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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
❗️Qassam Brigades announces military operations in Gaza:
– Targeted an Israeli Merkava tank on Tuesday with a Yassin 105 shell near the Rayyis orchard along the Sikka Street, east of Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City.
– Detonated a highly explosive barrel shaped explosive against an Israeli armored personnel carrier on 12 July, destroying it and leaving some of its crew dead and the rest wounded in Al-Satr al-Gharbi, north of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. Military helicopters were observed landing to evacuate the soldiers.
❗️Trump’s embrace of Syria’s self-appointed interim president fuels congressional divide
A new bill introduced by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) to overhaul US sanctions on Syria has split both parties and stirred debate over President Trump’s policy.
The legislation, advanced by the House Financial Services Committee, would allow Trump to permanently lift key sanctions in two years if Syria’s new government, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, meets certain conditions.
Trump has already eased many sanctions via executive order to help open Syria to trade, but skepticism remains among lawmakers from both parties, especially after recent Israeli strikes on Syria.
The bill has created unusual alliances, with some conservatives and progressives preferring full repeal of the Caesar Act, while centrists like Reps. Brad Sherman and Josh Gottheimer backed Lawler’s proposal.
Sherman added a condition requiring protections for minorities, citing the recent execution of a US citizen in Syria's Suwayda. Trump reportedly promised sanctions relief in exchange for normalization with Israel, and Lawler hopes the bill will support that path. The White House has not commented, but its stance is seen as critical to the bill’s fate.
(Source: Semafor)
‼️ Israeli media reports one soldier killed and and at least 2 severely injured in a new 'security incident' in Gaza.
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⭕️ Highlights from Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem’s speech on Friday, 18 July:
– “As the Lebanese state, Hezbollah and all the Resistance fighters, we have fully carried out all our obligations under the agreement, while ‘Israel’ has not implemented anything.”
– “Today, America is proposing a new agreement that essentially disregards all the violations over the past eight months as if they never happened.”
– “Under the pretext of ‘Israel’s’ security, no corner is left unchecked—they want to search, occupy and strike every part.”
– “[Tom] Barrack said that Lebanon is on the verge of extinction if it doesn't hasten to change — meaning, essentially, handing Lebanon over to ‘Israel’ … They want Lebanon to be divided between ‘Israel’ and Syria.”
– “There is an existential threat to the resistance, the resistance’s environment and the resistance’s supporters, as well as an existential threat to Lebanon with all its sects.”
– “All sects in Lebanon are under threat — just look at what is happening in Syria and Palestine; even the Catholic Church in Gaza was bombed.”
– “Today, if a decision is taken, they (Syrian extremist militants) do not need a long time to come through eastern Lebanon to carry out extraordinary attacks. Today we are before a real Israeli threat and a threat from Israel’s proxies that can be used one way or another.”
– “We know that confrontation is very costly, but surrender leaves us with nothing. Take a lesson from what is happening in the region and around the world.”
– “If we defend and incur major losses, and this is expected if we defend, we would have hope that confrontation might enable us to block them and open a door to solutions and liberation.”
– “Let our word be united, and let us focus on the priority. Once the threat is removed, we are ready to discuss the defense strategy and the national security strategy.”
– “We will not abandon our faith or our strength. We are ready for confrontation. There will be no surrender or submission to ‘Israel’, and ‘Israel’ will not receive our weapons.”
BREAKING | Israel carries out a drone strike in the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, assassinating one individual.
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“If you're an Arab or Muslim don't expect your Western allies to stick around when you become less useful to them,” says Sharmine Narwani
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Israeli tanks bomb Gaza's only Catholic Church, killing displaced Palestinians
Among the injured was an Argentinian priest with whom Pope Francis spoke every night after the start of Israel's war on Gaza
⭕️ Oil prices inched higher on Thursday. As of 08:56 GMT, Brent crude rose by 17 cents (0.3%) to $68.67 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude increased by 31 cents (0.5%) to $66.69.
