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Israel Escalates Its 'War Between Wars' Campaign

An Israeli tank in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights (File photo: Reuters)
An Israeli tank in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights (File photo: Reuters)
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Israel Escalates Its 'War Between Wars' Campaign

An Israeli tank in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights (File photo: Reuters)
An Israeli tank in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights (File photo: Reuters)

Israel is escalating its “war between wars” campaign by demanding the removal of Lebanese Hezbollah, along with all Iranian militias from Syria.

As a result, Israeli warplanes dropped leaflets in several areas in southern Syria warning the regime forces against its collaboration with Hezbollah and Iranian militias.

The leaflet also threatened the commander of the Syrian army’s 112th Brigade, Basil Abu Eid, residing in Quneitra, with assassination.

Addressing Abu Eid, the leaflet said that despite prior warnings, he was still allowing Hezbollah forces to operate in the area under his command.

“Hezbollah has brought destruction and instability to the region. You personally and the army, in general, will pay the price. Now is the time for Hezbollah to leave Syria. Now is the time for Hezbollah to leave the 112th Brigade,” read the leaflet.

Earlier, Israel reportedly attacked sites of the regime and pro-Iranian forces but deliberately avoided Hezbollah’s locations.

Israeli sources considered it an escalation in Israeli goals and demands.

Tel Aviv is no longer satisfied with just removing Iran and its militias from Syria as it now wants Hezbollah out of the country as well. It is also threatening the regime’s army of increased operations.

Israeli Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, announced in a meeting with Northern Brigade leaders that the army executed over 50 attacks and many covert operations in 2020, forcing Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to evacuate many of its bases in Syria and withdraw some of its militias.

Kochavi revealed that Iranian bases, camps, and headquarters have been evacuated from the Damascus area as part of a campaign to move them to northeastern Syria.

Within the framework of Tel Aviv’s “war between wars” military activities, the frequency, and quality of Israeli operations have increased in Syria, and so did the range of covert activities.

The Iranian repositioning in Syria slowed down over the past two years as a result of the Israeli activities, announced Kochavi.

The number of Iranian activists in Syria and affiliated militias has also decreased significantly.

A senior Israeli official indicated in a press briefing that President Bashar al-Assad realized that the Iranian presence complicates the situation and contributes to the Turkish expansion in the north.

Assad doesn’t dare to speak with the “rude officials” in Tehran, who insist on using his country as part of their goals to control the region, according to the official.

Iran evacuated some of its sites, however, it kept Hezbollah in its locations. Tel Aviv is trying to prevent that because the party wants to use southern Syria as another front for its war against Israel.

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Arab World

UNIFIL: Full Implementation of UN Resolution 1701 is Shared Responsibility

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Aroldo Lazaro arriving at the ceremony (UN)
UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Aroldo Lazaro arriving at the ceremony (UN)
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UNIFIL: Full Implementation of UN Resolution 1701 is Shared Responsibility

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Aroldo Lazaro arriving at the ceremony (UN)
UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Aroldo Lazaro arriving at the ceremony (UN)

The full implementation of UN Resolution 1701 is a shared responsibility, and the parties' commitment is necessary to advance towards a long-term solution, announced UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Aroldo Lazaro.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) celebrated the International Day of Peace in Naqoura, south Lebanon, in a ceremony attended by Lebanese political representatives, including Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab, local authorities, Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), security forces, UN officials, and members of the international community.

Lazaro and LAF representative Brigadier General Mounir Shehade laid wreaths at the cenotaph in memory of the over 300 UNIFIL peacekeepers who have lost their lives while serving in south Lebanon since 1978.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 2695, extending UNIFIL's peacekeeping mandate for another year.

The resolution reaffirms UNIFIL's authorization to conduct its operations independently while continuing to coordinate with the Government of Lebanon regarding Lebanese sovereignty.

"As our name says, we are peacekeepers – we keep the peace, but we do not bestow it," Lazaro told the crowd.

"We keep the peace that the parties have each given space for, have each worked to maintain in their ways. But whenever it is threatened, UNIFIL is there, ready to help."

The UNIFIL head emphasized the mission's strong partnership with the Lebanese government and armed forces.

"We are here at the invitation of the Lebanese government, who have been our hosts for over forty-five years," he said.

"We coordinate closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces, conducting patrols with them and on our own, to help the government someday exercise its authority over this beautiful country."

