Six times award-winning journ. Author of books on Hezb & Iraq. Former STimes snr foreign corr. RTs #endorsements.
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Nov 23 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
🔴UPDATE:🔴
🥀11 people murdered in Israel’s latest atrocious attack in the heart of the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
Beirut for Tel Aviv - an eye for an eye, as Hezbollah’s leader Sheik Naim Qassem declared a few days ago.
“When the capital is under the blows of the Zionist enemy, the response must be in the midst of "Tel Aviv".”
Expect a retaliation.
Nov 23 • 13 tweets • 2 min read
🚨URGENT🚨 Israel just carried out three huge attacks in the heart of the capital Beirut.
🚨 Unable to tell where or what they hit aside from it being too close for comfort.
Nov 14 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
⭕️DAYS’s RECAP ⭕️
If you missed it, as I wasn’t posting earlier, yes, Israel violently bombed areas in Beirut’s southern suburbs during the morning & afternoon today. It probably will later tonight as well.
This was near Chouwayfat & Ouzai endangered the Lebanese airport, while a plane was landing.
Badass pilot …You can see from behind the smoke the tail of the plan as he keeps it moving.
⭕️At dawn on Thursday, the bombs of the terrorist IOF destroyed a residential building that includes the offices of the Taha Children’s TV Channel, a nursery for children & infants, a small cinema hall, clothing & children’s supplies stores & commercial stores.
Nov 3 • 8 tweets • 7 min read
🔴IMPORTANT🔴
Many people have asked why the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are not actively involved in defending the country. I hope that these facts & figures will provide some explanation & insight into these questions:
📌 This issue is not about the size of the LAF or the sectarian composition of its soldiers. The Lebanese army is diverse, with members of all sects, including a significant number of Shiite soldiers.
The problem is not even the bravery of the LAF soldiers. These men are courageous & itching to protect their country. Just look at the martyr Major Mohammad Farhat of the LAF (clip below) who was killed by the invading Israeli forces 9 days ago on (Oct 24) while on a mission to evacuate wounded civilians.
See how he confronted the IOF enemy who tried to install barbed wire on the outskirts of Aita Al Shaab in March 2023.
The question regarding the army's inability to defend Lebanon against Israeli aggression lies in whether the LAF is equipped or capable of defending the nation, even from a defensive standpoint. We are not discussing offensive maneuvers, but rather the army's ability to hold its ground defensively.
Quite simply, the LAF is not sufficiently armed to perform such a task or to deter any foreign force.
This is not through any fault of its own, but rather because the collective West, led by the United States, has historically under-equipped the LAF, ensuring that it is incapable of defending Lebanon against Israeli occupation forces.
This decision was deliberate on the part of the U.S., which has played a major role in limiting Lebanon's access to aviation & air defense systems, effectively neutralizing any potential threat to its most strategic ally in the region - Israel. The U.S. has positioned itself as Israel's "guarantor, guardian & protector.”
📌Both Russia & Iran had offered to support the LAF with military equipment, including jets & deterrence weapons, particularly as Lebanon's military faces increasing pressure from its deteriorating economic situation. However, the Lebanese government reportedly declined these offers.
One of the major reasons speculated behind this refusal is the strong influence of the United States on Lebanon, especially concerning military and financial aid.
The United States is a key supporter of the LAF, providing substantial military aid since 2006. This includes weaponry, training, & operational support, which is often conditioned on aligning with U.S. policies.
For instance, in 2021, President Joe Biden authorized $47 million in military aid to Lebanon as part of broader support, underscoring the LAF's dependency on American backing.
Additionally, the U.S. has also covered some of the salaries of Lebanese soldiers during Lebanon’s economic crisis, further deepening this dependence
Given the extent of U.S. aid to the LAF, accepting military support from Russia or Iran—two states that are geopolitical adversaries of the U.S.—would likely put Lebanon at odds with Washington. The U.S. Foreign Assistance Act & various security cooperation agreements, limit Lebanon’s ability to freely accept arms from adversaries of the U.S., as doing so might result in a cut-off of critical American support.
In a nutshell, this U.S. influence is considered a significant factor in Lebanon’s refusal of the Russian & Iranian offers.
Moreover, aligning with Russia or Iran militarily could further complicate Lebanon's delicate political balance, as Hezbollah, a dominant political & military force in Lebanon, is already backed by Iran.
Therefore, the Lebanese government likely finds itself under intense diplomatic pressure to maintain its military relationship with the U.S., avoiding potential fallout from accepting support from Russia or Iran, which could risk sanctions or the loss of critical U.S. and Western support.