"Oil thinking has been distracted from the Middle East, and the reminders of Israel's attacks into Syria and the drone attacks on oil infrastructure in Kurdistan are timely and once again add a little fizz to proceedings," said John Evans, analyst at PVM Oil Associates.
"Any other incident that deprives the market of barrels will be added to the low inventory narrative and we expect prices to continue to hold with any risk being to the upside."
(Reuters)
Did you know: More civilians have been killed while seeking aid in Gaza than were killed on 7 October.
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VIDEO | Aftermath of a massacre against unarmed civilians documented in Suwayda city.
Despite a declared ceasefire, clashes and Israeli airstrikes continue.
⭕️ Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas met with Tony Blair and tells him Hamas will not govern Gaza – and it must hand over its weapons to the PA.
Abbas said the only solution is full Israeli withdrawal and the State of Palestine assuming full responsibility in accordance with the PLO framework.
⭕️ Iran says IAEA inspectors planted spy chips in their shoes
Iran has accused inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of espionage, saying they planted hidden surveillance chips in their shoes during inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities.
The accusation was made by Mahmoud Nabavian, Deputy Chair of Iran's Parliamentary National Security Committee, who said the discovery of the chips proved the inspectors’ involvement in intelligence activities.
Nabavian also held IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi responsible for leaking confidential Iranian reports to Israel.
In an interview with Fars News Agency, Nabavian asserted that IAEA agents are “undoubtedly spies,” and that confidential documents were leaked to US and Israeli media even before being reviewed within the agency.
He stressed that Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA will remain limited and under the supervision of its Supreme National Security Council.
❗️Netanyahu rejects Hamas's demands
Israeli PM Netanyahu says Israel accepted the Witkoff proposal and then another proposal by the mediators, but "Hamas rejected it" and wants to stay in Gaza.
He says he will not accept the demand that Israel leave Gaza so that Hamas can rearm and "attack us again and again."
❗️Albanese speaks out against US sanctions imposed on her
The UN's top expert on Palestinian rights, Francesca Albanese, said on Friday that US sanctions against her could discourage others from engaging with her and limit her ability to travel, though she intends to carry on with her work.
Albanese explained that she is now subject to asset freezes and may face travel restrictions, warning that the US move risks setting a "dangerous" example for human rights advocates globally.
"There are no red lines anymore ... It is scary," she said.
"It might block me from moving around. It will have a chilling effect on people normally engaging with me because for American citizens or for green card holders, this is going to be extremely problematic."
"My plans are to continue what I've been doing," Albanese added.
(Reuters)
#OnThisDay Hezbollah killed three Israeli soldiers and captured two in a cross-border operation known as "The Truth-full Promise"
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❗️US special envoy to West Asia Steve Witkoff is aiming to visit Doha by the end of this week to help finalize a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.
The source spoke to The Times of Israel shortly after US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had just informed her Witkoff was already on his way to the region and that Washington was optimistic about a potential agreement.
“Witkoff is heading to the region now — to the Gaza area,” Bruce told reporters. When asked for details on his destination, she said Rubio had not specified.
However, the source involved in the talks clarified that Witkoff was still in the US and not scheduled to depart until Wednesday, and that his destination was Europe, not Qatar, where proximity talks have been ongoing.
❗️Qassam Brigades reports from the field that it targeted an Israeli Merkava tank with a Yassin 105 shell in the Chalihat Al-Jaafrawi area southeast of Deir al-Balah city in the central Gaza Strip, and a helicopter landed to evacuate the casualties.
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VIDEO | A stand at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis today demanding action to break the siege on Gaza.
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❗️ Syrian security source to Al Jazeera:
– "We will work on exchanging captives and detainees between all parties following the success of the agreement."
– "We will work to secure the Bedouin families being held in areas controlled by 'outlaw groups.'"
– "Humanitarian crossings between Daraa and Suwayda provinces will be opened to ensure the evacuation of civilians and the wounded."
