THE EARLY PHOENIX – Nov 3, 2023

Top 5 Headlines: 

• IDF Eliminates Senior Hamas Commander.
• Muqtada al-Sadr Requests Access to Palestinian Borders for His Supporters.
• Houthi Requests Rocket Delivery Service to Israel, and Activists Mock.
• Intelligence Reports Suggest Assad to Supply Russian Missiles to Hezbollah via Wagner.
• Hezbollah Leader Nasrallah Breaks Silence Amid Escalating Border Skirmishes.

Currencies:

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ISRAEL & PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

1. Israeli Troops Enter Gaza City, IDF’s Ground Offensive Intensifies. Israeli forces, backed by airstrikes and naval support, have advanced into Gaza City, a significant stage in the ongoing conflict. The IDF chief hints at fuel transfers to Gaza hospitals. Despite the ground offensive, rocket attacks on southern and central Israel continue, with a growing toll of IDF casualties. Naval forces also engage in the fighting (Times of Israel).
2. Significant Humanitarian Aid Convoy Reaches Gaza Amidst Conflict. Over 100 trucks filled with food, water, and medical supplies entered Gaza via Egypt’s Rafah crossing, a crucial development for the war-ravaged Strip. This marks the first time more than 100 trucks entered in a single day since the conflict’s outset. However, it falls short of the pre-war aid levels. Israel continues to block fuel shipments, citing concerns over diversion to Hamas military infrastructure (Times of Israel).
3. Israeli Security Cabinet Votes on Palestinian Tax Fund Transfer. Israel’s security cabinet has approved the transfer of frozen tax funds to the Palestinian Authority but decided to withhold funds designated for Gaza. The move aims to strengthen the PA’s position in the West Bank while cutting off contact with Gaza. The decision follows Washington’s push for releasing these funds, and it also involves returning detained Gazan laborers to the Strip (Times of Israel).
4. IDF Eliminates Senior Hamas Commander. The IDF successfully eliminates Mustafa Daloul, a central Hamas commander involved in ongoing Gaza battles. Simultaneously, counterterrorism operations in the West Bank result in at least nine reported deaths (i24).
5. Israeli IDF Chief Warns Hezbollah Ahead of Nasrallah’s Speech. Israeli IDF Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, warns Hezbollah as he reaffirms Israel’s readiness for conflict on multiple fronts. He emphasizes that Israel’s strength extends beyond Gaza and discusses ongoing operations in Gaza Strip (i24).
6. US Drones Over Gaza in Search of Hostages. American drones conduct reconnaissance flights over Gaza to locate hostages held by Hamas. US officials indicate that drones have been deployed for over a week in intelligence-gathering efforts. These drones are unarmed and do not support Israeli offensive activities (Alarabiya).
7. Israel Accuses Iranian Group of Supporting Hezbollah in Cross-Border Conflict. The Israeli army accused the Iranian Imam Hossein Brigade of aiding Hezbollah in cross-border attacks against Israel, intensifying tensions with exchanges of fire between Israeli Forces and Hezbollah. At least 49 Hezbollah members have been killed since October 7, marking the deadliest border conflicts since the 2006 war (MEM).

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THE EARLY PHOENIX – Nov 3, 2023

IRAN

8. Critics accuse Iran of ‘shadow games’ to conceal ‘inaction’ against Israel’s war on Gaza. Iran’s support for Hamas during the Gaza conflict has come under scrutiny as it refrains from direct military action, leading to criticism and propaganda campaigns within Iran. Despite warnings, Iran’s actions have been limited, prompting both critics and supporters to question the authenticity of its commitment (New Arab).
9. UK-Based Groups Linked to Iranian Regime Raise Concerns. An investigation by The Times of London revealed over six UK-based groups with ties to the Iranian regime, actively participating in pro-Hamas rallies. The report highlights concerns about deepening Iranian influence on UK soil, as evidenced by Tehran-linked groups fueling pro-Palestine/Hamas protests. UK security authorities continue to express concerns about the Iranian threat, while calls for designating Iran’s IRGC as a terrorist organization persist (Iran International).
10. Controversy Over Iran Chairing UN Rights Meeting. Iran’s appointment to chair a UN human rights council meeting draws criticism from the United States and rights groups due to alleged human rights violations, particularly against women. The lack of other nominations for the chair position adds to the controversy (Jerusalem Post).

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THE EARLY PHOENIX – Nov 3, 2023

IRAQ

11. Iraqi “Islamic Resistance” Targets US Military Base in Erbil. The “Islamic Resistance” in Iraq announced the targeting of a US military base near Erbil airport with two drones on Thursday. They claimed the drones hit their targets directly and conducted this operation in response to the Israeli military operation in Gaza. A senior Pentagon official confirmed that US sites in Iraq and Syria faced 23 missile and drone attacks between October 17 and 30 (Youm7).
12. Muqtada al-Sadr Requests Access to Palestinian Borders for His Supporters. Muqtada al-Sadr, the leader of the Iraqi Sadr Movement, has asked four “neighboring countries to Palestine” – Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria – to allow his followers to access the areas bordering Palestine, specifically Gaza (Sputnik Arabic).
13. Leaked Document Reveals Iraq’s Defensive Measures. A leaked military document shows Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi directing the armed forces to take defensive measures in anticipation of a potential regional conflict. Iraqi factions have also announced a new, more extensive phase in response to recent events (Alarabiya).

