Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, has published drone footage that appears to show it has been able to conduct extensive surveillance of strategic sites in northern Israel, including the port city of Haifa, without being detected by Israel’s vaunted air defense systems.
The nine-minute video, released on Tuesday, showcases footage that Hezbollah claims was gathered by its reconnaissance drones. The footage includes detailed images of the Haifa port, naval facilities, air defense systems like the Iron Dome and David’s Sling, as well as residential and commercial areas.
This revelation is particularly concerning for Israel, as Hezbollah has been steadily expanding its drone capabilities over the past year, using them for both surveillance and attack purposes. The group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, had previously acknowledged in November 2023 that Hezbollah had been sending drones over Haifa.
The ability of Hezbollah’s drones to penetrate deep into Israeli airspace and capture such detailed footage of sensitive military and civilian sites suggests significant gaps in Israel’s air defense systems. Despite intercepting around 150 Hezbollah drones, others have managed to reach their targets, highlighting the challenges Israel faces in countering this evolving threat.
Experts have noted that Hezbollah has employed tactics like flying at low altitudes and using multiple communication channels to evade detection, which appear to have been effective. Israel has acknowledged the need to invest millions of shekels to upgrade its air defense capabilities to better handle the drone threat.
The publication of this footage is seen as a major propaganda victory for Hezbollah, demonstrating its technological prowess and ability to breach Israel’s security. It also underscores the escalating tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border, as the two sides continue to exchange fire amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Maldives, a predominantly Muslim island nation, has long been a vocal critic of Israeli policies towards the Palestinian people. The country’s decision to ban Israeli passport holders is seen as a significant step in the global pushback against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Israeli soldiers, left, are seen working on a tank near the Israeli-Gaza border on May 29. The Maldives, right, has now banned Israelis from entering the country. (AP/Tsafrir Abayov/Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The ban, which will be enforced through an amendment to the country’s laws, is expected to have a significant impact on tourism in the Maldives. The country has traditionally been a popular destination for Israeli tourists, with nearly 11,000 visiting in 2023. However, the number of Israeli visitors has already begun to decline in the wake of the Gaza war, with only 528 arriving in the first four months of 2024.
The Maldives’ decision to ban Israeli passport holders is not without precedent. In the early 1990s, the country banned Israeli tourists following a wave of protests and demonstrations against Israeli policies. The ban was lifted in the early 2000s, but relations between the two countries have been strained ever since. The Maldives’ move is part of a broader global trend of countries taking action against Israel in response to the Gaza war. In recent weeks, several countries have announced boycotts of Israeli goods and services, while others have called for sanctions against the Israeli government.
Biden and his Govt knows that Israel-Hamas cease-fire proposal will hit the wall: Mike Pompeo
The Maldives’ decision to ban Israeli passport holders is a significant step in this global pushback against Israel. It sends a powerful message that the world will not stand idly by while innocent civilians are killed and displaced in Gaza. As the international community continues to grapple with the consequences of the Gaza war, the Maldives’ bold move is a reminder that the world will not be silenced by the actions of a rogue state.
So one of the most advanced defense systems in human history just randomly decided to fail one day?
Some reports indicate we have not seen an alarm there like this since January! This is potentially the most “successful” attack on Israel in modern history.
IT’S SO OBVIOUS WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE‼️
The Israeli government is intentionally allowing missiles to rain on their own citizens in a desperate attempt to regain public support for their war campaign in Gaza. Many allegations are still unresolved that they also allowed the October 7th attack, or at least intentionally let it go on longer, in order to “justify” killing over 35,984 Palestinians.
On Wednesday, a harrowing video depicting the kidnapping of five Israeli female soldiers during the Hamas massacre on October 7 was made public. The soldiers, who were serving as army observers in the border region with the Gaza Strip, were taken captive by heavily armed terrorists.
The video, obtained by the Israeli army with the families’ consent, reveals the injured young women, some of whom are covered in blood, being held captive by the terrorists. Their arms are bound behind their backs, and they appear petrified as the kidnappers continually shout threats at them. The footage, initially filmed by Hamas militants during the attack, was previously released by Hamas but was edited by the IDF to exclude the most distressing scenes. The Hostages Families Forum made the video public in an effort to compel the government to negotiate a ceasefire agreement with Hamas and secure the release of their loved ones.