– "We are working to secure anyone wishing to leave Suwayda until the full deployment is complete."
– "We will implement the agreement within 48 hours, after which we will assess the situation and the other party’s commitment to it."
❗️Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan:
– "We did not consent to fragmentation of Syria yesterday, and we will certainly not consent to it today or tomorrow.”
– "Israel has been using Druze as an excuse to move its banditry into neighboring Syria for the past two days.”
– "Israel is a lawless, rule-breaking, unprincipled, arrogant, spoiled, and bloodthirsty terrorist state."
– "A stable Syria will generate stability for all neighboring countries; otherwise, everyone will bear the burden of this.”
– "Those who seek a secure future through oppression and massacres should never forget this: they are merely passersby; we are the innkeepers. We are the ones who truly belong to this land."
– "We are closely monitoring all developments in Syria, maintaining communication with our counterparts, and will continue to do so.”
– "Through our honorable foreign policy, peace efforts, and diplomatic engagements, Türkiye stands on the side of peace."
– "We bear no ill will toward anyone, nor envy or hostility. We do not infringe on anyone's rights, laws, or sovereignty; we only want peace.”
Bogota Summit launches Global South’s legal intifada against Israel and US impunity
Colombia’s defiant pivot from Washington and the growing Hague Group alliance marks a potentially historic rupture with western legal hypocrisy on Palestine.
By José Niño
US attacks on Iran damaged only one of three nuclear sites targeted: Report
President Trump reportedly called off a sustained, multi-week US bombing campaign that would have been needed to destroy Iran's nuclear program
Turkiye's plans to govern Tripoli, via covert ops in Damascus
Unsatisfied with its significant control over northern Syria and Iraq, Ankara is seeking to establish a political, security, and economic foothold in northern Lebanon – while Beirut watches impotently.
Hezbollah's strategic ascension after Iran's open war with Israel
By striking deep into Israel, Tehran has obliterated decades of deterrence dogma – bringing Hezbollah into open alignment as a frontline ally in the Axis of Resistance.
By Abbas Al-Zein
Netanyahu's Ultra-Orthodox allies renew threats to bolt govt over draft bill delay
The threats stem from delays in presenting a law to immediately exempt yeshiva students from military service
⭕️ Syria signs $800M Tartous port deal with DP World
Syria has finalized an $800 million agreement with Dubai-based DP World to redevelop the Tartous port.
The deal, signed in Damascus in the presence of self-apoointed Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, aims to modernize Syria’s logistics sector and revive trade through one of its most strategic coastal hubs.
DP World CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem emphasized the port’s potential in revitalizing local industry and positioning Syria back on the global trade map.
In recent months, Syria has signed a 30-year deal with France’s CMA CGM to manage Latakia port and a $7 billion energy contract with Qatari, Turkish, and US firms.
❗️The first photo to emerge of Palestinian journalist and West Bank bureu chief of Al Mayadeen Nasser al-Lahham since his detention by Israeli occupation forces shows him during his trial at Ofer military court, which extended his arrest for three more days.
According to the Palestinian Prisoners Club's lawyer, he is being held under extremely harsh conditions.
❗️US envoy for Syria and Ambassador to Turkiye Tom Barrack, who warned that Lebanon will become a part of Greater Syria if it does not submit to US demands, chief among them Hezbollah's disarmament, now claims he was only "praising Syria's impressive strides" and not threatening Lebanon.
"I can assure that Syria’s leaders only want co-existence and mutual prosperity with Lebanon, and the United States is committed to supporting that relationship between two equal and sovereign neighbors enjoying peace and prosperity."
Gaza ceasefire talks collapse over Israel's occupation demands: Report
As the talks hit a new roadblock, fierce battles between Palestinian resistance fighters and Israeli occupation forces have raged inside the strip over the past day
❗️Quds Brigades announces that its fighters destroyed an Israeli military vehicle by detonating a pre-planted barrel bomb in the Sheikh Nasser area, east of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza.
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