Israel warns the Iraqi government that it is preparing to attack Lebanon to destroy Hezbollah positions. According to local Lebanese sources, Israel will attack Lebanon as soon as the Pope’s visit ends.
Furthermore, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared: “We want to establish a demilitarized zone in southern Syria that extends from Damascus to Mount Hermon.” “We are monitoring certain areas [in southern Syria] to ensure the safety of Israeli citizens, which is important to us,” Netanyahu commented. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaybani receives US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack in the capital, Damascus. President Trump’s Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus, said Hezbollah is violating Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Thousands of Lebanese citizens welcomed Pope Leo XIV with applause, photos, and flags. In particular, Hezbollah’s Imam Mahdi scouts were seen waving both the Lebanese and Vatican flags. Over 120,000 Lebanese citizens attended Pope Leo XIV’s mass, which will mark the end of his first trip to the Middle East.
Doha warns of the collapse of the truce in Gaza and the Egyptian-German agreement on the need for reconstruction. Qatar expressed its continued commitment, along with the other parties, to move to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, emphasizing the logistical difficulties in recovering the bodies.
Netanyahu’s office announced that the army has delivered “samples” from the Gaza Strip to be transferred for forensic analysis. Hamas has handed over a body to the Red Cross; it has not yet been identified.
The Hamas movement confirmed the death of Muhammad Raslan Asmar, the attacker who carried out the stabbing in Ramallah, from the town of Beit Rima. Two Israeli soldiers were injured. Hamas described the attack as “a natural response to the occupation’s crimes and a clear message that attempts to break the will of our people through military operations, daily killings, arrests, and executions on the ground will not be effective.”
From Iran, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, president of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, in response to a question from an Al-Mayadeen journalist, stated that Iran wants negotiations on equal terms, but “the other side is trying to subdue us.” And again, answering journalists’ questions, he said that the American side “betrayed the negotiating table in the recent aggression and demonstrated that it does not deserve to negotiate.” “We have forcefully asserted ourselves on the ground, and anyone who wants to negotiate with us must agree to negotiate on realistic and equal terms.” “The Americans are not honest and have plots and conspiracies against us.” “The activation of the ‘trigger mechanism’ was a direct order from Washington, and Europe’s poor decisions have led to its role being erased from the international arena.” “Today, Europe no longer has a role in the Iranian or Ukrainian dossiers.” Finally: Iran’s defense situation is currently better than before, and we will respond to any aggression with greater firmness and precision.
And now, a look at the military scenarios, updated at 5:00 PM on December 2nd. The IDF advanced with two tanks and 10 military vehicles into the village of Al-Samdaniyah Al-Sharqiyah, in the Quneitra countryside, and blew up an abandoned military post. Israeli warplanes flew low over Damascus. The explosion, heard in Kafr Zabad and some regions of the Beqaa, originated from inside Syria, in the Eastern Range area.
Political sources told Al-Diyar that Vatican circles have informed the Lebanese Presidency that political actions will be taken after Pope Leo leaves Lebanese territory. “The Pope will work under his direct supervision to communicate with decision-making capitals around the world and spare Lebanon the bitter chalice of war, once again.”
According to Shahab’s correspondent in southern Lebanon, an Israeli reconnaissance plane is flying at very low altitude over the Taifah region of Sadek. A drone flew at very low altitude over the central Bekaa Valley. Initial images of some of the damage to the targeted house in the Al-Mutait area, on the outskirts of the city of Aitaroun, are online. They show unexploded ordnance at the site.
Meanwhile, the Israel Broadcasting Authority reported that the Israeli army has begun preparing for large-scale attacks on Lebanon in the near future.
In the West Bank, the IDF continues to storm the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin. Air overflights continue. The IDF publishes photos of its soldiers planting explosives in the home of prisoner Eid Al-Kreim Sanoubar before blowing it up in Nablus. The IDF also blocks vehicles at the Al-Murabba’ checkpoint southwest of Nablus. Three IDF soldiers, including a recruit, were injured in two incidents: a car crash and a stabbing in Hebron and Ramallah within a few hours; the perpetrators were killed.
Israeli warplanes launch airstrikes on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. Israeli artillery bombardments north of Khan Yunis, in the southern sector. The IDF reports two ceasefire violations in 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/