The women identified in the video are Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Daniela Gilboa, and Naama Levy. All are still believed to be in Hamas’ custody. Two other soldiers, Ori Megidish and Noa Marciano, were also taken from the Nahal Oz base. Megidish was rescued after 23 days, while Marciano was tragically killed in captivity.
The video has sparked outrage and renewed calls for action from the Israeli government and the international community. Thousands of Israelis have rallied in recent weeks, demanding a deal to bring home hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas. The Hostages Families Forum described the footage as a “damning testament to the nation’s failure to bring home the hostages, who have been abandoned for 229 days.”
As the world continues to grapple with the aftermath of the Hamas attacks, the plight of the Israeli hostages remains a pressing humanitarian crisis that demands immediate attention and action.
Seyyed Mohammad-Ali Al-Hashem, Tabriz’s Friday Prayer Imam, and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were also reportedly on the helicopter with the president
Is He Alive?
Some of the president’s companions on this helicopter were able to communicate with Central Headquarters, raising hopes that the incident could have ended without casualties,” It is unclear what the exact status is of Raisi’s helicopter.
Sounds very sus…. They heard from the presidents companions but didn’t clarify if the President himself was alive.
In a major escalation of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have launched a ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah. This move comes despite international calls for restraint and concerns over the potential humanitarian catastrophe.
The IDF has been urging civilians in eastern Rafah to evacuate the area for several days, with around 100,000 people ordered to relocate to a designated “humanitarian zone.” This evacuation order has caused widespread panic and uncertainty among the local population, who are already facing dire humanitarian conditions due to the seven-month-long conflict.
According to IDF officials, the invasion of Rafah is a crucial component of Israel’s strategy to defeat Hamas, which the military claims is operating from the city. The IDF has asserted that the operation is necessary to secure the release of Israeli hostages and achieve a “total victory” over the militant group.
However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from the international community. The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has warned that a ground invasion of Rafah would be “intolerable due to its devastating humanitarian consequences”.
The US President, Joe Biden, has also reiterated his opposition to the operation, urging Israel to prioritize the protection of civilians.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that Rafah is home to the Karem Abu Salam (Kerem Shalom in Hebrew) border crossing, a crucial lifeline for the delivery of humanitarian aid and commercial goods to the Gaza Strip. The IDF’s seizure of control over this crossing has effectively halted all travel and aid flow into the enclave.
The conflict has already claimed the lives of at least 34,735 people in Gaza, with the majority being women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Israeli military, on the other hand, estimates that around 1,200 people were killed in a single Hamas attack on October 7th, with over 300 soldiers among the dead.
As the situation in Rafah continues to unfold, the international community is urging both sides to prioritize the protection of civilians and to work towards a ceasefire agreement. The ongoing negotiations in Cairo and Doha offer a glimmer of hope, but the path to a lasting peace remains uncertain.
On a grim Saturday, a horrifying scene unfolded in the streets as a naked woman’s lifeless body was paraded through the city in the back of a pickup truck, with Hamas fighters seated beside her motionless form. A jubilant crowd, including young onlookers, surrounded the armed militants dressed in combat fatigues, who fervently chanted “Allah Akbar” from the open truck bed.
Tragically, some individuals within the crowd spat upon the woman’s lifeless body before the truck abruptly sped away, marking a day of unprecedented carnage against Israeli civilians. The woman was later identified as Shani Louk, and while her family acknowledged witnessing the distressing video, they clung to a glimmer of hope that she might have somehow survived.
Shanis Leg tattoo clearing confirming her identity as a German National in Israel for a music festival. Photo : X
Miss Louk is believed to have been abducted from Israel when Hamas militants infiltrated through air, sea, and land. The brutal attack claimed the lives of hundreds of Israelis, with several, including members of the Israeli defense forces, taken hostage.
Tom Weintraub Louk, Miss Louk’s cousin, identified her by her tattoos and distinctive long dreadlocks. She had been attending an outdoor music festival near Kibbutz Urim when the militants stormed the area, as reported by The Washington Post.
Disturbing videos of this incident and other attacks rapidly circulated on social media, prompting global leaders to condemn the senseless killing of civilians on a scale likened to a massacre.
In one particularly heart-wrenching video, a weeping woman named Noa was seen being placed on a motorcycle, desperately reaching out to a man whose hands were bound behind his back as he was led away by captors. Noa, too, had been attending a music festival before being abducted into Gaza.
