Iraqi Army Carries out ‘Sophisticated’ Operation against ISIS

A member of Iraqi Federal Police waves an Iraqi flag as they celebrate victory of military operations against ISIS militants in West Mosul. (Reuters file photo)
A member of Iraqi Federal Police waves an Iraqi flag as they celebrate victory of military operations against ISIS militants in West Mosul. (Reuters file photo)
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Iraqi Army Carries out ‘Sophisticated’ Operation against ISIS

A member of Iraqi Federal Police waves an Iraqi flag as they celebrate victory of military operations against ISIS militants in West Mosul. (Reuters file photo)
A member of Iraqi Federal Police waves an Iraqi flag as they celebrate victory of military operations against ISIS militants in West Mosul. (Reuters file photo)

Iraq Defense Ministry spokesperson Yahya Rasoul stressed that military operations against ISIS were ongoing, revealing that a recent “sophisticated” operation led to the arrest of four terrorists.

Rasoul told Iraqi News Agency on Thursday that Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi ordered the continuation of operations against ISIS remnants, based on a strategy set in coordination with intelligence and security agencies.

Sophisticated operations are regularly being carried out, he added.

He went on saying that that the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Force (CTF) carried out such an operation on Wednesday, covering regions north of Baghdad and in Babel, Kirkuk and Diyala. Four terrorists were detained for being part of a terrorist network aimed at destabilizing security.

Kadhimi is following up on the air and ground operations against ISIS strongholds, he said.

Last week, the army launched a military operation to cleanse vast areas north of Baghdad of ISIS remnants.

Iraq's Security Media Cell announced that the operation was ordered by the PM and supervised by the Joint Operations Command. It added that the troops were backed by the air force, after receiving delicate intelligence information regarding ISIS remnants.



Lebanese Politician Accuses Israel of Increasing Bombardment to Wring Concessions

This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows an Israeli flag (L) on a destroyed building, and a Lebanese flag (R) painted on a damaged building in the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on November 25, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows an Israeli flag (L) on a destroyed building, and a Lebanese flag (R) painted on a damaged building in the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on November 25, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
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Lebanese Politician Accuses Israel of Increasing Bombardment to Wring Concessions

This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows an Israeli flag (L) on a destroyed building, and a Lebanese flag (R) painted on a damaged building in the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on November 25, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows an Israeli flag (L) on a destroyed building, and a Lebanese flag (R) painted on a damaged building in the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on November 25, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)

Lebanon’s deputy parliament speaker has accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment of Lebanon in order to pressure the government to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah.

Elias Bou Saab, an ally of the Iran-backed group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because “we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire.”

“We are optimistic, and there is hope, but nothing is guaranteed with a person like (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu),” Bou Saab told reporters.

Israel has carried out heavy strikes in central Beirut in recent days, while Hezbollah has increased its rocket fire into Israel.

The United States is trying to broker an agreement in which Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces would withdraw from southern Lebanon and Lebanese troops would patrol the region, along with a UN peacekeeping force.

Israel has demanded freedom of action to strike Hezbollah if it violates the ceasefire, but Bou Saab said that was not part of the emerging agreement.

He also said Israel had accepted that France be part of the committee overseeing the ceasefire after Lebanese officials insisted. There was no immediate confirmation from the Israeli side.

Israel has objected to France being on the committee in the wake of the International Criminal Court’s decision last week to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his former defense minister and a Hamas military commander.

France said it supports the court. It said the question of whether it would arrest Netanyahu if he set foot on French soil was a “complex legal issue” that would have to be worked out.