He also stressed the importance of restraint and UNIFIL's role in decreasing tensions.

Lazaro noted: "The danger of miscalculation remains, a danger that could jeopardize the cessation of hostilities and lead us to conflict."

He asserted it was important for the parties to bear this in mind and to use UNIFIL's liaison and coordination mechanisms to deconflict situations and decrease tensions.

"The full implementation of UN Resolution 1701 remains a shared responsibility, and the parties' commitment is necessary to advance towards a long-term solution."

Military staff officers were awarded the UN Peacekeeping Medal during the ceremony for participating in the mission's work. As is customary, white doves were released at UNIFIL's cenotaph to symbolize peace.

The International Day of Peace was established by the UN General Assembly in 1981.

It is dedicated to ceasefire and non-violence and is an occasion during which all promote tolerance, justice, and human rights.

Each year, on this day, the UN invites all nations and people to honor a 24-hour cessation of hostilities and to commemorate the day through activities that promote peace.

Arab World

Cyprus Calls on the EU to Rethink Syrian Safe Zones for Eventually Repatriating Syrian Migrants 

02 September 2023, Cyprus, Limassol: The store window is shattered as protesters attack a hair salon belonging to a migrant. (dpa)
02 September 2023, Cyprus, Limassol: The store window is shattered as protesters attack a hair salon belonging to a migrant. (dpa)
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Cyprus Calls on the EU to Rethink Syrian Safe Zones for Eventually Repatriating Syrian Migrants 

02 September 2023, Cyprus, Limassol: The store window is shattered as protesters attack a hair salon belonging to a migrant. (dpa)
02 September 2023, Cyprus, Limassol: The store window is shattered as protesters attack a hair salon belonging to a migrant. (dpa)

Cyprus has formally called on the European Union to re-evaluate which areas of Syria can be declared safe and free from armed conflict so that Syrian migrants can eventually be repatriated there, the Cypriot Interior Ministry said Friday.

Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou was the sole official to raise the issue during July’s informal gathering of his EU counterparts in Spain. No other EU nation has taken a formal position on safe zone re-evaluation, the Interior Ministry told The Associated Press.

Cyprus is fronting the re-evaluation bid because it says its proximity to the region has now made it a prime destination for Syrian migrants.

Ethnically divided Cyprus, with a population of nearly a million in the southern, internationally recognized part where migrants seek asylum, says migrants now comprise 6% of its population – much higher than the average in other EU member countries.

War-torn Syria has for the past 12 years has been designated as an unsafe country where indiscriminate violence poses a real risk to the safety of its citizens. The threat makes them eligible for international protection status which enables them to live and work in third countries.

The government of Cyprus is proposing that the EU initially re-examines whether conditions on the ground in Syria – or parts of the country – have changed enough for Syrians to be safely repatriated.

The practicalities of how such repatriations would take place could be decided at a later stage. One possibility would be to start repatriations of Syrians who hail from the declared safe zones, according to the Cypriot Interior Ministry.

Some 40% of 7,369 migrants who have applied for asylum in Cyprus in 2023 until the end of August are Syrians.

The European Union Agency for Asylum says there’s “no real risk” to civilians from indiscriminate violence in only one of Syria’s 13 regions – Tartus. In another four, including Latakia, Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, indiscriminate violence isn’t “at a high level.”

The United Nations refugee agency says it’s not currently either “facilitating or promoting refugee return” to Syria, noting that refugees have the right to return to their homeland “at a time of their own choosing.”

Arab World

Tunisia Frees Cartoonist after His Arrest over Drawings Mocking PM

Policemen stand guard in Tunis. (Reuters)
Policemen stand guard in Tunis. (Reuters)
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Tunisia Frees Cartoonist after His Arrest over Drawings Mocking PM

Policemen stand guard in Tunis. (Reuters)
Policemen stand guard in Tunis. (Reuters)

