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Hezbollah Launches ‘Squadrons of Drones’ at Israel

Mourners carry the coffin of a Hamas official Samer Al-Hajj, who was killed on Friday by an Israeli drone strike, during his funeral procession at Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, in the southern port city of Sidon, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
Mourners carry the coffin of a Hamas official Samer Al-Hajj, who was killed on Friday by an Israeli drone strike, during his funeral procession at Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, in the southern port city of Sidon, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
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Hezbollah Launches ‘Squadrons of Drones’ at Israel

Mourners carry the coffin of a Hamas official Samer Al-Hajj, who was killed on Friday by an Israeli drone strike, during his funeral procession at Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, in the southern port city of Sidon, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
Mourners carry the coffin of a Hamas official Samer Al-Hajj, who was killed on Friday by an Israeli drone strike, during his funeral procession at Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, in the southern port city of Sidon, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

Hezbollah group said it launched on Saturday explosive-laden drones at a north Israel army base following the killing of a Hamas commander in south Lebanon a day earlier.
Hezbollah fighters launched “squadrons of explosive-laden drones” at the Michve Alon base near the Galilee town of Safed “in response to the attack and assassination carried out by the Israeli enemy in the city of Sidon” on Friday, the group said in a statement.
Hezbollah’s media office said it was “the first time” the group had targeted that base.
On Friday, an Israeli strike on a vehicle in the south Lebanon city of Sidon killed a Hamas commander, the Palestinian militant group and the Israeli military said.
Hamas said in a statement that Samer Al-Hajj was killed “in a Zionist strike in the city of Sidon.”
The Israeli military said that its aircraft struck the Sidon area and “eliminated” Hajj, whom it identified as “a senior commander” for Hamas in Lebanon.
It was the first strike of its kind in Sidon since Hamas launched its October 7 attack on Israel, triggering war in Gaza and prompting its Lebanese ally Hezbollah to begin trading near-daily cross-border fire with the Israeli army in a bid to tie down its troops.

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Iraq: Sudani Steps in to Address Personal Status Law Crisis

Iraq: Sudani Steps in to Address Personal Status Law Crisis
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Iraq: Sudani Steps in to Address Personal Status Law Crisis

Iraq: Sudani Steps in to Address Personal Status Law Crisis

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has promised to review all concerns expressed by the Higher Council for Women’s Affairs about changes to the Personal Status Law.

The amendments have angered civil society groups because they allow child marriages and remove a wife’s right to alimony and custody.

They also propose using religious texts from different sects in Iraq as the basis for legal decisions instead of current laws, according to Iraqi human rights advocates.

At a conference against violence against women on Saturday, al-Sudani praised the role of women in his government, noting that there are three female ministers, two deputy ministers, 111 women as general directors, and 47 assistant general directors.

He also announced the creation of the Higher Council for Women’s Affairs, which will handle decisions related to women’s development and review concerns about the Personal Status Law.

Al-Sudani mentioned that Iraq is working to reduce female illiteracy, which was at 17% two years ago.

Ala Talabani, a former Iraqi MP and vocal opponent of the changes made to the Personal Status Law No. 188 of 1959, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the head of the National Wisdom Movement Ammar al-Hakim’s call for more detailed review and alignment with modern standards is a “positive and important” move.

Talabani warned that the current draft of the amendment could lead to serious violations of women’s rights.

Meanwhile, Claudio Cordone, Deputy Representative of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), praised the Iraqi government’s efforts to fight violence against women and support their rights, and applauded al-Sudani for pushing government agencies to act quickly on women’s issues.

Nevertheless, Iraqi intellectuals have criticized the amendments made, expressing concern about clauses lowering the marriage age for girls to about nine, allowing marriage contracts outside the courts, and affecting divorced women’s rights and child custody.

In Najaf, activists protested the law but faced opposition from religious figures and tribal leaders. The police intervened to separate the protesters and the opposing groups.