News
‘Hezbollah is endangering you’: Hagari warns Lebanese near terror targets to flee South Lebanon
Hagari’s warning was unusual and different from mass evacuation warnings issued to date in Gaza.
The IDF, around 6:30 a.m. on Monday, initiated a fifth round of massive air strikes on Hezbollah, especially in southern Lebanon, including further from the border than in some prior cases. Starting Monday morning, the IDF has attacked over 150 targets using dozens of fighter jets from all Air Force squadrons.
There were also significant attacks against Hezbollah deep into Lebanon in the Bekaa Valley.
IDF Chief Spokesman Daniel Hagari, for the first time, issued a broad warning to the general public in southern Lebanon that if they have not already moved away from houses and other civilian buildings where they live and reside – but where Hezbollah has stored rockets or undertaken other actions – now they must leave those areas.
Hagari’s warning was unusual and different from mass evacuation warnings issued to date in Gaza.
The warning was the first sort of mass evacuation warning to southern Lebanese regarding areas where Hezbollah is operating.
Continuing in that vein, hundreds of thousands of southern Lebanese civilians have evacuated areas that the IDF has been attacking already for several months.
So, a warning was issued to those who have not yet evacuated.
Footage of the strike on the cruise missile, the terrorists, and the house where the cruise missile was located (IDF)
Not a complete evacuation
However, the IDF did not tell the southern Lebanese civilians that they must completely leave the area to move to some other further away specified area.
It was not clear where the IDF would suggest these evacuating civilians should go permanently if, in fact, their homes were to get bombed due to holding terror assets.
Also, it was not like a Gaza evacuation, as Hagari did not yet suggest that the IDF would be invading with ground troops, but more that it would be striking with additional intensity from the air, including at civilian locations where terror assets have been located.
To illustrate his point, Hagari displayed an example of a southern Lebanese civilian location where the IDF, a few weeks ago, watched Hezbollah knock down some of the walls in order to set up a camouflaged civilian location for the firing of a Russian-made DR-4 cruise missile, with hundreds of kilos of explosives.
Tharwting of a Hezbollah crusie missile ready to launch, September 23, 2024 (credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT)
“We are exposing Hezbollah’s tactic of hiding a cruise missile inside a residential home. The terrorists created a designated opening to launch the missile,” Hagari explained.
Hagari said that the cruise missile, a much larger danger than typical Hezbollah rockets because it flies lower and faster in a line-drive type fashion as opposed to rockets, which fly slower and in an arch trajectory, had been smuggled to Hezbollah via Syria.
Next, Hagari showed the IDF watching Hezbollah terrorists exiting the area.
Finally, he showed the IDF blowing up both the cruise missile and the civilian location where it was hidden, along with the Hezbollah terrorists.
“Here, you can see how we identified the terrorists as they made an opening in the building, revealing the missile. In a precise strike, the IDF neutralized both the terrorists and the missile launch infrastructure just moments before the planned launch,” Hagari explained.
One of the purposes of Hagari’s public statements, which have subtitles in Arabic, was to broaden the warning to southern Lebanese civilians to leave such areas, while another purpose was to preempt Western criticism for targeting civilian areas, to explain the IDF’s justification.
Under international law, civilian areas can be targeted if warnings are provided and if those areas have been used for military purposes.
In addition, the IDF said that it had shot down attempted aerial attacks from Iraq around 4:00 a.m.
Hagari’s warning
Hagari, warning the Lebanese civilians, emphasized, “Hezbollah is endangering you and your families. Hezbollah is planning to launch weapons against Israel, and you should distance yourselves immediately for your safety.”
“We are exposing Hezbollah’s tactic of hiding a cruise missile inside a residential home. The terrorists created a designated opening to launch the missile,” he added.
Furthermore, the IDF sent out text messages to the southern Lebanese citizens urging them to stay away from Hezbollah structures, Israeli media reported.
“If you are in a building containing Hezbollah weapons, move away immediately until further notice,” the text message sent to the civilians reportedly read.
According to a Reuters reporter, shortly afterward, residents in southern Lebanon also received calls from a Lebanese number ordering them to immediately distance themselves 1,000 meters from any Hezbollah post.
Additionally, Haragi addressed the evacuated citizens of Israel’s North, stating that he “will do whatever is necessary to restore citizens to their homes and ensure their safety.”
“We will do whatever is necessary to restore northern citizens to their homes. We are operating on an undercover operation, and we continue to do so to protect the citizens of Israel,” Haragi emphasized.
Hezbollah’s human shields
According to Ynet, ten years ago, Hezbollah launched a secret initiative to offer financial incentives to Shia households in southern Lebanon if they allocated a room of their house to a long range missile launcher. The missile, with a heavy warhead, would be ready to launch from that room. The room would have a removable roof, allowing it to be fired quickly.
Ynet added that Hezbollah specifically chose poor Shia families who needed extra income. Reportedly, Hezbollah purchased plots of land and constructed residential homes on them, offering them at a reduced price of for free if the families were willing to store missiles.
