Al Mayadeen – November 19, 2024
Day 410: Gaza death toll nears 44,000
For the 46th consecutive day, northern Gaza has been subjected to a brutal Israeli siege, compounded by intense air and artillery bombardments.
The Israeli occupation continues its war of genocide against the Gaza Strip, now ongoing for the 410th day, with the Gaza Health Ministry announcing that over the past 24 hours, the Israeli military committed three massacres, resulting in 50 martyrs and 110 injuries, with many victims still trapped under rubble or inaccessible in the streets.
Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation has killed 43,972 Palestinians and injured 104,008 others, the Ministry confirmed Monday in its daily report.
Meanwhile, the Government Media Office in the Gaza Strip reported on Tuesday that forcibly displaced residents are facing severe hardships as floodwaters continue to seep into their tents.
In an urgent statement, the Office called on international organizations to coordinate with invading Israeli forces to provide aid to the hundreds of thousands of affected families, noting that "these appeals have yet to receive a response from the international community."
The statement also raised concerns over the potential establishment of Israeli settlements in the northern Gaza Strip, warning that such developments could exacerbate the already dire humanitarian crisis.
Israeli siege on northern Gaza continues for 46th day
The Israeli occupation has maintained its siege on northern Gaza for the 46th consecutive day, intensifying its military operations across the region.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that several Palestinians were killed and eight others were wounded in an Israeli airstrike that targeted the vicinity of Al-Iman Mosque in the Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza City.
In central Gaza, an infant was killed in an Israeli artillery strike that hit a home in the New Camp area, northwest of Nuseirat.
Israeli forces also launched heavy artillery fire and military vehicle strikes on Palestinians in the eastern areas of Rafah and Khan Younis, both located in the southern Gaza Strip.
For the 46th consecutive day, northern Gaza has been subjected to a brutal Israeli siege, compounded by intense air and artillery bombardments, leaving the northern governorate isolated from the rest of Gaza.
Israeli invading forces shelled various locations within the Jabalia refugee camp and Beit Lahia. Palestinian youth Mahmoud Salim al-Madhoun was martyred after being shot by an Israeli drone in Beit Lahia, while Ibrahim Mohammad al-Shafie was killed in Israeli shelling in northern Gaza.
Additionally, Israeli forces have continued to disrupt Civil Defense operations for the 28th day, targeting emergency responders and leaving thousands of civilians without critical humanitarian and medical aid.
UN warns of catastrophic humanitarian Crisis in Gaza as winter looms
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels, with widespread displacement and destruction, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland warned on Monday.
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East, Wennesland sounded the alarm on the dire conditions in Gaza, particularly in the north, describing the situation as marked by a "disturbing disregard for international humanitarian law."
"As this Council has been briefed repeatedly, the humanitarian situation in Gaza, as winter begins, is catastrophic, particularly developments in the north of Gaza with a large-scale and near-total displacement of the population and widespread destruction and clearing of land, amidst what looks like a disturbing disregard for international humanitarian law," Wennesland said.
Wennesland also addressed the challenges faced by humanitarian agencies operating in Gaza, citing a "challenging and dangerous operational environment" and access restrictions that hinder their work. He stressed the urgent need for unrestricted access to ensure aid can reach the people who desperately need it.
Wennesland also reiterated the importance of a political solution, calling for renewed dialogue and efforts to address the underlying causes of the violence. Without a sustainable political framework, the humanitarian situation is unlikely to improve, he said.
It is worth noting that the Israeli occupation's war on Gaza continues with over 44,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, killed and around 104,000 injured since October 7, 2023, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry on Monday.
Al Mayadeen – November 19, 2024
Hezbollah downs Israeli Hermes 450 drone, rocket hit kills Israeli soldier
Israeli media report several casualties following rocket strikes launched from Lebanon, as Hezbollah continues its military operations against Israeli targets.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon reported Tuesday that confrontations were ongoing between Resistance fighters and Israeli occupation forces on the outskirts of the town of Khiam.
