The situation in the Middle East is becoming increasingly heated. Over the weekend, the President of the World Federation of Muslim Scholars, Al-Qara Daghi, took action in favor of Gaza: “Muslim leaders must mobilize their armies for Gaza. This is a religious duty regardless of the cost”.
All this while international humanitarian organizations mourned the 15 members of the Red Cross volunteer paramedics and drivers and an UNRWA employee killed by an Israeli bombing in Rafah. Red Crescent in Gaza: “Israel has deliberately killed our crews in cold blood in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. “Rafah residents are currently displaced in difficult humanitarian conditions following evacuation orders due to the new occupation by Israel.”
The UNRWA director also stated: “In the West Bank, the volume of displacement in the West Bank since the beginning of the Israeli occupation in 1967 and the new Israeli laws undermine our work. Our employees are still harassed by Israeli soldiers at checkpoints. The Trump administration is cutting foreign aid and has forced the United Nations to make tough choices.”
Iran feels threatened and is also threatening to attack British troops if the US attacks. In a March 30 article in The Telegraph, a senior Iranian military official said Iran would attack the joint US-UK base at the Diego Garcia Naval Support Facility, about 2,000 miles from Iran in the Indian Ocean, with ballistic missiles and drones in retaliation for any US strikes on that base. This follows a letter from US President Donald Trump earlier this month giving Iran a “two-month deadline” to reach a new nuclear deal with the US.
An Iranian official also raised the threat to attack Turkey and countries hosting US bases in the Middle East, saying: “There will be no difference in targeting British or US forces if Iran is attacked from any base in the region or within range of Iranian missiles. When the time comes, it doesn’t matter if you are an American, British or Turkish soldier: you will become a target if your base is used by the Americans”.
Iranian Foreign Ministry: “The explicit threat of bombing Iran by the head of a state is a clear violation of the principle of international peace and security”. In response to Trump’s threat, Iran loads missiles into underground facilities. Ayatollah Khamenei: “We do not expect any attack from abroad, but if this happens, they will receive a strong and violent blow”.
Israeli press sources reported that during the cabinet meeting held on March 30 evening, several ministers made demands to cut all electricity lines from Gaza to put pressure on Hamas. The coordinator of the Israeli government’s operations in the Palestinian territories, General Ghassan Alyan, explained during the meeting that Israel does not originally transfer electricity to Gaza, interrupted by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir who said: “So where is it electricity that we see in Gaza?” Al-Alian replied: “Special generators and solar panels.” Ben-Gvir replied: “So we have to destroy the generators and turn off their lights.”
The head of the National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, sarcastically commented: “Ghassan, turn off the sun on them. We have to oppress Gaza even during the day.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “Israel is ready to consider ending the conflict in Gaza, but on one condition: Hamas must lay down its weapons and leave the enclave.” Hamas accepts the ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Egypt but it is not known whether Israel will accept the agreement, at the moment it seems that Israel is oriented to expand its actions in the Gaza Strip.
In the meantime, justice is trying to take its course and wants to bring Netanyahu to trial. The Government’s Judicial Advisor (General Prosecutor), Gali Baharav-Miara, informed the police on March 31 that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be summoned as soon as possible to testify in the Qatargate case – so far no decision has been made whether Netanyahu will be investigated as a suspect, and the decision will be made only after his testimony and based on the data he will include. The Israeli press reported that Netanyahu’s lawyer suddenly left his trial session, after the arrest of other suspects in the Qatar funds case (Qatargate). The two arrests: Eli Feldstein and Yonatan Urich are the key figures surrounding Benjamin Netanyahu. The main fear in Netanyahu’s circles is that the two will testify against the prime minister in order to save themselves.
And while the dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet is frozen by Israeli judges, the prime minister has chosen his successor: he has appointed former navy commander, reserve rear admiral Elie Sharvit to fill the role. Sharvit served in the armed forces for 36 years, including 5 years as navy commander, and is of Moroccan origin.
Netanyahu’s office said that Sharvit led the process of building the naval force and managed complex military operations against Hamas, Iran and Hezbollah. The prime minister is convinced that General Sharbit is the right person to lead the Shin Bet and continue its ancient traditions. According to Lawazar Maroum, former commander of the Israeli Navy: “I admit that I was surprised by the appointment of Eli Sharbit as head of the Shin Bet, when you appoint someone from outside the organization, it indicates a lack of trust in the Shin Bet, and that is not a good sign.”
