BEIRUT: Israeli forces resumed shelling in southern Lebanon on Wednesday following a period of uneasy, relative calm, targeting border towns, valleys and forests.
Two people were injured in an airstrike on the town of Khiam and taken to Marjayoun Hospital. Aircraft also hit Wadi Hujeir and carried out strikes on the outskirts of the town of Qabrikha, on the area between the towns of Aainata and Kounine, and on the outskirts of the town of Bani Haiyyan.
The Israeli army said “warplanes shelled rocket-launch platforms in the areas of Kounine and Qabrikha in southern Lebanon.” Israeli artillery also targeted the outskirts of the villages of Beit Lif and Ramyah.
In Israel, sirens sounded in the settlements of Zar’it, Shtula, Netu’a, Dishon and Al-Malikiyah, and in Ramot Naftali in western Galilee.
The Israeli army said that “60 rockets were launched from Lebanon toward the northern region, causing fires in several settlements in Upper Galilee, which firefighting teams worked to extinguish.”
Hezbollah said it shelled “the headquarters of the Sahel Battalion in the Beit Hillel barracks, and enemy artillery positions in Dishon with volleys of Katyusha rockets,” and launched attacks “targeting Israeli soldiers in the Zar’it barracks (the headquarters of the battalion affiliated with the Western Brigade) with artillery shells, hitting them directly.”
Israeli media reported “two injuries in the Dishon area in Galilee, where several rockets fell after being launched from Lebanon.” There were also reports that “a rocket fell in the Kfar Blum area in Upper Galilee,” “a fire broke out in the Kiryat Shmona settlement due to rockets launched from Lebanon,” and additional rockets struck between Kiryat Shmona and Beit Hillel.
Israeli army media advised settlers in Kiryat Shmona “to remain near shelters and avoid moving around the city until further notice.” Upper Galilee Regional Council similarly urged citizens in several towns to “stay close to shelters, avoid gatherings and decrease movement.”
In its latest report, the Alma Research and Education Center in Israel said 281 attacks on the country originated from Lebanon in August, compared with 259 in July.
“Most of these attacks were carried out by Hezbollah, along with other organizations,” it said. “The average number of daily attacks reached nine in August, compared with 8.3 attacks in July, with Hezbollah confirming its responsibility for the vast majority of them.”
The Hezbollah attacks resulted in “the deaths of three Israelis and injuries to 30 others” last month, it added.
“The middle of the month saw an escalation in Hezbollah’s assaults, which continued until Aug. 25, when Israeli forces conducted a preemptive strike to thwart Hezbollah’s response to the assassination of (its military leader) Fuad Shukr,” the research center said.
The report noted a subsequent “decline in attacks,” suggesting that “the intensity of these attacks coincided with the Israeli military’s targeting of Hezbollah operatives” and were “potentially aimed at exhausting Israeli defense systems in preparation for a planned retaliatory strike on Aug. 25.”
It added: “Kiryat Shmona was an important target for Hezbollah attacks, which resulted in the death of one civilian and injuries to 28 others, in addition to heavy losses to industrial facilities, educational institutions, residential properties, cemeteries and commercial complexes.”
The report also stated: “During August, Hezbollah used the term ‘appropriate weapons’ to refer to various types of armaments. Previously, this term in their statements was specifically associated with anti-tank missiles. In August, however, it became evident that the term encompassed artillery fire, anti-tank missiles and drones.”
Last month, it added, there was “an increase in (Hezbollah’s) utilization of long-range missiles, with 176 missiles launched compared with 137 in July. Additionally, the number of drone attacks rose to 62 in August, up from 56 in July. Throughout August, Hezbollah employed surface-to-air missiles and sniper fire.”