On Monday, our correspondent highlighted that the Resistance successfully thwarted Israeli attempts to advance in the towns of Khiam and Chama in South Lebanon, where the Resistance fighters ambushed Israeli troops, resulting in multiple casualties among their ranks.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon announced Tuesday a series of operations against Israeli military targets and repelling ongoing Israeli attempts to advance into southern Lebanese towns and villages.
The operations saw Hezbollah launching rocket and drone strikes at groupings of Israeli occupation forces in southern Lebanese towns, as well as targeting Israeli settlements and bases in northern occupied Palestine.
The group said it shot down on Monday an Israeli Hermes 450 drone over the town of Taybeh with a surface-to-air missile.
As part of the Khaybar Operations series and under the call "Labbayka ya Nasrallah" [Here we respond to your call, O Nasrallah], the Islamic Resistance announced that it launched two separate aerial attacks using a swarm of one-way drones on the Beit Lid base and Ramat David Airbase, which accurately hit their intended targets.
Under the same series of operations, Hezbollah targeted the Glilot Base housing Unit 8200 of Israeli military intelligence with a barrage of high-end rockets.
Operations overview
- On Monday evening, November 18, 2024, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a grouping of Israeli occupation forces south of the town of Khiam with a high-end rocket barrage.
- At 10:00 pm on Monday, November 18, 2024, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted an Israeli Hermes 450 drone over the town of Taybeh with a surface-to-air missile, successfully shooting it down and setting it ablaze.
- At 11:00 pm on Monday, Islamic Resistance fighters launched an aerial attack using a swarm of one-way drones on the Beit Lid base, which accurately hit its intended targets. The military base houses training camps for the Nahal and Paratrooper Brigades.
- At 00:15 am on Tuesday, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the settlement of Kiryat Shmona with a rocket barrage.
- At 6:45 am on Tuesday, Islamic Resistance fighters launched an aerial attack using a swarm of one-way drones on the Ramat David Airbase, which accurately hit its intended targets. The northern airbase, located 50 km southeast of the occupied city of Haifa, hosts combat squadrons.
- At 9:30 am, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a grouping of Israeli occupation forces in the Sa'sa' settlement with a rocket barrage.
- At 10:00 am, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the occupied city of Safad with a rocket barrage.
- At 10:00 am, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a grouping of Israeli occupation forces in the settlement of al-Manara with a rocket barrage.
- At 10:00 am, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a grouping of Israeli occupation forces in the settlement of Kfar Blum with a rocket barrage.
- At 10:20 am, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a training base for the Paratroopers Brigade in the settlement of Karmiel with a rocket barrage.
- At 10:45 am, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted an Israeli aircraft over the town of Taybeh with appropriate weapons, successfully downing it in the area.
- At 11:00 am, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a grouping of Israeli occupation forces in the settlement of Avivim with a rocket barrage.
- At 1:20 pm, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a house where Israeli occupation soldiers were stationed on the northern outskirts of the town of Maroun al-Ras with a guided missile, causing casualties among them.
- At 1:25 pm, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a grouping of Israeli occupation forces on the southern outskirts of the town of al-Bayyada with a rocket barrage.
- At 2:00 pm, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the Glilot Base housing Unit 8200 of Israeli military intelligence with a barrage of high-end rockets. The base is located 110 km from the Lebanese-Palestinian border in the outskirts of Tel Aviv.
- At 2:15 pm, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a grouping of Israeli occupation forces at the al-Amra Gate on the southern outskirts of the town of Khiam with a rocket barrage.
- At 2:50 pm, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a grouping of Israeli occupation forces on the southern outskirts of the town of Chama with artillery shells.
- At 2:50 pm, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a grouping of Israeli occupation forces, east of the town of Khiam, with a rocket barrage.
Casualties in Tel Aviv, northern border amid Hezbollah strikes
Israeli media reported four injuries and loud explosions in Tel Aviv, specifically in Gush Dan, as well as in HaSharon and Netanya, accompanied by the sounding of sirens in these areas.
The media also said that one Israeli soldier was killed and four others were injured, two of whom are in critical condition, following a drone attack launched from Lebanon on a military site earlier this morning.
