The Northern Arena and the Shiite Axis – Weekly Review of Events and Key Data (27 Jan. -02 Feb.)

The Lebanese Arena

IDF Activity in Lebanon:

The IDF continues operations to remove threats and terror infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

January 28: Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked two Hezbollah vehicles carrying weapons in the Nabatiyeh al-Fouqa area. Despite the ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah persists in its efforts to rehabilitate its power in southern Lebanon and continues to conduct operations in civilian areas. In the present case, it appears that Hezbollah tried to hide one vehicle inside a civilian garage complex and a second vehicle in a family amusement and recreation park complex.

January 29: The IDF attacked a tractor in southern Lebanon.

Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked a tractor in southern Lebanon that was used for attempts to rehabilitate Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure, thereby violating the ceasefire agreements between Israel and Lebanon.

January 30: Interception of a Hezbollah reconnaissance UAV

The Air Force intercepted a reconnaissance UAV belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization that was launched towards the State of Israel. The launching of the UAV constitutes a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.

January 31: Targeting Hezbollah targets in the Bekaa Valley.

The Israeli Air Force attacked several Hezbollah targets in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon that posed a threat to the Israeli home front and IDF forces. Among the targets attacked: a military site with underground infrastructure intended for the development and production of weapons and infrastructure on the Syria-Lebanon border crossing through which Hezbollah is trying to transfer weapons.

The return of Southern Lebanon residents to their homes:

With Hezbollah’s backing, Lebanese residents of the south continue to gather near and at the entrances to villages where IDF forces are still present. The IDF continues its operations against Hezbollah targets in those areas in order to remove threats.

According to Lebanese reports, IDF forces are present in 11 village areas, with an emphasis on the eastern sector: Blida, Mis al-Jabal, Houla, Markaba, Adissa, Kfar Kila, Wazzani, and the Shebaa Farms area. There is also a presence in Yaroun, Maroun al-Ras, and Marwahin.

Above: a map published on the Al-Manar website showing the status of the villages in southern Lebanon

Yellow: Villages from which the IDF has withdrawn.

Red: Villages where the IDF is still present.

Green: Israeli territory

Gray: The Golan

February 1: A call to participate in the “Sunday of Return-2” march.

Residents of the villages where IDF forces are still present in the border area were called to participate in the “Sunday of Return – 2” march to be held on Sunday, “in support of the liberation of what remains of the villages occupied by the Zionist enemy.” The organizers called on all sectors of society, including government officials, members of parliament and parties, as well as civil, economic and cultural organizations, in addition to educational and professional sectors, to participate in the event.

January 28: The Lebanese army completed the deployment of its forces in additional towns and border areas in southern Litani.

The Lebanese army announced that “army units have been deployed in Yaroun, Bint Jbeil in the central sector, in Marwahin and Birket Riche – Sur in the western sector and in additional border areas south of the Litani, following the withdrawal of the Israeli army from those areas, in coordination with the Fifth Committee for Monitoring the Ceasefire Agreement.

The statement said: “The army continues to accompany the citizens in the border settlements and also continues its close cooperation with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon – UNIFIL regarding the situation in the area in question, within the framework of Resolution 1701.”

Above: Lebanese army forces in the village of Yaroun

Hezbollah is returning and will continue to return to southern Lebanon. The Lebanese army cannot be relied upon. There is no convenient solution for Israel under the current agreements and situation. What can be done? The solution Israel must chose is the “lesser of two evils”. Mainly with the help of the American administration, the “people-army-resistance” equation must be dismantled, Hezbollah must be isolated within Lebanon, and Iranian intervention must be actively prevented. Israel must preserve its military operational freedom, even if it incurs international criticism, and establish clear thresholds for forceful responses. Read more in the position paper and policy recommendations. To read the article in full.

