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Periodical Studies

Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria (September 23 – 30 ,2024)

This past week, the IDF attacked thousands of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including advanced weapons hidden in civilian locations. High-ranking Hezbollah terrorists were killed in targeted attacks in the Dahiyeh al-Janoubia in Beirut, including Hassan Nasrallah, secretary general of Hezbollah, and Ali Karki, commander of the "southern front."; This past week Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 77 attacks on military and civilian targets in Israel, including the first launches of surface-to-surface missiles at the greater Tel Aviv and Jerusalem areas. Several people were injured by debris falling from interceptions and property was damaged; Hezbollah announced the death of ten senior figures and operatives in IDF attacks in Lebanon, with Nasrallah heading the list. However, according to estimates, the number of dead was higher and Hezbollah has announced only the most senior dead. In addition, 61 deaths of terrorist operatives from other organizations were reported, including the Hamas commander in Lebanon and 50 Amal operatives; Na'im Qassem, Hezbollah deputy secretary general, delivered the first speech by a senior member of the organization since the death of Nasrallah, promising that Hezbollah would continue its "support" for the Gaza Strip and the "defense" of Lebanon. He claimed a new secretary general would be elected in the near future; The authorities in Lebanon reported at least 1,640 people killed since the fighting began on October 8, 2023, more than 1,000 since September 16, 2024. Najib Mikati, prime minister of the Lebanese interim government, estimated that the number of displaced people in Lebanon could reach one million. The UN said that 100,000 people had crossed the border into Syria; Syria: The IDF eliminated the head of the Hamas network in southern Syria. According to reports, Israeli aircraft attacked along the Syria-Lebanon border to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah. 
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Spotlight on Iran and the Shiite Axis (September 18 – 25 , 2024)

Iran strongly condemned Israel’s operations in Lebanon, including the detonation of the communications devices, the killing of Ibrahim Aqil, and the extensive airstrikes. However, at this stage, Iran refrains from committing to direct military involvement in the campaign alongside Hezbollah, focusing instead on diplomatic efforts. These efforts are being led by the president and foreign minister, who are actively participating in the UN General Assembly deliberations.; Additional Iranian threats to avenge Ismail Haniyeh’s death; Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that if the Islamic nation used its internal power, it could remove Israel from the heart of the Muslim community. Iranian President Pezeshkian used his speech at the UN General Assembly to accuse Israel of “genocide” and “crimes against humanity"; The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for 13 drone and cruise missile attacks against targets in Israel this past week, five of them in one day. The Israeli Air Force fighter jets and air defense units intercepted most of the launches. Three drones exploded in the Golan Heights and the Arava. There were no casualties; The pro-Iranian Shiite militias also announced that they would assist Hezbollah with a shipment of fighters and weapons in the event of an Israeli land invasion of southern Lebanon; A senior security advisor to Kata'ib Hezbollah in Iraq was killed in an attack attributed to Israel in Syria; Senior Houthi officials threatened that they would continue launching rockets into Israeli territory, saying they are prepared for a long confrontation.
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Spotlight on the Israel-Palestinian Conflict (September 17- 24 , 2024)

The IDF forces continued their activity in the southern and central Gaza Strip, including attacks on Hamas facilities operating in civilian environments. Four IDF soldiers were killed by an explosive device in Rafah; Khaled Mashal, head of the "external" Hamas leadership, said the leaders of the movement were not in a hurry to reach a ceasefire agreement at any cost. Hamas rejected an Israeli proposal to exile Yahya al-Sinwar, head of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip, and other movement leaders; Israel, Judea and Samaria: An Arab-Israeli worker was killed when he tried to attack an IDF soldier at a base in the south. The Israeli security forces continued their counterterrorism activities in Judea and Samaria. Seven terrorist operatives were killed in the town of Qabatiya near Jenin. Hamas' military wing issued the videotaped last will and testament of the August 2024 Tel Aviv suicide bomber, and threatened to renew suicide bombing attacks in Israel; The chairman of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its prime minister held meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The General Assembly approved a non-binding Palestinian proposal that requires Israel to withdraw from the "occupied territories" within a year.
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Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria (September 16-23, 2024)

