even if a truce is agreed, Israel will “conduct operations” against Hezbollah

Four dead in Beirut, a woman killed in northern Israel, Houthi rebels threaten German shipowners… Le Figaro takes stock of the situation in the Middle East.

Even if a truce is agreed, Israel will “conduct operations” against Hezbollah in Lebanon

Israel “will carry out operations” military against Hezbollah even in the event of a truce agreement in Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Monday in Jerusalem.

“The most important thing is not (what is on) paper if there is an (agreement) but the fact that we will have the obligation, in order to ensure security in the north (of Israel), to systematically carry out operations against possible attacks by Hezbollah (…) but also to prevent (its) reinforcement”declared Benjamin Netanyahu in Parliament.

Israeli strikes on Iran: Netanyahu says ‘nuclear program has been hit’

The airstrikes carried out by Israel at the end of October against Iran affected “an element of the nuclear program” of the Islamic Republic, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.

“It’s no secret, it’s been published, an element of the nuclear plan was hit in this attack but the program itself and its ability to function have not yet been eliminated”said Benjamin Netanyahu in the Knesset (Parliament).

At least five dead in Israeli strike on central Beirut

At least five people were killed in an Israeli strike that targeted a densely populated neighborhood in central Beirut on Monday evening, the third in two days in the heart of the Lebanese capital, the Health Ministry said.

An AFP journalist heard two large explosions in the Zokak el-Blatt neighborhood, which is home to a large number of displaced people from Hezbollah strongholds shelled by Israel. “The Israeli enemy’s raid on Zokak el-Blatt left five dead and 24 injured”indicated the ministry in a new report. The strike took place about 400 meters from the Grand Serail, the seat of the Prime Minister, and near an area where many embassies are located. “An enemy drone targeted the surroundings of the husseiniyé (Shiite place of worship) Al-Zahraa”reported for its part the National Information Agency (ANI, official). The Israeli army carried out its strike without prior warning, as it often does before its raids.

Schools closed

This Monday, schools were closed in Beirut, the day after deadly Israeli strikes which also targeted the heart of the Lebanese capital. The latter notably killed the media manager of Hezbollah while the pro-Iranian movement against which Israel has been at open war since the end of September. Schools “public and private and private higher education institutions which provide face-to-face courses” will remain closed until Tuesday inclusive, according to a press release from the Lebanese Ministry of Education.

The education system in Lebanon is already affected by Israeli raids targeting Hezbollah, with the displacement of many families and the provision of educational establishments to accommodate them. The closure of schools in the capital comes the day after the death of Hezbollah’s main spokesperson, Mohammad Afif, in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, the two Israeli strikes, carried out in the center of the capital, left at least six dead. This raid caused a fire in the neighborhood, which was under control on Monday after exploding fuel reserves, according to Ani.

Israel: woman killed in north by rocket fire

A woman was killed in northern Israel by a rocket attack, firefighters announced this Monday evening. The Israeli army indicated that around 30 projectiles were fired from Lebanon towards northern Israel, the day after deadly Israeli strikes on the capital Beirut.

“After warning sirens were triggered recently in the Upper and Western Galilee regions, approximately 30 projectiles were identified crossing Israeli territory from Lebanon”said the army in a press release.

Houthi rebels threaten German shipowners

Yemen’s Houthi rebels sent emails to “intimidate” German shipowners whose boats sail in the waters of the Middle East and serve Israeli ports, the German Shipowners’ Federation (VDR) denounced on Monday. These boats “are considered potential targets” pour “their supposed links with Israel”specifies a press release from the VDR

In two emails seen by AFP, the Houthis say the German ships involved “will be directly targeted” et “will be subject to sanctions” if they served an Israeli port. These threats are aimed at boats circulating in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and even the Indian Ocean.

“We take these threats very seriously and we are in constant contact with our members and the authorities”indicates the federation, which denounces “targeted attempts at intimidation”. The emails were sent to generic addresses, but also to specific people, to the federation and to German shipping companies. A VDR spokeswoman told AFP that the authenticity of the emails had been confirmed by the German navy and the International Chamber of Shipping.

The Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen, are part, like the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas or the Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah, of what the Islamic Republic of Iran calls the“axis of resistance” against Israel.

Hezbollah announces the death of four members of its media team

Lebanese Hezbollah announced on Monday the death of four members of its media team killed the day before “alongside” of the group’s media manager, Mohammad Afif, in an Israeli strike in the heart of Beirut.

In a statement, Hezbollah reported the death of four members of the “resistance media (..) martyred on the road to Jerusalem alongside (..) Hajj Mohammad Afif al-Naboulsi”. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported four deaths in the strike on the Ras el-Nabaa district.