War Diary: Day 115
Lyne Sammouri 2024-01-29 22:32 - Reading : less than a minute
This is Beirut brings you a daily recap of the situation in southern Lebanon and Gaza. Here are the main highlights for January 29, 2024.
War in the Middle East
Khalil Helou to TIB: 'The Americans Are in a Bind' in the Regional Crisis
Maureen Décor 2024-01-29 21:50 - Reading : less than a minute
For the first time since October 7, American soldiers have been shot down in a drone attack claimed by Iranian-backed combatant groups. Former General Khalil Helou gives us his analysis of this event, which could mark a turning point in the regional crisis.
Southern Front: Seven Hezbollah Attacks, Israel Targets Southern Houses
This Is Beirut 2024-01-29 20:12 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Hezbollah claimed seven attacks on Monday against Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of Jal al-Alam, the Metat barracks, the Hounin castle, the Zraiyit and Samaka barracks and the Brannit barracks, which that was targeted twice. The weapons used were Burkan-type missiles and rocket weapons, in addition to other “appropriate weapons” that ...
Gallant: Israeli Troops to Go Into Action Soon at Lebanon Border
This Is Beirut 2024-01-29 19:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Israeli troops will "very soon go into action" near the country's northern border with Lebanon, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Monday, as tensions surge amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Gallant told troops near the border with the besieged Gaza Strip that others were being deployed to Israel's north. "They will very soon go into action ... ...
UNRWA Fund Cutting: A Blow to Refugees and Host Countries
Samar Kadi 2024-01-29 19:21 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The decision by six European countries to discontinue funding for the United Nations refugee agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) stirred deep concern among Palestinian refugees as well as their host countries, especially Lebanon, which is already reeling under severe economic, financial and political crises. For Palestinians, the move is being ...
The Patriarch Once Again in Hezb's Crosshairs
Alissar Boulos 2024-01-29 18:32 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Social media flared up on Sunday and Monday with a smear campaign against the Maronite Patriarch, Bechara Rai, accusing him of "betrayal" and of being the "Arabic-speaking spokesperson" for Israel. In his Sunday sermon, Patriarch Rai denounced Hezbollah’s military operations against Israel on the southern border. He shared a letter, received ...
Bou Habib Calls for Border Demarcation with Israel
This Is Beirut 2024-01-29 15:44 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Abdallah Bou Habib, Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs, called on Monday for the initiation of "indirect negotiations with Israel to resolve points of disagreement," intending to initiate the demarcation of the Israeli-Lebanese border. In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Bou Habib stressed that "Israeli aggression against Lebanon must stop, ...
What Criticism Does Israel Have Against UNRWA?
2024-01-29 15:22 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
According to a report published on Monday by The New York Times, Israel has submitted a dossier to the US government containing accusations against 12 UNRWA employees. Ten of them were labeled as “Hamas members,” and one was allegedly affiliated with the Islamic Jihad. The six-page dossier alleges that roughly 190 UNRWA employees, including ...
Air Strikes on Damascus Against Iran-Affiliated Positions
This Is Beirut 2024-01-29 14:39 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Violent explosions were heard on Monday, January 29, in the vicinity of the Syrian capital Damascus, following a probable Israeli strike, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Pro-Tehran fighters were among seven dead, with Iranian media reporting the attack targeted an "Iranian advisory centre". "Israeli strikes targeted a ...
Israel’s Far Right Calls for Return of Settlements to Gaza
This Is Beirut 2024-01-29 14:33 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Thousands of Israelis, including several far-right ministers, gathered in Jerusalem on Sunday, January 28, to call for the re-establishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza. Part of Israeli society is calling for the settlements to be repopulated, despite Benjamin Netanyahu's apparent refusal to do so. A few thousand Israelis in favor of relocating ...
Editorial- Is the US Base Attack a Turning Point?
Michel Touma 2024-01-29 12:53 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Undoubtedly, this marks a crucial juncture in the escalating events across various “fronts” in the Middle East following the Gaza War. Following the deadly attack on October 7, tension hotspots have been progressively unfolding, one after another, across different locations on the regional chessboard, each time with a heightened level of ...
Iran Denies Links to Jordan-Syria Strike That Killed US Troops
This Is Beirut 2024-01-29 11:46 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
On Monday, January 29, Tehran denied any involvement in the drone attack that killed three American soldiers on the Syria-Jordan border the previous day. The attack had been claimed by Iranian-affiliated groups. Iran denied US and British accusations that it supported militant groups behind a drone strike in Jordan that killed three US military ...