Shadow Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell: Labour’s stalling of arms sales to Israel “bizarre” amid threats
Shadow Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell described the Labour Government’s stalling of military equipment to Israel as “bizarre” amid the “direct threat from Hezbollah, who murdered 12 children in a missile attack last weekend”, adding that the Jewish state was a “close ally”.
Civil servants have reportedly paused applications for new military equipment export licenses after Foreign Minister David Lammy’s review of Israel’s offensive against Hamas, a break which could reportedly extend for months until Lammy announces a decision later this summer.
“For years, the Labour Left have sought to halt all arms exports to Israel, and now they have the levers of power, it seems it’s the first thing they have done”, an unnamed source told the Daily Mail.
“Just recently, British arms and military personnel were deployed to protect Israel from a direct assault by Iran”, Mitchell said.
The UK most recently revoked licenses to Israel under the Brown Government in 2009.
Iran’s proxies step up attacks against Israel amid threats
Iran has threatened to retaliate against the elimination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah commander Faud Shukr, blaming Israel for the attacks.
Analysts believe that Tehran will utilise its proxies and terror networks, including Hamas, Hezbollah and others, to conduct a multipronged attack on the Jewish State.
Hezbollah “will not restrict itself solely to military targets and means”, leading to reports that the terror group may attack “broader and deeper” civilian targets, the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations told CBS on Saturday.
The UK has deployed the Border Force, military personnel and consular officials to the region in order to support embassy staff.
The mounting tension has been accompanied by a barrage of attacks across Israel’s borders from Iran’s terror network.
A Hezbollah drone attack launched on Monday moderately wounded an Israeli soldier and officer near Kibbutz Ayelet HaShahar around 2:00am, roughly 6 miles from the Lebanon border.
Ali Shuqair, a member of the terror group, and Muhammad Hammadi, who was a member of the Islamic Message Scouts Association tied to Hezbollah, were reportedly killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon’s Mays al-Jabal some hours later.
Another Hezbollah drone struck nearby the Israeli border community of Malkia and an interceptor missile was launched separately at an additional drone that crossed into Israel’s Western Galilee early on Monday.
The IDF also reported airstrikes against Hezbollah munition sites and infrastructure in Kafr Kila, southern Lebanon, while shelling was reported in areas near Chebaa and Rachaya al-Foukhar.
Separately, Hezbollah launched several rocket attacks on Sunday, reportedly striking Kiryat Shmona, Malkia, and the Mount Dov area.
On Sunday, two Hezbollah operatives were killed in southern Lebanon’s Houla and Beit Lif areas.
Friday saw at least 19 rockets fired at Israel from southern Gaza, marking some of the most intense barrages in weeks, triggering sirens across communities in Israel’s south and falling into open areas.
Separately, the Iron Dome intercepted missiles over the Ashdod region on 4 August, as five rockets were launched into Israel from Gaza. One struck the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council and another hit the town of Bitzaron.
There were no injuries and the Fire and Rescue Service reported that it was working to put out a blaze caused by the attack in Bitzaron.
The IDF warned that it will conduct operations in Khan Younis after the attack, and urged specific neighbourhoods to evacuate toward the designated humanitarian zone.
The IDF also reported that a drone strike had killed Ismail Nofal in central Gaza, who participated in Hamas’ 7th October attacks.
Using precision munitions, aerial surveillance, and other intelligence to limit harm to civilians, the IDF targeted two schools in Gaza’s Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, Hassan Salama and Nasr, within which Hamas had embedded command and control rooms. Over 50 strikes were carried out on Sunday, targeting terror cells and infrastructure, according to the IDF.
The UK, U.S., France, Italy, and Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon have reportedly had diplomatic contacts with Tehran to prevent further regional escalation.
Ten foot tall truck-tunnel discovered in Gaza
A tunnel large enough for 4×4 vehicles has been discovered by the IDF nearby the Gaza-Egypt border, around ten feet tall.
It was located during Israel’s efforts to unearth all of Hamas’ arms-smuggling routes across the ‘Philadelphi Corridor’ that defines the Gaza-Egypt boundary, 25 of which have been found to cross directly into Israel’s Western neighbour. The IDF did not comment on whether the tunnel led to Egypt.
The concrete-fortified passageway was found less than 328ft from the border fence and makes up part of Hamas’ subterranean labyrinth stretching some 310 miles.
Mending of the ‘Gaza metro’ has already begun in Khan Younis, with terror groups operating across the remaining tunnels which operate in a “good functioning state”. 80 percent of the network was thought intact in January, according to officials.
Two killed in Holon terror stabbing
Two people were killed and two more wounded in a “complex and difficult terror attack” in Holon on Sunday morning, according to Magen David Adom (MDA) medics.
66-year-old Rina Daniv was pronounced dead at the scene. She was attacked together with her husband, Shimon, 69, who survived the assault after being treated at Wolfson Medical Centre.
Avraham Soumichi, who was in his 80’s, was pronounced deceased at the same hospital, leaving behind two children and five grandchildren.
“The casualties were at three separate locations, approximately 500 meters from each other”, added MDA staff.
The terrorist, Amar Odeh, 34, was shot by an officer who arrived at the scene, according to the police. His death was declared shortly after at Shamir Medical Center. He was a resident of the West Bank city of Salfit and did not have an entry permit to Israel.
The Palestinian Authority has lost control of many cities across the West Bank, allowing terrorist organisations including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to gain a foothold in the territory.
25 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian terror attacks in Israel and the West Bank, including in Sunday’s attack, since Hamas killed some 1,200 people and seized 251 hostages on 7th October.
