Charles Brown, Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says the US has not received enough details and information from Israel on the ‘next day’ plan to end the war against Hamas. According to Politico, the Israeli delegation in Washington is stepping up pressure on the Biden administration to provide Israel with advanced weapons systems and assistance in upgrading and supplying modern weapons.
One of the main reasons: Israel’s intention to take advantage of the remaining time of the current administration, which is seen as relatively supportive of Israel’s military objectives in Gaza and Lebanon, and fears that a future Harris or Trump administration will formulate a different policy on aid to Israel. The publication stressed that the problem was not the administration’s delayed delivery of 907 kg of bombs, but other weapons systems.
The meeting between Netanyahu and Harris in Washington lasted about 40 minutes. This was reported by the office of the Jewish state’s chief of staff. Harris called for a ceasefire in Gaza and supported the Biden plan. Commenting on Harris’ remarks, Israeli National Security Minister Ben Gvir said: ‘There will be no ceasefire, Madam Candidate.
Israeli sources report that the government has asked Hamas for the names of the ‘abductees’ who are still alive, with Channel 13 reporting that Israel has asked Hamas to hand over a list of the names of the abductees who are still alive before concluding the deal. Hamas refuses to provide the names.
The media outlet Yedioth Ahronoth reports that the mayor of Kiryat Shmona, Avichai Stern, expressed his dissatisfaction with Netanyahu’s speech, saying: As has been the case for the past ten months, we were sidelined in this speech. The Israel Broadcasting Authority reports that the IDF has informed the Israeli political leadership that all preparations for an invasion of Lebanon have been completed. The Israeli army is preparing to carry out heavy air operations and sorties on Lebanese soil ahead of the ground manoeuvres in Lebanon. The Israeli air force commander from the Lebanese border: ‘We are ready for total war’. The Israeli commander of the Galilee Formation postponed the end of his tour of duty because of the possibility of war in the north.
The IDF has released official figures on the total number of Israeli casualties. Since the beginning of Hamas’ Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on 7 October, 687 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 4,213 wounded. This includes two corporals and one soldier who died on 26 July. The Haaretz newspaper reports that investigations show that the Israeli army is no longer attempting to flood Hamas tunnels in Gaza with seawater, as the ‘Atlantis’ project developed for this purpose has not been effective. The IDF also published a graphic of the site where the prisoners, whose bodies were returned to their families on 25 July, were held hostage in the Hamas tunnels.
In Yemen, Bloomberg reports on US attacks in the Hodeidah area: “Throughout the months of the war, the Houthis have attacked more Russian ships or ships carrying Russian cargo than any other country in the world.
And now a look at the escalation between Israel – Hamas – Hezbollah, updated at 14:00 on 26 July (And now a look at the escalation between Israel – Hamas – Hezbollah, updated at 14:00 on 26 July: https://www.agcnews.eu/israelhamaswar-us-gives-green-light-to-attack-hezbollah-in-lebanon-houthis-ready-for-new-attacks-in-israel/) . Hezbollah issued a statement saying that for the second night in a row they had attacked Israeli planes and forced them out of Lebanese airspace. They promised to release videos. Hezbollah said it had fired two anti-aircraft missiles at Israeli warplanes in southern Lebanon. The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon said: “Air defence units targeted enemy warplanes in the south with anti-aircraft missiles, forcing them to retreat and withdraw”.
Israeli warplanes carried out an air strike on the town of Aita al-Shaab, preceded by artillery fire.
On 26 July, at 07:10 local time, the Islamic Resistance targeted the technical system at the Rameh site in northern Israel with a guided missile. According to the Maariv newspaper: “Rockets are being fired at any moving target in the Metulla settlement and, of course, at stationary targets”. On 26 July, sirens sounded in Nahal Oz, a community near the Gaza Strip, and in many settlements in northern Israel.
Sirens sounded in Yated, an Israeli community near the Gaza Strip. IDF operational activity in the Gaza Strip continues. To date, IDF forces have operated against Hamas infrastructure and operatives in the Khan Yunis area: “eliminated approximately 100 Hamas men, including seven cells that fired mortar shells at IDF forces during the fighting in the area. The Hamas cells were subsequently targeted and eliminated by an IDF aircraft. In the Rafah area, the IAF struck and eliminated three gunmen. In addition, IDF forces uncovered caves and weapons, including long-range rocket launchers and explosives, in the Tel as Sultan area. The IAF struck some 45 Hamas targets, including cells, tunnels, military sites and two launching sites used to fire at Beer Sheva during the war. An Israeli soldier from the Givati Brigade was killed in clashes in southern Gaza. Hezbollah and the Islamic Resistance claimed clashes with the Israeli army inside Gaza Hadab Yaron. Al-Quds Brigades claimed mortar shelling of Israeli soldiers and vehicles near Rafah crossing in southern Gaza Strip.
Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth: The Israeli army is considering moving observers to the border and the West Bank to set up military bases. Settlers set fire to farmland in Rantis, west of Ramallah, and the military stormed Azzun. According to Channel 14, there was ‘an exchange of fire with Israeli forces near the settlement of Avnei Hefetz in the northern West Bank’.
Israel closed the southern entrance to the town of Tulkarem and stormed Silwad. On Thursday afternoon, hostile Zionist forces blocked the southern entrance to Tulkarem with mounds of earth.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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