Also on July 29, the spotlight was on the possible consequences after the attack on the Druze school in the Golan Heights. Rumors in the social sphere say that Israel could use this attack as an excuse to attack Hezbollah, while others say that, since the Druze are not Israeli, there will not be a large-scale war and that the loud voice serves as a background to reassure the pro-Israeli part of the Druze community and nothing else.
On the front of the negotiations for the release of the hostages, the Palestinian Resistance Source in Al-Mayadeen said: “Israel is moving towards presenting a new proposal on the hostages that undermines what has been discussed in the last six months.” Kan Channel reports that Netanyahu has added a new condition to the Rome negotiations, namely to obtain the names of the living prisoners who will be released. Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir: “Hamas must be defeated and we must not submit to its dictates that demand surrender. The territory of the Gaza Strip must be permanently occupied and aid must be stopped: I have worsened the conditions of the Palestinians in prisons, and I am proud of it. No intention of submitting to the dictates of Hamas”.
Returning to the effects of the attack on Majdal Shams, in a school where 11 people lost their lives and where at least 30 were injured: the United Nations, Jordan, Egypt, France, Germany have asked for a de-escalation with respect to the events. The United States, Denmark, Norway, France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia are just the names of some of the nations that have asked their compatriots not to travel to Lebanon and those who are in Lebanon have asked to return. Air traffic is at a standstill. Lebanon flights grounded pending Israel’s response: Lufthansa, Swiss International and Eurowings have suspended flights to Beirut until August 6.
Greek carrier Aegean Airlines has cancelled some flights and is assessing the situation daily. Qatar Air is adjusting its flight schedule. MEA has rescheduled some flights on Sunday and Monday. German carrier Lufthansa has announced it will suspend flights to Beirut until August 5. Air France and Transavia said they were halting flights to Beirut over fears of rising tensions between Hezbollah and Israel.
The IDF and the United States say a Falaq-1 used by Hezbollah to strike the Israeli military base over the hill from the Druze village of Majdal Shams came up short and hit the Druze school. Hezbollah has denied responsibility. The Israeli army said on the 28th that the attack was not intentional. Caleb Sif, chairman of the Druze Initiative, a member of the Hadash party: “The missiles that hit the Druze villages and the Galilee are Iron Dome interceptor missiles.”
The IDF released evidence that shrapnel found yesterday at the site of a rocket attack in Majdal Shams corresponds to an Iranian-made Falaq-1 missile used by Hezbollah. The IDF also revealed the flight path of the rocket launched from the Shab’a area in southern Lebanon.
US envoy Amos Hochstein conveyed the message that any attack on Beirut and its suburbs will be met with an attack on Gush Dan and Jerusalem. Lebanon condemned the attack on civilians but also said that an attack on Beirut would bring Lebanon to the side of Hezbollah. Foreign Minister Abdullah Bouhabib told Reuters: “The United States has asked the government to rein in Hezbollah.” Walid Jumblatt told Al Jazeera: “Hockstein said that ‘Israel’ will carry out a large-scale operation, and I remind him that he is a mediator and not a bearer of ‘Israeli’ threats.” Najib Azmi Mqati called for a “ceasefire on all fronts is the only solution to avoid worsening the situation on the ground.”
Israeli military sources say there is no unity in the government on how to respond to Hezbollah for the attack on the Druze school and above all the military does not want, as some politicians profess, an escalation in the region.
For Binyamin Gantz: “A major response is needed against Hezbollah and Lebanon, and the issue cannot continue.” Israeli opposition leader Lapid during the funeral in Majdal Shams: “The reaction will be harsh and will reverberate throughout the Middle East.” The Druze protested Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to the funeral and called on Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Finance Minister, to leave. According to Maariv, Ben Gvir will pressure the mini-ministerial council to intensify its ties with Lebanon and will present two proposals to implement it.
The Druze community in the Golan is the heir of the Syrian tradition, those who burned Israeli passports in 1982. In 2016, the Israeli army created a unit of Druze fighting with Israel with the Israeli Druze community and part of the Golan community. Another segment is allied with Hezbollah and lives in Lebanon. Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Abu Youssef Amin Al-Sayegh released a video message following the tragic incident in Majdal Shams, calling on the Druze to be wary of attempts to “plant sedition” and “separate them from their surroundings” and “not allow those who have temptations to exploit this wound.”
Criticism of social media posts by Druze against Hezbollah, saying that those posting are not Syrian Druze from the Golan Heights, but Israeli Druze.
The IDF Chief of Staff made it clear that the Israeli military is taking a stance against attacking infrastructure in Lebanon. Instead, they say, they should focus on Hezbollah, and expand targeted actions against this facility. Israel Army Radio states: “Israel is not interested in a global war with Hezbollah, but only in dealing a severe blow to it.” At the end of the Cabinet according to Israeli military correspondent Alon Ben David: “The targets that the Israeli army has presented at the political level for approval to strike in Lebanon in response to the Majdal Shams incident are all military targets.”
