Yesterday: Middle East-West Asia

From Al-Akhbar (English)

Lebanon

• Israeli forces bombed areas in Bani Hayyan, Taloussa, Aitroun, and between Kfarkila and Taybeh, while targeting homes in Bint Jbeil and Taybeh, South Lebanon.

• Israeli forces demolished a mosque in Wadi al-Slouqi near Majdal Selm, before withdrawing to Markaba and combing the western outskirts of Mais al-Jabal, South Lebanon.

• An Israeli drone dropped a sound grenade near a Lebanese Army post in Bint Jbeil, South Lebanon.

• PM Nawaf Salam: “I have not committed to assigning any specific ministry to any parliamentary bloc.”  (Note: The issue here is that this new PM is reneging on agreements made with Hezbollah)

• The Lebanese Army’s Intelligence Directorate arrested a top suspect in collaboration with “Israel” in the central Bekaa region, identified as A.H.

• Sheikh Mohammad Hamadi, head of Hezbollah’s Western Bekaa region, succumbed to gunshot injuries. Sources indicate the incident may have been motivated by a family dispute.

• European Union Foreign Affairs Commissioner announced $62 million in aid for the Lebanese Army.

• Remains of two bodies were recovered from Naqoura and transferred to Jabal Amel Hospital for identification. (Lebanese Civil Defense)

Syria

• EU is considering suspending sanctions on Syria with a “gradual approach” while maintaining some leverage. Sanctions include bans on Syrian oil imports, investment in the oil industry, and freezing assets of the Syrian Central Bank within the EU.

• Two French judges issued an arrest warrant yesterday for former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on suspicion of complicity in war crimes.

Palestine

• Israeli Army launched the Iron Wall operation in Jenin, occupied West Bank.

• 10 martyrs and around 40 injuries so far due to the Israeli occupation’s aggression on Jenin. (Palestinian Health Ministry)

• 21 injuries reported from beatings and gas inhalation during an attack on Al-Funduq and JinSafut, east of Qalqilya. (Palestinian Red Crescent)

• Resistance fighters attacked Israeli military vehicles with IEDs at Silat al-Harithiya town entrance, west of Jenin. (Palestinian media)

• Palestinian Authority forces, stationed at Jenin camp entrances for over a month, withdrew as the Israeli operation began, after pursuing wounded resistance fighters in the government hospital for arrest. (Palestinian media)

• UN: 897 aid trucks entered Gaza today – ❗️❗️❗️

Israeli Occupation Entity

• Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi submitted his resignation to the Defense Minister. It will take effect in March. (Israeli media)

• A series of resignations in the Israeli military leadership. (Israeli Channel 13)

• Israeli opposition leader urges government resignation after chief of staff resigns.

• Several Israeli soldiers were injured in an IED explosion in Jenin. (Israeli Media)

• A stabbing attack in Tel Aviv resulted in four injuries. (Israeli media)

• US President Donald Trump revoked an executive order by Joe Biden imposing sanctions on settlers involved in West Bank violence, affecting 60,000 settlers with US citizenship.

• Israeli Finance Ministry announced today that it spent around 100 billion shekels ($28 billion) on military operations in 2024, significantly increasing both government borrowing and the national debt.