Tunisia's public prosecutor on Friday released the cartoonist Tawfiq Omrane, after he was detained for hours over drawings mocking the prime minister.
Omrane is well known for publishing satirical cartoons featuring President Kais Saied, who seized almost all powers two years ago after he shut down Tunisia's elected parliament.
"They interrogated me on suspicion of insulting the prime minister. They showed a drawing that they considered offensive", Omrane told Diwan FM Tunisian radio.
Omrane pledged that he would continue his satirical drawings.
Ahmed Hachani is the prime minister, appointed last month to replace Najla Bouden.
Many Tunisians see free speech as a principal reform won after the 2011 revolution that toppled President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Activists, journalists and politicians have warned this freedom is under threat.
"Omrane's arrest reinforces authorities' efforts to suppress critical voices of the president," said Amira Mohamed, a senior official at the country's Journalists' Syndicate.
Kais Saied strongly criticized state TV in a speech this week, including the arrangement of headlines in a bulletin, in a move that the Journalists Syndicate said was "blatant interference".
Saied rejects accusations of targeting freedoms and has said he will never be a dictator.

Arab World

Palestinian President Calls for Salvaging Two-State Solution

Palestinian President during his speech at the UN General Assembly (AFP)
Palestinian President during his speech at the UN General Assembly (AFP)
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Palestinian President Calls for Salvaging Two-State Solution

Palestinian President during his speech at the UN General Assembly (AFP)
Palestinian President during his speech at the UN General Assembly (AFP)

The Palestinian President called on the United Nations General Assembly to undertake the necessary arrangements to convene a peace conference, which may be the "last opportunity to salvage the two-state solution."

Abbas asserted Thursday the need to "prevent the situation from deteriorating more seriously, threatening the security and stability of our region and the entire world."

Speaking at the 78th session of the General Assembly, Abbas stated that Israel is systematically destroying the two-state solution, calling on the UN to take deterrent measures against Israel until it fulfills its obligations.

He pointed out that Palestine would persist in pursuing accountability and justice at the relevant international bodies against Tel Aviv because of the continued Israeli occupation of the land and against everyone who had a role in the catastrophe.

- Commemorating the Nakba

Abbas also called to criminalize the denial of Palestinian Nakba and designate May 15 of each year as an international day to commemorate its anniversary and the lives of about 950,000 Palestinians who were killed in massacres committed by Zionist gangs and whose villages were demolished and who were forcibly displaced from their homes.

Abbas urged UN Member States, each in its national capacity, to take practical steps based on the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy and international law.

He also called on the states that have yet to recognize Palestine to declare their recognition and for Palestine to be admitted to full membership in the UN.

- A Yemeni warning

The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, warned against any complacency from the international community or dealing with the Houthi militia as de facto authorities, which will lead to eradicating this behavior.

He emphasized that such an approach will perpetuate repression and the violation of public freedoms.

"We reaffirm the need to have the right guarantees for peace ... pursuant to the Saudi initiative," based on justice and fairness, he continued.

Any peace agreement or trust-building measures should be targeted towards alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people.

- Lebanese Challenges

The proceedings of the General Assembly continued until late Wednesday night, during which Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati delivered his speech.

Mikati looked forward to the Lebanese Parliament exercising its sovereign rule by electing a president in the coming period, a head of state around whom the Lebanese would unite and who would enshrine the return of the republic.

He emphasized Lebanon's unique cross-border challenges with neighboring Syria, criticizing the international community's inability to find sustainable solutions to the displacement of Syrian refugees.

The Prime Minister argued that one of Lebanon's primary challenges was filling the presidential void, along with instituting reforms needed to achieve economic recovery, ease the financial crisis, and promote institutional and political stability in the country.

"Twelve years into the Syrian crisis, Lebanon is still bearing the burden of successive waves of displacement, with far-reaching economic and social repercussions on all aspects of life, thus threatening Lebanon's very existence," he said.

Mikati also issued renewed criticism of Israel's continued occupation of southern Lebanon, daily violations of Lebanese sovereignty, and its violation of Security Council resolution 1701.

- Iran's Nuclear Program

Meanwhile, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi informed reporters in New York that relations with the US could progress if President Joe Biden's administration showed a willingness to return to the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) of 2015.

Raisi considered that the first step would be easing sanctions.

The President stated that US officials have reached out through several channels expressing their desire for dialogue, but Iran believes tangible actions should back this.

Iran's nuclear program is purely for peaceful purposes and is used in agriculture and the oil and gas infrastructure, he asserted, denying reports suggesting that Iran has increased enrichment levels.

When asked about IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, Raisi confirmed they had spoken in Tehran earlier in March, stressing that his country cooperates with the agency.

