International
On Lebanon’s line of fire, Spanish troops patrol between alerts and destruction
Early in the morning of what would be one of the most intense days in eight months of hostilities between the Lebanese Shiite group Hizbulá and the Israeli forces, a patrol of Spanish blue helmets receives the warning that a level 2 alert has been activated.
As mandated by the protocol, the group immediately goes to the position of the nearest UN peace mission in Lebanon (FINUL), something that they have to do quite often in the midst of the escalation that since October has hit their area of operations in the south of the Mediterranean country.
Another Spanish patrol arrives to take refuge at the same base, less than two kilometers from the border with Israel, where the hours go by while from the heliport you can observe in the distance the smoke of some impact on the mountain.
From time to time, you can hear the buzzing of the drones or a few distant explosions. “Another greeting,” jokes one of the military.
Well into the afternoon, eight hours after its activation, the alert that weighed on the entire East sector is lifted and the blue helmets can finally leave the facilities to continue their activities.
According to them, it was by far the most prolonged alert of that type since they arrived in Lebanon last month, when the last rotation of Spanish troops took place.
During the wait on Wednesday morning, the Israeli Army announced the arrival of at least 160 rockets to different parts of the north of the country, including the Lower Galilee region, further from the common border where its crossfire with Hizbulah is usually concentrated.
And in the previous hours the Shiite formation had lost an important commander, his loss of higher rank since the beginning of the clashes, which led him to launch a total of 19 attacks throughout the day, many of them of great magnitude, as confirmed in a series of statements.
The head of one of the Spanish patrols that took refuge at the base, Lieutenant Jesús Sánchez Burgos, explained to EFE that the frequency of the alerts does not follow any specific pattern and that “it depends on the day.”
“When we go on patrol we have (…) our area of responsibility divided into security zones, and they activate them depending on the probability of impact on those areas. When it touches level 2 or level 3, we have to welcome the nearest position,” he said.
“In this case, we were on patrol, they have touched level two and we have had to accept position 966, the position of the Serbs,” added the section chief.
Each patrol consists of two vehicles with a boss, driver, shooter and operator in each of them, which try to ensure compliance with UN Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hizbulah.
“Our mission here is to monitor the cessation of hostilities between the two States, support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and we are patrolling for that (…) But the situation right now is a little complicated, so that surveillance of that cessation is a little more complicated,” Sánchez acknowledged.
Before the alert was activated, the group that EFE joined was able to develop part of its patrol through the de facto divide between the two countries, also passing through ghost towns dotted with destroyed houses or businesses, and mountains of debris, such as Kafr Kila.
In other areas of the Spanish area of operations, such as the so-called “Christian corredor”, life “is normal” and a good part of the population continues in the area despite the outsping of violence, the lieutenant explained.
In southern Lebanon, about 700 Spanish soldiers are deployed, the vast majority in this contingent part of the Eastern sector, with a total of 3,500 blue helmets of different nationalities.
Its spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel José Irisarri Antón, told EFE that the forces keep a count of the security incidents, recording the type of projectile, the weapon used and the estimate of the damage caused.
But he recalled that the main objective of the patrols is to comply with resolution 1701, that is, “to try that there are no militias or armed personnel in the area that does not belong to the Lebanese Armed Forces,” in his words.
In this sense, the lieutenant colonel stressed that, in fact, they try to make about 25% of their patrols joint with the troops of Lebanon.
“In case we locate something that may involve a missile or mortar launch point, the LAF is informed, they are responsible for controlling that there is nothing and if there is something to seize it, and then destroy it,” he concluded.
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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