January 27 + February 02: Naim Qasem’s speeches:

  • Hezbollah holds the right to respond to Israeli violations of the withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
  • Hezbollah considered responding to Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.
  • Israel is acting vindictively in southern Lebanon as a result of its defeat.
  • Lebanon, through the people and the army, must take responsibility for removing the occupier and defending sovereignty.
  • Israel has violated the ceasefire agreement 1,350 times.
  • Hezbollah is still investigating the death of Muhammad Hamada, head of the western Bekaa region.
  • Israel and the United States wanted to end the resistance in Lebanon, but Hezbollah stood firm and courageous against them.
  • Israel requested a ceasefire after suffering heavy losses.
  • Qassem said that the United States is directing Israeli crime and is not warning Israel about violations of the ceasefire.
  • He announced that the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah (former Hezbollah leader) and Hashem Safi al-Din (former head of the executive council and Nasrallah’s successor) will take place on February 23. After the funeral rituals, they will be buried in separate places. Nasrallah will be buried in the Dahiya and Safi al-Din will be buried in his hometown – Deir Qanoun an-Naher.
  • He calls on Hezbollah activists and supporters to stop the practice of shooting in the air and motorcycle convoys.
  • Hezbollah won, although not a complete victory, but it managed to win thanks to its steadfastness.

January 27: Members of Parliament from the Baalbek-Hermel bloc visited the border villages and affirmed their support for the people and the fight against the IDF.

The delegation began its tour in Naqoura in the presence of the mayor, Abbas Awada. It continued to the town of Shama and from there traveled to Bint Jbeil, where it arrived at the Martyr Salah Ghandour Hospital, examined the effects of the war on the hospital’s conditions, met with its administrative and medical staff and emphasized their support for them.

Above: A delegation of members of parliament on behalf of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon

Hezbollah’s Rehabilitation Project:

January 28: “Hezbollah launched a rehabilitation and renovation project in the border villages.”

Hezbollah has launched a project to rehabilitate and renovate the structures in the border villages in southern Lebanon that were damaged in the war between Israel and Hezbollah.

“Out of commitment and a promise to return the houses to be more beautiful than they were, and in order to return our respected people to their villages, and with insistence on rehabilitating the villages on the border and returning normal life to them, and an attempt to thwart the enemy’s goals of turning them into a buffer zone.”

The project was launched under the auspices of a member of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, Member of Parliament Hassan Fadlallah, in the presence of the head of the rehabilitation and renovation project in the Jihad al-Bina organization, the engineer Hussein Khair al-Din, public figures and masses of the local population, and with the participation of more than 200 Jihad al-Bina engineers, who began the process of identifying the damage in the area, in preparation for the rehabilitation and renovation of the structures.

January 29: Jihad Al-Bina will begin paying compensation for the victims of the southern villages through Al-Qard Al-Hassan Bank.

The official in charge of the renovation file in Jihad al-Bina, the engineer Hussein Khair Al-Din, confirmed that Hezbollah will continue to issue certificates to Al-Qard Al-Hassan Bank, which are converted into money for the residents whose homes were damaged.

In an interview with Al-Manar channel, Khair Al-Din said that Al-Qard Al-Hassan’s suspension of issuing checks stems from technical reasons only and is not related at all to funding, stressing that “the funding is available, and we are continuing our work”, reassuring the residents that everything that is published on this issue is not true at all.

In addition, he announced that during the next two days, the organization’s teams will begin their work in the field in the villages that were liberated on the 26th of the month in the western southern Lebanon area.

Above: Jihad al-Bina’s activity center, which is responsible for the damage rehabilitation project

January 31: Launching the “Aggression Damage” survey and border village rehabilitation project in the Tyre district.

Hezbollah launched a project to survey the damage of the fighting and rehabilitate the border villages in the Tyre district. The event was held in the courtyard of the religious site of Simeon al-Safa in the town of Simeon in southern Lebanon.

The event was attended by a member of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, Hussein Jashi, the general coordinator of the rehabilitation and reconstruction project in the Jihad al-Bina Institute, the engineer Hussein Khair al-Din, the director of the first Jabal Amel district in the Jihad al-Bina Institute, the engineer Salim Murad, the mayor of Simeon, Abd al-Qadir Safa al-Din, heads and members of local councils and elections in the villages of the Tyre district on the border, activists, public figures and families.

Palestinians

January 30 – Islamic Jihad rally in the Nahr al-Bared camp: Emphasizing the importance of resistance for steadfastness and victory.

A mass rally organized by the Islamic Jihad movement in memory of one of the fighters of the Saraya al-Quds, the military wing of the organization, Raad Shawqi Karim, who was killed during the fighting in southern Lebanon. The event was held in the Canaan Hall in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp, in the presence of heads and representatives of Palestinian parties and factions in Lebanon. Among other things, the head of political relations of the Islamic Jihad movement in Lebanon, Bassam Muaed, spoke at the rally.