Former Israeli cabinet minister Benny Gantz: “Netanyahu has decided to continue his campaign against the judiciary and lead the State of Israel towards a dangerous constitutional crisis.”
The relatives of the kidnapped sent a message to the head of the negotiating delegation, Ron Dermer, and requested an urgent meeting. “We believe that we have been forgotten in the darkness and that the negotiations are not progressing and that the time of the prisoners is running out. It seems that the issue of the prisoners has been relegated to the bottom of the list of priorities.”
And now a look at the military scenarios updated at 15:00 on March 31. Eight US air strikes targeted Iranian weapons depots at the Al-Sawad Dam south of Sanaa, Yemen on March 28 alone, while at least four US Air Force B-2 strategic bombers were reportedly at the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean. According to Middle East expert analysts, these bombers are ready for an attack on Iran. Trump himself threatened Iran on March 30 on NBC: “If they don’t reach an agreement, there will be bombs, and they will be bombs like you’ve never seen before.” The CVN 70 Carl Vinson carrier strike group left Guam on March 28 and is heading to the US Central Command area to join up with the CVN 75 Harry S. Truman carrier. The group includes the aircraft carrier CVN 70 Carl Vinson with the 2nd Carrier Air Wing aboard, the guided missile cruiser CG 59 Princeton, and the destroyer DDG 104 Sterett
AP satellite images show the construction of a “mysterious” airstrip linked to the activities of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, completed on the island of Mayun (Perim) in the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb off the coast of Yemen. On March 29, the Americans launched three strikes on a building where a meeting of Houthi leaders was taking place in the Al-Saqin neighborhood of Saada.
On March 31, the Yemeni military engaged in three separate clashes with the USS Truman and other warships in the Red Sea in 24 hours. The Yemeni military announced a ballistic missile attack on Ben Gurion Airport, confirming that operations will continue despite the US air strikes. US targets Jadr with 4 strikes, Al-Malikah with 8 and Sarf with 5 in northern Sanaa. One person killed and 4 wounded in US airstrike on Al-Qabel, Bani Al-Harith.
Syrian General Security Forces tightened security in areas bordering Lebanon and a temporary curfew was imposed in Talkalah. Local militants shot down an Israeli surveillance drone as it flew over Qoya in western Daraa countryside.
Israeli phosphorus shells targeted Sarda and Al-Omrah camps in Al-Wazzani, southern Lebanon. An Israeli drone dropped a bomb as civilians gathered in Subeih area, Houla, southern Lebanon.
The munitions exploded in Wadi Raj, on the outskirts of Deir Seryan, southern Lebanon, while a UNIFIL patrol was present. Lebanon’s General Security announced the arrest of suspects involved in rocket fire towards Israel and opened investigations to take legal action.
On March 30, after the alarm was raised in several areas of the country, the Air Force intercepted a missile launched from Yemen. The missile was intercepted before entering the country; alerts were activated according to the policy. The first Ryanair low-cost airline to return to Israel today was forced to turn in mid-air due to gunfire from Yemen.
The Walla website said the Israeli army “strengthened its forces on the borders of the Gaza Strip on the morning of 31, in preparation for a large and intensive savage operation, which will be implemented if the political leadership decides that the opportunities to advance negotiations are over.” The Bedouin village of Umm al-Nasser in northern Gaza was destroyed after actions by the IDF’s 401st Regiment.
Israeli shelling targeting a group of citizens east of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip killed and wounded.
Three people were killed in an Israeli shelling east of the village of Al-Masdar in the central Gaza Strip. According to Al-Mayadeen Correspondent: An Israeli route targets 3 farmers east of Al-Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip, and no one manages to reach them. Israeli drones strike “Block 12” east of Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip.
Israel announces the start of a ground operation in the Rafah area to expand the security zone in the southern Gaza Strip. IDF appeals to Rafah residents: “Evacuate all of Rafah.” According to Israel Army Radio: “The army’s evacuation orders include the entire Rafah region; 6 injured following an Israeli strike on Awni Dahir Street in Rafah city.”
The Israel Defense Forces said they recently struck a mortar site in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, from which three shells were fired at Israelis on the morning of the 31st. Palestinians report that the IDF attacked the Khan Yunis center in the southern Gaza Strip. Injuries are reported following Israeli airstrikes at a house on Gamal Abdel Nasser Street in the city of Khan Yunis
In the West Bank, Israeli armored vehicles attack the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin. The IDF assaults the Qalandia camp, northeast of Jerusalem. Also, Israeli forces storm the village of Barala in the northern Jordan Valley to carry out demolitions.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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