Nov 2 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
🔴IMPORTANT🔴
📌 The US embassy has turned into Lebanon’s dictator & is now imposing restrictions on certain flights bringing humanitarian aid to the country, forcing them to first land in Jordan for inspection.
📌 The embassy in Aukar has also threatened Lebanon’s national carrier MEA with sanctions, should it transport injured people for treatment abroad.
📌 The embassy is also receiving a daily “manifesto,” from IATA, of the names of all passengers travelling to & from Lebanon’s airport, as part of its blatant intrusion in the country’s internal affairs & free movement.
Oct 30 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
URGENT🚨 Israel is planning to bomb the city of Baalbek, home to the temples of Venus, Jupiter, & Bacchus built more than 11,000 years ago.
The IOF has ordered the evacuation of the entirety of the city, for the first time since the invasion, to carry intensive bombing, which will undoubtedly impact the historical archeological sites.
Baalbek, is listed as a one of six UNESCO World Heritage sites in Lebanon.
Oct 25 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
🥀IMPORTANT🥀 Israel deliberately targeted journalists in the residence housing them in south Lebanon killing three & injuring others.
They did so without providing any warnings, but in typical cowardly fashion struck the chalet they were staying at in Hasbaya while they were asleep late at night.
The three including a dear & old friend of mine — Al-Mayadeen cameraman Ghassan Najjar.
The two other colleagues killed:
The channel’s broadcast engineer Mohammed Reda,
& Al-Manar cameraman Wissam Qassem,
🥀 Two nights ago, Israel attacked Al-Mayadeen offices in Beirut, which had luckily been evacuated at the start of the war.
It is clear that Israel is bent on silencing journalists in Lebanon, as it had done in Gaza.
Remember, Israel wantonly killed nearly 200 journalists in Gaza.
Targeting journalists is a war crime.
@pressfreedom
@UN
@CIJ_ICJ
Oct 20 • 13 tweets • 4 min read
🚨Urgent🚨
The IOF is planning a major attack in Beirut’s southern suburbs tonight & has already started.
The entity keeps on shifting its so called objectives. Now they claim they will be bomb:
“targets in Beirut connected to Iran’s funding of Hezbollah.
These targets & others will be bombed throughout the night.”
This means they will be bombing banks used by the pious Moslems who opt for the Islamic system of banking.
It also means they will attack charitable institutions set up to support many of the Shiite & other poorer community.
🚨 What is Qard Al Hassan that the Israeli terrorist spokesperson just said they would target?
Qard Al Hassan is a financial banking institution that’s associated with Hezbollah. It became prevalent in Lebanese society especially after the banking/financial crisis in 2019. Hezbollah in accordance with Islamic law provided interest free loans as well as long term flexible terms to all sects, religions & areas in Lebanon & would take collateral in return. These loans were given during the highest levels of inflation & currency collapse in Lebanons history so that the average citizen could afford to pay for rent, school tuition for their kids or even medical treatment. This attack is not an attack on Hezbollah but is an attack on the Lebanese people & to force the people to turn on the resistance.
If you loan to Allah, a beautiful loan [tuqridu llaha qard hasan], He will double it to your (credit), and He will grant you Forgiveness ..(Qur’an 64(al-Tagabun):16–17.)[5]
An explanation Via @Lebaneseraven
Sep 19 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
🚨🚨🚨Extracts from speech by General Secretary of #Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah
📌”The #Israeli enemy targeted thousands of pagers & crossed all laws, controls & red lines
📌Some of the explosions occurred in hospitals, markets, public roads, homes & locations where civilians were mainly present
📌Dozens of martyrs fell, including children among the victims, & thousands have been injured. The final numbers will appear later.
📌Through the Pager bombings on Tuesday, the Israeli enemy wanted to kill 4,000 people in one minute on Tuesday & another 1000 in one minute on Wednesday & those within their vicinity.
📌For two days, the Israeli enemy wanted to kill about 5,000 people in two minutes without any consideration.
📌We can call what happened on Tuesday & Wednesday a declaration of war.
📌A number of pagers were out of service or far from their owners, which prevented the enemy from achieving its goal of killing 5,000 people.”
2: Sayed #Nasrallah continued—
📌”There is no doubt that we have been exposed to a major security & humanitarian blow, unprecedented in the history of the resistance in #Lebanon.
📌This type of killing, targeting & crime to detonate it in isolation from the environment in which they are located is unprecedented globally.
📌We know that the enemy has superiority on the technological level because it has #American & NATO support.
📌Tuesday & Wednesday were a big test for us, but this big & strong strike did not & will not bring us down.