The Israeli military confirmed the launch of approximately five rockets from Lebanon toward Tel Aviv and its surroundings.
According to Israeli media, four were injured in the latest rocket strikes from Lebanon, including two in Kfar Yona, north of Tel Aviv.
Earlier, explosions were heard over Netanya, north of Tel Aviv, following a heavy rocket salvo launched from Lebanon.
Israeli media confirmed that at least one rocket landed in central occupied Palestine, hitting a military base in HaSharon, adding that medical teams are currently treating the wounded, while another rocket reportedly struck the Sharon area north of Tel Aviv.
Additionally, fragments of interceptor missiles fell on Highway 4, which connects northern and central occupied Palestine, as a result of the recent rocket attacks, Israeli media reported.
The media also mentioned a barrage of rockets fired from southern Lebanon toward Karmiel and its surroundings, pointing to the detection of 25 rockets and the landing of several in the area, with one injury reported.
Israeli military helicopters also joined the pursuit of a drone over Safad in the al-Jalil region.
It was also confirmed that rockets targeting Sa’sa', east of Safad, resulted in injuries.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported a large rocket salvo from Lebanon targeting the Israeli depth, followed by another salvo directed at Upper al-Jalil.
Sirens were activated in Safad, Meron, and their surroundings, as well as in Kiryat Shmona, Metulla, and other areas in the western and upper al-Jalil, raising concerns about potential drone infiltrations.
'Tough incident' in the North: Israeli media
Regarding the confrontations in southern Lebanon, Israeli media reported a tough security incident this morning along the northern border with Lebanon, noting that several Israeli soldiers were wounded, some critically.
The media reported that approximately five Israeli soldiers were injured in the ongoing battles in southern Lebanon.
An Israeli military helicopter landed at Rambam Hospital in Haifa, transporting seriously injured soldiers from the northern front. Additionally, three injuries from combat zones in Lebanon were transferred to Ziv Hospital in Safad.
The Israeli Ministry of Health announced on Monday that the number of injuries admitted to Israeli hospitals over the 24-hour period from Sunday morning to Monday morning had reached 66.
Since October 10, 2023, the total number of injuries admitted to Israeli hospitals has risen to 22,240.
Ramat Gan last targeted during Gulf War
Adi Carmi, a senior former official in the Israeli Security Agency Shin Bet, acknowledged that Hezbollah's strikes on the home front represent an "achievement" for the group.
Speaking to the Israeli Channel 12, Carmi noted that the last time Ramat Gan was targeted was during the Gulf War, adding, “For Hezbollah, this is an achievement, and it will likely aim to secure more such gains ahead of any potential settlement.”
His statements came following a direct hit by at least one missile launched from Lebanon on a building in the Ramat Gan area of Tel Aviv, which resulted in casualties among settlers, significant damage, and power outages in parts of the area.
Hezbollah later announced that it had targeted the Tel Haim base — affiliated with the Israeli military intelligence division — located 120 km from the Lebanese-Palestinian border, in Tel Aviv.
The group said the attack involved a barrage of precision missiles and a swarm of one-way drones, all of which successfully hit their targets.
Al Mayadeen – November 19, 2024
Hezbollah missiles pummel Tel Aviv, numerous wounded, killed
A barrage of missiles from Lebanon toward Tel Aviv causes significant damage after Israeli air defenses fail to intercept.
The Israeli occupation army confirmed Monday that Tel Aviv had been targeted by several advanced missiles, resulting in significant damage and power outages in parts of the area.
It was reported that numerous people were wounded, and at least two killed. The final toll is yet to be revealed.
An Israeli media outlet reported that the missile fired from Lebanon and that landed in Tel Aviv was a Fateh 110 missile.
This surface-to-surface missile, recognized for its significant destructive power, is engineered to strike critical targets with pinpoint accuracy within a margin of up to 10 meters.
Israeli media reported that at least one missile landed in Ramat Gan, a central city in the Tel Aviv area, causing a power outage in the area.
A fire also erupted in the area, prompting the deployment of seven firefighting crews to extinguish the blaze.
