Last night the Israeli security cabinet approved “the next phase of the operation in Lebanon,” i.e. the ground operation. During the Cabinet meeting, ministers protested reports from the United States about the military move, after they had received an update from Israel. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari issued a public appeal, calling on Israelis not to disclose information about the movements of the armed forces. This comes as news from various sources on the Israeli ground operation in southern Lebanon is multiplying, as reported by Times of Israel. Hagari reiterated the importance of sticking exclusively to official communications, stressing that the dissemination of unauthorized or speculative reports could put the safety of the troops involved in the operation at risk.
As we write, Israeli jets are intensely bombing several locations in southern Lebanon, not only the dividing line between the two countries but also north of Tyre. This was reported by the Lebanese government agency Nna, according to which the areas most targeted by Israeli air strikes are Adaisse, Qasimiye, Khardali, Rihan, Baysariye, Kawkaba, Ghaziye, Bednayel, Qusayr, Kharbet Selem, Taybe, Humin. Lebanese troops have already withdrawn from positions along Lebanon’s southern border with Israel, at least five kilometers north of the border, a Lebanese security source told Reuters. The withdrawal, writes the Times of Israel, comes at a time when speculation is increasing about an imminent Israeli ground incursion into southern Lebanon. After the IDF ordered civilians to flee three Hezbollah sites in the southern suburbs of Beirut, known as Dahiyeh, Israeli raids began in the area. This was reported by the Lebanese media cited by the Times of Israel. It all started just thirty minutes after the evacuation order given by an IDF spokesperson.
Yesterday afternoon, after threats and proclamations of revenge, a brake came from Tehran for those calling for total war with Israel. “Iran will not send fighters to Lebanon and Gaza to confront Israel,” said Nasser Kanani, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, during his weekly press conference. Who then continued: «The governments of Lebanon and Palestine have the capacity and means to counter the aggression of the Zionist regime, and there is no need to deploy Iranian auxiliary forces or volunteers. In this sense we have not received any requests and we are aware that they do not need the support of our troops.” In reality, this decision is also influenced by the backwardness of the Iranian armed forces, who know they cannot sustain an air battle against Israel. As a result, Iran leaves the burden of attacking Israel, with all the risks that entails, to Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and various militias in “Siraq” (Syria and Iraq), as seen in Yemen last Sunday. Also yesterday afternoon, the Israeli army confirmed the killing of the leader of Hamas in Lebanon, Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin, as reported in a statement released on Telegram. Furthermore, three commanders of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) were eliminated in an Israeli attack in central Beirut in the early hours of today, as declared by the PFLP, a militant group engaged in the fight against Israel. This is the first IDF incursion into the heart of the Lebanese capital since 2006. Videos from the scene show two floors of a residential building completely devastated, as people rush to the site of the explosion. Two bodies are also seen on top of a car, apparently thrown outwards by the impact of the detonation, which was heard throughout the city.
On Monday afternoon, the Israel Security Agency (ISA), known as Shin Bet, warned of an increase in Iranian plots to carry out assassinations in Israel in recent weeks. The ISA had to take significant countermeasures against numerous threats, some of which were already at an advanced stage. However, specific details of these plots have not yet been made public. The agency found that Iran is trying to recruit Israeli citizens to attack high-level officials. Among the most recent cases is that of Motti Maman, an Israeli citizen who was recruited by Iran to participate in a plot aimed at the assassination of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the head of the Shin Bet Ronen Bar, and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. Additionally, Iran is stepping up its efforts to recruit Israeli citizens online, leveraging platforms such as digital currency, finance and job search websites. Iranian agents offer large sums of money to Israelis recruited online to carry out various tasks, such as hiding money and phones in different locations in Israel, distributing leaflets, writing graffiti, and even setting cars on fire or causing physical harm to people. Often, Iranians present themselves as potential employers, promising payments for seemingly innocuous tasks, but over time these tasks become increasingly dangerous, threatening the security of the state and its citizens. The ISA urged the public to remain vigilant and use extreme caution when suspecting a suspicious situation, especially if the financial rewards are disproportionate to the nature of the tasks required. If any doubts or suspicions arise, the agency recommended reporting them immediately to the relevant authorities.
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