Politics Israel continues to take action against Iran's allies

Israel is continuing to take action against Hezbollah in Lebanon after the heavy mutual shelling at the weekend - and is also continuing the fight against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes again flew almost two dozen attacks in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese security sources late in the evening. Israeli artillery is also firing on areas there. There was initially no confirmation from the Israeli army. Meanwhile, the army announced late in the evening that it had attacked a Hamas command center in Gaza.

According to Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi, Israel is planning further steps against Hezbollah in the coming days. Israel will allow its residents in the areas near the border in the north of the country to return to their homes. "And if Hezbollah has not understood this, then it will be dealt another blow and another blow - until the organization understands," said the army chief. Israel has additional capabilities that it has not yet deployed.

Israeli army chief announces further action against Hezbollah

The killing of Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Akil and other senior commanders in an Israeli airstrike near Beirut on Friday had "shaken" the organization, Halevi said in a speech. Israel's message to Hezbollah and others in the region was: "We can reach all those who threaten Israel's citizens." Israel remains on high alert in attack and defense, he said.

Israel's Defense Minister Joav Galant said that Hezbollah had experienced "the worst week in its history". It would continue to "use all means" to achieve Israel's goals, he said, referring to the desired return of the inhabitants in the north of the country. Both the Shiite militia Hezbollah and Hamas belong to Iran's so-called "Axis of Resistance" - an alliance against the common enemy Israel.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Iran's threat has two elements. These included Iran's nuclear threat and simultaneous attacks from the north, south and east, Netanyahu said at the closed meeting in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have arrested twelve people for allegedly spying for the Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad.

Arrests in Iran for alleged spying on Israel

They had attempted to gather secret information in six provinces of the country and pass it on to the Mossad, the IRGC said. No further details were provided. Those arrested could face the death penalty if convicted. In March, an alleged Mossad agent was executed in a similar case.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army in Gaza continues to take action against Hamas. According to its own statements, the air force again attacked a command center of the Islamists, which was located in the center of the sealed-off coastal strip in a building that used to be a school. Before the attack, numerous measures had been taken to reduce the danger to civilians. The information could not be independently verified.

Netanyahu: Half of the Gaza hostages still alive

According to information from Netanyahu, around half of the approximately 100 hostages who have been held in the Gaza Strip since last year are still alive. According to media reports, Israel's head of government said this at a meeting of the parliamentary committee for foreign and security policy. There was no official confirmation of this.

On October 7 last year, terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups killed more than 1,200 people in Israel and took around 250 others hostage in the Gaza Strip. This was the trigger for the Gaza war.

In the course of a ceasefire at the end of November, Hamas released 105 hostages. In return, Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners from prisons. Individual hostages have since been freed by Israel's military, and several have been recovered dead. Indirect negotiations on a renewed ceasefire and the release of further hostages, in which the USA, Egypt and Qatar are acting as mediators, have so far been unsuccessful.

Reports: Plan for siege of northern Gaza under discussion

According to Israeli media reports, representatives of the military intend to present Netanyahu and Galant with several alternatives for the future distribution of humanitarian aid in the northern Gaza Strip in the coming days. Hamas is to be denied control over the civil administration and the looting of aid supplies, reported the "Jerusalem Post". One of the proposals is a "siege" of northern Gaza, reported the Times of Israel.

A retired general was quoted as saying that the inhabitants of the northern section of the sealed-off coastal strip should be given a week to leave the area. The north of Gaza would then be declared a military zone where no more aid would enter. As long as Hamas retains control over the distribution of food and fuel, it will be able to fill its coffers and recruit new fighters.

According to the newspaper, a member of the parliamentary committee for foreign and security policy said during the closed meeting with Netanyahu that such an approach was also the only chance for an agreement to release the hostages. This would put additional pressure on the Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Jihia al-Sinwar, to come to the negotiating table and make concessions, it was said.

SDA