A fire erupted on a bus in Bnei Brak, east of Tel Aviv, after it was directly struck by a missile, with Israeli air defenses failing to intercept the attack.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hezbollah-launches-missiles-toward-tel-aviv--achieving-direc
Colonial legacy of identity erasure:Israeli war on Lebanon’s past and present
By Yara Mahdi
“Colonialism is not satisfied merely with holding a people in its grip and emptying the native’s brain of all form and content. By a kind of perverted logic, it turns to the past of the oppressed people, and distorts, disfigures, and destroys it,” wrote Frantz Fanon, a prominent revolutionary thinker and supporter of the decolonial struggle.
The study and critique of colonialism continue to expose how its dark legacy persists, which is tied to a stringent dependence on the systematic elimination and erasure of Indigenous culture and identity.
In Lebanon today, Israel has continued to display to the world its mastery of ethnic cleansing and erasure, as evidenced by the mounting number of martyrs from its present and the elimination of the historic richness of its past.
Cultural and archaeological sites are deeply intertwined with the native’s identity and serve beyond just timestamps in history.
The Zionist entity has exploited the battlefield with Lebanon to commit deliberate and targeted destruction of ancient towns bridging the present to the past, where each street and corner echoes the voices of the generations gone by.
The Palmyra Hotel, Baalbak
Nestled amid the UNESCO-listed Roman ruins of Baalbak, the Palmyra Hotel has existed since 1874 when it was established by a Greek businessman and has been steadfast in guarding the memories of Lebanon through moments of struggle and comfort.
Seasoned with time and chaos, the 150-year-old relic of a hotel has been enriched with constant life. It provides the region with the art and warmth of Lebanese hospitality whilst it soaks in the embrace of the preserved ruins of the Temple of Bachhus and the Temple of Jupiter.
Weathering world wars, civil wars, and invasions from the Zionist entity that has existed for a mere half of Palmyra’s existence, the hotel has welcomed a stream of world-renowned guests from Fairouz to Nina Simone.
Rima El-Husseini, who co-owns the Palmyra Hotel with her husband, has voiced that “No one has the right to touch these stones except time”.
However, on November 7, Israel held its badge of impunity and displayed to the world its disturbingly loud motives of a need to erase and destroy the indigenous claim to life, heritage and identity.
The Palmyra hotel was left damaged following Israeli airstrikes that rained just meters away targeting another historical building called the ‘Manshieh’. The Manshieh building, which dates back to the Ottoman era, was completely destroyed leaving its memory-soaked walls leveled to the ground.
The Souks of Nabatiye
Located in the heart of Jabal Amel, a geographically and historically rich mountainous landscape representing defiance and resistance to Zionist expansionism, the city of Nabatiye has prospered for at least 800 hundred years.
For centuries, Nabatiye has been a loyal servant of south Lebanon, tirelessly functioning as the commercial and cultural hub that historically connected the region to Palestine, Jordan and Syria; a common meeting point for the merchant, the traveler, and the mother running errands.
Lebanon is well known for its network of culturally diverse souks (markets), with evidence of their establishment dating back to Phoenician times.
The Phoenicians utilized the port cities of Tyre, Sidon, Byblos, and Tripoli to create a web of trade centers across the region, which were later expanded and developed by the Ottomans.
Nabatiye is one of the cities that has sustained its historical patrimony of Souk culture which has lovingly seeped into every corner of the city, possessing a magnifying energy that attracts and welcomes people from across the country to enjoy the vibrant colors, tastes and depth of heritage.
Moustafa Rahal, from the nearby village of El Numeiriye, elaborated on his fond memories of the city. He said every Monday, Nabatieh’s main square transforms into a vibrant tapestry of life and commerce.
“The quiet alleys come alive with the voices of vendors, some from the heart of the city and others from neighboring towns, weaving a rich mosaic of dialects and traditions. After my lectures, I cherished the ritual of walking from the university to the bustling Souk. The air buzzed with the clamor of merchants hawking their goods, their spirited marketing rants often laced with humor that drew genuine laughter from me,” he told the Press TV website.