📌 We will be able to pass this test with pride & heads held high.”
Sep 9 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
🚨BREAKING: 🚨
Another huge massacre in Al_Mawasi in Khan Yunis — an area designated by Israel as a “safe zone” for the internally displaced Palestinians.
Reports of a large number of civilians killed & injured when Israel bombed over 20 tents, where many families were asleep.
Body parts are reported everywhere .
People are still buried under the sand & ground.
A child dug from under the sand.
Aug 16 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
BREAKING: ‼️‼️
This has to be a first in #Hezbollah’s entire history.
A video released by the group titled “Our mountains are our stores," reveals a part of its underground tunnels & silo of its missile store.
This rare, probably first of its kind public display footage, is a stern message to Israel, reiterating that: 1- A response is coming 2- Ballistic missiles are, in just a press of a button position, & already pinpointed against the selected targets.
By revealing this next level tunnel, albeit unknown location, Hezbollah is also showcasing that the resistance has many unknown secret tunnels in Lebanon, that are well equipped with varied precision missiles capable of inflicting serious destruction to the #Israeli entity if it decides to launch a full fledged war against #Lebanon.
In the words of the group’s leader Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah, which is recited in the footage, the response will come “from where you do not expect...”
Jul 25 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
IMPORTANT‼️: #Hezbollah has been supplied with Electromagnetic & Fission bombs capable of emitting an electromagnetic pulse that can paralyze Israeli communication systems & radar, Lebanese General @MounirShehadeh revealed during an interview with Lebanese Christian television LBC.
The report, also published in a Kuwaiti newspaper Al_Jarida, quoted a senior source in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ Quds Force.
Jun 24 • 21 tweets • 10 min read
Highlights from Hezbollah affiliate, Lebanese MP Dr Ibrahim Mousawi (@ibrahimmousawi) during Saturday 22 June space, co-hosted by @ejmalrai & @RMunai1
RE WARNING TO CYPRUS:
It’s a warning. A terminology … Warning is not threatening. Warning is not a declaration of war.
The Israeli war jets are using the Cypriot airspace to make maneuvers, & they have made certain agreements with the government in Cyprus to use the Airport so the Israeli war jets would start them there- attacks from there.
They would, start from Cyprus & come to Lebanon because they believe, at one stage, that Hezbollah & the resistance in Lebanon are capable of targeting all Israeli airports, so they want an alternative.
So Sayed Nasrallah simply said, if Cyprus is going to be part… to give its space & its airports for the Israelis, to attack Lebanon, that they are part of the attack against us we have to defend ourself. This is what he said.
CYPRUS 2/
So we are talking here about an attack coming from Cyprus, not a declaration of war or an aggression or hostility against Cyprus in the beginning. When Cyprus becomes part of the Israeli attack & gives the Israelis the opportunity to use its airports, to use its space in order to attack Lebanon, then Cyprus itself has to be questioned & asked why did you join the attack against Lebanon with Israel?
They simply said that they are not in this sphere. They are not going to attack. (That) they are neutral, & they won't give any opportunity for the Israelis or other. This is good as a clarification.
But, Hezbollah said that we have our sources, our intelligence, confirming that they are. If they want to stop, this is excellent, this is fine. But this is not a declaration of war… this is a warning not to be part of the aggression & the attacks against Lebanese, against the Lebanese soil & against Lebanese resistance because they will be part of those who are attacking. & when you attack, you expect a reaction, you expect a retaliation.
Jun 18 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
Highlights from #Hezbollah-affiliated (Lebanese MP Ibrahim Moussawi during Sunday, June 16th space, which was also co-hosted by @TheCradleMedia:
AXIS UNITY:
“This axis of the resistance, has been on paper, &, there is literature about it. But, what happened in Iraq, for example, what happened in #Yemen, what happened properly in, #Palestine, in #Gaza recently, put it into effect
“We have always heard about this axis of the resistance, but it was not put into effect with this high efficiency till October 7th, 2023.”
AXIS COORDINATION:
“I can't talk about a central command here, but I can tell you there is daily coordination always taking place & this coordination, will continue for sure.
It is, on an on to on, a moment to moment basis; & everyone in this front, in this axis knows exactly what to do, & will do it in the proper time, the proper way.
“There is a continuous coordination 24 hours coordination & monitoring.
We make briefings to each other. I know it very well, &, there are secrets to this that is not known to the enemies, & should not be known to the enemies.”
Jun 10 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
INTERESTING :
Senior officials in U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration have discussed the possibility of negotiating a unilateral deal with #Hamas for the release of the five #Israeli-#American hostages still held in #Gaza if the current talks don’t result in a deal, NBC News reported on Monday, citing two current and two former U.S. officials.
