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📰 Israel preps for Iran strike

📰 Israel preps for Iran strike

and New Zealand navy disaster

Billy Robinson & Ross Crabtree
October 08, 2024

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Today marks the first anniversary of the devastating October 7 Hamas attacks. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continue to pound Gaza and Lebanon, with mass evacuations underway as fears grow of a potential retaliatory strike on Iran.

In the Indo-Pacific, a New Zealand naval vessel has sunk off the coast of Samoa, prompting warnings from local authorities that an oil spill is "highly probable." In Taiwan, President Lai Ching-te firmly rejected claims by the People’s Republic of China over the island, reaffirming Taiwan's stance on sovereignty.

Stay informed with these stories and more below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇹🇳 Polls close in Tunisia amidst sharp decline in democracy: Polls have closed in Tunisia’s presidential election, with incumbent Kais Saied expected to secure a second term. His main opponents, including a prominent rival jailed last month, are behind bars. This election is seen by many as the final chapter in Tunisia’s democratic experiment, which began after the 2011 Arab Spring. Exit polls from Sigma, a polling agency, suggest Saied holds a commanding lead with 89.2% of the vote, though his critics reject the results. Turnout was reported at 27.7%. Saied, in office since 2019, has faced accusations of reversing Tunisia’s democratic progress. In 2021, he dissolved the parliament, rewrote the constitution, and consolidated power—actions the opposition has condemned as a coup. Official results are expected tomorrow.

2️⃣ 🇺🇳 🇱🇧 🇮🇱 Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have violated international humanitarian law, says UNHCR commissioner: Head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, has condemned recent airstrikes in Lebanon, saying they violated international humanitarian law by targeting civilian infrastructure and causing civilian casualties. Speaking from Beirut, Grandi noted numerous instances of strikes damaging infrastructure and killing civilians, affecting humanitarian efforts in the country. Grandi's visit coincides with Lebanon’s struggle to manage the displacement of over 1.2 million people due to Israel’s expanded war with Hizbollah. The conflict, initially confined to the Israel-Lebanon border, has intensified alongside Israel’s war in Gaza. Lebanese health authorities report more than 2,000 deaths and nearly 10,000 injuries over the past year, mostly within the last two weeks. Israel claims its strikes target Hizbollah's military assets, though Lebanon maintains that civilians have been deliberately hit. Grandi called for an immediate halt to the violence, urging all parties and their influencers to end the ongoing "carnage."

3️⃣ 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 Kyiv and Odessa targetted in latest Russian drone attacks: Russia launched a significant drone attack on Ukraine, hitting infrastructure in the Black Sea port of Odessa and targeting the capital, Kyiv. Ukrainian officials reported that air-raid alerts lasted for several hours, with 56 of the 87 Russian drones shot down by Ukraine's military. Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said the drones entered the capital in multiple waves from various directions. In Odessa, one person was injured, and damage was reported to warehouses and cargo trucks. In the southern Kherson region, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said one civilian was killed and 15 injured in the past 24 hours of Russian strikes. This assault followed the downing of a Russian fighter jet by Ukrainian forces in Donetsk, near Kostiantynivka, according to Ukraine’s public broadcaster, Suspilne.

4️⃣ 🇱🇾 International Criminal Court unseals war crimes arrest warrants for 6 Libyan militia affiliates: The ICC unsealed arrest warrants on Friday for six men allegedly tied to the Al Kaniyat militia, accused of committing war crimes in Tarhunah, a strategically important western Libyan town where mass graves were found in 2020. Libya has been divided between rival administrations in the east and west since the 2011 NATO-backed overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, with each faction supported by militias and foreign powers. ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan stated that evidence shows Tarhunah residents endured atrocities, including murder, torture, sexual violence, and rape. Three of the suspects are militia leaders, while the others were Libyan security officials during the time of the alleged crimes. The ICC, lacking its own enforcement architecture, depends on cooperation from its 124 member states to execute arrests, and Khan is seeking collaboration with Libyan authorities to bring the accused to trial.

