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Updated
Syria’s interior ministry said on Wednesday that 16 security personnel had been killed in clashes that erupted overnight near Damascus, a day after deadly sectarian violence elsewhere near the capital.
“Outlaw groups” attacked government positions and checkpoints near the town of Sahnaya, the ministry said in a statement, killing “11 members of forces from the general security department”, with five more killed in an attack on a different position.
Elsewhere, Israeli police on Wednesday closed the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway and evacuated residents along the route as brushfires broke out again in an area ravaged by fires a week ago, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP)
A Swiss ban on Hamas will come into force on 15 May, the federal government said on Wednesday after a parliamentary vote at the end of 2024. The government’s political and security committees submitted a motion to ban Hamas in October 2023, after the group’s deadly attack on Israel that month, said a government statement.
Israel’s military said it arrested Ali Samoudi, a well-known journalist, in an overnight raid in the West Bank city of Jenin, reports the Associated Press (AP). Samoudi previously worked for international outlets including CNN and Al Jazeera. In 2022, he was injured in the same spray of gunfire that killed prominent Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. US officials say Akleh was shot dead by an Israeli sniper.
An Iranian man convicted of espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel was executed on Wednesday, Iranian state media reported. Entangled in a decades-long shadow war with Israel, Iran has put to death many individuals it accuses of having links with Israel’s the Mossad intelligence service and facilitating the latter’s operations in the country, notably assassinations or acts of sabotage meant to undermine its nuclear programme, reports Reuters.
At least 11 civilians and security officials were killed in ongoing clashes in a town near Damascus on Wednesday, state media reported, the second consecutive day of fighting in Druze-majority areas around Syria’s capital. Reports said fighting had started overnight in the town of Ashrafiah Sahnaya, south-west of Damascus, after unknown gunmen attacked a security checkpoint. An attack on the Druze-majority Damascus suburb of Jaramana a day earlier left at least 10 people dead, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The day so far
Starting with events at the ICJ, where judges are holding a week of hearings to help them formulate an advisory opinion on Israel’s obligations towards UN agencies delivering aid to Palestinians in Gaza. “There are serious concerns about Unrwa’s impartiality, including information that Hamas has used Unrwa facilities and that Unrwa staff participated in the 7 October terrorist attack against Israel,” said Josh Simmons from the US state department legal team, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The embattled UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, has accused Israel of abusing dozens of its staff in military detention and using some as human shields. The head of the agency, Philippe Lazzarini, said that more than 50 staff members, including teachers, doctors and social workers, had been detained and abused since the start of the 18-month-long war in Gaza.
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Israel cannot be forced to allow the UN Palestinian refugee agency Unrwa to operate in Gaza, the United States said on Wednesday at a World Court hearing in The Hague.
Israel last year passed a law that banned Unrwa from operating in the country, as it said the organisation had employed members of Hamas who took part in the attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, Reuters reported.
The UN said in August that nine Unrwa staff may have been involved in the assault and had been fired. Another Hamas commander, confirmed by Unrwa as one of its employees, was killed in Gaza in October, according to Israel.
The United Nations General Assembly in December asked the UN’s top court to give an advisory opinion on Israel’s obligations to facilitate aid to Palestinians that is delivered by states and international groups, including the United Nations.
At the third day of hearings on the matter, the US said Israel had the right to determine which organisations could provide basic needs to the population of the occupied Palestinian territories.
At least 11 civilians and security officials were killed in ongoing clashes in a town near Damascus on Wednesday, state media reported, the second consecutive day of fighting in Druze-majority areas around Syria’s capital.
Reports said fighting had started overnight in the town of Ashrafiah Sahnaya, south-west of Damascus, after unknown gunmen attacked a security checkpoint. An attack on the Druze-majority Damascus suburb of Jaramana a day earlier left at least 10 people dead, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Residents reported hearing gunfire, explosions and shelling throughout Wednesday morning. The security forces closed off roads leading to the area and sent reinforcements in an attempt to stop the fighting.
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, also announced that Israeli forces had struck an “extremist group that was preparing to attack the Druze population south of Damascus”. He said: “Israel will not allow harm to the Druze community in Syria.”
Israel has said it will protect the Druze population in southern Syria, an offer that Syrian Druze have said they did not ask for.
The fighting comes as Syria’s authorities grapple with rising tensions a month after an attack by remnants of the deposed regime of Bashar al-Assad on security forces sparked sectarian massacres in the coastal Latakia governorate which left at least 1,000 people dead.
This week’s clashes are likely to strain the already frosty relationship between the Syrian government and Druze communities, which are engaged in negotiations over their areas’ inclusion in the Syrian state.
