Israel Says Will Continue to Attack Syria Despite Return to Arab League

An Israeli raid on Syria targeting the sites of the regime forces and Iranian militias (File photo: AFP)
An Israeli raid on Syria targeting the sites of the regime forces and Iranian militias (File photo: AFP)
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Israel Says Will Continue to Attack Syria Despite Return to Arab League

An Israeli raid on Syria targeting the sites of the regime forces and Iranian militias (File photo: AFP)
An Israeli raid on Syria targeting the sites of the regime forces and Iranian militias (File photo: AFP)

Syria's return to the Arab League will not affect Israel's action inside Syrian territory, according to an Israeli official.

The official confirmed that his government had conveyed clear messages to the international community, stating that Syria's legitimacy would not prevent Tel Aviv from attacking it and would not affect Israel's actions.

The Israeli security establishment expressed concerns about Syria's readmission into the Arab League after 12 years of suspension.

Ynet Hebrew website reported that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met with senior security officials last week to assess Syria's return to the Arab League.

Sources said Israel is waiting to assess the situation, but its policy would not change.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad participated in the 32nd Arab summit held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday after the Arab League announced the participation of Syrian delegations in its meetings and affiliated bodies and organizations as of May 7.

Israel regularly raids Syrian territories and targets Iranian sites in Syria.

Syrian media accused Israel about two weeks ago of an attack in Aleppo, killing a Syrian soldier and injuring several others, including civilians.

Last Thursday, Israeli warplanes dropped leaflets over the Quneitra area, warning Syrian army commanders to cooperate with Hezbollah.

The flyers warned the Syrian regime against cooperating with the Iranian-backed group, saying that regime forces procure security passes at checkpoints for Hezbollah elements threatening Israel.

Israel also called on the regime to change its policy of tolerating Hezbollah's presence in the region.

Earlier, the Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, praised the remarkable defense progress of Hezbollah, which now possesses advanced technologies.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran is preparing for possible new attacks against Israel.

The report said that the commander of the al-Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, held a series of meetings in recent weeks with leaders of armed groups across the region, including groups fighting in Syria and Iraq.

Qaani urged them to take quick action, adding that Iran would provide the necessary tools to carry out attacks to deter Israel from making its strikes.

Israel says it is ready for a multi-front confrontation.



Remnants of Assad's Chemical Weapons Program Recovered, Syrian Official Says

FILE PHOTO: A member of the former rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham stands guard near an image of Syria's Bashar al-Assad at the fourth division headquarters in Damascus, Syria, January 23, 2025 REUTERS/Yamam Al Shaar/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A member of the former rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham stands guard near an image of Syria's Bashar al-Assad at the fourth division headquarters in Damascus, Syria, January 23, 2025 REUTERS/Yamam Al Shaar/File Photo
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Remnants of Assad's Chemical Weapons Program Recovered, Syrian Official Says

FILE PHOTO: A member of the former rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham stands guard near an image of Syria's Bashar al-Assad at the fourth division headquarters in Damascus, Syria, January 23, 2025 REUTERS/Yamam Al Shaar/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A member of the former rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham stands guard near an image of Syria's Bashar al-Assad at the fourth division headquarters in Damascus, Syria, January 23, 2025 REUTERS/Yamam Al Shaar/File Photo

Syria's transitional leadership has located remnants of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's clandestine chemical weapons program, including raw materials and munitions similar to those used to carry out deadly gas attacks during the country's long-running civil war, a Syrian official told Reuters on Tuesday.

Syrian authorities have also taken into custody 18 suspects for alleged involvement in Assad's chemical weapons program, including high-level military, political and technical officials, said Mohamad Katoub, Syria's permanent representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, in an interview.

 


Israeli Media Says Military Expands Ground Operations in Lebanon

The aftermath of an Israeli airstrike is seen in the southern Lebanese area of al-Hosh, near the coastal city of Tyre on May 26, 2026.  (Photo by AFP)
The aftermath of an Israeli airstrike is seen in the southern Lebanese area of al-Hosh, near the coastal city of Tyre on May 26, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
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Israeli Media Says Military Expands Ground Operations in Lebanon

The aftermath of an Israeli airstrike is seen in the southern Lebanese area of al-Hosh, near the coastal city of Tyre on May 26, 2026.  (Photo by AFP)
The aftermath of an Israeli airstrike is seen in the southern Lebanese area of al-Hosh, near the coastal city of Tyre on May 26, 2026. (Photo by AFP)

Israeli forces have begun operating beyond its so-called "Yellow Line" in south Lebanon, which runs around 10 kilometers (six miles) deep inside Lebanese territory, a military official confirmed to AFP on Tuesday. 

"The army is operating in a targeted manner beyond the Forward Defense Line in order to remove direct threats to the citizens of the State of Israel and Israeli troops, in accordance with the directives of the political echelon," the military official said when asked about reports that the military had begun ground operations beyond its demarcation line. 

"Specific details regarding soldiers' locations cannot be provided," the official added. 

Israeli troops have until now been operating inside an occupied self-declared "Yellow Line", where they have carried out large-scale demolitions despite a ceasefire in effect since April 17. 

Israel's left-leaning Haaretz newspaper and news site Ynet reported that troops had begun ground operations north of the Yellow Line in order to reduce the threat posed by Hezbollah's explosive drones. 

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have continued to exchange fire on a near-daily basis despite the ceasefire. 

Several strikes hit the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on Tuesday after an unprecedented Israeli evacuation warning, an AFP correspondent said, a day after at least 11 were killed in a strike in the country's east. 

Hezbollah meanwhile said it confronted Israeli troops trying to advance into a town that overlooks the city. 


Tunisian President Blames Profiteering Networks for Rising Prices

Tunisians visit a livestock market as they prepare for Eid al-Adha, the Muslim feast of Sacrifice in the Ariana district near Tunis on May 25, 2026.(Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP)
Tunisians visit a livestock market as they prepare for Eid al-Adha, the Muslim feast of Sacrifice in the Ariana district near Tunis on May 25, 2026.(Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP)
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Tunisian President Blames Profiteering Networks for Rising Prices

Tunisians visit a livestock market as they prepare for Eid al-Adha, the Muslim feast of Sacrifice in the Ariana district near Tunis on May 25, 2026.(Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP)
Tunisians visit a livestock market as they prepare for Eid al-Adha, the Muslim feast of Sacrifice in the Ariana district near Tunis on May 25, 2026.(Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP)

Tunisia's presidency has blamed profiteering networks for the sharp rise in prices, which has become more acute ahead of Eid al-Adha.

Tunisians are facing mounting pressure from high sacrificial animal prices this year, despite a rainy season that ended five consecutive years of drought.

Markets are also witnessing an unusual increase in fruit and vegetable prices, prompting protests earlier this month over the rising cost of living and the erosion of purchasing power among broad segments of the population.

In a video published on its official Facebook page following a meeting between Tunisian President Kais Saied and security officials, the presidency said security forces had dismantled profiteering and hoarding networks in several regions of the country that had deliberately driven up prices "in an attempt to harm producers and consumers alike."

It added that this approach "represents a consistent state policy that will continue without hesitation until this criminal and outrageous rise in prices is completely eliminated."

Despite the security campaigns, prices in markets remained elevated on the eve of Eid al-Adha, including red meat prices, according to observations by a correspondent for the German Press Agency (dpa).

Tunisia's inflation rate stood at 5.5 percent in April, according to the latest official update, marking its highest level in about a year, and is expected to rise further this month.

The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) had earlier warned of deteriorating purchasing power among Tunisians because of rising prices and the absence of effective policies for price monitoring and regulation.