LNA Says Turkish Battleship Strikes Area in Western Libya

GNA members carry weapons in Ain Zara, Tripoli, Libya October 14, 2019. REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny
GNA members carry weapons in Ain Zara, Tripoli, Libya October 14, 2019. REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny
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LNA Says Turkish Battleship Strikes Area in Western Libya

GNA members carry weapons in Ain Zara, Tripoli, Libya October 14, 2019. REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny
GNA members carry weapons in Ain Zara, Tripoli, Libya October 14, 2019. REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny

A Turkish battleship has fired missiles on a region west of Libya, causing no casualties, the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by commander Khalifa Haftar announced.

This is a dangerous military escalation and an indication that the intervention of Turkish maritime forces hasn't stopped, LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari said Wednesday.

In a terse statement, the Military Information Division revealed that for the second day in a row, the LNA carried out airstrikes on militia targets in Abugrein, east of Misrata.

The LNA also downed a Turkish drone in Misrata, the fourth in two days.

In a press conference he held on Tuesday, the spokesman stated that more than 500 mercenaries were killed in Tripoli last week. While the death toll of Misrata militias stood at more than 60.

Mismari added that LNA forces seized several key points on the border with Tunisia.

In another context, the High Council of State in Tripoli called on the Government of National Accord to demand an explanation from the European Union on the launch of a new naval mission in the Mediterranean Sea aimed at enforcing a UN arms embargo on Libya.

The Council is protesting what it said were the selective standards of the EU.

The Council, which isn’t internationally recognized but is loyal to the government, said the mission is biased to Haftar.

It added that the EU insists on only inspecting vessels on the high seas, raising doubts on the mission’s objectives.



Israeli Ambassador to US Says Hezbollah Cease-fire Deal Could Come 'Within Days'

Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday (Reuters)
Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday (Reuters)
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Israeli Ambassador to US Says Hezbollah Cease-fire Deal Could Come 'Within Days'

Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday (Reuters)
Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday (Reuters)

The Israeli ambassador to Washington says that a cease-fire deal to end fighting between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah could be reached "within days."
Ambassador Mike Herzog told Israeli Army Radio on Monday that there remained "points to finalize" and that any deal required agreement from the government. But he said "we are close to a deal" and that "it can happen within days."
Among the issues that remain is an Israeli demand to reserve the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. The deal seeks to push Hezbollah and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon.
Israel accuses Hezbollah of not adhering to a UN resolution that ended the 2006 war between the sides that made similar provisions, and Israel has concerns that Hezbollah could stage a Hamas-style cross-border attack from southern Lebanon if it maintains a heavy presence there. Lebanon says Israel also violated the 2006 resolution. Lebanon complains about military jets and naval ships entering Lebanese territory even when there is no active conflict.
It is not clear whether Lebanon would agree to the demand.
The optimism surrounding a deal comes after a top US envoy held talks between the sides last week in a bid to clinch a deal.
Hezbollah began attacking Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas´ raid on southern Israel, setting off more than a year of fighting. That escalated into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and later an Israeli ground incursion into the country´s south.
Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets into Israeli cities and towns, including some 250 on Sunday.