Saudi Arabia, along with Qatar, Iran, Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Turkey, and others, is leading a strong condemnation of Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s visit to Somaliland. Saar is not even mentioned by name in the condemnation, but is described as “a senior Israeli official.”
In recent days, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi paid an official visit to Lebanon, where he took the opportunity to address the tensions and Israel: “We have had positive and constructive discussions with several Lebanese officials.” “Our policy is based on full support for Lebanon’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The government has initiated consultations with various segments of the Iranian people to resolve the issues.” “Israel is directly involved in the current unrest in Iran.” He finally declared: “Statements by US and Israeli officials are aimed at inciting violence during the protests.”
Israeli sources now claim that the Iranian government is executing protesters for the second consecutive night and are calling on the United States to intervene. Israel is on high alert over the possibility of direct US intervention in the ongoing anti-government protests in Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed possible action against Iran in a phone call on Saturday, an Israeli source told Reuters. Iran responded, through its President Masoud Pezeshkian, that Tehran will strike Tel Aviv in the event of a US attack.
The Israeli military has developed a plan for a new ground operation against the Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing sources. According to the publication, which cited anonymous Arab and Israeli officials, Hamas is focusing on restoring its lost military capabilities, including parts of the damaged tunnel infrastructure. Officials also claim that the Palestinian movement has received a new influx of funds, allowing it to regularly pay its militants’ salaries. “The Israeli military has drawn up plans for a new ground operation in Hamas-controlled Gaza,” the report states. An anonymous Israeli official told the newspaper that Hamas will not be able to avoid its obligation to hand over its weapons, and if the group does not voluntarily hand them over, Israel will force it to do so.”
“Israeli officials have stated that there are currently no plans to immediately deploy military forces in Hamas-controlled Gaza, and Israel is willing to give the US plan time to implement it. Another Israeli official said that the further implementation of any military plan will be up to Israeli political leaders,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
And now a look at the military scenarios updated at 3:00 PM on January 12. On January 9, the Southern Transitional Council, backed by the United Arab Emirates, dissolved itself and decided to join forces with the support of Saudi Arabia. Leaders of the South Yemen project also fled to the United Arab Emirates. All forces are uniting under one banner for a possible war against the Houthis. The Secretary General of the Southern Transitional Council in Yemen: “We are ready to participate in the Southern Dialogue Conference in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
On January 11, Saudi artillery shelled a Houthi-controlled city in the northern province of Saada, Yemen. One citizen was killed. wounded by enemy fire from the Saudi army in the direction of the Shada border.
US envoy Tom Barrack welcomed the temporary ceasefire reached in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods of Aleppo. “We are working intensively to extend the ceasefire in Aleppo beyond the 9:00 a.m. deadline.”
On January 9, SANA, citing a military source, stated: “SDF members linked to the PKK are refusing to leave the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood and are insisting on fighting.” President Ahmed al-Sharaa contacted the president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Masoud Barzani, to discuss the latest developments. President al-Sharaa emphasized, during his phone call with Barzani, that the Kurds are an integral part of the Syrian people and expressed the state’s full commitment to guaranteeing the national, political, and civil rights of the Kurds. On January 10, the Syrian Army announced that the last district of Aleppo controlled by Kurdish forces has been liberated. On January 11, Kurdish forces withdrew from the city of Aleppo after several days of fighting with Damascus security forces. A Turkish troop convoy entered Syrian territory.
On January 11, an Israeli drone strike targeted Yatar, in southern Lebanon. Ambulances rushed to the scene. On January 12, an Israeli drone crashed in the town of Al-Bayadah. An Israeli quadcopter drone destroyed the tiled roof of the “Ain al-Miyah Heritage Spring” in the center of the town of Adayseh after its restoration was completed.
An Israeli drone strike targeted a motorcycle in the town of Sedqeen. This is the third Israeli action in 24 hours, following a series of 25-30 airstrikes across southern Lebanon. Lebanese President Aoun, in a statement on January 12, following 30 Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, stated, “The continued presence of weapons has become a burden for the environment and for Lebanon as a whole. Let us be reasonable and realistic and correctly assess the regional and international circumstances surrounding us. Therefore, the issue is not about Resolution 1701, but rather the fact that these weapons have completed their mission and no longer serve as a deterrent.”
Increase the Israeli military’s alertness and strengthen air defense systems amid tensions with Iran.
As of January 9, according to UNRWA, the Israeli army is still deployed in more than half of the Gaza Strip, crossing the so-called “yellow line.” Access to humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, including UNRWA aid, is severely restricted or prohibited. A storm hits the Khan Yunis refugee camp.
On January 9, the Israeli army stated: “We targeted several Hamas militants, rocket launch sites, and military infrastructure in response to yesterday’s attempted rocket launch from Gaza.”
On January 12, the Gaza Ministry of the Interior reported that the director of Khan Younis police intelligence, Captain Mahmoud Ahmed Al-Astal, 40, was assassinated in the Al-Mawasi area. “In a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement, three Palestinians were killed after an Israeli drone targeted a group of civilians south of Khan Younis,” Gaza authorities said. The leader of the Israeli-backed militia, Hossam al-Astal, claimed responsibility for the assassination of Mahmoud al-Astal, head of investigations for the Khan Younis police.
Satellite images reveal that Israeli forces have set up a new military site on the ruins of the Al-Hajj Mohammed cemetery in Ma’an, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, after completely razing the graves.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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