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THE EARLY PHOENIX – Nov 3, 2023

THE GULF REGION & YEMEN

14. UAE Warns of Gaza Conflict Spreading Regionally, Presses for Ceasefire. The UAE has warned of a real danger of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza spreading to the region and is working tirelessly to ensure a humanitarian ceasefire. The State Minister, Noura Al Kaabi, emphasized the need to reduce tensions in the region and prevent further escalation. She also expressed concerns about the potential for extremist groups to exploit the situation for their ideological agendas (Alarabiya).
15. Gulf Stock Markets Rise After U.S. Interest Rate Hold. Most Gulf stock markets closed higher on Thursday as risk appetite returned following the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged. Analysts focused on Jerome Powell’s statement that raising interest rates over the next 20 months would likely slow the economy after a “massive” jump in U.S. GDP in the third quarter, leaving the door open for further rate hikes if necessary. Gulf countries, including the UAE, closely monitor the Federal Reserve’s policy due to their currencies’ peg to the U.S. dollar (SNA Business).
16. Houthi Requests Rocket Delivery Service to Israel, and Activists Mock. A member of Yemen’s Houthi group, Mahdi al-Bokheeti, sparked a social media reaction by calling on Saudi Arabia to allow the group’s rockets to reach Israel. His statement highlights tensions between the Houthis, Saudi Arabia, and Israel amidst ongoing conflicts in the region. Netizens humorously questioned if the rocket was headed to Jazan or Tel Aviv and suggested he double-checked the destination (CNN Arabic).

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THE EARLY PHOENIX – Nov 3, 2023

EGYPT & NORTH AFRICA

17. Egyptian President Calls for Urgent International Action to Halt War. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged international intervention to swiftly cease hostilities in Gaza and address the humanitarian crisis. Egypt received new U.S. support in rejecting Israeli plans to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Sinai. Egypt continues evacuation efforts for wounded and foreign nationals from Gaza (Sharq Awsat).
18. Resumption of Israeli Gas Exports to Egypt in Limited Quantities. Israeli natural gas exports to Egypt have resumed after a recent halt, but the current flow remains limited. The interruption followed Israel’s suspension of production at the Tamar gas field, managed by Chevron, due to escalating conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Instead, supplies have been redirected to a pipeline in Jordan, rather than the direct underwater pipeline to Egypt (SNA Business).
19. Morocco-Israel Relations at a Crossroads Amid Gaza Crisis. Morocco expresses deep concern over the escalating military actions and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, criticizing Israel’s actions as contrary to international humanitarian law. Recent developments raise questions about the future of Morocco-Israel relations and whether the situation in Gaza will influence Morocco’s stance on normalization. While relations have deepened since late 2020, Morocco has remained cautious about fully normalizing ties with Israel, emphasizing alignment with international legitimacy on the Palestinian issue (Alhurra).

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THE EARLY PHOENIX – Nov 3, 2023

SYRIA

20. Intelligence Reports Suggest Assad to Supply Russian Missiles to Hezbollah via Wagner. US intelligence reveals that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has approved the supply of Russian air defense missiles, the SA-22 system known as “Pantsir,” to Lebanese Hezbollah through the Russian Wagner group. Concerns arise regarding increased cooperation between Hezbollah and Wagner in Syria. (Syria TV).
21. Turkish Artillery Shelling Continues in Abu Rasin amid Civilian Displacement. Turkish forces and their allied factions within the “Peace Spring” area persist in artillery shelling on the town of Abu Rasin and villages like Rabeat, Al Khedrawi, Al Assadieh, and Al Bubi in areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces in northwestern Al-Hasakah. Civilian displacement is ongoing due to the indiscriminate shelling (SHR).

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TURKIYE

22. Erdogan Discusses Gaza Humanitarian Ceasefire at Turkic States Summit. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during a meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov at the Organization of Turkic States Summit in Astana, emphasized the importance of international efforts to prevent human rights violations in Palestine and suggested the Organization of Turkic States could contribute to a humanitarian ceasefire and peace in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Erdogan also highlighted the need for a guarantor mechanism involving relevant actors to achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict. The summit focuses on regional issues and aims to strengthen relations among Turkic countries (TRT World).
23. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Criticizes EU’s Double Standards and Calls for Expansion. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized that the EU should consider expansion as a geostrategic issue and criticized the double standards in some EU member states regarding solidarity with Palestinians. He reiterated Turkey’s unchanged perspective on EU membership and the need for a fresh discussion on expansion under new geopolitical circumstances (TRT Arabic).

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THE EARLY PHOENIX – Nov 3, 2023

LEBANON

24. Hezbollah Leader Nasrallah Breaks Silence Amid Escalating Border Skirmishes. Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, is set to deliver his first public statement since the recent conflict’s outbreak, potentially impacting the region’s stability. Amid border clashes and heightened tensions, Nasrallah’s speech in Lebanon’s Hezbollah stronghold is highly anticipated. The situation remains precarious, with fears of a broader conflagration (Times of Israel).

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THE EARLY PHOENIX – Nov 3, 2023