Orientul Mijlociu

The continued looting of humanitarian aid trucks demonstrates that Hamas’ internal control remains limited and severely weakened. Armed groups looted 98 of 109 humanitarian aid trucks that entered the southern Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom border crossing on November 16.[i] It is unclear if these armed groups are affiliated with any Palestinian militia group, but the armed men were likely part of organized criminal groups that have replaced Hamas’ police forces in much of the Strip.[ii] Hamas claimed that it conducted a joint operation with local family groups in which Hamas and locals killed 20 individuals who had looted the vehicles.[iii] The fact that Hamas had to cooperate with these local groups indicates that Hamas’ control over the Gaza Strip remains weak. Hamas has long fought local families and organized criminal groups for control over the Gaza Strip. The UNRWA spokesperson said that the aid convoys are not allowed to maintain any armed guards and that they usually attempt to drive fast to avoid ambushes by armed groups.[iv] The IDF has recently taken several steps to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, including plans to reopen the Kissufim border crossing and facilitate the transfer of aid trucks into the northern Gaza Strip.[v] CTP-ISW has not observed the IDF escorting any aid itself, however.

Cet article a pour but d’informer le public francophone que le terrorisme est souvent utilisé pour diaboliser la lutte d’autodétermination palestinienne et minimiser la souffrance du peuple palestinien, que le terrorisme a été initié par les sionistes. Loin d’être châtiés, ils ont été récompensés par l’octroi d’un État (55% de la Palestine pour 20% de la population). Les palestiniens désabusés n’ont fait que suivre l’exemple de leurs «grands frères» dans le métier. Si un sioniste vous accuse de soutenir le Hamas parce que vous dénoncez les crimes d’Israël, rappelez-lui que les sionistes aussi ont été des terroristes.

The IDF killed the head of Hezbollah’s media office, Mohammad Afif, in central Beirut on November 17.[i] The IDF conducted a strike targeting Afif in a residential building in Ras al Nabaa, a neighborhood in central Beirut.[ii] Hezbollah confirmed Afif’s death.[iii] Afif was reportedly visiting a Syrian Ba’ath Party in Lebanon branch office at the time of the strike, according to the office’s head.[iv] The Lebanese Health Ministry reported the strike killed one and injured three others.[v]

Afif’s killing is a continuation of the IDF’s campaign to target senior Hezbollah leadership to further degrade Hezbollah’s command-and-control. The IDF said that Afif worked with senior Hezbollah officials to direct military operations, particularly after Israeli operations seriously disrupted Hezbollah‘s strategic- and operational-level military leadership.[vi] Afif had served as Hezbollah’s spokesperson since 2014 and facilitated Hezbollah’s news coverage and media relations.[vii] Afif managed Hezbollah’s attack claims and documentation related to attack claims and coordinated Hezbollah‘s messaging with Lebanese media.[viii] Afif played a role in Hezbollah’s October 19 drone attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s house in Caesarea.[ix] He was a close adviser to Nasrallah and had become the highest-ranking Hezbollah official to hold public conferences in Beirut over the past month.[x] Afif’s killing is likely intended to further disrupt Hezbollah’s command-and-control structures and its attempts to rehabilitate those structures by having other officials step into previous commanders’ roles.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reportedly called on Lebanese Hezbollah to accept a ceasefire agreement that would require Hezbollah to remain north of the Litani River per UN Security Council Resolution 1701.[i] Two individuals affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) told the New York Times on November 16 that senior Supreme Leader adviser Ali Larijani conveyed this message to Hezbollah during his recent visit to Beirut.[ii] The message emphasized that Khamenei supports “ending the war with Israel” and that Iran will help Hezbollah recover from the war.[iii] It is in Iran’s interest to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah to prevent Israel from further weakening Hezbollah.[iv] Iran could also calculate that it could help rearm and reconstitute Hezbollah in southern Lebanon after a ceasefire takes effect. Iran has historically transferred weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon via Syria, which means that preventing this rearmament and reconstitution process would require some form of interdiction effort against Iran.[v] This report, assuming it is accurate, highlights the extent to which Iran lacks the capability or willingness to defend the Axis of Resistance against Israel. Iran failed to prevent Israel from defeating or severely degrading Hamas units across the Gaza Strip, and it now similarly appears opposed to helping Hezbollah fight Israel.[vi]

In an unexpected move, the Turkish political establishment has once again sent signals of openness to the Kurdish armed struggle. But what are the deep reasons behind this strategy? We asked sociologist Mesut Yeğen

In early October, Devlet Bahçeli, secretary general of the nationalist MHP party, shook hands with several MPs from the pro-Kurdish DEM party, formerly HDP. This unusual gesture was followed by a groundbreaking speech on October 22, in which he called on PKK leader and founder Abdullah Öcalan to declare the end of the armed struggle from the parliament podium. How do you assess this development?

On November 4, 2024, the Istanbul-based Syria.tv network, which supports the Syrian opposition, reported that Lebanese drug lords linked to Hizbullah and listed on U.S. Treasury’s OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, have moved to resume operations in Syria following the breakout of hostilities between Israel and Lebanese Hizbullah in southern Lebanon.

Also Known As: al-Imam Hussein Brigade; Imam Hussein Brigade militia;

Country Of Origin: Syria

Leaders: Amjad al- Bahadli, the first commander

Key Members: Feras al-Mahdawi, Abu Ali al Assad

Operational Area: Syria, Iraq

Involved In: The “al-Imam Hussein Brigade” is a militia made up of sub-units (militias) primarily made up of Syrian operatives (Sunnis, Druze, and Shiites) and Iraqi operatives (of Shi’ite background).

Established In: 1983;

Also Known As: Badr Brigade, Badr Brigades, Badr Corps, Badr Organization of Reconstruction and Development, Badr Organisation Iraq, Martyr Mohamed Baqir al-Sadr Forces, Martyr Muhammed Baqir al-Sadr Forces, Munathamat Badr, Quwet Shahid Baqir Sadr;

Country Of Origin: Iraq;

Key Members: Hadi al Amiri;

Operational Area: Iraq;

Involved In: Assasinations, Armed Attacks, Bomb Attacks;

Established In: 1981

Established By: Fathi Shaqaqi, Abd Al Aziz Awda, Ramadan Shalah, Bashir Moussa

Also Known As: Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine

Country Of Origin: Palestine

Leaders: Ramadan Shalah

Key Members: Ramadan Shalah, Abd Al Aziz Awda

Operational Area: Palestine

Number Of Members: 8000

Involved In: Suicide attacks, Suicide car-bomb attacks, Terrorist attacks, Kidnapping, Rocket attacks