This past week Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 77 attacks on military and civilian targets in Israel, including the first attacks on the Jezreel Valley, the Lower Galilee and the suburbs around Haifa. An attempt by a Hezbollah terrorist squad to plant an explosive device bomb near an IDF post was foiled. Two IDF soldiers were killed in the attacks and five civilians were injured; substantial property damage was reported; Israeli Air Force aircraft expanded their attacks on Hezbollah terrorist targets and operatives in south Lebanon and the Lebanon Valley, including preventive strikes to prevent rockets from being fired and missiles from being launched into Israeli territory. In an attack in Beirut, Ibrahim Aqil, head of Hezbollah's operations and commander of the Radwan Force, was killed, along with the top commanders of the Radwan Force. Hezbollah announced that 65 operatives and commanders had been killed during the past week; The IDF warned the residents of south Lebanon to evacuate their homes in preparation for attacks on Hezbollah weapons hidden in civilian sites. As a result, there was a mass departure of residents from south Lebanon to the north of the country; Hassan Nasrallah, secretary general of Hezbollah, spoke after the explosions of Hezbollah operatives' hand-held communications devices and accused Israel of committing "massacres" and "declaring war." He warned that retaliation would be "an eye for an eye."; Najib Mikati, prime minister of the Lebanese interim government, warned of a "descent into the unknown" and called for the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions to calm the situation. Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, accused Israel of trying to transform south Lebanon into "scorched earth."
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Spotlight on Iran and the Shiite Axis

The Iranian Supreme Leader emphasized that support for “Palestine” was the duty of all Muslims. The Iranian foreign minister affirmed that Iran would continue to support the “resistance front"; Iran strongly condemned the detonation of Hezbollah operatives’ pagers in Lebanon and offered assistance to the wounded. The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon has also been wounded in the series of explosions.; Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian paid an official three-day visit to Iraq, during which he discussed expanding cooperation between the two countries, especially in the economic sphere; Qods Force commander Esmail Qaani met in Baghdad with commanders of the pro-Iranian Shiite militias; A ballistic missile launched by the Houthis exploded in the air in central Israel, causing no casualties. The Houthis claimed that it was a new hypersonic missile but stressed that it was part of the “fifth escalation phase” of activity against Israel and not a response to the Israeli attack on the port of al-Hudaydah; The Houthis announced the downing of another American UAV. A US official denied a senior Houthi official’s claim that the US would recognize the Houthi regime if the attacks against Israel stopped; The Israeli Air Force intercepted a UAV launched from Iraq. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for two additional attacks against targets in Israel. The claims have not been verified. A pro-Iranian militia leader said they were preparing to expand their activity against Israel in coordination with the “axis of resistance.”
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Spotlight on the Israel-Palestinian Conflict (September 10 – 17 , 2024)

IDF forces continued their activities in the southern and central Gaza Strip, including attacks on Hamas facilities operating in civilian compounds. The IDF announced the collapse of Hamas' Rafah Brigade and the destruction of 80% of all the tunnels on the Philadelphi Axis. Two IDF soldiers were killed and seven injured in a helicopter crash; Hamas held talks with the mediators from Egypt and Qatar regarding the ceasefire negotiations, stating it adhered to the outline agreed upon on July 2, 2024 and would not accept new demands from Israel; The first phase of the drive to vaccinate Gazan children against polio ended and 90% of all children have received the first dose. In coordination with Israel, more than a hundred sick and wounded Palestinians were evacuated for treatment outside the Gaza Strip; Hamas published letters sent by Yahya al-Sinwar, head of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip, for the first time since he took office; A senior Hamas figure stated that the movement was interested in having a Palestinian national consensus government manage the Gaza Strip after the war, adding that the organizations would hold a meeting to promote a common vision; Israel, Judea and Samaria: This past week Palestinians carried out two terrorist attacks. an IDF soldier was killed. The Israeli security forces continued their counterterrorism activities throughout Judea and Samaria; The PA representative to the UN attended a General Assembly session, following the upgrading of the status of the "State of Palestine."
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