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Ad Hoc Studies

Unusual Admission by Senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Officer: Iran Was Involved in a Houthi Missile Attack on Saudi Oil Tankers

On August 7, 2018, the Iranian Fars News Agency published an interview with a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commander, Nasser Shabani. During the interview, Shabani stated that Iran ordered the Houthi rebels in Yemen to target the two Saudi oil tankers in the Bab al-Mandeb Straits on July 25, 2018. “We told the Yemenis to hit the two Saudi tankers and they did,” Shabani was quoted as saying.
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The Gaza Crisis: Contacts for an Arrangement (Updated to August 20, 2018)

After more than four and half months of riots at the Israeli-Gaza border, and after five rounds of escalation during which more than 600 rockets and mortar shells were fired into Israeli territory, intensive talks are currently being held in Cairo for an arrangement that will lead to an end to the hostilities. Participating in the talks are Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and several small terrorist organizations. Conspicuous by its absence (so far) is the Fatah delegation, which refused to go to Egypt because of Mahmoud Abbas' strong objection to any arrangement not reached through the Palestinian Authority (PA).
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Palestinians use indications of media affiliation to protect themselves during anti-Israeli military activities and terrorist attacks

On August 3, 2018, a group of about 20 young Gazans carried out an infiltration mission into Israeli territory from the southern Gaza Strip. The group, which was divided into squads, neared the fence and threw an IED and a Molotov cocktail. A squad of three broke through the fence, entered Israeli territory, climbed up into an abandoned IDF post, removed equipment and returned to the Gaza Strip.
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The fifth round of escalation between Israel and Hamas, August 8-9, 2018

On August 8 and 9, 2018, there was a fifth round of escalation between Hamas and the IDF. Hamas and the other terrorist organizations fired about 180 rockets and mortar shells at Israeli territory. The IDF responded with extensive attacks on Hamas' infrastructure and assets. During and between the rounds of escalation (end of May to August 9, 2018), more than 610 rockets and mortar shells were fired from the Gaza Strip at Israeli territory.
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Video published by the organizers of the “return marches” shows Gazan youths sent into Israeli territory and entering an abandoned IDF post, knowingly risking their lives

During the Friday, August 3, 2018 "return march" a number of Palestinians in the southern Gaza Strip crossed the security fence, threw an IED and Molotov cocktails near the fence, and then went back (IDF spokesperson, August 3, 2018). The Palestinian media reported that a number of Palestinians had crossed the fence and successfully entered an [abandoned] IDF post. According to the reports, some of the Palestinians took IDF equipment from the post (Dunia al-Watan, Shehab, August 3, 2018).
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Hezbollah’s Tri-Border Area terror finance comes under fire at last By Emanuele Ottolenghi

On July 13, Argentina’s Financial Intelligence Unit froze assets of 14 Lebanese nationals and residents of the Tri-Border Area of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, or TBA. According to the FIU, the targeted individuals were part of a criminal organization linked to Hezbollah and associated with the Barakat clan, a powerful Lebanese Shi’a family whose leader in the TBA, Assad Ahmad Barakat, was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Treasury in 2004.
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