destroyer has been sent north to prevent possible Iranian or Yemeni attacks.
Axios, citing sources: “Israel is preparing for a new attack on Iran if its nuclear program resumes.” According to the publication, Israeli authorities are confident that Trump will approve the resumption of attacks under certain conditions: for example, if Iran removes enriched uranium from the damaged plants in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, or restores enrichment facilities. In the afternoon, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar resigned from the Knesset.
In the meantime, for four months, according to the Walla website: “Netanyahu’s office and administration at the headquarters in Kirya will be unusable for about 4 months due to renovations, and the building that housed the office has been completely evacuated.”
Apparently, the Abraham Accords with Syria are closer. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi in Abu Dhabi yesterday, according to the Syrian daily al-Joumhuriya.
Al-Hadath says that “Hezbollah has gone on high alert on all fronts and many Hezbollah leaders have stopped using their phones.”
And now a look at the military scenarios updated at 16:00 on July 8. The German Foreign Ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador and lodged a formal diplomatic protest following the recent “incident” in the Red Sea, in which the Chinese military fired a powerful laser at a German Navy aircraft participating in the EU’s Operation Aspide against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
The Houthis have announced the sinking of the Magic Seas ship. A ballistic missile fired at Israel by the Houthis in Yemen did not reach the country’s borders, a military official said. The IDF identified the launch, but no sirens sounded in Israel because the missile did not pose a threat. The ship hit on July 7 sank. Reuters: “The ship did not request escort or protection from the naval force. Again Reuters, citing the maritime security company Diablos, reported: “The recent attacks in the Red Sea show the increased risk for commercial shipping companies that dock in “Israeli ports”. On July 8 for the third consecutive day, a container ship was attacked by Ansarullah in the Red Sea, it is ETERNITY-C, a cargo ship flying the Liberian flag, it was hit by USVs and UAVs.
On July 7 around 23:00 Italian time, Iranian air defense was operational in Mahabad and Piranshahr.
In Lebanon a car was targeted in Aayroun, in the region of Tripoli, in northern Lebanon, one dead and three injured. According to Israeli sources: “Our forces launched a targeted attack deep inside Lebanese territory, in the Tripoli area, killing the leader Mahran Mustafa Baajour, head of the planning department of the Hamas construction division.” Israel also struck more than 200 km from Israel and in the south of the country. The Saudi daily al-Arabiya says that Hezbollah has raised the alert level due to fears of an Israeli attack against the group.
A security incident in northern Gaza led to the death of five soldiers, including one officer. Beit Hanoun area, Palestinian sources speak of 16 soldiers involved. They fell into an ambush. Hamas’ Qassam Brigades continue to fight Israeli troops. Five helicopters evacuated the victims and wounded in the ambush. The latest figures speak of 5 dead and 18 wounded.
According to Palestinian accounts, four of the five Israeli army personnel recently killed were members of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion. “This battalion, created for ultra-Orthodox recruits, has become a symbol of violent racism. Its members were caught on video during the infamous “wedding of hate,” dancing with weapons and stabbing a photo of Ali Dawabsheh, an 18-month-old Palestinian boy burned alive in a settler arson attack in 2015.”
According to Israel Army Radio: “Army investigation into the Beit Hanoun incident, where five soldiers were killed yesterday: The operation by the 99th Division brigade began 4 days ago, aiming to eliminate the militants remaining in Beit Hanoun. The army says the area where the incident occurred has been the target of dozens of airstrikes and artillery fire in the previous days. The incident occurred approximately one hour after the Netzah Yehuda battalion began its activity, when one of the companies advanced on foot under the cover of an armored company and flew over a well-hidden minefield.”
“Most of the soldiers were injured by the first two explosive devices: the first targeted the company, and when the soldiers rushed to help the wounded, a second one exploded. The devices were detonated gradually to injure as many soldiers as possible. After the first two devices exploded, the militant cell opened fire with heavy machine guns into the rubble of Beit Hanoun. The commanders gave instructions to quickly end the incident and evacuate the wounded. The entire incident lasted approximately one and a half hours from start to finish. The army confirmed that special attention is being paid to preventing the capture of soldiers, as Hamas is attempting to do.”
A Qassam Brigades source told Al Jazeera: “The ambush targeted the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, the third to be exposed in Beit Hanoun.”
The Al-Qassam Brigades wrote in a press release: “The funerals and corpses of the Israeli army will become a regular event as long as the aggression continues.”
The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades claimed the attacks: “As part of the series of “Stones of David” operations, along the incursion axes east of Gaza City.” A D9 military bulldozer was hit with an Al-Yassin 105 missile near the Al-Islah Mosque on Al-Muntar Street, east of the Shuja’iyya neighborhood in Gaza City.
The Al-Quds Brigades claimed targeted an Israeli special forces that had taken refuge in a house on Al-Mars Street, in the center of Khan Yunis, with a guided missile (107).
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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