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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
❗️Local sources in Lebanon report that there are renewed clashes on the Lebanese-Syrian border, and the Lebanese army is responding to the sources of fire.
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❗️Lebanese MP Melhem Khalaf on X:
"In light of the repeated and escalating Israeli attacks on our people in the south, and the new attacks on our people in Bekaa from the Syrian border,
Despite the seriousness of the situation and the existential challenges, the silence remains ominous and suspicious...
Why has the Cabinet not been called to an emergency session yet?
Where is the Supreme Defense Council?
Where is the Central Security Council?
No priority is higher than this imminent danger!
The confrontation cannot tolerate any delay or postponement!
Act now before it's too late!"
Jenin camp '100 percent destroyed' after two-month Israeli siege
Over 43,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced from their homes in Jenin and Tulkarem
❗️Statements from the Yemeni 'million man march':
○ "We affirm our firm stance of standing with our brothers in Gaza in facing all the dangers targeting them."
○ "We take pride in and are honored by the decision of our leader, who announced a 4-day deadline to lift the siege on Gaza, after which a siege will be imposed on the ships of the Zionist enemy entity."
○ "We are prepared to confront all the tyrants of the earth without hesitation or fear and to offer all sacrifices in this cause."
○ "We announce our comprehensive move in response to the recent aggression and US escalation with military escalation, general mobilization, and economic boycott of the enemies."
❗️A photo shows the destruction caused by Israeli occupation forces in the Jenin Governmental Hospital Street, occupied West Bank.
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❗️Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip:
○ "The collapse of the three-story building in the Jabalia al-Fakhoura area this morning poses a serious threat to the lives of thousands of citizens living in dilapidated homes."
○ "Hundreds of homes in the Gaza Strip are at risk of collapse due to the bombing and burning they suffered during the war on the Gaza Strip."
○ "Thousands of families are living in tragic and dangerous conditions and are at risk of death due to their presence in dilapidated homes."
Yemen targets USS Harry Truman twice in 24 hours
Sanaa has vowed that US aircraft carriers and military vessels will be targeted for as long as Washington continues to attack Yemen
❗️Hamas Spokesman Hazem Qassem
○ "What is required is to enter into the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, not to establish new, side agreements."
○ "Implementing the ceasefire agreement in its various stages ensures the achievement of the objectives, while the language of threats complicates matters."
○ "The release of prisoners will be achieved through the implementation of what was previously agreed upon and signed by all parties."
UPDATE | Lebanese Health Ministry:
"One killed in an initial toll of the Israeli strike on Yuhmor al-Shaqif, southern Lebanon."
⭕️ Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that it will respond to the letter from US President Donald Trump regarding negotiations with Iran after carefully reviewing it, according to spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei.
On 7 March, Trump revealed that he had written to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, just a month after reinstating his “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. Despite this, he expressed openness to negotiations with the Islamic Republic.
Baqaei noted that the US has multiple ways to demonstrate its sincerity in engaging with Iran but instead sends mixed signals by imposing sanctions on Iran’s trade and manufacturing sectors while simultaneously proposing talks.
He further emphasized that the US has a poor track record of honoring its commitments and often exploits negotiations as a political and propaganda tool rather than a genuine effort to resolve differences.
HTS-led Syrian forces clash with Lebanese army on border
The Syrian army pounded Lebanese border villages with heavy artillery attacks and rocket fire
⭕️ Director of the Government Media Office in Gaza, Ismail al-Thawabta:
○ "For the 16th consecutive day, the Israeli occupation has imposed a suffocating siege on the Gaza Strip by shutting down all border crossings since the start of the holy month of Ramadan."
○ "More than 10,000 aid trucks have been blocked from entering Gaza, as part of a systematic policy of starvation against the Palestinian people."
○ "The occupation has also denied entry to 850 fuel and cooking gas trucks, leading to a complete paralysis of the transportation sector, the closure of bakeries, and a total halt to humanitarian operations."
○ "This deadly blockade is a slow genocide against more than 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza."
○ "We call on international mediators and the global community to take urgent action to immediately stop this crime."
❗️Yemeni Ministry of Health:
"The number of victims of the American aggression has risen to 151 martyrs and wounded, including women and children."
❗️Government Media Office in Gaza:
○ "The occupation has prevented the entry of more than 10,000 aid trucks into the Strip in a systematic starvation crime against our Palestinian people."
○ "The occupation also refused to allow the entry of 850 fuel and cooking gas trucks, leading to a paralysis of transportation, the closure of bakeries, and the complete disruption of humanitarian work."
BREAKING | Initial reports of a large explosion in Damascus, Syria.
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❗️High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas:
"Today, we discussed the situation in the Middle East. In Syria, the path to stability remains fraught, as the recent shocking violence has underscored. I call on all sides to seek peaceful solutions and to overcome the spiral of violence. The European Union supports an inclusive transition [and] an economic recovery. Next week the European Union will host a donors conference aimed at generating much needed financial support for Syria’s reconstruction.
In Gaza, the ceasefire is under strain. It is critical that both sides uphold their commitments and that Phase two talks succeed. Humanitarian aid and services should not be politicised. The European Union welcomes the Arab Recovery Plan, and we look forward to discussing it further with our partners. As the region moves on and to rebuild, the Two-State solution remains the only path to sustainable peace."