“Amidst the liveliness, my journey always ended with a treat: a warm falafel sandwich from Arnaquot, an iconic shop that has stood the test of time. Opened in the early ’60s by a Palestinian family displaced from their homeland, Arnaquot was more than a restaurant—it was a symbol of resilience and roots in the face of loss.”
He went on to describe the Souk as a place that encapsulates beloved human stories.
“The Souk holds countless memories for me, but one stands out vividly—a frail yet resolute old woman from Kafar-Roumman. She would sit on the pavement, her hands offering the fruits of her labor: fresh, organic produce from her fields,” he noted.
“Her face, etched with deep wrinkles, mirrored the rugged terrain she worked on daily, yet her eyes carried a quiet strength that spoke volumes. Though I never asked her name, her motherly smile left an indelible mark on my heart—a gentle reminder of life’s enduring beauty amidst hardship.”
Reflecting on a particularly meaningful memory, Rahal said on his 18th birthday, he decided to gift himself “something meaningful.”
“Stories floated around the Souk about an old man who sold used books out of the trunk of his weathered car. That Monday, I wandered the market searching for him. To my delight, I discovered his tiny, tucked-away bookstore, accessible only by descending a narrow staircase. The moment I stepped in, I was enveloped by the musky scent of old paper and the quiet promise of hidden treasures,” he stated.
“He patiently showed me his collection, and among the weathered spines, my eyes landed on The Zionist Colonization by Muhammad Al-Maseeri. In that instant, I knew I had found the perfect gift—a book that carried the weight of history and echoed the stories of the displaced, much like Arnaquot and the old farmer’s steadfast gaze.”
In mid-October, Israel orchestrated a violent and calculated campaign that destroyed the souks of Nabatiye. The apocalyptic scenes of a once-bustling market buried in rubble and dust evoked an outpouring of grief from the natives who are mourning both the martyrs and the destruction of heritage in a heart-breaking chorus of loss.
With minimal direct combat, Israel has demonstrated their commitment to an overwhelming exploitation of its airpower, in which cultural and historical erasure can be executed with a quick airstrike.
Israel’s colonial legacy of identity erasure
The colonial theory is inherently tied to the concept of identity erasure; the colonizer’s illegitimate claim to power directly depends on suppressing and replacing the cultural, historical and social frameworks of the native population.
In the process of erasure, the colonizer seeks to convince the world that the indigenous claim to life is one that is barbaric or uncivilized to justify their existence as military targets.
Since its inception as a settler colonial and expansionist agenda, Israel’s survival has been contingent on a continuous and relentless campaign of ethnic cleansing and erasure.
The illegitimate entity has warped this practice into strategies of war, paving a brutal path of criminalizing resistance and announcing illusory victories.
The current battlefield in Lebanon has been categorised by a terror campaign against the country’s present and past which has further showcased the entity’s persistent colonial hunger towards robbing the identity of the indigenous through its blood and heritage.
However, Israel’s colonial legacy has failed to understand that the roots of identity are intertwined far deeper than what they can destroy with their technological edge and fragile facade of invincibility.
Ghassan Kanafani, a Palestinian author and political activist, once said, “Everything in this world can be robbed and stolen, except one thing; this one thing is the love that emanates from a human being towards a solid commitment to a conviction or cause”.
Yara Mahdi is a UK-based writer and political analyst.
Russia lowers nuclear weapons threshold after US allows Ukraine to use missiles
Russian President Vladimir Putin has lowered the nation's nuclear weapons threshold after the United States gave Ukraine the green light recently to use Western-supplied long-range missiles to strike targets deep inside the country.
Putin on Tuesday signed a decree revising Russia’s nuclear doctrine to indicate the Kremlin's preparedness to respond aggressively to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory with American long-range missiles.
On Monday, the Kremlin had censured US President Joe Biden over his decision to allow Ukrainian forces to use American long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia.
The Kremlin criticized the outgoing Biden administration, saying it aimed to escalate the West's proxy war in Ukraine into a direct conflict with Russia. “It is clear that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps to continue to add fuel to the fire and to further inflame tensions around this conflict,” Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters.