He condemned the European countries' (E3) announcement to maintain sanctions on Iran, originally scheduled to end in October, under the 2015 nuclear deal.

- Illegal Migration

Italy's far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, said she will not allow the country to become "Europe's refugee camp" after thousands of people seeking refuge landed on its shores.

- Libya's ordeal

The Libyan Minister of Youth of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Fathallah al-Zeni, also delivered a speech on behalf of the Head of the Presidential Council, Mohammed Menfi, who apologized for not participating due to the floods that struck the eastern regions of Libya.

Zeni indicated that Libyans and the world woke up on Sunday, September 10, to a terrible scene and a major disaster in Derna, as thousands died or went missing.

He emphasized that the size of the disaster exceeded all local capabilities.

Arab World

Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Fighter in Northern West Bank Raid 

A bullet hole is seen in a shop window following an Israeli military raid in the Jenin refugee camp, West Bank, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. (AP)
A bullet hole is seen in a shop window following an Israeli military raid in the Jenin refugee camp, West Bank, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. (AP)
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Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Fighter in Northern West Bank Raid 

A bullet hole is seen in a shop window following an Israeli military raid in the Jenin refugee camp, West Bank, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. (AP)
A bullet hole is seen in a shop window following an Israeli military raid in the Jenin refugee camp, West Bank, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. (AP)

Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian militant during a raid in the occupied West Bank on Friday, the seventh person killed this week as President Mahmoud Abbas sought to revive statehood talks amid efforts to further integrate Israel into the Middle East.

The militant Islamic Jihad group claimed the 18-year-old as a member. In a statement, they said he was shot while confronting Israeli soldiers who raided the village of Kafr Dan near the northern West Bank city of Jenin.

The Israeli military said soldiers opened fire at suspects who shot at and hurled an explosive device at its forces during a weapons search operation in Kafr Dan. "A hit was identified," it said in a statement.

Violence in the West Bank violence has surged for over a year, with stepped up Israeli military raids, increased settler assaults on Palestinian villages and a spate of Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis.

On Tuesday, three Palestinians were killed during a military raid on Jenin, among them a 15-year-old who was shot by Israeli special forces after he discovered them as he was leaving his grandfather's house, according to rights group Defense for Children International - Palestine.

Israel occupied the West Bank, which Palestinians want as the core of an independent state, in a 1967 Middle East war. It has since built Jewish settlements there that most countries deem illegal.

The expansion of settlements under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government have strained ties between the Israeli leader and President Joe Biden, who met in New York this week for the first time since Netanyahu returned to power in December.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, President Abbas said Middle East peace was achievable only when Palestinians achieve "their full rights." He called on the UN to convene a peace conference to "salvage the two-state solution."

Arab World

Yemen’s Alimi at UN: No More Concessions to Houthis

The President of the Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
The President of the Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
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Yemen’s Alimi at UN: No More Concessions to Houthis

The President of the Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
The President of the Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Rashad al-Alimi, the head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), strongly warned against his country going back to a time of slavery due to the Houthi group’s influence.

He emphasized the need for long-lasting peace based on established agreements and made it clear that there would be no new compromises with the Houthi group that controls northern Yemen.

Alimi’s warnings at the UN General Assembly meeting in New York came as the Houthis showcased in Sanaa their military power on the anniversary of taking over the capital.

Their leaders proudly talked about their missiles and drones, claiming that they could threaten all parts of Yemen and nearby regions.

Alimi stated that hopes are renewed with the resumption of Saudi and Omani efforts to compel Houthis to respect popular, regional, and international will.

He stressed that the goal of any sustainable peace efforts must involve broad partnership without discrimination or exclusion, aiming to establish a brighter future for Yemen.

The PLC chairman emphasized that his leadership and the Yemeni government have no further concessions to make, expressing skepticism about the intentions of the Houthi group, which he believed could be foreseen for decades to come.

Alimi warned against his country becoming a hub for exporting terrorism.

“Any leniency from the international community or compromising the legal status of the state, or even dealing with militias as an established authority, would inevitably turn the suppression and violation of public freedoms into an inescapable behavior,” said Alimi.

He also pointed to the group’s disregard for all previous deals, including the Stockholm Agreement.

