International
Israel attacks Hizbulah positions in southern Lebanon in the midst of an escalation of tension
The Israeli air force attacked during the early hours of Thursday morning Hizbulah positions in southern Lebanon, in the areas of Bint Jbeil, Majdal Zoun and Doueir, in full escalation of tension while Israel waits for the retaliation of the group, along with Iran, for the murder of high-ranking Shii and Hamas officials.
“During the night, the Air Force attacked and dismantled several sites of terrorist infrastructure in Hizbulah in the areas of Bint Jbeil, Majdal Zoun and Doueir, in southern Lebanon,” a military statement said.
Hezbollah has intensified its launches into Israel in the last week, after the murder of its top military leader, Fuad Shukr, on July 30 in Beirut in an Israeli attack; especially of explosive drones, which two days ago left about twenty injured, one seriously, in the area of Nahariya, northern Israel.
The Lebanese Shiite group, an ally of Iran, also launched rockets and drones yesterday, especially towards the occupied Golan Heights; to which Israel responded during the night by bombing the Sejoud area “to destroy the launcher used by the Hizbulah air unit to carry out the attack,” the Israeli Army said.
Israel killed a commander of the Hezbollah missile unit, Hasan Fares Jeshi, yesterday; after killing six other militiamen of the group the day before in an attack in Nabatieh.
The border between Israel and Lebanon is experiencing its highest peak of tension since 2006 with an intense exchange of fire since October, which has claimed the lives of almost 600 people, most of them on the Lebanese side and in the ranks of Hezbollah, which has confirmed about 370 casualties, in addition to more than 110 civilians.
In Israel, 47 people have died in the north: 22 military and 25 civilians, including 12 minors in the attack in the Druse city of Majdal Shams of the Golan, to which Israel responded with the murder of Shukr.
The day after killing the chief commander of Hezbollah, Israel killed Hamas’s top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran, murders for which both the Lebanese and the Iranian regime have sworn revenge and a large-scale attack on Israel is expected in the coming days.
Official leaks to Hebrew and American media indicate that Israel expects a Hezbollah attack earlier, than from Iran in the midst of international diplomatic efforts to stop a regional escalation.
The Islamist group Hizbulah could attack Israel regardless of what Iran decides to do to avenge the death of two Islamist leaders in Lebanon and Tehran, CNN reported, which cites intelligence sources that it does not identify.
The Lebanese-based radical Islamic group is moving faster than Iran in its planning and is looking to attack Israel in the coming days, one of the sources told CNN.
Iran, meanwhile, seems to be still working on how it plans to respond, several officials explained to the American network, who specified that Tehran had made some, but not all, preparations before a major attack on Israel.
International
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
Not even the wires were left behind at a small grocery store. Before the ground had even stopped shaking, looting and theft began in the areas hardest hit by the double earthquake that struck Venezuela.
Reports of robberies have multiplied in the coastal state of La Guaira, located near Caracas and now transformed into a landscape of collapsed buildings and debris.
Videos circulating on social media show groups of people removing boxes of household appliances from a damaged store. Other images show similar boxes being carried on top of vehicles and motorcycles.
Social media platforms have also been filled with accusations against police officers and military personnel who allegedly stole from homes and even from victims who died during the disaster.
A branch of a major pharmacy chain was looted, along with supermarkets and other businesses. Some residents have described the situation as “disaster tourism,” while others say the looting reflects hunger and desperation among people who lost everything in a country already facing a prolonged economic crisis.
“Is it fair that our own people turn against our own people?” said María Esther Bernal, 71, who rented commercial spaces to Chinese merchants, all of which were looted. “They left nothing behind, not even the wallpaper. They even took the cables,” she said.
“Next door, a man died. He was Chinese. People walked over his body while they looted the place. It was a supermarket,” she added.
An AFP journalist witnessed looting in La Guaira since Thursday, following the earthquakes.
Jenifer Mayora, 34, defended some of the actions, saying that “the things people took were because the owners of the stores allowed us to take them.”
However, she criticized the limited response from authorities. “I have been waiting for a mattress so my children can sleep,” she said.
Residents have expressed anger over what they describe as a slow and insufficient response from authorities after the double earthquake, which has left around 1,450 people dead and tens of thousands missing.
Communities are demanding not only faster rescue operations in La Guaira, but also stronger security measures and urgent assistance with food, water, and medicine.
International
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
Up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, according to an assessment released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency.
The organization said the projections are based on available population data and damage assessments, and include up to two million people living in Caracas, the country’s capital.
The estimates highlight the potentially massive humanitarian impact of the disaster, the IOM warned.
Entire buildings collapsed in La Guaira, a coastal area north of Caracas, following the powerful twin earthquakes that reached magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 on Wednesday.
The national death toll has risen to 920, while rescue teams continue searching for people trapped beneath the rubble in coastal regions and other affected areas.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP on Friday that more than 50,000 people were reported missing.
The IOM also revealed that it worked with Microsoft’s artificial intelligence laboratory on an initial satellite mapping analysis, which showed that 31.5% of buildings in the town of Catia La Mar had suffered damage.
Authorities and international rescue teams continue operations as Venezuela faces one of its largest humanitarian emergencies in recent years.
International
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday expressed his condolences to the people of Venezuela following the two devastating earthquakes that struck the country and highlighted the ongoing coordination between UN humanitarian teams and interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
Speaking during the UN’s daily press briefing, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres was deeply saddened by the loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.
“The Secretary-General is deeply distressed by the loss of life and the widespread devastation caused by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela yesterday. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured,” Dujarric stated.
Venezuela was struck on Wednesday by two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude. According to official figures, the disaster has left at least 164 people dead and 971 others injured.
Dujarric noted that preliminary reports indicate significant damage across several states, including the capital, Caracas. Numerous casualties have been reported, while other individuals remain trapped beneath collapsed structures or are still missing.
“Critical infrastructure has been damaged and essential services have been disrupted,” the spokesperson said.
The United Nations confirmed that its humanitarian team remains in close contact with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and other relevant authorities as emergency operations continue.
To support relief efforts, the UN has established a coordination center in Caracas and is assisting local authorities to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches affected communities as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Guterres also welcomed the expressions of solidarity and offers of assistance from countries around the world that responded following news of the disaster, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in addressing the humanitarian emergency.
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
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