Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism and retired IRGC General Ezzatollah Zarghami said on a November 20, 2023 show on IRIB Ofogh TV (Iran) that Iran has supplied Hamas with Fajr-3 rockets. He said that Iran helps both Shiite Hizbullah and Sunni Hamas. Zarghami claimed to have traveled to the region to deliver the rockets and provide instructions on operating them. He claimed to have been inside the Hamas tunnels.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told Al-Jazeera Network (Qatar) on November 24, 2023, that he has spoken with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Doha, as well as leaders in Hamas and PIJ (Palestinian Islamic Jihad) in Beirut, who said that only 10-12% of their capabilities have been used in Gaza. He explained that the factions still have not used approximately 90% of their forces and weapons in confronting the “Israeli entity.”
Now that truce has been arrived at between Israel and Hamas for a period of four days and with the release of a few hostages from both sides, there is hope that truce could be further extended and the intensity of war would become significantly less. This likely ” truce period” gives an opportunity for the sworn supporters and bitter opponents of Hamas as well as Israel and the observers around the world to introspect on the happenings and whether this war could have been avoided.
Pretending the two terrorist groups are the same will only make it harder to protect Israel and end the war.
Shortly after the horrific attacks of October 7th, when Hamas terrorists brutally killed more than 1,400 men, women and children, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that “Hamas is ISIS.” It’s a comparison that has been reinforced by numerous Israeli and American officials, including U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who, while visiting Israel shortly after the attack, commented that what Hamas did was “worse than ISIS.”
Since the Hamas raid on Israel on Oct. 7, the Islamic State (IS) has been attempting to exploit the resulting conflict to inspire its followers to commit acts of terrorism. Working through its central command apparatus, branches, and affiliates, as well as its legions of online supporters, IS seeks to capitalize on hostile sentiments stirred up throughout the Muslim world by Israel’s assault on Hamas in Gaza, launched in response to an attack that killed over 1,400 in Israel.
Iran and other members of its “axis of resistance” differ in their political circumstances and strategic calculations, complicating Tehran’s response to the Israel-Hamas war.
Iran sees the “axis of resistance” as a tool to achieve gains from the Mideast crisis while avoiding direct conflict with the United States.
The Israel-Hamas war presents Jordan’s leadership with more risks to stability than virtually any other Arab government.
Jordan’s population is majority Palestinian, many of whom resent King Abdullah’s close alignment with the United States, which has refused to back a ceasefire in Gaza.
The government is trying to reflect popular sentiment while at the same time preserving the peace treaty with Israel and close relationships with the United States.
Last Wednesday, several dozen pro-Palestinian activists, their faces obscured by keffiyehs and Covid masks, attempted to block the entrance to the Democratic National Committee Headquarters in Washington, DC. Reports of a riot may have been hyperbole, but footage showed a chaotic demonstration reminiscent of the racial justice protests of 2020. The organisers later accused the police of attacking the “non-violent” protestors; Capitol Police claimed that six of its officers were assaulted.
This action was taken in response to the earlier targeting of the city of Idleb in northwestern Syria, according to Shaam Network.
The military media of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) reported on Thursday, that they had targeted locations controlled by the Assad regime in the city of Qardaha, located in the Lattakia countryside. This action was taken in response to the earlier targeting of the city of Idleb in northwestern Syria.
There were reports several weeks ago of his injury after his vehicle was targeted by Turkish drones near the city of Malikiyah, according to al-Souria Net.
Turkey announced the elimination of Shibli Derik, a high-ranking commander of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) –the military branch of the Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria. This operation was conducted by Turkish intelligence.
Turkish state television (TRT) reported on Saturday that intelligence field agents were actively searching for Derik. Upon learning of his return to al-Malikiyah, they swiftly neutralized him.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) confirmed his death, indicating that the operation took place while he was visiting his family home.
Previously, the commander had launched an anti-tank missile attack on a Turkish police station in Sirnak in February 2022, resulting in the unfortunate death of soldier Tariq Tarkan, just 20 days before he was due to be discharged.
Anadolu Agency also noted that Derik had been taking extreme precautions due to the terrorist acts he had committed against Turkey. However, these measures could not prevent his ultimate demise.
Photographs depict Derik participating in joint exercises with the United States in northern and eastern Syria.
There were reports several weeks ago of his injury after his vehicle was targeted by Turkish drones near the city of Malikiyah.
Anadolu further indicated that he served as a brigade officer within the units, in addition to his involvement in joint exercises in the city of Malikiyah. The most recent exercise took place on September 7, 2022, involving US forces and approximately 250 members of the Democratic Union Party (PYD).
This operation, conducted by Turkish intelligence, is part of a series of missions aimed at targeting leaders of the YPG andSDF.
It follows Turkey’s aerial bombing campaign in SDF-controlled regions, launched in response to an attack that had rattled the capital, Ankara, a month prior and left policemen injured.
Ankara views the YPG and SDF in northern Syria as the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an organization listed on international terrorist registers.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently vowed to persist with military operations in northern and eastern Syria until “the last terrorist is eliminated.” He contended that the PKK operated under various names in Syria, including the Syrian Democratic Forces, and urged countries recognizing the PKK as a terrorist entity to include these affiliated structures in their lists.