Arab World

US Urges Libyans to Form a ‘Unified Army’

The US delegation during the meeting of the Libyan commander-in-chief (US Embassy)
The US delegation during the meeting of the Libyan commander-in-chief (US Embassy)
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US Urges Libyans to Form a ‘Unified Army’

The US delegation during the meeting of the Libyan commander-in-chief (US Embassy)
The US delegation during the meeting of the Libyan commander-in-chief (US Embassy)

US Africa Command (AFRICOM) commander General Micheal Langley and the US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland reiterated the call for the formation of a unified government in Libya, asserting that the military—east and west—can jointly support relief efforts in flood affected areas.

The US officials met with the chairman of the Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, and reiterated Washington's support for Libyan flood relief efforts.

"The United States stands with the Libyan people in their calls for national unity in the wake of the tragedy in eastern Libya."

Later, Langley addressed with the Chief of Staff of the Libyan Army, Mohammed al-Haddad, the Libyan people's response to the devastation caused by Storm Daniel, and asserted that the strongest defense Libya has is unity.

They discussed how the East and West military can jointly support relief efforts in flood-affected areas and how the United States can help.

Langley said that the efforts towards military reunification, starting with a joint east-west force, are vital to secure the peace and stability that the Libyan people deserve.

Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Thursday that more than 43,000 individuals have been displaced due to the recent devastating floods in eastern Libya, namely Derna.

The organization warned that the shortage of water supply is reportedly prompting many displaced residents to leave Derna, which suffered the most extensive damage in the region, and to relocate to other municipalities.

It added that a lack of water supply is reportedly driving many displaced people out of Derna, noting that urgent needs include food, drinking water and mental health and psychosocial support.

Furthermore, senior analyst of the Crisis Group Claudia Gazzini interviewed the former mayor of Derna, Abdelmonem al-Gaithi, sacked after the floods. Gaithi asked the international community to support the creation of a global technical commission of inquiry to determine what happened in the city.

In addition, the spokesman for the Libyan Commander-in-Chief, Major General Ahmed al-Mismari, denied any hostility towards journalists.

Mismari told Asharq Al-Awsat that some journalists are causing chaos during rescue operations, insisting on conducting interviews during rescue operations, which prompted authorities to order them to stay away from the area, given concerns about the spread of diseases.

He denied claims that international rescue teams were banned from entering Derna, highlighting that the army welcomes everyone providing humanitarian and medical aid.

He condemned "the political exploitation" of the Derna disaster.

Arab World

Israel Strikes Alleged Syrian Military Structures. It Says the Buildings Violated a 1974 Cease-fire

An Israeli tank is positioned near the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip during clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers, as it is seen from the Israeli side September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
An Israeli tank is positioned near the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip during clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers, as it is seen from the Israeli side September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
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Israel Strikes Alleged Syrian Military Structures. It Says the Buildings Violated a 1974 Cease-fire

An Israeli tank is positioned near the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip during clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers, as it is seen from the Israeli side September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
An Israeli tank is positioned near the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip during clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers, as it is seen from the Israeli side September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

The Israeli military said tanks struck two structures inside a demilitarized zone in Syria on Thursday, claiming the buildings violated a half-century-old cease-fire agreement between the two countries.
The structures, it said, were being used by the Syrian military, amounting to what the army called a “clear violation” of the 1974 cease-fire. The Israeli army did not provide any information on what the structures were used for or when they were built, The Associated Press said.
In Syria, the pro-government Sham FM radio station said Israel’s military struck an area on the edge of the Syrian side of the Golan Heights in the village of Hadar. It said there were no casualties.
The 1974 agreement established a demilitarized separation zone between Israeli and Syrian forces, stationing a UN peacekeeping force there to maintain calm.
Assaf Orion, a retired Israeli general and research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, said the strike did not mark a major escalation. The Israeli military often strikes what it says are Iranian-linked targets in Syria.
“It’s just a small match in a much larger fireworks show,” Orion said.
He said both the structures and the Israeli strike violated the cease-fire agreement, which bans both sides from military activity in the demilitarized territory.
The agreement is credited with officially ending the 1973 Mideast war, when a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria launched an attack on Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. Israel is marking the 50th anniversary of the war next week, based on the Hebrew calendar.
Israel and Syria are bitter enemies, though the cease-fire has largely held for the past five decades.
Also on Thursday, Syrian media reported that Israeli drones targeted two people riding a motorcycle in the Syrian capital of Damascus.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said the Israeli strike killed two members of Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant group backed by Iran, near the village of Beit Jin in southern Syria.
Islamic Jihad official Ismail Abu-Mujahed denied that any of their operatives were killed in southern Syria.
The Israeli army declined to comment on the reports.

