Steve Witkoff reported on the progress of the Gaza agreement and the launch of the second phase of this process. Time is running out, and the United States has said it is ready to support Phase Two.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, January 12, to discuss the situation in Iran and the possible U.S. response. Another call was held yesterday, officials told Axios. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, meanwhile, advises: “Due to the tensions, U.S. citizens should reconsider their travel plans and make appropriate decisions.”
In the late afternoon of January 15, following statements by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi: “All countries must respect the principles of the United Nations Charter and the norms of international law. The world should not return to an era of the use of force. China will defend Iran’s legitimate and reasonable positions in international forums, including the United Nations Security Council,” Trump informed Tehran that the United States would not attack Iran, the republic’s ambassador to Pakistan said. He noted that the White House had called on Tehran to show restraint in return.
Iran and Israel, through Russia’s mediation, have agreed not to attack each other, the Washington Post reports. “In late December, several days before the protests began in Iran, Israeli authorities, through Russia, notified Iranian leaders that they would not attack Iran unless Israel was attacked first. According to diplomats and officials from regional countries, Iran responded through Russian channels that it would refrain from a preemptive strike,” the publication states.
According to the newspaper’s sources, this occurred while Israel was preparing a large-scale military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Two sources told the publication that Iran responded positively to Israel’s proposal. However, Tehran remained wary, as Israel’s assurances left open the possibility of US strikes against Iran in coordination with the Israeli military.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also addressed the issue during his meeting with ambassadors. “The situation on the international stage is increasingly deteriorating”; Putin called on the international community to “demand respect for international law”; The Russian Federation is pursuing and will continue to pursue a balanced foreign policy; security should not be guaranteed for some countries at the expense of others. Vladimir Putin expressed solidarity with Cuba, which intends to defend its sovereignty with all its might.
On January 14, batteries of the Iron Dome missile defense system were deployed in central Israel. Air raid shelters were opened in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba due to rising tensions with Iran.
Germany’s national airline Lufthansa urged employees to prepare to leave Israel immediately and will cancel all flights to and from the country starting Thursday due to rising tensions in the region related to Iran. Italian airlines cancel flights to Israel. An Israeli source told Al-Arabia TV: “We will close the airspace if the Americans attack Iran.” A senior Israeli security official explained that the country has made a clear decision in light of the critical situation: “If Iran attacks, we will act to overthrow the regime.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Sa’ar has meanwhile visited the United Arab Emirates; the details of the visit are unknown.
On January 15, a magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck the Dimona area, home to Israel’s nuclear power plant, and was felt in Jordan and the West Bank.
And now a look at the military scenarios, updated at 4:00 PM. From Iran, news of the arrest of the main perpetrators of the attack on the Ramhormoz governor’s office. The deputy commander of the Khuzestan security forces announced the arrest of the main perpetrators of the attack on the Ramhormoz county governor’s office by the Khuzestan intelligence and security forces.
Israel has issued an evacuation warning for two buildings in the town of Mashghara, in the western Bekaa. Sahmar Mayor Mohammad al-Khashan told Al-Ahed: “Israel targeted two residential buildings in the town that have no connection to any military activity. As soon as the municipality was informed of the threat, it initiated urgent precautionary measures, including alerting residents and assessing the situation on the ground to avoid potential casualties. Immediately following the enemy threat, contact was established with the Lebanese Army. I confirm that the targeted buildings “contain nothing military” and I take full responsibility for this position. I emphasize that what is happening represents a direct threat to residential neighborhoods and the safety of civilians, and is unjustified. To stop targeting populated villages and respect international laws that guarantee the protection of civilians and residential property, and to demand that the government fulfill its responsibilities to protect citizens.
Al-Ahd Correspondent: “The first residential building targeted in Sahmer comprises several apartments and was completely destroyed. The other residential building is located in the city center, near the officers’ school, and was also completely destroyed following the Israeli raid. The officers’ school suffered heavy damage from the Israeli attack, which targeted a nearby house.
Israel has reported a disruption in the GPS global positioning system in Haifa. The reasons are currently unknown.
Sirens sounded in Nahal Oz, in the Gaza Strip area, but it was a false alarm. One person was killed and one was injured west of the town of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, following an Israeli airstrike. The Palestinian Petroleum Corporation: “We confirm the return to normal gas supplies, which will ease pressure on gas stations in the coming hours. Refueling operations will continue regularly in the coming days.”
IDF storms the town of Beit Furik, east of Nablus. Clashes between youths and IDF forces in the town of Beit Furik, east of Nablus.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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