Lebanese Army Begins Deployment in Naqoura, Sour: Live

This concludes our live reporting of the developments in the Middle East, particularly Lebanon, Gaza and Syria. We will resume coverage tomorrow morning. 

Syria

Syrian state media, SANA, announced on Monday the end of a five-day security operation in the city of Homs, primarily targeting neighborhoods inhabited by the Alawite Muslim minority, loyal to deposed president Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that hundreds of arrests were made during the operation.

Syria

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned against any division of Syria and said he was ready to take "the necessary measures" in the event of a "risk."

"We cannot allow Syria to be divided under any pretext, and if we see the slightest risk, we will quickly take the necessary measures," declared the head of state, adding, "We have the means to do so."

Lebanon:

In a statement published on X, the Lebanese Army announced that, in coordination with UNIFIL, its units positioned themselves around the town of Naqoura (Sour district) and started deploying there in parallel with the Israeli army's withdrawal from the town.

The army's deployment comes in conjunction with a meeting of the five-member committee to oversee the Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire in the presence of the Senior Advisor to U.S. President Joe Biden, Amos Hochstein.

"The deployment will be continued during the next phase and the specialized units will conduct an engineering survey of the town in order to remove unexploded ordnance," the army added.

Finally, the Lebanese Army called on citizens not to approach the area and to abide by the instructions of the military units until the deployment is completed.

Syria

The mayor of Jabata el-Khashab, a village on Syria's Golan Heights, told AFP that he had met with representatives of the Israeli army, which has been making incursions into the area. Mohammad Mazen Mreiwel confirmed that he had ordered residents to hand over their weapons.

Mreiwel added that he had met with Israeli soldiers on three occasions at their request, on the outskirts of the village, where the Israeli army has been stationed since last month.

To find out more, press here. 👈

South Lebanon: 

The Israeli army is conducting a large-scale bombing operation on the outskirts of Aitaroun, in the Bint Jbeil district, according to our correspondent in the region.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion, followed by a plume of smoke rising from the area.

Gaza

Israel claimed that Hamas knows "precisely" who is dead or alive among the 34 hostages held captive in Gaza, whom the Palestinian movement said the previous day it was ready to free as part of a possible deal. "They know precisely who is alive and who is dead," said Israeli government spokesman David Mencer. "They know exactly where the hostages are. Gaza is not very big."

The current head of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday he was "confident" an agreement could be reached, even if "the finish line" might not be crossed "in the next two weeks."

Lebanon

The Lebanese Army's entry into Naqoura coincides with the third meeting of the cease-fire monitoring committee chaired by U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein.

South Lebanon:

An Israeli tank fired an artillery shell at a house on the outskirts of Aitaroun in the Bint Jbeil district, reported our regional correspondent. 

South Lebanon

The Lebanese Army has commenced its deployment in Naqoura, according to a statement issued by the village’s municipality.

The statement emphasized that the deployment aims to facilitate the movement of military vehicles and provide access for logistics and engineering teams. It assured residents that they would be informed of the timeline and plan for their return once all necessary data is coordinated with the Lebanese Army and relevant authorities.

“The safe return will occur exclusively with the support of a Lebanese Army force and Civil Defense teams, following confirmation that there is no possible danger,” the statement added.

Syria

The German government has adopted a pragmatic stance toward Syria's political transition, following an incident where Damascus's new strongman, Ahmad al-Sharaa, declined to shake hands with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Friday.

Images circulating on social media showed Sharaa greeting Baerbock with a hand placed on his chest, a gesture in line with some rigorist Muslim customs. In contrast, he briefly shook hands with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. The no-contact gesture gained particular attention as Baerbock's visit to Damascus aimed to advocate for women's rights.

Christian Wagner, a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry, commented on Monday: "It shows who we're dealing with at the moment." He added, "We can't limit discussions to those who share our values entirely, but engaging is in Germany and Europe's interest." Wagner emphasized the need to "accompany the transition process" in Syria while clearly articulating expectations, amid uncertainties regarding the country's future direction.

Lebanon

A Lebanese Army force is expected to enter the village of Naqoura (Sour) today after the withdrawal of the Israeli army, a security source told our correspondent southern Lebanon. 

This morning, the Israeli army blew up several houses in the village.

U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein arrived earlier today in Beirut ahead of a meeting of the committee tasked with monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire, which went into effect on Nov. 27. The meeting will be held at the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) headquarters in Naqoura.

South Lebanon 

Israeli army booby-trapped and demolished houses in the village of Jibbein in the Sour district, reported our regional correspondent. The sound of explosions echoed throughout the western sector of southern Lebanon.

In south Lebanon: 

The bodies of seven people have been recovered from under the rubble in Khiam (Marjeyoun district), a source in the civil defense told our correspondent in southern Lebanon. 

Khiam was the site of violent clashes between the invading Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters during the war. Since the cease-fire took effect, rescue efforts have been ongoing to recover bodies from under the rubble of the village. 

Lebanon

Israeli forces detained Lebanese and Syrian farmers and shepherds while they were working in the Majidiyeh plain (Hasbaya district), according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon. 

The Israeli army later released two of them: A Syrian national and a ten-year old Lebanese girl, from the Abd al-Aal family originally from the village of Halta.

However, two others — the girl's brother and another citizen from the al-Mohammad family from the village of Wazzani —remain in custody and have been taken to Israel.

Syria

The "elimination" of Kurdish PKK fighters in Syria is "only a matter of time," announced Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

"Conditions in Syria have changed. We believe it's only a matter of time before PKK/YPG is eliminated," declared the head of Turkish diplomacy, while clashes are underway in northern Syria between Turkish-backed armed factions and Syrian Kurdish forces, including the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which it designates terrorist.

