July 5, 2024

Hezbollah said that it fired more than 200 missiles at Israeli military sites in retaliation for the killing of one of its senior commanders in southern Lebanon. Muhammed Neamah Naser, a commander in Hezbollah’s Aziz Unit, was “eliminated” on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, blaming him for directing terror attacks both before and after Hamas’ October 7 attacks from Gaza The IDF described him as a counterpart of Sami Taleb Abdullah, another Hezbollah commander whose killing last month also triggered a wave of retaliatory strikes. “Together, they served as two of the most significant Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon,” the IDF said. In response to the killing, Hezbollah on Thursday said it had launched “more than 200 missiles of various types” at Israeli targets. The Israeli military said that it intercepted some of those Hezbollah missiles, as well as drones. Some fires broke out as a result of falling shrapnel. In response to those strikes, the IDF said their fighter jets have struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon overnight Wednesday into Thursday. The IDF said they struck a military structure and three “terrorist infrastructure sites.” Hezbollah said Thursday that one of its fighters had been killed. Naser is the latest Hezbollah commander to be killed in hostilities that flared along the Israel-Lebanon border since the October 7 attacks. Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze following an attack from Hezbollah in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. Gil Eliyahu/AP Israeli fire services said Thursday that they are working on multiple “extensive fires” in the north of the country “as a result of the heavy shelling from Lebanon.” More than 10 fires broke out in the area of the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights, the Israel Fire and Rescue North District said in a statement, “with some of them creating very extensive fires in challenging terrain.” Over 40 firefighting teams and 10 aircraft were working in the region on five major incidents, the statement said. Cross-border fire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah has been an almost daily occurrence since the war in Gaza began. But it has been gradually intensifying, raising fears it could escalate into a full-blown conflict. Hezbollah is one of the most powerful paramilitary forces in the Middle East, boasting of tens of thousands of fighters and a vast missile arsenal. The group has said its current round of fighting with Israel is to support Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed more than 300 Hezbollah fighters and some 90 civilians, according to Reuters tallies. Meanwhile, Israel says fire from Lebanon has killed 18 soldiers and 10 civilians. Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/04/middleeast/hezbollah-lebanon-rockets-israel-commander-intl/index.html

The federal government on Friday will decide on Punjab government’s request to gag social media platforms for six days during Muharram amid security concerns, Geo News reported Friday citing sources. According to the insiders, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi will present the issue before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today in a bid to prevent any untoward situation during the religious event. Faithful hold processions across the country in Muharram, while religious scholars address huge gatherings amid tight security, with thousands of law enforcers deployed to ensure the security during the month. The sources, meanwhile, said that the interior minister is not in favour of suspending social media platforms. “The meeting will decide whether or not the social media services will be banned.” The Punjab government has cited spread of hate material and misinformation as reasons behind the move.  According to a Punjab Home Department letter, a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Cabinet on Law and Order was convened to review security and administrative arrangements for Muharram. In this meeting, it was decided to suspend social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram from Muharram 6 to 11 to prevent the dissemination of hate material and misinformation, aiming to avert sectarian violence. The Home Department sent the request to the Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan, seeking immediate action to ensure peace and security during the sensitive period of Muharram. The federal government on Friday will decide on Punjab government’s request to gag social media platforms for six days during Muharram amid security concerns, Geo News reported Friday citing sources. According to the insiders, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi will present the issue before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today in a bid to prevent any untoward situation during the religious event. Faithful hold processions across the country in Muharram, while religious scholars address huge gatherings amid tight security, with thousands of law enforcers deployed to ensure the security during the month. The sources, meanwhile, said that the interior minister is not in favour of suspending social media platforms. “The meeting will decide whether or not the social media services will be banned.” The Punjab government has cited spread of hate material and misinformation as reasons behind the move.  According to a Punjab Home Department letter, a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Cabinet on Law and Order was convened to review security and administrative arrangements for Muharram. In this meeting, it was decided to suspend social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram from Muharram 6 to 11 to prevent the dissemination of hate material and misinformation, aiming to avert sectarian violence. The Home Department sent the request to the Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan, seeking immediate action to ensure peace and security during the sensitive period of Muharram. Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1206588-muharram-2024-govt-to-decide-on-social-media-gag-in-punjab-today

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/7/5/israel-war-on-gaza-live-cautious-optimism-as-ceasefire-talks-revived