As previously announced, negotiations have failed and with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s internal problems, attacks on the Gaza Strip have resumed. The new operation has been called Sword and Glory and is taking place a few hours after the one against the Houthis. During the night in Hodeidah, the United States struck the city’s steel mill and Ansarallah confirmed the death of four senior fighters.
The reaction of the Arab world countries was immediate: Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar condemned the attack. The Secretary General of the United Nations: “The ceasefire must be fully respected in Gaza”. Iran condemns the Israeli attacks on Gaza. It is also learned that Tehran has asked Ansar Allah via Oman to initiate a de-escalation in the region. But the Houthi leader responded that they are at war with the United States and Israel and that their response will be adequate. For the third time in 24 hours, they shot at the Truman.
Trump accused Iran of coordinating the Houthi attacks and promised that from now on Tehran would suffer “terrible consequences” for them. Iran denied having participated in any way.
The United States and Israel are considering Syria, Somalia and Sudan as possible places for the “relocation” of residents of the Gaza Strip, the American side has already tried to contact these countries to discuss the issue, CBS reports citing sources. Somalia and Sudan have already said no.
Netanyahu asked and obtained that his testimony in court on March 18 be postponed due to the renewed fighting in Gaza. Netanyahu has only appeared at 3 full hearings, out of 18 attempts. And he has never answered questions while instead talking about the war. “The Israeli army has resumed military operations against Hamas,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said. The IDF has carried out massive attacks on Palestinian targets in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has accused Netanyahu of violating the ceasefire agreement and threatening the lives of Israeli hostages.
Families of the prisoners demonstrated in front of the Knesset, “negotiations on the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip have stalled, which has forced the Israeli side to resume attacks on the enclave,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said. “In the last two and a half weeks we have reached a dead end where no fire is being fired and no hostages are being returned, and for Israel this is unacceptable. If we continue to wait, the situation will remain the same. Hamas will not bring Israel to its knees, this will not happen,” he said at a conference on the development of the Negev desert, Ynet portal reports.
Not only that, according to Israeli media, the army and the Shin Bet are expanding the military operation in the northern West Bank to include Nablus and its camps, and it could continue for several months. According to a correspondent for Channel 13: “Prime Minister Netanyahu recently examined candidates for the post of head of the Shin Bet, and he left the Kiryah.” Israeli sources say that the mini-political-security council will meet on Thursday at six in Jerusalem. “Israel is ready to stop the war at any time to conclude an exchange agreement,” Haaretz reports. “If Hamas does not release all the hostages, the gates of hell will open in Gaza,” Israel Katz, Israel’s Defense Minister. Ben-Gvir, enthusiastic about the choice to return to Gaza, has rejoined the Israeli government.
An Egyptian source told the daily Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that senior Egyptian intelligence officials hastily invited a Hamas delegation to Cairo.
In Lebanon, the leadership of Amal and Hezbollah welcomed the new government’s gaining the confidence of parliament: “we call on the government to intensify its efforts and to devote itself to following up on the restoration dossier and rebuilding what the enemy has destroyed.”
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein reported: “We have received reports that Israel is planning a series of attacks against our country.”
In the attacks in central Gaza, Abu Hamza, spokesman for the Al-Quds Brigades, was killed by the IDF. Confirmation comes from Islamic Jihad: “Abu Hamza, along with his entire family and that of his brother, rose up following a Zionist bombardment that began today at dawn”. Abu Hamza’s real name is Naji Abu Saif.
And now a look at the military scenarios updated at 16:00 on March 18.
US air strike on a government compound in the Al-Hazm district of Yemen. The Al-Habashi steel plant in Hodeidah was completely destroyed by American strikes. The Houthi spokesman: “we are currently at war with the United States and we will respond to the attacks”. A statement from the Yemeni Armed Forces was released on social media about the implementation of a military operation against the American aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman for the third time in the last 48 hours, as well as against an American destroyer, “in response to the brutal American aggression against our country”. Ansarullah confirms that 4 senior officials were killed by US air strikes.