Arab World

Sudan's Rival Military Leaders Give Competing Addresses to UN

Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan Abdelrahman Al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan, addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan Abdelrahman Al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan, addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
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Sudan's Rival Military Leaders Give Competing Addresses to UN

Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan Abdelrahman Al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan, addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan Abdelrahman Al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan, addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

The heads of Sudan's rival military factions gave competing addresses to the United Nations on Thursday, one from the podium at UN headquarters in New York and the other in a rare video recording from an undisclosed location.
Army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, speaking at the United Nations following a string of foreign trips, called on the international community to designate the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a terrorist organization and to counter its sponsors outside Sudan's borders, Reuters said.
RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, said in a video message that his forces were fully prepared for a ceasefire and comprehensive political talks to end the conflict.
Both sides blamed the other for starting the war that erupted in mid-April in Khartoum and has spread to other parts of the country including the western region of Darfur, displacing more than 5 million people and threatening to destabilize the region.
Most of Hemedti's recent communications have been audio messages, and his whereabouts have been a source of speculation.
In the video released on Thursday shortly before Burhan spoke, Hemedti appeared in military uniform, seated behind a desk with a Sudanese national flag behind him as he read out his speech. His location was not clear.
"Today we renew our commitment to the peaceful process to put a halt to this war," Hemedti said. "The RSF are fully prepared for a ceasefire throughout Sudan to allow the passage of humanitarian aid ... and to start serious and comprehensive political talks."
FAILED CEASEFIRES
Previous assertions by the army and the RSF that they are seeking a solution to the conflict, as well as announcements of ceasefires by both sides, have failed to stop bloodshed and the deepening of a humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
"We are still extending our hands for peace, to stop this war and the suffering of our people," said Burhan, adding that the army remained committed to withdrawing from politics in a transition to civilian rule.
But he also called for the RSF to be labeled a terrorist group and said it was backed by regional and international backers, without naming any. "There is a need to firmly address their sponsors," he said.
Sudan's war broke out over plans to formally integrate the RSF into the army as part of a political transition, four years after the overthrow of former leader Omar al-Bashir during a popular uprising. The army and RSF staged a coup together in 2021 before coming to blows.
Witnesses say the army has used heavy artillery and air strikes that have caused casualties in residential districts of Khartoum and other cities, and that the RSF has inflicted widespread looting and sexual violence on residents as well as participating in ethnically targeted attacks in Darfur.
Saudi Arabia and the United States have tried to secure a lasting ceasefire in Sudan but the process stalled amid parallel international initiatives in Africa and the Middle East.

Arab World

IOM: At Least 43,059 People Displaced by Libya Floods

People sit among the rubble in Libya's eastern city of Derna on September 20, 2023, following a deadly flash flood. (Photo by Abu Bakr AL-SOUSSI / AFP)
People sit among the rubble in Libya's eastern city of Derna on September 20, 2023, following a deadly flash flood. (Photo by Abu Bakr AL-SOUSSI / AFP)
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IOM: At Least 43,059 People Displaced by Libya Floods

People sit among the rubble in Libya's eastern city of Derna on September 20, 2023, following a deadly flash flood. (Photo by Abu Bakr AL-SOUSSI / AFP)
People sit among the rubble in Libya's eastern city of Derna on September 20, 2023, following a deadly flash flood. (Photo by Abu Bakr AL-SOUSSI / AFP)

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Thursday at least 43,059 people have been displaced by severe floods in northeastern Libya.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the IOM added that the lack of clean water supplies appeared to be driving many displaced people out of Derna to municipalities to the east and west of the Mediterranean city.

The country’s chief prosecutor, meanwhile, vowed to take “serious measures” to deliver justice for the victims of the floods, which devastated Derna more than a week ago.

Thousands of people were killed, with many dead still under the rubble or at sea, according to search teams. Government officials and aid agencies have given varied death tolls ranging from about 4,000 to over 11,000.

Local authorities said they have isolated the worst damaged part of Derna amid growing concerns about potential infection by waterborne diseases. Health authorities have launched a vaccination campaign that initially targeted search and rescue teamed along with children in Derna and other impacted areas.