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Today’s focus: New Middle East War – Hezbollah Launches Fierce Attack on Israel, Senior Commander Beheaded; Unprecedented Miracle in Counter-Terrorism History; Putin Personally Reveals Behind-the-Scenes of 3-Day Battle for Kyiv; Dutch New Prime Minister to Deliver F-16s to Ukraine This Month; Resignation Video of Prime Minister Goes Viral on the Internet.
As attention is focused on the Russia-Ukraine battlefield, another potential spark for world war in the Middle East has reignited on Thursday. Hezbollah in Lebanon suddenly fired over 200 rockets at Israel, escalating an already imminent conflict. The arrows have truly been released in what could be described as a ready-to-ignite war.
On July 4th, Hezbollah in Lebanon launched over 200 rockets at Israel, causing over 8,700 hectares of land in northern Israel to be burned since May. The all-out war between Hamas ally Hezbollah and Israel is on the brink. Here is a scene captured by Israeli residents along the roadside after the bombardment, showcasing a smoky aftermath.
While Hezbollah was launching rockets, they also deployed over 20 drones to attack at least 10 Israeli military bases. The Israeli military reported 17 air raid alerts in different locations in northern Israel within a short 90-minute span from the West Bank to the Golan Heights.
Although Hezbollah’s attack appears fierce, aside from causing fires, it has not resulted in casualties. Most of the rockets aimed at cities and residential areas were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system. Witness the spectacle of Iron Dome intercepting rockets in the sky.
Some may ask: why did Hezbollah launch such a large-scale attack even with Israeli forces heavily present at the border? The reason lies in the previous day’s operation where the Israeli military carried out an assassination in southern Lebanon, killing Hezbollah’s senior Aziz Forces commander, Nassel. He was involved in planning and overseeing Hamas’s terror attacks against Israel in October last year, making him the highest-ranking commander of Hezbollah to date to perish in conflicts with Israel. Videos circulating online purportedly show the scene of Nassel’s vehicle being destroyed and set ablaze.
As expected, Israel retaliated by bombing Hezbollah positions along the southern Lebanon border. This cycle of revenge and retaliation in the Middle East has grown increasingly convoluted over the years, making it unclear who is the cause and who is the effect, entangling countless grievances and enmities into an intractable deadlock.
During the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, it is reported that there have been approximately 7,000 mutual attacks between the Israeli military and Hezbollah in Lebanon, with orange indicating strikes initiated by Lebanon and blue indicating those from Israel. The attack ratio between the Israeli military and Hezbollah is 5:1, with a casualty ratio of 1:27, showcasing the disparity in military power between the two sides. Despite this, Hezbollah, as one of Lebanon’s ruling parties, possesses significantly stronger weaponry than Hamas, including various missiles, anti-tank weapons, and air defense systems.
According to intelligence from Israel’s Mossad, Iran has approximately 40,000 troops near Syria, adjacent to both Israel and Lebanon. If a full-fledged war breaks out between Israel and Hezbollah, it could potentially draw Iran into the conflict, raising concerns about the possibility of a world war. This is why the United States and France are currently making efforts to mediate and prevent an escalation of violence between the two sides.
Recent developments in Israel have both delighted and surprised observers. Reports emerged on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is evaluating the possibility of reaching a ceasefire agreement with Hamas and will convene a cabinet meeting for discussions. Netanyahu, known for his hardline stance, suddenly exploring a ceasefire with Hamas has offered hope for a Gaza ceasefire while also raising fears that the Israeli government may be gearing up for an all-out war against Hezbollah.
Speaking of historical events, July 4th holds particular significance for the Israelis. 48 years ago, ten Palestinian Liberation Organization and German Red Army Faction terrorists hijacked a French civilian aircraft landing it at Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport. Over 100 Jewish passengers were taken hostage. On July 4, 1976, Israeli special forces executed an unprecedented long-range counter-terrorism operation with the support of four C-130 transport planes, eight Ghost-style fighter jets, and two Boeing 707 tanker planes, successfully rescuing the hostages within 53 minutes and destroying 11 Ugandan Air Force fighter jets supporting the terrorists. 7 out of the hijackers were killed, along with 3 hostages. One Israeli special forces operative, Colonel Netanyahu, the elder brother of the current Israeli Prime Minister, sacrificed his life in that mission.
In the context of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, a common question has been why the initial rapid advance of Russian forces towards Kyiv turned into a gradual retreat, resulting in the current stalemate in eastern Ukraine. Unexpectedly, during a Shanghai Cooperation Organization press conference on July 4th, Putin personally offered his explanation for their actions.
In times of war, especially protracted conflicts, the adequacy of weapons and ammunition becomes a critical factor. On July 4th, the US Department of Defense announced a new batch of ammunition aid for Ukrainian forces, totaling approximately $150 million.
This batch of US military assistance includes anti-aircraft missiles; ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems; essential 155mm and 105mm shells for frontline use; Javelin anti-tank missiles, and tactical aerial navigation systems, aircraft support equipment, spare parts, and maintenance assistance, likely for the F-16 fighter jets.
Additionally, the US announced the allocation of around $2.2 billion from the Ukraine Security Assistance Program to purchase Patriot air defense missile systems to bolster Ukraine’s air defense needs.
The Netherlands’ new prime minister, in a recent interaction with Ukrainian President Zelensky, reinforced the previous government’s commitment to provide F-16s to Ukraine with a clearer timeline.
On July 3rd, the newly appointed Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schof, in a conversation with Zelensky, expressed unwavering Dutch support for Ukraine and pledged continued political, military, and financial support to resist Russian aggression, no matter the cost or duration.
Taking into account Prime Minister Schof’s background and statements, his firm stance is not surprising. In response to the MH17 tragedy on July 17, 2014, where 196 Dutch citizens aboard the Malaysian Airlines flight were shot down by a Russian-backed missile in the separatist-controlled Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, Schof, then Dutch intelligence chief heading the investigation, not only expressed absolute support for Ukraine but also pledged to deliver the first batch of 24 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in July.
Schof has recently emphasized the need for caution in discussions on “national security issues” with China. The Netherlands, although a small country, holds pivotal technology globally: the production of chip lithography machines. Currently, only the Netherlands and Japan possess this technology, and ASML, a Dutch company, is the world’s largest lithography machine manufacturer and the sole supplier of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines, essential for producing chips smaller than 5 nanometers.
Speaking of the new Dutch Prime Minister, a recent viral video circulating online captured a poignant moment on July 2nd, where former Prime Minister Rutte and incoming PM Schof bid farewell after a handover ceremony, with Rutte unlocking his bicycle to ride home from the Prime Minister’s residence. Rutte’s gesture of unlocking his bicycle particularly struck a chord, evoking memories of my youthful days riding through the streets of Beijing on a bicycle.
That concludes this edition of “Current Affairs Scan”. We appreciate your support. Please subscribe to our channel, support us, like, comment, and share our content. Your direct financial support would be greatly appreciated. Until next time.
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