The Kurdish fighters are seen by the West as essential in the fight against the Islamic State (IS). However, Turkey has long been rankled by the U.S.'s support fort he Kurdish-led SDF in northern Syria.

Fidan warned against any Western support for Kurdish fighters in Syria.

"If you [the West] have different aims in the region, if you want to serve another policy by using Daesh as an excuse to embolden the PKK, then there is no way for that either," he said, using an Arabic acronym for IS group.

Lebanon/Israel

The airline Transavia has extended the suspension of its flights to Beirut until the end of March, announced a spokesperson for the low-cost subsidiary of the Air France-KLM group. 

Services to Tel Aviv have also been suspended until Jan. 27, inclusive, according to the same source. 

Syria

"We must look at regime change in Syria without naivety," said French President Emmanuel Macron. France "will not abandon" the Kurdish fighters who have fought "against terrorist groups," he added.

Gaza

The Gaza health ministry announced that at least 49 people have been killed by Israel in the last 24 hours in Gaza. It added that the Israeli offensive in Gaza has killed at least 45,854 Palestinians and injured 109,139 others since the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2023. 

The arrivals hall at AIB. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient Today)

Air France services to Lebanon and Israel remain suspended "due to the security situation at destination," the airline announced on Monday.

"Air France is extending the suspension of its services between Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle and Tel Aviv [Israel] until Jan. 17, 2025, inclusive. Services between Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle and Beirut [Lebanon] are suspended until Jan. 31, 2025, inclusive," the airline told AFP. "The resumption of operations will remain subject to an assessment of the situation on-site" and "the customers concerned will be notified individually and offered solutions for postponement or reimbursement," the source added.

Israel/Gaza

The Israeli army reported that "three projectiles" were fired into Israel from the northern Gaza Strip. The army added that one was intercepted by the air force, another landed in Sderot, and the third in an "open area." No injuries have been reported. 

South Lebanon

A meeting of the committee overseeing cease-fire compliance will take place today at the UNIFIL center in Naqoura, in the Sour district. U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Beirut this morning and is set to attend the meeting.

South Lebanon

Israeli drones were reported flying low over Saida and the Palestinian camps in the area, according to our regional correspondent.

South Lebanon

Explosions were reported this morning in Naqoura in the Sour district, with detonations attributed to booby-trapping and bombing of houses carried out by the Israeli army, according to our correspondent.

Israel

The Forum of Families of Hostages and Missing Persons issued a statement in response to the release of a list of Hamas hostages that may be freed if a cease-fire agreement is reached.

The families expressed being "deeply shaken and upset" by the list, stressing that it is time for a comprehensive agreement to bring all hostages back. They stated that more than half are still alive and require immediate rehabilitation, while those who have been murdered must be returned for a proper burial. The families called on the media and public to handle this sensitive information with care during the ongoing negotiations.

Occupied West Bank

After the attack in the West Bank, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich spoke out on X, saying that Palestinian towns in the West Bank "should look like Jabalia," reported Haaretz.

"Terror in Judea and Samaria [occupied West Bank] and terror coming from the Gaza Strip are one and the same," he said, adding that Israel should not trust the Palestinian Authority when it comes to meeting its security needs.

Israel/Gaza

The Israeli army and rescue services reported that three people were killed and seven others wounded in a shooting attack on a bus and vehicles near a village in the occupied West Bank.

Rescue services confirmed the deaths of two women in their sixties and a man around 40 years old. The army stated that gunmen opened fire on a bus and civilian vehicles near al-Funduq. To find out more, press here.👈

Gaza/Israel

Israel has claimed that it has not received confirmation from Hamas regarding the conditions of 34 hostages held in the Gaza Strip, despite the Palestinian group’s earlier announcement of readiness to release them as part of a potential agreement.

“Israel has not yet received any confirmation or response from Hamas regarding the conditions in which the hostages on the list are being held,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.

Gaza

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed confidence that a cease-fire in Gaza could be reached either before or after January 20, when President Joe Biden is set to hand over to his successor, Donald Trump.

"If we don't get it across the finish line in the next two weeks, I'm confident that it will get its completion at some point, hopefully, sooner rather than later ... When it does, it will be on the basis of the plan that President Biden put forward and that virtually the entire world supports." Blinken told reporters.

Syria

Syria’s new foreign minister, Assaad al-Shibani, has arrived in the United Arab Emirates as part of a regional tour, following visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the official Syrian news agency SANA reported.

Shibani is joined by Defense Minister Mourhaf Abou Qasra and intelligence chief Anas Khattab, key figures in the new leadership established after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

To find out more about the Syrian delegations visit to UAE and it's previous visit to Doha, press here. 👈

Syria:

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet several European counterparts in Rome on Thursday to discuss the evolving situation in Syria, as Western nations seek to engage with the country’s new authorities, the State Department announced.

Blinken will advocate for “a peaceful, inclusive, Syrian-led political transition,” according to a statement released while he was traveling to Seoul on Monday. The statement did not disclose the names of the European officials participating in the talks.

Following his visit to South Korea, Blinken is set to travel to Japan and France before joining President Joe Biden in Italy. This trip is expected to be Biden’s final international engagement before Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration.

To catch up on key events that happened over the weekend, be sure to read our Morning Brief.👈

Good morning, 

Welcome to our live coverage of key developments in the Middle East.

Today, we continue to track the war in Gaza, now in its 458th day, along with its regional repercussions, particularly in Lebanon and Yemen. We’ll also bring you the latest updates from Syria, following the fall of the Assad regime on Dec. 8.