When asked:
"You talked about the Arab plan for Gaza. What are the areas that you think you can work with the Arab group on Gaza. Do you have benchmarks, do you have maybe a time frame for the process? Are you planning to start funding any projects anytime soon? "
Kallas responded:
"We are in close cooperation with our Arab partners, and we are studying the plan carefully and also seeing what our contribution could be. It is clear that for any kind of reconstruction there has to be stability and peace. Otherwise, it is it is very hard to build. Therefore, the governance of Gaza is an extremely important discussion point, where the European Union sees also the role to be a mediating partner. We definitely want to see the governance of Gaza so that the Palestinians have their rights respected and we will closely cooperate with our Arab partners, on to how to build this further, before we discuss any kind of additional funding."
From the chants of the million-man march in Al-Sabeen Square in the Yemeni capital Sanaa:
"We remain steadfast with Gaza and we confront American escalation with escalation."
❗️Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, member of the Supreme Political Council for Ansarallah:
○ "You are mistaken, Trump. We are ready to face all the tyrants of the earth, to make sacrifices, and remain steadfast in our positions."
○ "We fear no one and bow to no one except Allah. We will confront escalation with escalation."
○ "We are always with the Palestinians and will not abandon them. We will continue the siege on the enemy and confront them until the siege on Gaza is lifted."
❗️Al Manar:
"5 martyrs in the central Gaza Strip as a result of two Israeli drone attacks since this morning."
❗️The aftermath of the Israeli airstrikes that targeted the southern Lebanese town of Yaroun yesterday at night.
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A building damaged by the Israeli aggression on northern Gaza collapsed, without resulting in any casualties.
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❗️The Commission of Palestinian Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs:
"We warn of the spread of a dangerous virus in Section 3 of "Megiddo" Prison. For about 10 days, 90% of the detainees have been suffering from diarrhea and vomiting, with some losing consciousness and fainting due to the severity of the illness, especially the elderly. Meanwhile, the Israeli prison administration is deliberately neglecting them medically without providing any treatment."
❗️Israeli army on its latest attack on south Lebanon:
"A short while ago, two Hezbollah terrorists who served as observation operatives and directed terrorist activities were struck by the IDF in the area of Yuhmor in southern Lebanon."
❗️Local Palestinian sources report that the Israeli occupation army distributed notices to demolish homes and prevent the cultivation of lands after storming the town of Jalbun, east of Jenin, in the West Bank.
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❗️Gaza Ministry of Health:
○ "5 martyrs (3 recovered martyrs, 1 new martyr, and 1 martyr succumbed to his wounds) and 9 injuries arrived at Gaza Strip hospitals during the past 24 hours."
○ "A number of victims are still under the rubble and on the streets, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them."
○ "The death toll from the Israeli aggression has risen to 48,577 martyrs and 112,041 injuries since 7 October 2023."
BREAKING | Israeli drone targets a van in the southern Lebanese village of Yahmar al-Shaqif.
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❗️Gaza Ministry of Transport and Communications Spokesman, Anis Arafat:
○ "The transportation sector has suffered more than 60% damage due to the Israeli war on Gaza."
○ "Specialized committees continue their work in assessing the damages, and no official statistics are available yet."
○ "Any vehicle damaged by the war must be registered through the link provided by the ministry."
○ "Committees will be formed to follow up on the damages once the situation stabilizes, and field visits will be conducted to inspect the affected vehicles."
○ "Licensed vehicle owners (cars, tuk-tuks, motorcycles) can register via the designated link."
○ "Unlicensed vehicles must be registered through a special committee at the ministry’s headquarters, where the committee will inspect these small vehicles."
○ "The Ministry of Interior and investigative authorities will be consulted to confirm the existence of missing vehicles that were bombed and document their destruction."
○ "We urge owners of damaged vehicles to register through the link, whether the damage is partial or total, and to attach photos of the vehicle."
❗️Lebanese Army Statement:
"On March 16, 2025, after two Syrians were killed and another injured on the Lebanese-Syrian border near the Qasr-Hermel area, the wounded man was transferred to a hospital for treatment but died shortly thereafter.
Following this, the army implemented exceptional security measures and conducted intensive communications from the night of March 16-17, 2025, until the early hours of the morning. As a result, the three bodies were handed over to the Syrian side.
Meanwhile, Lebanese villages and towns in the region were subjected to shelling from Syrian territory. Military units responded to the sources of fire with appropriate weapons, reinforced their deployment, and maintained security.
Contacts continue between the army command and the Syrian authorities to maintain security and stability in the border area."
🇾🇪 Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) announced at dawn its second operation against the US Within 24 hours, where it targeted the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea with 18 ballistic and cruise missiles and drones. Military spokesman Yahya Saree also stated that the YAF thwarted an enemy attack, forcing hostile warplanes to retreat after striking multiple US naval assets.
The statement reaffirmed their commitment to escalation if attacks continue, praised public support, and vowed to maintain a blockade on Israeli ships until the Gaza blockade is lifted.
A video shows Israeli soldiers detaining and mistreating a Palestinian child in the Wadi al-Saman area of Al-Khalil (Hebron) in the occupied West Bank.
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