According to these officials, such talks would not include #Israel and would be conducted through #Qatari mediators. The White House declined to comment on the dramatic report.
Jun 4 • 12 tweets • 3 min read
A must read article by the only @Hass_Haaretz (link at the end.)
The destruction, starvation & death in #Gaza are Israel's defeat / Amira Hass
#Israel was defeated & is still being defeated, not because of the fact that at the start of the ninth month of this accursed war, #Hamas has not been toppled.
The emblem of defeat will forever appear alongside the menorah & flag,
— because the leaders, commanders & soldiers of Israel killed & wounded thousands of #Palestinian civilians,
— sowing unprecedented ruin & desolation in the Gaza Strip.
— Because its air force knowingly bombed buildings full of children, women & the elderly.
— Because in Israel people believe there is no other way. Because entire families were wiped out.
May 16 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
IMPORTANT: Hezbollah hit “Sky Dwe”
IDF confirms #Hezbollah managed to hit a sensitive military facility in the Lower Galilee with an explosive drone on Wednesday evening, where a giant missile-detecting blimp, known as Sky Dew, is operated.
This marked Hezbollah’s deepest strike in #Israel amid some 35 kilometers (21 miles) from the #Lebanon border.
#Hezbollah publishes video showing scenes of its reconnaissance mission of the Sky Dew, #Israel’s largest spy balloon, & the two Kamikaze drones used to target.
The video also shows what appears to be the aftermath of the strikes against the balloon.
Feb 12 • 19 tweets • 3 min read
An interesting article worth reading:
#Israeli media Haaretz:
#Israel's successful raid to rescue two hostages from #Rafah on Monday morning wasn't the operation Benjamin #Netanyahu had in mind, but there are no signs that a big IDF operation is imminent – no matter what the prime minister says.
The successful Israeli special forces raid to rescue two hostages from Rafah is not the Rafah operation Netanyahu has been talking up in recent days.
Feb 7 • 9 tweets • 6 min read
IMPORTANT:
Lebanon’s #Al_Akhbar newspaper published the full text of the response to the #Paris proposal that #Hamas delivered to Qatari & Egyptian mediators earlier today
The 3-page long response, to reach a hostage/ceasefire deal, outlines a 3-stage deal, guaranteed by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Russia, & the UnitedNations.
Both the #American & #Israeli sides received a copy of the 3-page-long response, including amendments to the “Framework Agreement” proposal, in addition to a special appendix of guarantees & demands aimed at stopping the aggression & addressing its affects.
First stage : 45 days
Described as the humanitarian phase & aims to:
—release all Israeli detainees, women & children (under the age of 19, not conscripts), the elderly & the sick, in exchange for a specific number of Palestinian prisoners (defined in the detailed appendix at the end.)
— intensifying humanitarian aid & repositioning (IOF) forces outside populated areas.
— allowing the start of reconstruction & the rebuilding of all hospitals, homes & facilities in all areas of the Gaza Strip & allowing entry of necessities to set up camps & shelters to home the population.
— the resumption of all humanitarian services provided by the United Nations & its agencies according to the following:
- A temporary cessation of military operations & a cessation of aerial reconnaissance
— a redeployment of Israeli forces far & outside the populated areas in the entire Gaza Strip, to be aligned alongside the dividing line, in order to enable the parties to complete the exchange of detainees and prisoners.
Jan 10 • 13 tweets • 3 min read
Do read this important & interesting article in #Haaretz:
“Hezbollah is believed to be the first to use precise antitank missiles to target civilian structures. Dozens of #Israeli buildings have taken direct hits - and now even towns that were not evacuated are within firing range.
“Since October 7, #Hezbollah has fired mortars and rockets, as well as incessant artillery, at #IDF outposts and border communities. But what particularly stands out in the current round of fighting is the high proportion of antitank missiles fired from #Lebanon. Hezbollah's use of this precision weapon, especially against civilian targets, is unprecedented in Israel and perhaps the world.
Jan 1 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
#Israel’s security establishment and the State Attorney's Office are concerned that the International Court of Justice at the #Hague will charge Israel with genocide in the #Gaza Strip – this at the request of #SouthAfrica, which petitioned the court over the weekend.
#Haaretz has learned that a senior legal expert dealing with the matter has in recent days warned #IDF brass, including Chief of Staff #Herzl_Halevi, that there is real danger that the court will issue an injunction calling on #Israel to halt its fire, noting that Israel is bound by the court's rulings.