Despite the assurances of some, there are those who claim that the Israeli army is moving men and equipment to the north to the border with Lebanon. The Israeli website Wala writes: “The Israeli army is not only preparing to launch a dramatic attack on Lebanon, but is also preparing to repel an expected Hezbollah attack from the air and the ground.” Reserve forces have reportedly received secret calls to prepare for a possible imminent escalation. Additionally, Medical Volunteers for Israel have just launched an urgent appeal for general surgeons, thoracic surgeons, trauma surgeons and anesthetists to help staff hospitals in northern Israel.
The prime minister’s office says cabinet members have “authorized the prime minister and the defense minister to decide how to respond to Hezbollah and when.” “I would very much like to see Beirut burn today, go up in flames in response to the event that happened,” Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Israel’s Minister of Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, said.
Social media also reports that trains in Haifa will be stopped for a few days, in preparation for an escalation with Hezbollah and to avoid a mass casualty event. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz at a press briefing: “We are getting close to the point of a full-scale war in the north against Hezbollah.”
Hezbollah’s military media released a video titled “You Will Have No Tanks Left,” a reference to what Hassan Nasrallah said in his last speech, a quote that was also featured in the video: “If your tanks come to Lebanon and southern Lebanon, you will not suffer from a shortage of tanks, because you will have no tanks left.” Hezbollah is on high alert and has evacuated several “key sites” in eastern and southern Lebanon in case of a possible Israeli attack. Iran has reportedly given Hezbollah permission to respond to the Israeli attack: “The depth of the Israeli attack in Lebanon will be equal to the depth of Hezbollah’s response.”
While the Druze school was being attacked, the Houthis unveiled the Assif anti-ship ballistic missile, an adaptation of the Iranian Fatah missile. This missile has a range of up to 450 km and carries a warhead weighing 380 kg. Yemen’s Information Minister said that the Revolutionary Guards are moving thousands of Pakistani and Afghan citizens in groups to Houthi-controlled regions.
And now a look at the Israel – Hamas – Hezbollah front updated at 15:00 on July 29.
The IDF is moving tanks to the border with Lebanon. In southern Lebanon, between July 27 and 29, there were numerous Israeli attacks against Hezbollah infrastructure: after a reconnaissance with drones in the sectors of Naqoura, Tyre, Qasimiya and Bint Jbeil south of the Litani River and in the sectors of Jebshit, Saksakiyeh and Western Bekaa north of the Litani River in southern Lebanon, attacks arrived in Taria in the Bekaa, which is located 100 km from the border with Israel.
Very intense activity of Israeli drones in several areas of southern Lebanon: Chaqra of Al-Shihabi Al-Tayyibah and Al-Mansouri. Repeatedly bombed the area near the town of Aita al-Shaab in southern Lebanon. Israeli raid on a car on the main road Mais al-Jabal-Shaqra, deaths recorded in 2 days on the main road Mays al-Jabal-Shaqra.
Since 11:00 on July 29, weak transmission of the two telecommunications networks (Touch and Alfa) has been recorded in some regions of Lebanon and no Internet data in many others. Attack on Tyre is in the area between Al-Burj al-Shamali and Al-Housh attacks recorded in: Khiyam village; Kfarkila; Burj al-Shimali (Tyre district); Abassieh suburb (Tyre district). Israeli media say this is not the response to the Majdal Shams incident.
Rockets fired from Lebanon towards Shtula, Israeli drone attacks reported in the villages of Yaroun and Sheheen. On the evening of July 28, new Israeli air strikes in Aita al-Shaab. An Israeli drone attacked Markaba. The home of deceased Hezbollah member Fadl Noureddine, killed on July 26, was targeted.
In response, Hezbollah attacked northern Israel: an attack on the Al-Baghdadi military base southwest of Qiryat Kleb, in response to the assassination in the village of Shaqra. Hezbollah responded by striking the position of Israeli soldiers in the settlement of Al-Manara, causing a fire and injuring those inside.
Heavy missiles fell near the settlement of Shtola in Western Galilee after being launched from Lebanon. Large fires broke out in the forests surrounding Qiryat Shmona after rockets fell in the area. UAV warnings in the tip of the Galilee.
Clashes continue between Qassams and the Israeli army in Gaza, Qassams claim zero-distance battles with Israeli forces penetrating south of the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza City. The IDF had already launched an appeal to the civilian population of the city of Khan Yunis on July 27 due to an imminent attack. The area to be evacuated is within the humanitarian zone declared by Israel. The borders of this zone, as specified, will be changed accordingly.
The IDF intends to take severe measures against Hamas militants who have settled in Khan Yunis. Residents of the city are asked to move to the humanitarian zone closest to Al-Mawasi. The message is also being spread via SMS, telephone voice messages and leaflets.
The Israeli army blew up a water distribution station in Rafah Channel 12 confirms clashes between the army and Al-Qassam members in Khan Yunis and Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.
On the morning of the 29th, the IAF carried out an air strike on the village of Reb Tlateen.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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