JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday Israel was prepared for very strong action in northern Israel, saying it would restore security “one way or another” in an area targeted by the Iran-backed Hezbollah during months of hostilities.
The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, which has been fought in parallel to the Gaza war, has intensified in recent days, adding to concerns that an even wider confrontation could break out between the heavily armed adversaries.
“Whoever thinks that they can harm us and we will sit idly by is making a big mistake. We are prepared for a very strong action in the north,” Netanyahu said during a tour of the area. “In one way or another we will restore security to the north.”
The fighting — the worst hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel since they fought a war in 2006 — has forced tens of thousands of people to flee homes on both sides of the border.
Israeli strikes have killed some 300 Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon and around 80 civilians have been killed, according to a Reuters tally.
Attacks from Lebanon have killed 18 Israeli soldiers and 10 civilians, Israel says.
Israeli Military Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi said on Tuesday the army was ready for an offensive along the northern border and that Israel was nearing a decision point.
The US State Department said on Tuesday that Washington does not want to see a full-blown war and that it is trying to pursue a diplomatic solution, adding that Israel had the right to defend itself from Hezbollah.
Hezbollah, deemed a terrorist organization by Washington, announced several operations on Wednesday, including a guided missile attack targeting Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system in Ramot Naftali, some 3 km (2 miles) from the border.
Rockets fired from Lebanon set off wild fires this week, burning swathes of land across northern Israel.
Hezbollah deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem told broadcaster Al Jazeera on Tuesday that the group’s decision was not to widen the war but that it would fight one if it was imposed on it.
Qassem said the Lebanon front would not stop until the Gaza war stops, Al Jazeera quoted him as saying.
Hezbollah, an ally of Palestinian militant group Hamas, says it has been striking Israel in support of Palestinians under Israeli bombardment in Gaza. It has previously said it will cease fire when the Israeli offensive on Gaza stops.
Netanyahu says Israel prepared for strong action in the north
Netanyahu says Israel prepared for strong action in the north
- Israeli towns near the northern border have been a frequent target of rocket and drone launches from Hezbollah
- Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire for the past eight months in parallel with the Gaza war
Privatization Commission backs military-linked firm’s inclusion in PIA buyer consortium
- Fauji Fertilizer nominated to join Arif Habib-led group bidding for national airline
- Move marks further step in IMF-backed state enterprise reforms
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Privatization Commission on Tuesday recommended the inclusion of a military-linked fertilizer company in the consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation Limited, the successful bidder for a majority stake in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), as the government advances long-delayed reforms of state-owned enterprises.
The development is part of Pakistan’s broader privatization push under its $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Fund Facility approved in September 2024, which requires restructuring and divestment of loss-making state-owned enterprises. PIA has accumulated significant losses over the years and remains a financial burden on the national exchequer.
In December, a consortium headed by the Arif Habib Corporation emerged as the top bidder for a 75 percent stake in Pakistan International Airlines in a breakthrough for the government’s long-delayed privatization of the carrier. The consortium entered a 135 billion Pakistani rupee ($482.32 million) bid, topping the offer of a rival group led by Lucky Cement in an intense back and forth that was broadcast live on television.
The Privatization Commission on Tuesday endorsed the nomination of Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC) to join the consortium led by Arif Habib.
“The PC Board, after due review, endorsed the nomination and confirmed that FFC fulfils the applicable eligibility and regulatory requirements,” the Ministry of Privatization said in a statement.
The proposed inclusion remains subject to approval by the Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCoP) and the federal cabinet.
FFC is one of Pakistan’s largest listed fertilizer manufacturers and is majority-owned by the Fauji Foundation, a military welfare organization that operates commercial enterprises to fund services for retired armed forces personnel and their families. Its inclusion strengthens the financial profile of the bidding consortium.
The sale of a majority stake in PIA would mark the first major privatization in Pakistan in nearly two decades.
But the process has been shaky. A similar televised event in 2024 attracted a solitary bid from real estate developer Blue World City of $36 million, well short of the government’s declared minimum price of $305 million for a 60 percent stake.
As part of its efforts to revive the flag carrier airline, Pakistan’s government has assumed most of its legacy debt.
PIA has now posted its first pre-tax profit in two decades, and Britain and the European Union have lifted a five-year ban that had shut it out of key routes, supporting a higher valuation.
