Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, a Druze spiritual leader who has been critical of the new Syrian government, has been accused of leading the main armed anti-government groups in Sweida.
Daily Archives: 17. Juli 2025
Israeli forces strike Catholic Parish in Gaza
The Holy Family Church, the only Catholic Church in the Gaza Strip, was hit by a tank this morning. Three people subsequently died from their injuries. Others were reportedly wounded more lightly, including the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, earlier spoke to Vatican News:
“What we know for sure is that a tank, the IDF says by mistake, but we are not sure about this, they hit the Church directly, the Church of the Holy Family, the Latin Church”, he said. “There are four people seriously wounded, among these four, two are in very dramatic conditions and their lives are in serious danger”.
LIVE: Israel kills over 90, including dozens of Gaza aid seekers, in 1 day
Israeli attacks across Gaza have killed more than 90 people in the last 24-reporting period, including dozens of aid seekers, according to health officials.
Condemnation grows as Israeli attack on the only Catholic church in the besieged territory kills at least three people and wounds 10.
Any government in the world could expel the rogue state of Israel from the United Nations. None does.
(April 27, 2025)
It‘s not the world order that has failed the Palestinians. It‘s the world.
Death, Lost Limbs, and Starvation: Gaza Children Suffer Unimaginably as World Continues to ‚Look Away‘
More than 17,000 children have been reported killed over the past 20 months of bombardment by Israel. But that figure only scratches the surface of the suffering being inflicted.
ICC judges reject Israel‘s request to withdraw Netanyahu arrest warrant
In a decision published on the ICC website, judges also rejected an Israeli request to suspend the wider ICC investigation into alleged atrocity crimes in the Palestinian Territories.
The ICC issued arrest warrants on November 21 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief, Yoav Gallant, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.
If U.S. Gives Ukraine Long-Range Missiles, What Besides JASSM-ER Could Hit moscow
(July 15, 2025)
The specifics remain unknown. Some sources mention „offensive missiles,“ others claim these weapons will have the range to strike targets as far as Moscow. Still others explicitly state that they will be JASSM cruise missiles. All of these reports point to one clear requirement: the missiles must have a range of at least 500 km to reach Moscow from the Ukrainian border.
The AGM-158 JASSM has been under consideration for Ukraine since a time when Kyiv did not even possess F-16s. This potential transfer is closely tied to the F-16 itself, as this multirole fighter is one of the JASSM’s standard launch platforms. However, it is possible that Ukraine’s aircraft would require software upgrades to fully employ these missiles.
Ukraine’s next weapon could be US-made JASSM — and it might arrive just in time
(Kuly 14, 2025)
US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering providing Ukraine with powerful air-launched JASSM cruise missiles, according to Military Watch Magazine.
If approved, the JASSM deal would mark a major shift in US military assistance, especially amid an intensification of fighting on the front lines. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that Moscow plans to escalate military operations in eastern Ukraine within the next 60 days.
Trump Asked Zelensky If He Could Strike Moscow If the US Provided Longer-Range Weapons
(July 15, 2025)
Sources told the FT that the conversation occurred during a July 4 phone call. “Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow? . . . Can you hit St Petersburg too?” Trump asked. Zelensky replied that his forces could “absolutely” strike the Russian cities if the US provided the necessary weapons.
The report said that Trump signaled backing for the idea of providing long-range weapons in order to “make them [Russians] feel the pain” to pressure Moscow at the negotiating table. In comments to reporters, Trump later denied that he was considering providing Ukraine with long-range weapons and said that Zelensky “shouldn’t target Moscow.”
US Africa Command Says It Has Launched 51 Airstrikes in Somalia So Far This Year
(July 15, 2025)
AFRICOM confirmed to Antiwar.com in an email that the latest attack marked the 51st US airstrike in Somalia of the year, putting the Trump administration on track to easily break the annual record, which President Trump set at 63 in 2019.
Syrian army withdraws from Sweida after ceasefire
Following clashes with local Bedouin tribes that resulted in over 100 deaths, Syrian government soldiers entered Sweida on Tuesday with the claimed goal of enforcing a truce that was agreed upon with leaders of the Druze community. Witnesses, however, claimed that during a violent rampage across the city, government forces allied with the Bedouin to target Druze combatants and civilians. Earlier this evening, it was reported that the death toll had topped 300.
Turkey says ceasefire in Syria may take place within hours
16 July 2025 20:05 BST
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday that a ceasefire could take hold in Syria within the next three to four hours, as Israeli military strikes continue to target Syrian government forces in Sweida and Damascus.
“By working together with the Americans, I hope that
US calls upon Syria to pull out troops in southern border
16 July 2025 19:23 BST
The statements were made after fighting between Syrian government troops and local Druze fighters resumed in the southern city of Sweida hours following a ceasefire agreement.
Israel bombs Damascus, stoking conflict with Syria’s new government
Israel on Wednesday launched what it said were “dozens” of strikes across Syria, including in the capital, escalating a conflict with a fledgling government that was already grappling with domestic unrest in which scores of people have been killed.
Israel tied Wednesday’s strikes and others this week to that internal conflict, saying it was attacking forces of the new Islamist government to protect the Druze minority.