Here are some of the latest images coming in via the newswires:
Israel police close roads and evacuate residents as fires spread near Jerusalem
Israeli police on Wednesday closed the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway and evacuated residents along the route as brushfires broke out again in an area ravaged by blazes a week ago, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Communities located about 30km (19 miles) west of Jerusalem were evacuated, Israeli media reported, airing images of firefighting teams battling fierce flames.
Due to the weather conditions, the Israeli minister responsible for arranging national ceremonies, Miri Regev, announced that the main Independence Day event planned for Wednesday evening in Jerualem was cancelled.
High temperatures and strong winds have allowed the fires in wooded areas to spread quickly, prompting evacuations from at least five communities, the police said in a statement.
AFP reports that the emergency services provider, Magen David Adom, said in a statement that “at this stage, there are no reported casualties.”
“Ambulance teams, intensive care units and immediate response vehicles are providing medical support for firefighting operations,” it added.
National security minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who oversees Israel’s fire department, said in a statement that he was heading to the affected area, which often sees wildfires at this time of year.
When fires broke out in the same area last week, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had called for increased measures to douse the flames and said they must be stopped before reaching Jerusalem, which was eventually the case.
Israel’s military said it arrested Ali Samoudi, a well-known journalist, in an overnight raid in the West Bank city of Jenin, reports the Associated Press (AP).
Samoudi previously worked for international outlets including CNN and Al Jazeera. In 2022, he was injured in the same spray of gunfire that killed prominent Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. US officials say Akleh was shot dead by an Israeli sniper.
Israel’s military said Samoudi was affiliated with and transfered funds for the Islamic Jihad militant group, without providing evidence. They said Samoudi had been transferred to Israel’s security forces, reports the AP.
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Iranian journalists have warned of a media crackdown after a series of incidents, the most recent an explosion at a munitions company in which one person was killed and two injured.
The explosion on Tuesday, for which there has been no official explanation, occurred in Isfahan, only two days after a thwarted cyber-attack on the communications infrastructure on Sunday, and a huge explosion on Saturday at the strategic southern port of Shahid Rajaee, near Bandar Abbas.
The death toll from the explosion at the port has increased to 65, with more than 1,000 people injured.
Iran has ruled out foreign involvement in the Shahid Rajaee explosion, pointing instead to negligence and strong evidence that unlabelled combustible chemicals, undeclared to customs, were inappropriately stored, leading to a fire and a deadly chain reaction of explosions. An MP who visited the site put the chances of sabotage at 1%.
Suspicion of cover-ups is rife, however, and the filing of criminal charges against media outlets and activists by the Tehran prosecutor’s office has caused journalists in Iran to voice concern about press freedom. Mizan news agency, the judiciary’s official media outlet, said violators would face legal consequences for attempting to publish “illegal news” about the explosion.
One Tehran-based reporter, speaking to the Guardian on condition of anonymity because of safety concerns, said:
Not only were we warned against ground reporting, we were also banned effectively from sharing reports on social media. In face of a tragedy such as this, what is there to hide? Either the death toll is way more than 70, or they are suppressing the real cause of the explosion. Following the filing of charges, our newsrooms are also self-regulating in fear that they’ll be facing legal consequences.
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Wednesday’s strike in Syria came as Israel marked its annual Memorial Day to commemorate fallen soldiers, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“On this Memorial Day for the fallen soldiers of the [Israel Defense Forces] IDF, when we honour the great contribution of the Druze community to Israel’s security … we place great importance on fulfilling our commitment to the Druze community in Israel and to protecting their brothers in Syria,” said the statement issued by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
The statement continued:
Israel will not allow harm to befall the Druze community in Syria out of a deep commitment to our Druze brothers in Israel, who share family and historical ties with their Druze brethren in Syria.
Unrwa says Israel has abused detained staff and used some as human shields
The embattled UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, has accused Israel of abusing dozens of its staff in military detention and using some as human shields.
The head of the agency, Philippe Lazzarini, said that more than 50 staff members, including teachers, doctors and social workers, had been detained and abused since the start of the 18-month-long war in Gaza.
“They have been treated in the most shocking & inhumane way. They reported being beaten + used as human shields,” Lazzarini wrote on X.
Those detained had been subjected to “sleep deprivation, humiliation, threats of harm to them & their families + attacks by dogs … [and] forced confessions”.
UN officials said the reported abuse had taken place both in Gaza and in military detention sites in Israel.