Cross-border attacks by Israeli forces and Hezbollah resume after period of uneasy calm
https://arab.news/rf67a
Cross-border attacks by Israeli forces and Hezbollah resume after period of uneasy calm
- Research center in Israel says 281 attacks on the country originated from Lebanon in August, compared with 259 in July
- In Israel, sirens sounded in the settlements of Zar’it, Shtula, Netu’a, Dishon and Al-Malikiyah, and in Ramot Naftali in western Galilee
Sudan defense minister dismisses ‘intelligence document’ as fabrication after convoy strike
- Gen. Hassan Kabroun tells Arab News claims that army hid weapons in aid convoy are “completely false”
RIYADH: Sudan’s defense minister has firmly denied reports attributed to Sudanese intelligence alleging that a convoy targeted in North Kordofan was secretly transporting weapons under the cover of humanitarian aid.
Gen. Hassan Kabroun described the claims as “false” and an attempt to distract from what he called a militia crime.
The controversy erupted after news reports emerged that a document attributed to Sudan’s General Intelligence Service claimed the convoy struck in Al-Rahad on Friday was not a purely humanitarian mission, but was instead carrying “high-quality weapons and ammunition” destined for Sudanese Armed Forces units operating in the state.
The report further alleged that the convoy had been outwardly classified as humanitarian in order to secure safe passage through conflict zones, and that the Rapid Support Forces had destroyed it after gathering intelligence on its route and cargo.
Kabroun categorically rejected the narrative.
“First of all, we would like to stress the fact that this news is false,” he told Arab News. “Even the headline that talks about the security of the regions, such as Al-Dabbah, is not a headline the army would use.”
He described the document as fabricated and politically motivated, saying it was designed to “cover up the heinous crime they committed.”
The minister affirmed that the area targeted by drones is under full control of the Sudanese Armed Forces and does not require any covert military transport.
“Second, we confirm that the region that was targeted by drones is controlled by the army and very safe,” Kabroun said. “It does not require transporting any military equipment using aid convoys as decoys because it is a safe area controlled by the army, which has significant capabilities to transport humanitarian aid.”
According to the minister, the Sudanese military has both the logistical capacity and secure routes necessary to move equipment openly when needed.
“The army is professional and does not need to deliver anything to Kadugli or Dalang on board aid convoys,” he said. “The road between Dalang and Kadugli is open. The Sudanese forces used that road to enter and take control of the region. The road is open and whenever military trucks need to deliver anything, they can do so without resorting to any form of camouflage.”
Kabroun further rejected any suggestion that the military uses humanitarian operations as cover.
“Aid is transported by dedicated relief vehicles to the areas in need of this assistance,” he said. “Aid is not transported by the army. The army and security apparatus do not interfere with relief efforts at all, and do not even accompany the convoys.”
He stressed that the Sudanese Armed Forces maintains a clear institutional separation between military operations and humanitarian work, particularly amid the country’s crisis.
“These are false claims,” he said. “This fake news wanted to cover up the heinous crime they committed.”
Sudan has been gripped by conflict since April 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, plunging the country into what the United Nations has described as one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.
The latest dispute over the convoy comes amid intensified fighting in South Kordofan, a strategically sensitive region linking central Sudan with the contested areas of Darfur and Blue Nile.
The false report suggested that intelligence monitoring had enabled the RSF to strike what it described as a military convoy disguised as humanitarian aid. But Kabroun dismissed that version outright.
“The intelligence agency is well aware of its duties,” he said. “The Sudanese Army has enough weapons and equipment to use in the areas of operations. These claims are completely false.”
He argued that the narrative being circulated seeks to shift blame for attacks on civilian infrastructure and humanitarian movements.
“This shows that they are trying to cover up the atrocities,” he added, referring to the militia.
Kabroun maintained that the army has regained momentum on multiple fronts and remains fully capable of sustaining its operations without resorting to deception.
“The region is secure, the roads are open, and the army does not need camouflage,” he said. “We are operating professionally and transparently.”
“These claims are completely false,” Kabroun said. “The Sudanese Army does not use humanitarian convoys for military purposes.”