5️⃣ 🇷🇺 🇦🇫 Russia rescinds Taliban’s designation as a terrorist group: Moscow has announced that it has reached a "principal decision" to remove Afghanistan's ruling Taliban from its list of terrorist organisations. Russian presidential envoy Zamir Kabulov confirmed that the foreign ministry and national security agencies are finalising the legal process for delisting the Taliban, with an official announcement expected soon. The news coincided with a Moscow-hosted regional conference on Afghanistan, chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. During the event, Lavrov emphasised the need for pragmatic dialogue with the Taliban and pledged continued political, trade, and economic ties with Kabul. Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi welcomed Russia's move, along with recent announcements by Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to delist the group, expressing hope for further steps toward international recognition.

Major Story

🇵🇸 🇮🇱 THE AL AQSA FLOOD: ONE YEAR ON

Israel is preparing memorials on Monday to commemorate the first anniversary of the deadly October 7 Hamas attacks, as the conflict it sparked continues to escalate on multiple fronts. Heavy Israeli airstrikes are ongoing in Gaza and Lebanon, while mass evacuations have been ordered in anticipation of a possible retaliatory airstrike against Iran. Tensions remain high as the region braces for further violence.

Iran on Alert for Possible Israeli Airstrike

On Sunday, Iranian airports temporarily cancelled all flights amid speculation that Israel may launch a retaliatory strike against Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to respond to Iran for its recent missile strike on Israel, though he has pledged to choose the timing and target carefully. The U.S. government, meanwhile, has cautioned Israel against targeting Iranian nuclear or oil facilities to avoid further escalation.

Senior officials from the White House and Pentagon have been in consultation with Israel, urging restraint, but its diplomatic muscle has repeatedly fallen short of achieving de-escalation. President Biden has specifically warned Netanyahu about the potential risks of a broader regional conflict if Iran’s critical infrastructure is targeted, yet Israel’s increasing operations in Gaza and Lebanon indicate a widening scope of the war.

Ground Operations Expand in Gaza and Lebanon

For the first time in months, Israel sent a column of tanks into northern Gaza, surrounding Jabalia, the largest refugee camp in the region. The Israeli military also carried out deadly strikes that hit a mosque and school, killing 24 people and wounding nearly 100, according to local authorities. This surge in Gaza follows Israel’s significant military operation in southern Lebanon, which began after renewed clashes with Hizbollah forces.

In response to the escalations, Israel issued another evacuation order for northern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped. Israeli military spokespeople have announced a “new phase of the war” aimed at decisively defeating Hamas and its militant allies.

Hizbollah Strikes and Israel’s Ongoing Air Campaign

As tensions rise in Lebanon, Hizbollah claimed responsibility for an attack on an Israeli military base near Haifa, resulting in injuries and damage. Meanwhile, staggering quantities of Israeli airstrikes have hit Beirut, with rescue efforts severely hindered by the ongoing bombardment.

Israeli bombardment has now claimed the lives of over 41,000 Palestinians and over 2’000 Lebanese in the past year, with no clear end in sight as the region remains mired in violence.

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Other News

1️⃣ 🇳🇿 🇼🇸 New Zealand naval vessel sinks in Samoa, oil spill ‘highly probable’: An oil spill is deemed "highly probable" after the New Zealand navy vessel HMNZS Manawanui caught fire and sank off Samoa’s coast, according to Acting Prime Minister Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponifasio. Officials in Samoa are assessing the environmental impact in the area where the ship grounded and went down on Sunday. All 75 people aboard, including civilian scientists and foreign military personnel, were rescued in challenging conditions. Rear Admiral Garin Golding stated it took five hours for the first survivors to reach shore after the ship struck a reef near Upolu Island. Defence Minister Judith Collins acknowledged the ship is likely lost beyond recovery, adding that New Zealand will be responsible for addressing any environmental damage caused by fuel leakage. The incident has sparked renewed concerns over New Zealand’s ageing naval fleet, which has been described as "extremely fragile."

2️⃣ 🇹🇼 🇨🇳 Taiwan president rebukes China’s ‘motherland’ label: Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te firmly rejected the People's Republic of China's claim to the island, stating that it is "impossible" for China to be Taiwan’s motherland due to the island's older political history. Speaking ahead of Taiwan's national day, Lai, labelled a "separatist" by Beijing, emphasised that Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), traces its roots back to the 1911 revolution. Lai highlighted the upcoming 113th anniversary of the ROC, comparing it to the PRC’s 75 years. "In terms of age, it is impossible for the People's Republic of China to be the 'motherland' of the Republic of China," Lai said, drawing applause. He reiterated that Taiwan remains a sovereign and independent nation.