The Israeli military has not responded directly to Lazzarini’s accusation, but has previously denied allegations of widespread abuse in its detention facilities and by its troops.
It has, however, launched investigations into abuse by individual soldiers during the war, and into the use of detainees as human shields, bringing charges against service personnel in some cases.
In a statement, the Israeli military said it acted in accordance with Israeli law and international law, and protects the rights of individuals held in detention facilities under its responsibility.
Swiss ban on Hamas comes into force 15 May
A Swiss ban on Hamas will come into force on 15 May, the federal government said on Wednesday after a parliamentary vote at the end of 2024.
The government’s political and security committees submitted a motion to ban Hamas in October 2023, after the group’s deadly attack on Israel that month, said a government statement.
The ban is designed to counter the movement’s activities and stop people supporting the group, the statement added, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The law makes it easier for the police to use preventive measures such as entry bans or expulsions as well as facilitating the handling of evidence in criminal relevant cases, said the government.
The law will also make it harder for Hamas to use Switzerland’s financial network for its funding, strengthening the country’s “internal security” and upholding international law, it added.
The Israeli military carried out a warning strike against “extremists” preparing to attack members of the Druze minority in the Syrian town of Sahnaya, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday in a joint statement with defence minister Israel Katz, reports Reuters.
At least 12 people including children were killed overnight in Gaza by Israeli strikes, hospital workers said on Wednesday, reports the Associated Press (AP).
We mentioned Wafa’s reporting of the strikes in the blog earlier (see 8.09am BST), but the AP report has some additional infomation:
The predawn strikes hit three houses in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp, according to staff at the al-Aqsa hospital, which received the bodies. Among the dead were three children, including two brothers, according to the hospital’s morgue.
The strikes come after more than two dozen people were killed earlier this week in Gaza City and Beit Lahiya.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) has more on the evidence given by Josh Simmons at the ICJ hearing (see 9.34am)
Simmons, from the US state department legal team, told the judges that Israel has “ample grounds” to question Unrwa’s impartiality.
“Given these concerns, it is clear that Israel has no obligation to permit Unrwa specifically to provide humanitarian assistance,” he said.
“Unrwa is not the only option for providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza,” he added.
Updated
US official tells ICJ there are 'serious concerns’ over Unrwa impartiality
A US official on Wednesday told the international court of justice (ICJ) there were “serious concerns” about the impartiality of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa).
ICJ judges are holding a week of hearings to help them formulate an advisory opinion on Israel’s obligations towards UN agencies delivering aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
“There are serious concerns about Unrwa’s impartiality, including information that Hamas has used Unrwa facilities and that Unrwa staff participated in the 7 October terrorist attack against Israel,” said Josh Simmons from the US state department legal team, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Israel banned all cooperation with Unrwa’s activities in Gaza and the occupied West Bank earlier this year, and claims the agency has been infiltrated by Hamas, an allegation that has been fiercely contested.
Updated
Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, said a fourth round of nuclear talks with the United States, mediated by Oman, would be held in on Saturday in Rome.
“The next round of negotiations will take place in Rome,” the foreign minister said after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Araghchi said Iranian officials would also meet on Friday with representatives from the UK, France and Germany – all parties to the 2015 nuclear deal.
US starts giving evidence at the ICJ
There is now a live feed from the international court of justice (ICJ) in The Hague, where the US is giving evidence (see 8.52am). You may need to refresh the blog to see it.
Updated
Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel
An Iranian man convicted of espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel was executed on Wednesday, Iranian state media reported.
Entangled in a decades-long shadow war with Israel, Iran has put to death many individuals it accuses of having links with Israel’s the Mossad intelligence service and facilitating the latter’s operations in the country, notably assassinations or acts of sabotage meant to undermine its nuclear programme, reports Reuters.
According to Iran’s judiciary media outlet Mizan, the defendant identified as Mohsen Langarneshin was accused of involvement in several cases, including the death of a Revolutionary Guards colonel in 2022.
“During his two years as a spy (…) he was responsible for important actions, including supporting terrorist operations and being present at the scene of the assassination of Sayad Khodai,” state media said. It said the defendant also provided operational support for an attack on an industrial centre in Isfahan, affiliated with the Ministry of Defence.
The state media reports said Langarneshin had confessed to the charges. Reuters was not able to reach a representative for comment.
Earlier this week, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi accused Israel of seeking to derail Iran-US nuclear talks, with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting the idea of limiting Tehran’s uranium enrichment via a deal and pushing for the full dismantlement of its nuclear infrastructure.
The US is scheduled to give evidence at the international court of justice (ICJ) in The Hague at 10am, local time (9am BST).
