Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday sacked Defense Minister Yoav Gallant amid allegations of security leaks that could have jeopardized Tel Aviv's war efforts against Iran and its terrorist proxies Hamas and Hezbollah.
Argentina's Security Minister Patricia Bullrich Friday released a picture and data of the alleged Hezbollah leader in South America, who she also claimed was involved in the bombings in Buenos Aires of the Israeli Embassy in 1992 and the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) in 1994. The suspect was identified as Hussein Ahmad Karaki and was said to be currently in Lebanon.
Bolivia's Foreign Ministry Tuesday denied allegations by Israel's Ambassador to Costa Rica Mijal Gur Aryeh that the South American country had Iranian and Hezbollah military bases. There are also other countries in the region that have Iranian and Hezbollah bases, particularly Venezuela and Bolivia, the diplomat was quoted as saying by EFE.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ordered a Brazilian Air Force (FAB) aircraft sent to rescue nationals of the South American country from war-torn Lebanon as Israeli forces launched Monday a land invasion following days of shelling and air strikes killing high-ranking leaders of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, Agencia Brasil reported citing an announcement from the Itamaraty Palace.
Brazil's Foreign Ministry condemned in the strongest terms Israel's deployment into parts of Lebanese territory Monday which left 492 people dead and 1,645 wounded. Itamaraty also deplored Tel Aviv's declarations in favor of the military operations urging Lebanese civilians to evacuate their homes in those regions as people fleeing southern Lebanon caused traffic jams.
By Gwynne Dyer
The exploding pagers that killed at least 12 people and injured 2 800 others in Lebanon and adjacent places on Tuesday were mostly just a new wrinkle on the exploding cell-phones that Israel has used to assassinate its opponents in the past, but there was one major innovation.
Brazil's Embassy in Beirut Sunday advised the some 21,000 nationals of the South American country living in Lebanon to leave as soon as possible or avoid all travel to the war-torn region after tension with Israel escalated over the weekend, Agencia Brasil reported.
An article published during the weekend by the Israeli English-language newspaper The Jerusalem Post written by Peter Marko Tase mentioned former Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes as it delved into the subject of South American facilitators who amplify Hezbollah's threat. The founder of the Azerbaijan-US Economic and Educational Council, Tase is an expert in South American geopolitics who has authored various books on international relations.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the world cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza. He made those remarks as tension and gunfire mounted between the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terrorist organization and Israel. Guterres spoke of a “bellicose rhetoric” between both parties and insisted that one false move could trigger a catastrophe for the whole region and beyond.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font declared the diplomatic incident over after Argentine Security Minister Patricia Bullrich apologized for saying that the terrorist organization Hezbollah was operating in the Chilean port of Iquique. “It seems to me that it is tremendously important that the authorities be responsible in their statements and affirmations,” said Boric.