Author: Anadolu Agency

Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, released a video on Saturday evening of an Israeli hostage in Gaza, who expressed frustration with the Israeli government and military for ignoring her plight. The Israeli captive, Liri Albaj, 19, appeared in the footage addressing her family and government, saying: “I have been a captive in Gaza for 450 days. My life has been on pause. Today marks the beginning of a new year. While the whole world is celebrating, we begin a dark year, a year of isolation.” She added: “We are not a priority for our government or our military.…

The US State Department “informally” notified Congress of an $8 billion proposed arms deal with Israel, including munitions for fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery shells, according to a report on Friday. The State Department presented the agreement as a measure to “support Israel’s long-term security by resupplying stocks of critical munitions and air defense capabilities,” Axios reported, citing a source familiar with the matter. “The President has made clear Israel has a right to defend its citizens, consistent with international law and international humanitarian law, and to deter aggression from Iran and its proxy organizations. We will continue to…

Israel is reportedly preparing to notify the US of its intention to maintain a military presence in southern Lebanon beyond the 60-day timeframe set in the recent cease-fire deal, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation said Saturday. The cease-fire, brokered by the US and France, took effect on Nov. 27, was meant to end 14 months of intense clashes between Israel and Hezbollah-the deadliest conflict there since the 2006 Lebanon War. Claiming that the Lebanese Army has not met its obligations under the agreement, Israel sought to justify its extended military presence by pointing to Hezbollah’s efforts to regroup in the…

Russian passenger plane on Friday was forced to make an emergency landing in Egypt shortly after takeoff due to a technical malfunction. A Ural Airlines Airbus A-321 en route to Yekaterinburg, Russia carrying 236 passengers had to return to Sharm el-Sheikh Airport, said a statement by Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry. The statement said that after a technical issue emerged in one of the engines just 10 minutes after takeoff, the pilot “immediately requested emergency landing clearance from air traffic control.” It added that after the plane safely landed, “all passengers were securely transferred to the international terminal.” It said expert…

Russia on Saturday claimed that its forces have taken control of another settlement in Ukraine’s Luhansk region. In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the forces carried out attacks on 132 targets, including Ukrainian military airfield infrastructure, drone assembly and storage facilities, and locations where Ukrainian troops and military equipment were stationed. “Units of the Western Military Group have liberated the Nadiya settlement in the Luhansk People’s Republic,” it added. Additionally, the statement said that Russian air defense systems also shot down 72 Ukrainian drones and intercepted eight US-made long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS).

At least four people were killed and 32 others injured in an explosion on a passenger bus in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, local media reported on Saturday. CCTV footage aired by Geo News showed the passenger bus in flames after the explosion occurred in Turbat, a city in Balochistan. The nature of the blast has yet to be ascertained.

Türkiye has taken significant strides in shaping developments in Syria and the “sun is rising” again in the neighboring country, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Saturday. Speaking at the AK Party’s 8th Ordinary Provincial Congress in the northern province of Ordu, Erdoğan highlighted the transformation in Syria as a key achievement of Türkiye’s regional policies. “We didn’t step directly into Syria, but we have addressed every dimension of its issues comprehensively and brought it to its current state. Now, the sun is rising again in Syria,” he said. The president underscored Türkiye’s proactive approach to safeguarding its southern…

Lebanese authorities reported on Saturday 12 more Israeli violations of the cease-fire agreement that was meant to end hostilities between the Israeli army and the Hezbollah group on Nov. 27. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), the violations occurred in the districts of Marjayoun, Nabatieh, and Bint Jbeil in the Nabatieh Governorate, as well as in the Tyre district in the South Governorate. In the Marjayoun district, Israeli military personnel advanced toward the town of Burj Al-Muluk and stationed near the Farah gas station before blocking the road with barbed wire. Israeli incursions were also observed in the area…

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem warned on Saturday that his group’s patience “might run out” over Israeli violations of the cease-fire agreement. Addressing critics of Hezbollah’s silence on Israel’s violations of the cease-fire agreement, Qassem said in a televised speech that the group’s leadership “is the one that decides when to resist, how to resist, the method of resistance, and the weapons to use.” Warning further, he said: “Our patience (regarding these violations) might run out … and when we decide to act, you will see it immediately.” In this context, Qassem said that the cease-fire agreement “exclusively applies to the…

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the Odenplan district of Stockholm to demand an immediate cease-fire, an end to Israel’s attacks on Gaza, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the region. Protesters carried banners with messages such as “Children are being killed in Gaza,” “Schools and hospitals are being bombed,” “Stop the genocide,” and “Forever Palestine.” Chanting slogans like “Freedom for Palestine,” the participants marched toward the Swedish Foreign Ministry. Aliki Harvey, a Swedish activist at the protest, told Anadolu that Israel’s ultimate aim is to establish “Greater Israel” and highlighted the group’s efforts to stop this goal. “I am…