Orientul Mijlociu

Naim Qassem, newly appointed as Hezbollah’s secretary-general, has become the centerpiece of the group’s narrative efforts. On October 15, as then-deputy secretary-general, he gave his third speech after Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah’s assassination, amidst rumors he had fled Lebanon to Iran.

Against a dark and nondescript backdrop—perhaps to signify Hezbollah mourning its fallen leaders, particularly Nasrallah—and flanked by a Hezbollah flag and, unusually, a Lebanese flag on his right and a picture of Nasrallah to his left, Qassem delivered his most defiant speech yet. As with Nasrallah’s speeches, the themes and tropes raised by Qassem were then echoed and amplified by the group’s officials and media apparatuses.

The assassination of Sinwar places Hamas at a crossroads at various organizational, political and military levels, especially in the context of the course of the war in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, and the movement’s role on the day after the war, which may affect its alliances and relations internally and externally.

Over the past decade, Iran’s regime has been involved in collaborations with criminal actors across the world, seeking to assassinate critics and adversaries, procure materials to advance its nuclear programme, circumvent international sanctions and money-laundering controls, and fund armed groups and terrorist organizations that have carried out horrific attacks.

The Iran-led “Axis of Resistance,” composed of a coalition of armed and political groups across Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, has been striving to play a significant role over the past year amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The military operations, tactics, and strategies of Hezbollah, a key player in this axis, are critical in shaping the future of the conflict in Lebanon and beyond.

Hamas after Yahya al-Sinwar: According to reports, Hamas would not elect a new head to
its political bureau until March 2025 and would rely on the leadership of a committee
composed of five senior members.

Ever since the start of the escalation in South Lebanon last October, with the harsh destruction and the dire economic situation of the residents of South and Central Lebanon, we have witnessed a significant rise of voices criticizing Hezbollah’s conduct.

It appears that Lebanon is being hijacked by foreign interests, utilizing Hezbollah, leading the beautiful and multicultural country into disaster.

Israel has made clear that this attack marks only the beginning

Israel has launched air strikes across Iran—and pushed the Middle East closer towards a devastating wider war.

The United States and Britain hypocritically call for “diplomacy” and “de-escalation”, but back the terror state as it goes on the rampage.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the armed wing of the Autonomous Administration, has announced the restructuring of the “Deir-ez-Zor Military Council”, al-Watan writes.

The unrecognized Kurdish Autonomous Administration (AA) has walked back controversial remarks made by Ilham Ahmad, the co-chair of its Department of Foreign Relations. Ahmad had previously offered Germany the opportunity to deport Syrians, including those suspected or convicted of crimes, to areas under the administration’s control, instead of cooperating with Damascus. This offer stirred tension with the Syrian government.

While Syrian regime media reported that the attack occurred on the Lebanese side, the “Voice of the Capital” website suggested it hit the Wadi al-Harir area, which lies between Lebanon and Syria.

For the second time, an Israeli airstrike has targeted the main Masnaa/Jdeidat Yabous border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, further damaging this critical route. Local sources informed Al-Modon that an Israeli warplane, flying over the Lebanese Bekaa region, carried out two airstrikes, creating a new crater on the road connecting Lebanon to Syria. This second crater, though smaller than the one caused by an earlier strike three weeks ago, inflicted additional damage on the main artery between the two countries.