(Above: The rally of the Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in Lebanon).

January 31: Hamas organized mass demonstrations in the Palestinian refugee camps in memory of Muhammad Deif.

Hamas organized mass demonstrations in the Palestinian refugee camps and various gatherings in Lebanon, in memory of Muhammad Deif, the commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the organization in the Gaza Strip.

Thousands of Palestinians participated in the mass demonstrations that began from the moment Def’s death was finally confirmed by Hamas on 30/1/2025. The participants waved Palestinian flags and movement flags, calling for support and approving the option of the Palestinian resistance and the Hamas movement.

The Syrian Arena

IDF Activity in Syria

The IDF continues to operate in the buffer zone.

February 1: Shooting at an IDF force in Syria.

On January 31, IDF forces operating in Turnejeh, northern Quneitra, Syria, were fired upon and returned fire. There were no Israeli casualties.

Note that this is the first time a shooting incident has been reported in the buffer zone since the IDF.

entered the area.

The organization “The Islamic Resistance Front in Syria,” which, according to it, was established in light of “the silence of the new regime in Syria and its lack of activity against Israel,” announced that it was responsible for the shooting. Read about the organization in the article we published:

Syria – General

January 29: Ahmad al-Shara officially appointed President of Syria.

The new Syrian leadership announced on January 29 the appointment of Ahmad al-Shara as the country’s president for the transitional period, more than a month after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad authorizing him to establish a legislative council for the transitional period after the dissolution of the People’s Council and the abolition of the constitution.

The announcement was made by the spokesperson of the military operations command, General Hassan Abd al-Ghani, after a meeting of the military factions at the People’s Palace in Damascus.

The “Declaration of Victory of the Syrian Revolution” issued after the meeting reported significant changes, including the abolition of the 2012 constitution, the dissolution of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party, the People’s Council, the army and the security mechanisms of the regime of the fugitive President Bashar al-Assad, and the authorization of the President of the Republic to establish a temporary legislative council for the transitional period.

Immediately following al-Shara’s appointment as president, many Arab leaders published congratulatory messages, with an emphasis on the leaders of the Gulf states.

Among the Arab states who decided not to congratulate al-Shara on his appointment: Lebanon, Algeria, Iraq, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, and more.

January 31: Syria decided to close the land border crossings with Lebanon at night.

The Lebanese General Security received an official notification from the Syrian authorities regarding the closure of the land borders, with an emphasis on the al-Mansa border crossing daily between the hours of 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM Beirut time, no entry or exit of people and goods will be allowed.

February 2: Visit of the President of Syria in Saudi Arabia.

 Syrian President, Ahmad al-Shara, arrived in Saudi Arabia for his first official visit outside the country, meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince, Muhammad bin Salman.

During the meeting, al-Shara said that he “felt a real desire to support Syria in building its future, and concern to support the will of the Syrian people and the unity and integrity of its territory,” according to a statement from the official Syrian news agency.

The meeting dealt with broad future plans in the fields of energy, technology, education and health, while noting “the desire to reach a true partnership, the goal of which is to maintain peace and stability throughout the region, and to improve the economic situation of the Syrian people.”

“At the beginning of the meeting, the Crown Prince expressed his congratulations to the President (Ahmad al-Shara) on assuming the office of President of the Syrian Arab Republic and wished him success in realizing the aspirations of the Syrian people.”

January 30: The visit of Amir Qatar to Syria

The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, met with the President of Syria, Ahmad al-Shara, in Damascus. The Emir congratulated the President on the victory of the Syrian revolution and his election as president of the transitional phase, and emphasized Qatar’s support for the unity, sovereignty and independence of Syria. Sheikh Tamim praised the efforts of the new leadership to achieve stability and meet the essential needs of the Syrian people and stressed the need to establish a government that represents all populations. President al-Shara welcomed the visit and stressed the importance of cooperation between the countries in various fields.

During the meeting, the latest developments in Syria and ways to strengthen relations between the countries were discussed, as well as regional and international developments.

The new Syrian government has appointed a number of district governors in the past two months as part of its efforts to stabilize the regime and rehabilitate its systems. These figures are expected to play a significant role in shaping the country.

Read the full article on the website.

Picture of Alma Research

Alma Research

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