Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “I said we will change the Middle East and we are changing it. I spoke to Trump about the need to see the victory through to the end.” In the meantime, Israel maintains its presence in Syria despite the transitional government of HTS having already requested the UN to apply the 1974 resolution.
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto announced the country’s willingness to deploy peacekeeping troops in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Negotiations continue to free all hostages. Even though there is a Palestinian complaint about the ongoing repression in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Russia warns that Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights is unacceptable. Israel must return to full compliance with the well-known 1974 agreement with Syria. Russia has issued a warning to the “hotheads” in Israel against “seizing opportunities” in the context of the evolving situation in Syria, stressing that the annexation of the Golan Heights is absolutely unacceptable,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said. Asked which external actors are involved “behind the scenes” in the Syrian crisis, Ryabkov replied: “The United States is unequivocally there.”
“Undoubtedly, Israel is the main beneficiary of recent developments. I would like to warn some “hotheads” in West Jerusalem against overestimating their influence. I would also like to remind them, among other things, that the annexation of the Golan Heights, as many are now saying, remains completely unacceptable. Israel must return to full compliance with the well-known 1974 agreement with Syria. Lebanese media reported that the Lebanese Prime Minister will arrive in Turkey on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the Middle East. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati ordered the reopening of the Lebanese embassy in Damascus, which had been closed following recent events.
Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem said on the overthrow of Assad: “Hezbollah lost its military supply lines in this campaign, but these are just details in the activities of the resistance. Perhaps the new regime will allow this route to return naturally, or perhaps in a different way. Resistance is a flexible thing that does not stop at a border.”
On December 14, there was also a statement by Ahmad al-Shar’a, alias Mohammed al Jowlani, on Israel (first direct comment since the start of the offensive on November 27): “We will not engage in a conflict with Israel. Israel’s arguments to enter Syria are gone, Hezbollah and Iran are gone. Israel uses the Iranian presence as an excuse to enter Syria. Israel’s arguments are gone but the Israelis have crossed the line of engagement.”
On the morning of December 16, planes were seen circling over Iraqi Kurdistan, the same circles were drawn over Israeli cities, and Israeli media claims it was an Israeli plane.
The Houthis launched a new attack on Israel. After suffering an American-British attack.
The Lebanese army is working to clear unexploded ordnance from an area of the Khiam municipality and a detention center in southern Lebanon. Since the afternoon of the 13th, the Lebanese army has been deployed in the city of Khiam, in southern Lebanon, in particular in Al-Husseiniya Square and on the outskirts of the detention center. It was discovered that the detention center had been completely destroyed. On December 14, it is learned from the social sphere that the Lebanese army is still clearing unexploded ordnance around the Khiam municipality and the detention center. Plans to advance towards Wadi al-Asafir on the southern outskirts remain on hold due to the presence of Israeli forces in the adjacent Sarda plain. The commander of the Engineering Regiment (Works), Brigadier General Youssef Haidar, and the head of the 7th Brigade’s Third Operations Section, Brigadier General Joseph Mazraani, inspected the town of Khiyam to review the efforts made in the town and the opening of roads in preparation for the return of its residents. They are also working with the Red Cross to locate the martyrs’ body.
Today, Lebanese army bulldozers continue to open roads around the detention center and the mountain view.
Since December 13, a series of Israeli drone strikes have been observed in South Lebanon: the outskirts of the city of Zrarieh, the valley between Al-Shaitiya and Al-Batm mountain, Bint Jbeil, a vehicle road in Khardali, in South Lebanon. Explosions in Chihine, in Naqoura and conducted machine gun raids on Wadi Hassan and Safarjel on the outskirts of Majdal Zoun. The Lebanese army: “the army command reiterates the danger of citizens approaching the area and the importance of their commitment to the instructions of military units until the end of the deployment”.
Meanwhile, Israel continues the demolition of buildings in South Lebanon: Al-Dweir neighborhood in Yaroun, Tyre Harfa and Kfar Kela. According to Lebanese media, this amounts to dozens of civilian homes, lost day after day during the ceasefire.
The IDF’s 98th Division remains operational in southern Lebanon. The IDF Spokesman: “An Air Force plane attacked loaded and ready-to-launch launchers aimed at the country, in violation of the Israel-Lebanon agreements. The IDF remains committed to the ceasefire agreements in Lebanon, will deploy to the southern area of Lebanon and will work to eliminate any threat to the State of Israel and its citizens.”
In a December 16 statement, the IDF said: “The 769th Brigade located rocket launchers, anti-tank missiles and mortar shells during defensive activities in southern Lebanon. IDF troops in the Northern Command continue to operate to remove threats posed by Hezbollah and take action against Hezbollah’s ceasefire violations in accordance with the Israel-Lebanon agreements.”
“In the activities of the 769th Brigade, troops located several weapons caches, including a mobile rocket launcher from which numerous rockets were fired over the past year toward communities in the Galilee Panhandle, dozens of mortar shells, anti-tank missiles, rockets, explosives, mobile launchers and other military equipment. All artifacts were confiscated.”
A massive fire on December 14 hit the village of Aqeb, north of Jerusalem. The Israeli attack on the Khan Yunis school kills 20 people. Clashes continue in Jabalia. Israeli attack also on the Nuseirat camp in the center of the Gaza Strip. Finally, a security incident is reported in Rafah. Numerous Israeli army ranks injured after a building collapsed due to shelling in Rafah. IDF storms the town of Bani Naim, east of Hebron, West Bank.
Israeli attacks in Syria are felt in Lebanon, especially in the north. The Israeli army continues to demilitarize Syria, destroying all strategic weapons and research facilities. Israeli aircraft struck weapons depots in the town of Mahaja, north of Daraa. The IDF is in dialogue with local officials in Druze villages in southern Syria – and during negotiations agreements were reached according to which local security forces in the villages collect weapons in the area, place them at a certain predetermined point, and then the IDF comes and takes the weapons away. According to Syrian sources, Israel’s targeting of Syria will take place in three phases: the first phase is underway; the second phase would include the capture of Deraa province; the third phase involves the creation of a safe zone for the Zionist entity stretching from Mount Hermon to Suweida.
Israel has already captured Mount Hermon (Jebel al-Sheikh), it has the opportunity to place artillery on its heights and fire directly on Damascus, since Syria no longer has aircraft and ballistic missiles. “The situation from a political-military point of view for Syria is terrible, because Israel can now threaten to bomb the Syrian capital without any consequences for itself, because now the Syrians have no means of defense for this case.”
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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