The Commander of the Syrian Army Operation on the Border with Lebanon: “The border points have been secured and we are coordinating with the Lebanese Army to control the border. Hezbollah militants have violated our borders and we will respond to any infiltration. The Turkish Armed Forces have placed a large number of concrete blocks at the Minag Air Base in the Tel Rifat area. Logistical deliveries to the base continue. According to the Syrians, this base will also be an air defense base. After extensive maintenance and renovation, the Minag Air Base will become a joint Syrian-Turkish base and will also host training for the Syrian Army. The base’s aircraft and helipads will also be repaired. The base will become a strategic center for joint military operations and exercises.”
On the evening of March 17, the Lebanese Army moves towards the border points with Syria. At the same time, the IDF said it was currently conducting airstrikes against military targets in southern Syria. “The sites include headquarters and other facilities used to store weapons and equipment belonging to the former Syrian regime, the military said,” adding that it had identified attempts by unspecified groups to use the weapons. “The presence of these weapons in southern Syria poses a threat to the State of Israel. The IDF will not allow a military threat to exist in southern Syria and will act against it,” the IDF added.
Syrian Defense Ministry: We have agreed with the Lebanese Defense Ministry on a ceasefire on the border and increased coordination and cooperation.
On the afternoon of March 18, Israeli airstrikes were recorded against the countryside of al-Quneitra, southern Syria.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militants are still in the part where they entered the Lebanese town of Hosh al-Sayyid Ali, in an area of cautious calm. 3 bodies of Lebanese citizens are still being held by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. A Lebanese Army aircraft carried out an airstrike inside Syria against artillery positions targeting civilians in the Lebanese city of Hawsh al-Sayyed Ali. The Lebanese Army in a statement said: “We deployed reinforcements of special units to Hermel, on the Lebanese-Syrian border, after multiple positions were targeted from Syrian territory. The deployed units concentrated their fire on designated targets to stop the attacks on Lebanese territory.” The Lebanese Foreign Minister in a statement: “The return of Syrian refugees to their country has become an obligation.” According to Channel 12 Israel: “Several cities in the center of the country have announced the opening of public shelters, including: Yavneh, Rishon Lezion, Ramat Gan, Herzliya, Rehovot and Petah Tikva.” Fearing rocket fire from Houthis and Gaza Strip.
Israel closes the Rafah crossing of the Gaza Strip with Egypt. The crossing has been used by seriously injured Palestinians to seek medical care in Egypt. There are now 412 deaths and over 500 injuries in the Gaza Strip in the last 10 hours due to Israeli shelling. Warning leaflets over the town of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip.
In the early afternoon, the Southern Occupation Army Command approves operational plans for land entry into the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli media: “The renewed military operation in Gaza includes air and naval bombardments, including the use of a new missile boat. Up to this point there is no progress on the ground.” “Israel will have no mercy,” said Danny Danon, Israel’s UN Representative, on the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Israel calls on Gaza Strip residents in Beit Hanoun, north of Gaza City, Khuza’a, al-Kabir and al-Jadida to evacuate immediately.
Most of the attacks targeted the center of the Gaza Strip. Destruction in Deir el-Balah after a new wave of Israeli strikes, an explosion rang out in the middle of the Gaza Strip; the IDF launched a raid in the town of Al-Zawaida. Fire from military vehicles east of the Saffron area, east of Al-Maghazi camp, in the middle of the Gaza Strip. The IDF launched a raid in the Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip. Israeli aircraft bombed the top floor of the Al-Raed tower in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip. Al-Hadaath newspaper claims that Israel is targeting sites that were considered “safe zones” for civilians. Israeli air strikes against the al-Bureij tent camp in central Gaza. Palestinian sources report a very high number of casualties.
ISA bombing recorded in the town of Al-Qarara, northeast of the city of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip. In the afternoon, a new round of Israeli air strikes against the Gaza Strip, focused on Rafah and Khan Yunis. The IDF launches a raid north of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. The border with Egypt is closed.
In the West Bank, a huge explosive device exploded in an Israeli bulldozer in Tubas in the West Bank. Very violent clashes are reported between resistance fighters and occupation forces in Tubas, in the northern West Bank.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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