Hezbollah have blunted yet another Israeli attempt to seize the strategic Ali al-Taher Hills in southern Lebanon, falling into a costly ambush – meanwhile, Iran issues a threat that it will not stand idly by and could soon escalate unless the US backs down over the Strait of Hormuz. Mint Press News’ Robert Inlakesh explores the escalation in the latest episode of The Target livestream.
Over the weekend, the Israeli military decided to disregard the ceasefire agreement they had signed with Lebanon and instead moved to occupy more land in the south of the country. A special forces unit was deployed to lead the charge towards the strategically important Ali Al-Taher Hills, but were caught in an embarrassing ambush inflicting casualties amongst their ranks.
Israel attempted to cover up its failure by claiming Hezbollah fired on them for no reason and that they then responded by targeting a military site. At least 11 Lebanese were killed and dozens of others were wounded in a series of deadly raids carried out around the Nabatieh Municipality, many of whom were women and children. The Israeli occupying forces have failed in around half a dozen attempted advances, to seize the area, where there is believed to be a significant Hezbollah military facility.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)’s Navy also reportedly seized an Emirati tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, intercepting it near Qeshm Island, representing a significant escalation and sending the price of Brent Crude (oil) Futures past $90 per barrel. This, as US President Donald Trump continues to claim both that the Strait open and that his naval blockade is effective, doubling down on earlier comments that he seeks to make the area officially part of American territory.
Yemen’s Ansarallah-led government forces have also continued to hit positions belonging to their Saudi-backed opposition, while retaliating to Riyadh’s violation of Yemeni airspace with more UAV strikes on oil facilities in Jazan.
The Yemeni Armed Forces have also advanced and captured more towns located near the coastal Port city of Mukha, a strategic location which has come under constant fire and where multiple cargo vessels were destroyed. Clashes between the Ansarallah-led forces and Saudi-backed militants have persisted near Taiz, Mukha and Marib, with heavily casualties inflicted.
In this Monday’s edition of The Target, we also look at the US led campaign to disarm all of Iran’s allies, where it came from and why these moves are all happening in sync with one another, exploring the roles of regional actors in the regional war that is still raging on; albeit at a slower pace than it currently was.
US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner has also been holding talks with his Israeli counter-parts, in pursuit of disarming the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip, disingenuously claiming to have a reconstruction plan and holding the population of the territory hostage as Israel seeks to take away their ability to even fight back against ethnic cleansing.
The Target’s Monday show brings you all of the latest in the battlefield developments, while providing the historical context which is, more often than not, missing from coverage elsewhere.
