WEEKLY UPDATE - 11.07.2025

As Israel continues strikes in Lebanon, Hezbollah’s commitment to ceasefire wavers

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) continued to carry out airstrikes in Lebanon in spite of a ceasefire brokered nearly a year ago. On Thursday, Israel carried out a strike killing one and injuring another nine according to Al Jazeera. The IDF said that it has been targeting Hezbollah military installations and militants in spite of protestations from Lebanese officials. While Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called on Hezbollah to disarm he has also remained critical of Israeli airstrikes and presence in southern Lebanon. The US has also pressed Lebanese officials to disarm the Shi’a militant group and political organization, but many Lebanese officials question the viability of such plan given the current strength of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

According to a unverified statement, Hezbollah responded to the recent strikes saying it has the right to defend itself. The statement also rejected negotiations between Israel and Lebanon. This comes as Israeli and Western intelligence agencies claim that Hezbollah has begun to rearm itself and replenish its numbers.

Around the Region

• North Africa:

  • The Moroccan government declared 31 OCT a national holiday after a UN Resolution supporting a Moroccan plan for settling the conflict in Western Sahara passed. Morocco claimed the territory as its own after the Spanish relinquished it in 1975. While Morocco controls most of the territory, the Algerian-backed Polisario Front claimed independence and waged an guerrilla war against the Moroccan occupation. While most countries recognize an independent Western Sahara, several countries in recent years have recognized Morocco’s claims to the territory. The new holiday will be known as “Unity Day.”

  • Libyan authorities arrested Osama Almasri Najim, former chief of judicial police, on charges torturing prisoners. Najim is wanted by the International Criminal Court for human rights violations including the torture of prisoners in his custody. He was previously detained by Italian authorities in January but was released before he could be turned over to the ICC.

• The Gulf:

  • The New York Times reported that Iran is holding a Jewish American in its notorious Evin prison because he travelled to Israel more than a decade ago. Iranian authorities arrested Kamran Hekmati in May when he visited the country of his birth according to his family. Hekmati over a law that bans Iranians from traveling to Israel. On Tuesday Iran released two French nationals it had held for three years on suspicion of espionage.

  • Saudi Arabia reduced its price for crude oil for its Asian customers days after OPEC decided to pause output increases in the early period of next year.

  • The Guardian newspaper published a story revealing that the Qatari government was involved in a plot to intimidate a woman who accused the ICC prosecutor Karim Khan of sexual assault. Khan is overseeing the ICC case against members of the Israeli government and its conduct in Gaza. According to the report, Qatar hired a private security firm to find information that could discredit the woman.

• The Levant:

  • The US military announced that it is sending troops to the Damascus airport in cooperation with the Syrian government. The move comes amid increased potential for a Syrian-Israeli agreement. Israel continues to maintain a military presence in southeastern Syria.

  • Israeli authorities arrested Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the former top lawyer for the IDF, after she resigned last week. Yerushalmi’s office leaked a video last year in which IDF soldiers are seen assaulting a Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman prison. Yerushalmi is being held on charges of fraud, breach of trust, and obstruction of justice.

  • Hamas returned the remains of the last American hostage being held in Gaza. According to the terms of the ceasefire in Gaza, Hamas is required to return the remains of all hostages that died in captivity. Israel has accused Hamas of resisting the return of the remains of hostages.

Recommended:

• “Yitzhak Rabin knew what Netanyahu doesn’t” The Atlantic

• “Kurds could hold Syria together or pull it apart” New Lines Magazine

• “Turkey, Iran, and the Politics of Comparison” The Ottoman History Podcast