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Israeli Troops Deploy to New Corridor Across Southern Gaza

Smoke rises to the sky following Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern Israel, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Smoke rises to the sky following Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern Israel, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
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Israeli Troops Deploy to New Corridor Across Southern Gaza

Smoke rises to the sky following Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern Israel, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Smoke rises to the sky following Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern Israel, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Israel said Saturday that troops have deployed to a newly established security corridor across southern Gaza to pressure the Hamas militant group.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday announced the new Morag Corridor and suggested it would cut off the southern city of Rafah, which Israel has ordered evacuated, from the rest of Gaza.
A military statement Saturday said troops with the 36th Division had been deployed in the corridor. It was not immediately clear how many had deployed or where exactly the corridor was located, The Associated Press reported. Morag is the name of a Jewish settlement that once stood between Rafah and Khan Younis, and Netanyahu suggested it would run between the cities.
Maps published by Israeli media showed the new corridor running the width of the narrow coastal strip from east to west.
Netanyahu said it would be “a second Philadelphi corridor,” referring to the Gaza side of the border with Egypt further south, which has been under Israeli control since last May.
Israel has also reasserted control over the Netzarim corridor that cuts off the northern third of Gaza, including Gaza City, from the rest of the strip. The Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors run from the Israeli border to the Mediterranean Sea.
“We are cutting up the strip, and we are increasing the pressure step by step, so that they will give us our hostages,” Netanyahu said Wednesday.
The latest announcement came shortly after a White House official confirmed that Netanyahu on Monday would again meet with President Donald Trump, their second meeting at the White House since Trump took office in January.
Last month, Israel shattered the ceasefire in Gaza with a surprise bombardment after trying to pressure Hamas to accept proposed new terms for the truce that had taken hold in January. The White House supported Israel's move.
Netanyahu’s defense minister said Israel would seize large areas of Gaza and add them to its so-called security zones.
Israel has pledged to escalate the war with Hamas until the militant group returns the remaining hostages taken in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that sparked the war, disarms and leaves the territory.
Israel last month again halted all supplies of food, fuel and humanitarian aid to Gaza.

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Arab World

Lebanon Begins Clearing Beirut, Airport Road of Political Banners

Removal of a photo of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah (Beirut Municipality) 
Removal of a photo of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah (Beirut Municipality) 
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Lebanon Begins Clearing Beirut, Airport Road of Political Banners

Removal of a photo of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah (Beirut Municipality) 
Removal of a photo of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah (Beirut Municipality) 

Lebanese authorities have launched a sweeping campaign to remove political party flags, posters, and slogans from Beirut’s streets and the main road to Rafic Hariri International Airport, in a move aimed at restoring the capital’s image and promoting tourism.

The cleanup, which began early Wednesday, was ordered by Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar and Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud, with municipal crews and Internal Security Forces overseeing its execution. The initiative is part of a broader government plan to improve public spaces and reflect state authority, especially in areas highly visible to visitors.

“This is about presenting a unified, civil image of Lebanon,” al-Hajjar told Asharq Al-Awsat, emphasizing that the effort aligns with the government’s commitment to assert state sovereignty and support economic recovery.

“The President pledged to restore the state’s authority, and that includes enhancing the appearance and functionality of our cities,” he added.

Starting from central Beirut and stretching along the airport highway, the operation targets all political symbols — including those of powerful groups like Hezbollah and the Amal Movement — as well as commercial billboards installed on public property.

Abboud confirmed that all major parties were informed of the decision and responded cooperatively. “There’s consensus that the capital and airport road should reflect the Lebanese state — not individual factions,” he said, adding that the airport zone must be safe and firmly under state control.

The campaign is also part of preparations for the upcoming summer tourism season, with expectations of increased arrivals from Arab countries, expatriates, and international visitors. Authorities have prioritized street lighting and infrastructure upgrades as part of the broader revitalization.

“In just a few months, we’ve gone from pleading for diesel to keep the airport running, to relighting the entire route from the city center to the terminal,” said Abboud. “We want Beirut to look like a city of joy and openness.”

Party-related imagery placed on public property along Beirut’s roads has long caused tension, often dividing neighborhoods along political lines. Security officials say the removal effort has proceeded smoothly and without resistance, marking a rare show of unity in a politically fractured country.

“The state respects everyone’s right to political activity,” a security source said. “But that no longer includes turning public space into partisan territory.”