Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 225?
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to head to Israel • PIJ terrorist killed in Jenin in West Bank •, US and Iran discuss Mid East stability
UAV strikes motorcyclist in southern Lebanon - report
A UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) struck a motorcyclist in southern Lebanon, a correspondent for the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen reported on Saturday morning.
This is a developing story.
IDF Arabic spokesperson stresses Hamas is preventing aid, humanitarian efforts
The IDF Arabic Spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, stressed on Saturday morning that Hamas was preventing aid from reaching Palestinian civilians and manufacturing a humanitarian crisis.
"Hamas is trying to prevent Israel from alleviating the suffering of the people of Gaza because their suffering is strategic for its leaders," Adraee posted on X. "Hamas intensifies its attacks against Israeli civilians, while Israel intensifies its humanitarian efforts for the people of Gaza. We will continue to increase the amount of aid entering Gaza as we work to return our abductees to their homes and defeat Hamas."
حماس تحاول ان تمنع من إسرائيل تخفيف معاناة سكان غزة لان معاناتهم استراتيجية بالنسبة لقادتها.
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) May 18, 2024
حماس تكثف من هجماتها ضد المدنيين الاسرائيليين بينما تكثف إسرائيل جهودها الانسانية من أجل سكان غزة.
سنواصل تكثيف كميات المساعدات التي تدخل إلى غزة في الوقت الذي نعمل فيه على اعادة… pic.twitter.com/4dFhvHP7pu
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US, Iran, in first talks in months, discuss Middle East stability - reports
This was the first round of discussions between the two countries since January. The talks were mediated by Omani officials, with this occurring nearly over a month.
Iranian officials held indirect talks with two Biden administration officials this week in Oman to de-escalate attacks in the Middle East, sources of the talks told Axios and Walla on Friday.
The two officials from the Biden administration were Brett McGurk, the US president's top Middle East adviser, and Abram Paley, who is the US envoy for Iran. The US made it clear to the Iranians what the consequences of their and their proxies' actions in the region might be. Additionally, the reports said that the US believes Iran has a lot of influence over its proxies in the region - whether they be Hezbollah, Houthis, or their proxy militias in Iraq and Syria.
The reports do not clarify who the Iranian representatives who participated in the talks were.
Go to the full article >>PA to return to Gaza, Saudi-normalization in Arab-American ‘day-after’ plan - report
According to the document received by Al-Ahkbar, the plan for the "day after" the war, which is divided into two stages.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and foreign ministers representing the “Arab Six” met on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEC) in Riyadh in April to discuss a vision for the “day after” the war in Gaza, according to a Saturday report from the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Ahkbar, citing a document received by the Lebanese publication.
The “Arab Six” includes Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the Emirates, Qatar, and the Palestinian Authority (PA).
According to the document received by Al-Ahkbar, the plan for the "day after" the war, which is divided into two stages, would result in, among other things, a lasting peace process and the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Go to the full article >>Roughly 1400 buildings, structures destroyed in Rafah since beginning of May - report
Some 1400 buildings have been destroyed in Rafah since May 4, ABC Go reported on Saturday morning.
The figure of 1400 damaged buildings was based on an analysis of data by the radar-enabled Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite operated by the European Space Agency.
From May 4 to May 8, the researchers estimated that 895 buildings were likely damaged or destroyed.
Since October 5 of last year, the researchers have inferred that 18,176 of the 48,678 buildings in Rafah have sustained some degree of damage.
Go to the full article >>Hostile aircraft intrusion sirens sound in northern Israel
Hostile aircraft intrusion sirens sounded four times within an hour in communities in northern Israel on Saturday morning.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan traveling to Saudi Arabia and Israel this weekend
John Kirby said Sullivan's talks with Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials will include Rafah.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan will travel on Saturday to Saudi Arabia for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and will visit Israel on Sunday to see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that Sullivan will stress in his talks with the Israelis the need to go after Hamas terrorists in Gaza in a targeted way, not with a full-scale assault on the southern city of Gaza.
Go to the full article >>IDF strike kills Senior Lebanese Islamist terror commander in Lebanon
The IDF eliminated a senior commander of the Islamic Group (Jamaa Islamiya) terrorist group in Lebanon, according to a statement on Friday.
Go to the full article >>IAF jet strikes building in Jenin, PIJ terrorist killed - report
The strike, which was done with real-time intelligence by the Shin Bet, killed Islaam Hamaisa, one of the commanders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's Jenin Brigade.
An IAF fighter jet targeted a building in Jenin in the northern West Bank late Friday night as part of a counter-terrorism operation, the IDF reported.
The IDF and the Palestinian health ministry said that at least one person was killed and eight were wounded in the strike.
Go to the full article >>John Kirby: White House still has no information on unaccounted American hostages
Kirby seemed assured that the recovery of the three hostages will not have a major effect on the hostage negotiations.
Five of the eight American hostages in Gaza remain unaccounted for and the White House has no information on their status or whereabouts, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said on Friday.
Kirby said the approximately 130 remaining hostages are not all believed to be alive but the exact breakdown is unknown.
Go to the full article >>Israel-Hamas war: What you need to know
- Hamas launched a massive attack on October 7, with thousands of terrorists infiltrating from the Gaza border and taking some 240 hostages into Gaza.
- Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered, including over 350 in the Re'im music festival and hundreds of Israeli civilians across Gaza border communities
- 129 hostages remain in Gaza
- 39 hostages in total have been killed in captivity, IDF says