Hamas released footage depicting a group of Israeli men confined to a dark room with their hands tied behind their backs, their faces exposed to the camera under harsh lighting. While some claimed to be soldiers, not all were in uniform.
Another chilling clip showed soldiers being dragged out of a smoking tank before being forced to lie on the ground, with at least one facing execution.
Palestinian men triumphantly rode atop a captured Israeli armored car, and a man, who seemed to be a deceased Israeli soldier, was pulled from a car by two exuberant individuals. His lifeless body was subjected to brutal treatment by an exultant crowd celebrating this gruesome “victory.”
Hamas displayed an utter disregard for civilian lives, as evidenced by one video where an elderly Israeli woman appeared strangely calm while being transported into the Gaza Strip on a golf cart, accompanied by armed men. A different elderly woman remained stoic in a chair as a masked Hamas terrorist brandished a machine gun and flashed the victory sign.
Smartphone footage captured terrified Israelis peering from their balconies or windows, documenting Hamas terrorists walking the streets. On one highway, several cars and a van bore shattered windshields and windows from gunfire, with two vehicles colliding, presumably in a desperate bid to escape the hail of bullets. In the midst of this chaos, children pleaded in Hebrew, questioning why these armed men were in their homes and firing guns.
The Israeli government confirmed that a significant number of hostages had been taken. In a chilling scene, a terrorist with an automatic weapon opened the door to a building, revealing a pile of lifeless bodies, victims of this brutal onslaught, lying face down at a bullet-pocked bus stop.
Meanwhile, a woman, reportedly an Israeli settler, took selfies as she was led away by her captors. As the crowd approached, people raised their arms and smartphones to capture footage of at least one hostage bound and helpless.
Hamas Militants kidnap an old lady. Photo: X
Another heart-wrenching moment unfolded as a bloodied Israeli woman was filmed being removed from the trunk of a different jeep by a man wielding a handgun in what appeared to be the Gaza Strip. Lifeless bodies of drivers and passengers were scattered on the road, amid shattered glass, or slumped behind the wheel. Further away, a woman’s body lay, suggesting she might have been shot while attempting to escape.
In a widely shared video, a Hamas terrorist was heard assuring a family with young children that they would not be harmed, emphasizing that if he had intended harm, he would have executed it already.
The Israel- Palestinian conflict continues to get murkier by the day.
In recent days, the conflict between Israel and Hamas has escalated, raising concerns about a potential chain reaction in the region. Alexander Dugin, a prominent commentator, has provided insight into the situation, which we are summarizing for you.
Dugin highlights that while Palestinians may lack the ability to destroy Israel or inflict a significant military defeat, Israel also faces a dilemma because it cannot fully control the Palestinian territories it technically claims. The international context, especially the U.S. leadership, plays a crucial role. Dugin points out that the U.S., led by neocons and globalists, does not seem to favor either side.
The key concern is the potential for a chain reaction involving Islamic states such as Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Gulf states, and Egypt. This could test the strength of multipolarism and weaken Western hegemony. The involvement of Iran and Hezbollah could expand hostilities to Lebanon and Syria, and internal tensions within Israel add unpredictability to the situation.
Dugin speculates that the U.S. and globalists may seek to de-escalate the conflict, recognizing that further escalation brings no benefits. He also notes that the Western approach to territorial unity and self-determination varies depending on their interests.
Regarding Russia’s position, Dugin suggests that it’s challenging for Russia to choose a side due to historical ties with Palestinians and evolving relations with Israel.
Importantly, Dugin highlights the eschatological dimension, with the Palestinians naming their operation ‘Al-Aqsa Storm.’ This relates to tensions around Jerusalem and the messianic aspirations of building the Third Temple on the Temple Mount, which requires the demolition of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. These actions could ignite eschatological sensitivities among Muslims, both Shiites and Sunnis.
In conclusion, the situation in Israel and Palestine remains complex and fluid, with potential geopolitical implications. The eschatological dimension adds a unique layer to the conflict, and the evolving international context will influence the course of events.
(Note: This report is based on Alexander Dugin’s insights and is provided by Smartie News with credit to Mr. Dugin. For ongoing updates and analysis, please refer to his channel: t.me/Dugin_Aleksandr)