Today is the third of five days of proceedings in The Hague that may prove critical to Israel’s future within the world body. The UN’s top court will hear from dozens of nations and organisations in order to draw up an advisory opinion on Israel’s humanitarian obligations to Palestinians more than 50 days into its total blockade on aid entering Gaza.
The UN was the first to address the court on Monday, followed by Palestinian representatives. In total, 40 states and four international organisations are scheduled to participate.
On Tuesday, South Africa, a staunch critic of Israel, presented its arguments. In hearings last year in a separate case at the court, the country accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza – a charge Israel denies. Today’s evidence will be from the US, Israel’s ally.
The court will probably take months to rule. Experts say the decision, though not legally binding, could profoundly impact international jurisprudence, international aid to Israel and public opinion.
Updated
Iran has citicised “threats” by France to reimpose sanctions lifted after a landmark 2015 deal on Tehran’s nuclear programme, local media said on Wednesday, citing a letter sent by the country’s UN mission.
“Resorting to threats and economic blackmail is entirely unacceptable,” said the letter published by Iran’s ISNA news agency, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
It came after French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Monday that his government along with Germany and the UK “will not hesitate for a single second to reapply all the sanctions” lifted a decade ago if European security is threatened by Iran’s nuclear activities.
A Syria war monitor said on Wednesday that two people including a Druze fighter were killed in overnight clashes as sectarian violence spread to a new area near Damascus, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“At least two people including a Druze fighter were killed in clashes between gunmen linked to the authorities and local Druze fighters” in Sahnaya, about 15km (nine miles) south west of the capital, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, also reporting “14 wounded and missing”.
Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that 13 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza on Wednesday morning, with more injured. The casualties are reported to include two girls.
A Wafa correspondent reported that strikes were carried out by Israel in Gaza City and the Nuseirat refugee camp among other locations, and that one fisher was killed by fire from an Israeli gun boat.
Defence minister Katz: Israel's goal is 'a clear victory without compromise' over Hamas
Israel’s defence minister, speaking at a Memorial Day ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, has said that Israel’s war goal is “a clear victory without compromise” over Hamas.
Israel Katz said that those in the IDF who had fought and been killed during Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip were carrying out a “sacred commitment … to bring home all the kidnapped men and women, both the living and the dead.”
Katz said:
This is the ultimate obligation of the state of Israel in the name of mutual responsibility and the unity of the people. It is also our duty to defeat those who slaughtered our citizens on that terrible Sabbath [7 October 2023], and to ensure that enemies of this kind will no longer be near our border and will not pose a threat to the state of Israel. Our goal is a clear victory without compromise.
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Recent US strikes on Yemen have killed more than 100 people, Reuters notes. That figure includes 74 at an oil terminal in mid-April in what was the deadliest strike in Yemen under the Donald Trump so far, according to the Houthi-run health ministry.
Rights advocates have raised concerns about civilian killings. Houthi-controlled television said on Monday a US airstrike killed 68 people after striking a detention centre for African migrants in Yemen.
US and UK launch joint strikes on Houthis in Yemen
US and British forces conducted a joint military operation in Yemen on Tuesday, according to Britain’s Ministry of Defence, which said the operation was against a Houthi military target responsible for making drones like those used to attack shipping.
A British statement claimed intelligence analysis identified a cluster of buildings located 24 km (15 miles) south of Yemen’s capital Sana’a that were used by the Houthis to manufacture drones of the type used to attack ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
It is the first time the UK military has attacked Yemen since Donald Trump was inaugurated as US president for the second time. US vice-president JD Vance has been vocally dismissive of European defence capabilities. In March he criticised European forces as “some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years.”
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Welcome and opening summary …
Welcome to the Guardian’s rolling coverage of the conflict in the Middle East. Here are the headlines …
The US and UK have carried out strikes on Yemen. The Houthis reported several strikes around the capital, Sana’a, which the group has held since 2014. Other strikes hit around Saada
UK defence secretary John Healey said “This action was taken in response to a persistent threat from the Houthis to freedom of navigation. A 55% drop in shipping through the Red Sea has already cost billions, fuelling regional instability and risking economic security for families in the UK”
A British statement said intelligence analysis identified a cluster of buildings located about 24km (15 miles) south of Yemen’s capital that were used by the Houthis to manufacture drones of the type used to attack ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
Overnight Israel claims to have intercepted a drone launched from Yemen
Israel’s IDF is to begin issuing draft orders to tens of thousands of reservists, officials have said. Reservists will be deployed in Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank, freeing up conscripted troops for duty inside Gaza