Asked by reporters whether Russia would respond with nuclear weapons to Ukrainian strikes on sensitive targets deep inside Russian territory, Peskov said the revised version of Russia’s nuclear doctrine “reserves the right” to use such weapons to respond to a conventional-weapons attack that creates a “critical threat” to the state's “sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Peskov explained that Russia's “nuclear deterrence is aimed at ensuring that a potential adversary understands the inevitability of retaliation in the event of aggression against the Russian Federation and/or its allies.”
The revised version of Russia’s nuclear doctrine asserts that the state could use nuclear arms in the event of an attack by a nation backed by a nuclear power. The doctrine’s publication on Tuesday appeared to be the latest suggestion from the Kremlin that Russia could use nuclear weapons to respond to attacks by Ukraine carried out with American support, and that the response could be directed against American facilities as well as Ukraine itself.
“Aggression against the Russian Federation and (or) its allies by any nonnuclear state with the participation or support of a nuclear state is considered as their joint attack,” the new doctrine specifies.
The old doctrine had a higher threshold for the kind of conventional attack that could trigger a nuclear response by Russia. It said Russia's nuclear deterrence was directed mainly against countries and alliances that have nuclear weapons. It also specified in order to require nuclear retaliation by Russian forces, an attack must threaten “the very existence of the state.”
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, who is vice-chairman of the Russian Security Council and a close Putin ally, wrote in a social media post that under the new revised version of Russia's nuclear doctrine, Ukraine's use of long-range missiles provided by the US-led NATO countries “can now be qualified as an attack on Russia” by the North Atlantic Alliance.
“In this case, the right arises to launch a retaliatory strike with weapons of mass destruction against Kiev and the main NATO facilities, wherever they are.”
Since Russia launched its special military operation in eastern Ukraine in February 2022, the US-led Western alliance has been flooding Ukraine with weapons and munitions.
Shortly after Russia launched its military campaign in Donbas, Medvedev warned the West that if it supplied Ukraine with weapons, the move would increase “the likelihood of a direct and open conflict between NATO and Russia.”
The US, the UK and Germany had reportedly supplied long-range missiles to Ukraine months ago. However, till now the US government had prevented the Kiev forces from using them to strike deep inside Russia.
US President-elect Donald Trump, who has long been critical of US military aid to Kiev, returns to the White House in January.
He repeatedly said during his election campaign that he would end the war in Ukraine “in a day” without going into specifics about how he intends to achieve the truce.
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/11/19/737537/Russia-Nuclear-Weapons-Missiles-Putin-Ukraine
Yemeni armed forces target Israel-bound ship in Red Sea in support of Gaza, Lebanon
The Yemeni armed forces say they have launched a missile attack on another ship sailing in the Red Sea in retaliation for the Israeli regime’s savage wars in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the spokesman for Yemen’s armed forces, made the remarks in a statement on Tuesday, saying the country’s forces used ballistic and naval missiles in the attack against the ship “Anadolu S” in the Red Sea, adding that "the hit was accurate and direct".
Saree went on to say that the operation was carried out after the ship refused to respond to warnings that had been issued by the Yemeni naval forces.
He also noted that the vessel was targeted because the shipping company that owns it violated the ban of entry into the ports of occupied Palestine.
Saree further reiterated that Yemeni armed forces will continue their anti-Israel operations until the Tel Aviv regime halts its onslaught against Gaza, lifts the siege on the besieged enclave and ends the aggression on Lebanon.
The Yemeni forces have been conducting hundreds of strikes against Israeli targets inside the occupied Palestinian territories in retaliation for the regime’s October 2023-present genocidal war and concomitant siege on the Gaza Strip and deadly escalation against Lebanon.
The brutal military onslaught and the escalation have respectively claimed the lives of more than 43,900 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and upwards of 3,500 Lebanese.
The Yemeni forces have been targeting Israeli ships as well as vessels heading towards or away from the occupied territories as a means of piling up economic pressure on the regime.
