23/09/2025

TUESDAY | SEPT 23, 2025

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Israeli drone attacks kill five in Lebanon BEIRUT: An Israeli drone strike killed five people, including three children, in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil on Sunday, said Lebanon’s Health Ministry. US-brokered truce between Lebanon and Israel that took effect in November. Lebanon’s state news agency said the strike hit a motorbike and a vehicle, wounding two others.

Russia, Ukraine trade blame for deadly strikes MOSCOW: The head of the Kremlin-backed government in annexed Crimea blamed Ukraine yesterday for a deadly drone strike while Kyiv said a Russian attack had killed two people in the country’s southeast. Sergey Aksyonov said the Ukrainian military had targeted the Crimean resort town of Foros, damaging the grounds of a sanatorium and a school building. “According to updated data, three people were killed and 16 were wounded as a result of (the) unmanned aerial vehicle attack,“ he said on Telegram. Fragments of the downed drone also caused a fire near the coastal city of Yalta, he said. Russia’s Defence Ministry called the strike a “terrorist attack” and initially put the death toll at two. Ukraine said Moscow had carried out 46 air strikes on its territory as of 10pm (1900 GMT) on Sunday. Kyiv said overnight, Russian strikes in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia killed at least three people and wounded two others, one seriously. Russian forces had “dropped at least 10 aerial bombs” on the city of around 700,000 residents, according to regional military administration head Ivan Fedorov. “Monday morning in Zaporizhzhia began with explosions and fires.“ The attack damaged 15 apartment buildings and 10 private homes as well as non-residential buildings, he said. Ukraine’s Air Force said it downed 132 drones launched by Russia overnight and recorded hits of nine drones at seven locations. In the northeastern region of Sumy, various drone attacks injured two people over the past day, in addition to damaging civilian infrastructure and private homes, said Governor Oleh Hryhorov. The attack on Kyiv region injured one person and damaged apartment buildings and private homes, according to the emergency services. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 following a referendum denounced by the international community, and wants Kyiv and Western countries to recognise the peninsula as part of its territory. Ukrainian forces frequently carry out strikes on the heavily fortified region, including on a bridge connecting it to the Russian mainland. After meeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin for high-profile talks last month, US President Donald Trump said Ukraine would not be able to regain Crimea as part of a peace deal. Progress towards a truce has stalled since that flurry of diplomacy, which also saw Trump hold a separate meeting with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. – AFP

spokesperson said. The Israeli military said it killed a Hezbollah member in the strike but “several uninvolved civilians were killed”. “(We) regret any harm to uninvolved individuals. The incident is under review.“ – Reuters

were among the dead, with the mother wounded. He said they held US citizenships. “While the situation is fluid, indications are that the five killed were not US citizens. In fact, one had an unused immigrant visa petition in the past,“ a US State Department

Israel has frequently targeted what it calls Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon despite a

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said a father and his three children

World summit held to discuss two-state solution

o Israel boycotts event, describes it as rewarding terrorism

NEW YORK: France and Saudi Arabia convened dozens of world leaders yesterday to rally support for a two-state solution, with several of them expected to formally recognise a Palestinian state, a move that could draw harsh Israeli and US responses. Israel and the United States boycotted the summit, said Israel’s United Nations (UN) Ambassador Danny Danon, describing the event as a “circus”. “We do not think it is helpful. We think it is rewarding terrorism.” Israel is considering annexing part of the occupied West Bank as a possible response as well as specific bilateral measures against Paris, Israeli officials have said. The US administration has also warned of possible consequences

Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza announced that the flotilla’s ships would gather near the island nation of Malta to sail together across the Mediterranean towards Gaza’s shores, without specifying a date. It is the largest effort of its kind aiming to reach Gaza. Israel has previously intercepted Gaza-bound ships, seizing the vessels and deporting those on board. – Bernama-Anadolu and the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” said France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Thursday. “Once the ceasefire and release of hostages are achieved, the next step is a plan for the day after, which was on the agenda for discussions.” France has driven the move, hoping that Macron’s announcement in July that he would recognise a Palestinian state would give greater momentum to a movement hitherto dominated by smaller nations that are generally more critical of Israel. Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal recognised a Palestinian state on Sunday. France and five other states were expected to also formally recognise a Palestinian state yesterday. Some have said there would be conditions and others have said normalisation of diplomatic ties would be phased and dependent on how the Palestinian Authority advances in its promises to reform. Israel has said it is opposed to the move and has no confidence in the 89-year-old Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas keeping pledges to reform and modernise as outlined in a letter to Macron. Abbas and dozens of Palestinian officials will not be there in person. The United States, a staunch Israeli ally, refused to issue visas and he is due to appear via video. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Salman is not attending despite co-hosting the event. The General Assembly agreed on Friday by consensus, without a vote, that he could appear via video at yesterday’s meeting. “The world is saying out loud, ‘a Palestinian state,’ and we need to materialise it. They need to show what these measures are,” said Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin on Sunday. – Reuters

The General Assembly endorsed a seven-page declaration this month, outlining “tangible, timebound and irreversible steps” towards a two-state solution while also condemning Hamas and calling it to surrender and disarm. Those efforts drew immediate rebukes from Israel and the United States, calling them harmful and a publicity stunt. “The New York Declaration is not a vague promise for the distant future, but rather a roadmap that begins with the top priorities: a ceasefire, the release of hostages

for those who take measures against Israel, including against France, whose President Emmanuel Macron hosted the New York summit. The summit, ahead of this week’s UN General Assembly, follows Israel’s launch of a ground assault on Gaza City and comes amid few prospects for a ceasefire two years into the war. Amid Israel’s intensified Gaza offensive and escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, there is a growing sense of urgency to act before the idea of a two-state solution vanishes forever.

A girl sifting through rubbish near tents and makeshift shelters at the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on Sunday. – AFPPIC

Libyan ship to join Gaza-bound aid flotilla TRIPOLI: The Libyan vessel Omar al-Mukhtar set sail on Sunday to join the Global Sumud Flotilla aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip after being equipped with an ICU to provide health services for the fleet. equipment and we increased the storage of supplies for some of the smaller boats that had been understocked due to their size,” he said. all age groups in the enclave. “The popular and moral support we received from some parties in Libya was a strong message to raise the morale of the crew aboard the Omar al-Mukhtar, ” he added. Among the prominent

included an accompanying health team and set up an ICU to provide medical services for the flotilla. “We equipped the ship with the necessary equipment and medicines, and outfitted it with everything required for intensive care,” he said. Recently, dozens of ships have been sailing from North African and European ports towards Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla to break the Israeli blockade. On Sept 16, the International

He added that they have allocated space for activists from some boats that were deemed unsuitable to reach Gaza. The spokesperson said the Omar al-Mukhtar is carrying tents for displaced Palestinians, medicines, baby formula and various supplies for

figures on board is former Libyan prime minister Omar al-Hassi, along with international activists, the spokesperson said. The vessel’s medical officer Abdel Rahman Humaid said they

This comes after the ship was unable to sail on Wednesday due to bad weather conditions, the ship’s spokesperson Nabil al-Soukni told Anadolu Ajansi. “We are now fully ready with all our