Preparation for an imminent Israeli carpet attack on Gaza or Iran continues. Maariv reported that: “The Israeli army recently received a shipment of bunker-busting bombs from the United States, some of which weigh a ton and a half.”
Israel Katz: “For the first time, the Egyptians have set a condition for concluding a comprehensive agreement and ending the war: the disarmament of Hamas and the deprivation of weapons in Gaza. Israel’s policy in Gaza is clear and decisive: Make every effort to return the prisoners. Stop humanitarian aid and find another way to distribute it. Continued attack on Hamas members. Evacuate the population and prepare the ground with massive firepower. Incorporate the territories into the Israeli security zones and do not withdraw from them. Our forces will remain in the Gaza buffer zone, as is the case in Lebanon and Syria. If Hamas continues with its intransigence, the process will expand and move to other stages.”
Channel 12: “Netanyahu continues to hide behind the army’s tactical successes.” “Netanyahu does not seek concrete results that will change the reality of the region.” “What is happening in Gaza is not a complete victory, but a blatant failure.”
European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib condemned Israel’s blockade of Gaza, accusing it of worsening the humanitarian crisis, called for immediate aid access and political action, and announced an upcoming EU-Palestine dialogue to address urgent needs.
The EU presented a €1.6 billion aid package to support Palestinian stability and recovery, focusing on strengthening the Palestinian Authority, with funds earmarked for reforms, economic recovery and loans, ahead of a meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa.
Egypt and Qatar discussed Palestinian reconciliation, the reconstruction of Gaza and support for indirect negotiations between the US and Iran, underlining Palestinian unity, an independent state and a sustainable ceasefire, while calling for an international conference to coordinate humanitarian efforts.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid has urged the Israeli government to pressure the United States not to allow uranium enrichment in Saudi Arabia under the proposed civil nuclear deal between Washington and Riyadh. Source Israeli public broadcaster KAN.
Israel Today reports that the Israeli military has decided to replace reserve soldiers in combat positions in the Gaza Strip with regular soldiers, fearing that the soldiers’ lack of confidence in their assigned missions could affect the implementation of the plans.
Israeli Channel 14: “Hezbollah, with the support of Iran, is building several infrastructures in southern Lebanon and rebuilding the region. Hezbollah has provided dozens of prefabricated houses to farmers and residents of the region under a project called Waj al-Hasan. All the medical centers in the area belong to organizations linked to Hezbollah. Thanks to this plan, Hezbollah has moved closer to Israel’s borders.”
While continuing dialogue with the United States, Iran deploys the Khordad 15 SAM system. Netanyahu responded by saying: “Israel will not be eliminated. What must be eliminated is the Iranian axis of terror.”
The head of the Hamas political department abroad, Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri: “We are ready to immediately hand over all Israeli prisoners and hostages in exchange for the end of the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.”
And now a look at the military scenarios updated at 156:30 on April 16. The United States does not stop attacks on Yemen. Five US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III military transport planes, along with a NATO Airbus A330-243MRTT tanker plane, are headed to the Middle East. Three of them took off from Ramstein, one from Aviano and one from Luxembourg. US airstrikes reported against Houthi targets on Kamaran Island in Hodeidah province. Al-Arabiya reports: “The US military attacked the operational headquarters of Houthi forces, as well as radar and communications posts in the Marab area, and carried out additional attacks in Hodeida and Al-Jawf areas.”
The US hit Kamaran Island in Al-Hudaydah with over 15 airstrikes. Source Al-Masirah. The anti-Houthi coalition targeted Mayfa’ah Anns district in Dhamar governorate.
Saudi Arabia launches a missile and artillery strikes on Saada, Yemen: Yemeni media reported that the Saudi regime carried out a missile and artillery strike targeting several areas of Saada governorate in northern Yemen. No casualties have been confirmed yet, but local sources reported damage to civilian areas.
The Houthis responded by publishing the infographic Saudi and US Coalition Aircraft Losses in the War in Yemen. Since the start of the war in Yemen, a total of 115 aircraft from various countries have been shot down in Yemen. Of these, 63 were from Saudi Arabia, 22 from the United Arab Emirates, 26 from the United States, and one each from Morocco, Bahrain, and Jordan.
The United Arab Emirates denied reports of its involvement in talks regarding a ground offensive in Yemen.
Syrian Chief of Staff General Ali Al-Naasan receives Lebanese Army liaison officer General Michel Boutros. General Ali discussed with Brigadier General Michel the strengthening of military coordination and the development of joint working mechanisms. The meeting is part of a series of ongoing meetings with the Lebanese side.
On April 15, the IDF carried out three consecutive airstrikes targeting the outskirts of the city of Ramya. On April 16, a new Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle on the Wadi Al-Hujayr road, a second Israeli drone strike targeted a motorcycle/engineering vehicle in Hanin, southern Lebanon. The Lebanese Ministry of Health: “one person was killed and another was injured in an Israeli airstrike on the city of Hanin.” Three Israeli drone strikes targeted Wadi Mazloum, near Beit Lif, southern Lebanon. IDF: Early on April 16, they claim to have killed a member of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force who was shot and killed by the IAF in the Qantara area of southern Lebanon.
In Gaza, according to the latest medical reports: 25 dead and 89 injured as a result of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours.
The Israeli IDF arrests two wanted men in the town of Qabatiya, near Jenin, and a firefight ensues. The infantry soldiers withdraw from the besieged area in the village of Masiliya, southeast of Jenin, while the bulldozer and other equipment remain.
The IDF: reported that stones and a paint bottle were thrown at a tourist bus adjacent to Burqa, West Bank. Two American citizens were slightly injured and received medical treatment at the scene. After receiving the report, the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Police responded to the scene and began searching for the terrorists.
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/