Can neither confirm nor deny if Sinwar is alive
When Hagari was asked about the last time the IDF received a sign of life from Hamas Head Yahya Sinwar, Hagari responded that he could neither confirm nor deny if Sinwar was alive.
This question from the press toward Haragi came after circulating speculations and reports on Sunday that Sinwar had been killed.
“Regarding what has come up in the past days about Sinwar’s situation, I can neither confirm nor deny it,” Hagari stated.
“We have one mission—to reach Sinwar, and we will,” he emphasized.
News
Reports of Justice Agim accompanying Wike to UNICAL convocation false, misleading Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has denied that one of its justices, Justice Emmanuel Agim accompanies the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to the convocation at the University of Calabar in the South South Nigeria.
The denial came amid suspicion that Justice Agim who wrote a judgment of the Supreme Court in favour of the 27 lawmakers in Rivers State is close to Wike, hence, his presence around Wike has triggered speculations.
Wike is the former governor of Rivers State and a current of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who controls lawmakers in Rivers.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Supreme Court’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Festus Akande, he refuted the claims, saying Agim attended the event on his own.
The statement described the rumour as misleading, insisting that Justice Agim attended the event as a honoree, urging Nigerians to disregard the social media lies.
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“Hon. Justice Agim attended the convocation as an esteemed honouree and an alumnus of the institution, who the Governing Council had found worthy to be conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Law (Doctor Honoris Causa),” the statement read.
“That Justice Agim was recognized for his significant contributions to the legal profession, which reflect his dedication to justice, integrity, and the rule of law.
Naija News reports that the statement highlighted that Justice Agim’s achievements serve as an inspiration for aspiring legal professionals and students alike.
The statement also addressed the claim that Justice Agim had attended the convocation ceremony in the company of Nyesom Wike.
It stressed that this was a false narrative, stating that Justice Agim’s attendance was independent of any government ministry or department and that he was not accompanying any government official.
“Any insinuation to the contrary is not only inaccurate but undermines the judicial independence that is crucial to our democracy,” the Supreme Court emphasized.
Additionally, the statement noted that Justice Agim had been scheduled to attend the burial ceremony of Hon. Justice Stanley Alagoa in Bayelsa State but had sought permission to attend the convocation ceremony instead.
In conclusion, the Supreme Court urged the media and the public to verify information through credible sources before dissemination.
“We encourage the public and media to verify information through credible sources before sharing or publishing to prevent the spread of misinformation,” the statement concluded.
News
State of Emergency in Rivers: $5,000 shared to Reps as ‘Sallah gesture,’ not bribe – Hon. Betara
Member representing Biu/Bayo/Shania/Kwaya/Kusar Federal Constituency of Borno State, Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara has disclosed that he shared $5,000 with members of his committee as a “Sallah gesture”.
Betara who is the Reps Committee Chairman on FCT said the money was not a bribe to pass resolution declaring a state of emergency in Rivers as being insinuated.
The was posted by a Nigerian investigative journalist, Jaafar Jaafar on his X handle.
Jaafar said Betara explained this to him after the lawmaker reached out to clarify that the $5,000 given to lawmakers was merely a “Sallah gesture” and not an inducement.
He quoted Batara to have said the gesture was a long standing g tradition and has nothing to do with the state of emergency I Rivers.
Jaafar wrote:
“The chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, has clarified to me that he only shared $5,000 with each member of his committee as a ‘Sallah gesture,’ not as an inducement to support emergency rule in Rivers State.
“According to him, he maintains the tradition—like Santa Claus—every year.
“As we say in Hausa, not thigh but hind leg.”
The clarification by Betara came amid strong speculations that Senators received $15,000 bribe to pass a resolution to sustain declaration of state of emergency rule in Rivers.
The bribe was reportedly shared on Tuesday before they voted on Wednesday.
News
INEC holds crucial meeting to look into petition recalling Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from Senate
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proceeded into a crucial meeting to study and look into a petition submitted to it by constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
CAPITAL POST gathered, it a top management meeting as it was claimed that over 250,000 constituents signed the petition out of 480,000 registered voters.
The meeting was confirmed on Monday by the Acting
Director of Publicity, Esther Chibuikem, stating that the meeting held at a committee room at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
It was also confirmed that the Secretary to the commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, on received the petition against Natasha on Monday.
The petition follwed the nod given by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja on Friday where the earlier judgement restraining INEC from accepting the petition was set asid3.
Last week, constituents from Kogi Central were said to have i initiated a recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, but some constituents claimed that they were d3ceived into exercise as they were told to gather with their voters card for 3 powerment.
However, the Court, in a judgement delivered in Lokoja, affirmed that the recall process is constitutionally valid and aligns with the civic rights of the constituents.
The court urged the constituents to continue exercising their rights in an orderly and peaceful manner.
The development was after the court on Thursday granted an interim injunction restraining INEC, its staff, agents, privies or assigns from receiving, accepting or acting on any petition containing signatures of members of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
As at press time, INEC hasn’t release information on the next action as signatures may have to be critically compared with its register to determine validity.
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