The snow brought by Storm "Daniela" to Lebanon seems to be the only bit of white the country has witnessed recently, amid ongoing escalation at the southern border and accompanying Israeli readiness following military maneuvers. This comes in addition to the ongoing debate over the budget approved by the Parliament and the presidential file still stuck in a bottle neck, as reported by "Nidaa al-Watan."
On Saturday evening, the Israeli army announced an increase in readiness at the northern front adjacent to the southern borders of Lebanon, following military exercises simulating a war with "Hezbollah." These exercises involved units from engineering and paratroopers and included, according to a military statement, drills on "urban combat in densely populated neighborhoods under winter weather conditions, in accordance with the terrain of the northern front."
Throughout the day yesterday, most southern villages remained within the range of aerial and artillery bombardment conducted by the Israeli army, which stated it targeted military sites of "Hezbollah," particularly in Blida, Marwahin, and Ayta ash-Shab.
In response, "Hezbollah" announced it targeted several Israeli sites, including shelling around the "Al-Jall" site with "Burkan" missiles and hitting a command center in Zibdin barracks in Shebaa Farms with a "Falq 1" missile.
Meanwhile, the scenario of fabricated messages received by residents of the border town of al-Sawani a few days ago was repeated, this time with residents of the town of al-Jumayjmah, who experienced hours of terror and panic due to receiving voice and text messages urging them to evacuate their homes, before the General Directorate of State Security announced the arrest of the forgers behind these messages.
From southern Lebanon to southern Gaza, the city of Khan Younis remains the scene of the fiercest battles between Palestinian factions and the Israeli army, focused particularly around the "Nasser" and "Al-Amal" hospitals, which are functioning at a minimum capacity and sheltering patients and thousands of displaced persons.
In the besieged and devastated sector, Israel has targeted the "United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)," accusing some of its employees of involvement in the attack on October 7.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz pledged to work to prevent the agency from operating in the Gaza Strip after the war, while seven countries followed the lead of the United States and announced the suspension of their funding to UNRWA, namely: Australia, Canada, Italy, Britain, Finland, the Netherlands, and Germany.
These measures were deemed "shocking" by UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, especially in light of the actions taken against the relevant employees by the agency that "more than two million people rely on for survival."
While "Hamas" condemned Israeli "threats" against "UNRWA," the Palestinian Authority called on countries that suspended funding to the UN agency to reconsider their decision.
### Diplomatic Efforts
Meanwhile, ahead of the anticipated quadripartite summit in Paris regarding Gaza, a report by the American newspaper "The New York Times" revealed regional and international moves to end the Gaza crisis through a solution involving "three major deals," starting with a ceasefire and ending with the establishment of a Palestinian state.
For its part, the "Financial Times" disclosed that the British government proposed a 5-point plan to end the war, which Foreign Secretary David Cameron discussed with Palestinian and Israeli leaders. The plan suggests halting hostilities, releasing hostages, negotiating a permanent ceasefire, establishing a political horizon for the establishment of a Palestinian state, and forming a competent government to manage the West Bank and Gaza.
### Welcoming the "International Court of Justice" Ruling
As Arab and Western positions continue to welcome the call from the "International Court of Justice" for Israel to prevent any acts that could amount to "genocide" in Gaza and to allow humanitarian aid to reach the sector, the State of Palestine requested an extraordinary session of the "Arab League" Council at the level of permanent representatives today, Sunday, to issue a unified Arab position on the temporary measures ordered by the "International Court of Justice" in the genocide case.
### Iraqi-American Talks
Another development noted in the regional scene is the launch of the first round of bilateral dialogue between Iraq and the United States to discuss ways to end the "international coalition's mission against ISIS."
Concurrently with the Iraqi-American talks, a drone launched an attack on "Ain al-Assad" airbase in western Iraq, where international coalition forces are stationed, without causing human casualties or material damage.
