Orientul Mijlociu

Retired Lebanese judge Peter Germanos said in a December 2, 2023 interview on Voice of Lebanon Radio that Lebanon is turning more and more into a leftist rogue state by refusing to abide by UN resolutions such as 1701 and others. But he added that while North Korea has nuclear power, Cuba has vast territory and food, and Venezuela has oil, Lebanon has nothing.

Recently, Sa’adollah Zarei, who is on the editorial board of the Iranian regime mouthpiece Kayhan, and Ramazan Sharif, who heads the Intifada and Quds Central Headquarters of the Islamic Propaganda Coordination Council and is spokesman of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), both expressed opposition to the “two-state solution” for Israel and Palestine proposed by countries in the West for after the Israel-Hamas war is over.

On December 7, 2023, Saraya Al-Quds, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), eulogized two of its fighters who allegedly were killed in south Lebanon in a combat against Israel.

Citing a Quranic verse that promises heavens for “martyrs,” the statement, which was posted on the group’s Telegram channel, identified the two fighters as Mohammad Ahmad Saleh (31 years) and Malik Ahmad Omar, a.k.a. Abu Hussien (27 years).

Introduction

Yemen’s Ansar Allah Houthi Movement – a delisted foreign terrorist organization (FTO) – has, since October 7, launched six rounds of aerial projectiles at Israel,[1] downed a U.S. drone in Yemen,[2] captured a shipping vessel in the Red Sea,[3] and, most recently, fired ballistic missiles and drones in the vicinity of a U.S. Navy vessel.[4]

General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, spoke in an address before Basij students that was aired on IRINN TV (Iran) on December 1, 2023 about Iran’s role in the Gaza war. He said that Iran “has done what it had to do.” Hajizadeh explained that in the past, the only means of defense the people of Gaza had were stones, but now they have rockets and advanced weapons and capabilities.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Monday Operation Prosperity Guardian, which he said was in response to “reckless Houthi attacks” from Yemen in the Red Sea.

Countries joining the naval task force include the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.

Latest Developments

Global oil prices spiked on December 18 after BP announced that it is pausing traffic in the Red Sea due to “the deteriorating security situation for shipping.” This announcement came as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis attacked two commercial vessels in the Red Sea — the latest in a string of Houthi missile and drone attacks against ships in the area. The rise in oil prices will benefit Tehran, which is also raking in cash from U.S. sanctions waivers, including access to $10 billion previously held in escrow in Iraq.

highlights:
Established In: July 2016;

Key Members: Sayfuddin al-Tatari;

Operational Area: Latakia Governorate, Syria;

Size: 400;

Involved In: Bomb Attacks, Armed Attacks;

highlights:
Established In: 1999

Established By: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (death), Amir Mohammed Abdul Rahman al-Mawli al-Salbi (also known as Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi);

Also Known As: Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Daesh, ISIS, ISIL

Country Of Origin: Iraq and Syria

Homs province: A member of ISIS and two members of the National Defence Forces were killed and three others sustained various injuries during armed clashes with machineguns between members of the National Defence Forces and ISIS members in Al-Sukhnah desert.