Hezbollah is not defeated and is re-emerging in Lebanon – analysis
On the evening of January 26 in Lebanon there were several protests and demonstrations by Hezbollah activists.
One of the videos showed men on motorcycles with Hezbollah flags. It was difficult to confirm the place and time of the videos, but overall the sense is that Hezbollah is trying to make itself known in Lebanon after several months of quiet. Hezbollah was laying low during the first sixty days of the ceasefire with Israel.
The goal of Hezbollah was to keep quiet and make it seem that the ceasefire deal was achieving something. The Lebanese army is supposed to deploy in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s threats are supposed to be reduced. However, like Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah is not defeated and it is re-emerging from its hideouts.
On January 26, Lebanese civilians were killed in clashes with the Israeli military in several places in southern Lebanon, according to reports in Lebanese media. This appeared to be the spark to get Hezbollah to return to the streets to show off how it claims to support the Lebanese people. It is exploiting the situation because Israel did not abide by the terms of the 60-day agreement and Israel is asking for more weeks before withdrawing.
Iranian state media is emphasizing the importance of Hezbollah now. “Lebanon’s Hezbollah Resistance Movement has hailed the return of Lebanese residents to their homes in the south, saying that the nation once again showed that it would never give in to the enemy’s threats,” a report at Iran’s IRNA said on January 27. “In a statement issued early on Monday, Hezbollah praised the resilience of the Lebanese people who stood up against all threats and aggression, highlighting their deep connection to their land and their steadfast role as guardians of national sovereignty, Lebanon’s Al-Manar news network reported.” Al-Manar is Hezbollah’s media arm.
Israel must be prepared for US-Iranian diplomacy, expert says
US President Donald Trump’s approach to Iran will seemingly focus on diplomacy over military conflict to address its nuclear program and broader regional issues, Dr. Shay Har-Zvi told Maariv on Monday.
Har-Zvi, a senior researcher at the Institute for Policy and Strategy at Reichman University and a former director-general of the Strategic Affairs Ministry outlined how this approach impacts the Middle East.
“President Trump’s statement that it ‘would be nice’ to resolve issues with Iran through diplomacy wasn’t offhand,” Har-Zvi said. “He consistently emphasizes that one of his main goals is ‘to end wars, not to start them.’ This is especially significant when it comes to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.”
Har-Zvi noted that Trump’s diplomatic preference is longstanding. “Even after the unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018, Trump sought a better agreement by leveraging economic pressure on Tehran instead of pursuing a military strike.”
Iran’s leadership has taken note of this strategy, according to Har-Zvi. “The Iranian regime, likely with the approval of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, signals a willingness to consider a new nuclear agreement. This comes in the context of regional and domestic struggles, such as the weakening of Iran’s proxy network, the collapse of the Assad regime, and severe economic difficulties.”
Har-Zvi explained that recent developments have further heightened Iran’s vulnerability. “These challenges, coupled with Israel’s strike on Iran’s air defenses in October 2024 and lingering fears of Trump—who authorized the killing of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020—are exacerbating Iran’s sense of exposure to potential military action. The regime likely views negotiations as an opportunity to secure a reprieve from sanctions and the threat of military strikes.”
Har-Zvi highlighted Trump’s broader strategy, which combines economic and military pressure. “Trump is pursuing a ‘maximum pressure’ policy in two dimensions.
First, he aims to escalate economic sanctions, particularly targeting Iran’s energy sector and oil exports. Second, he is signaling that military options, including strikes on nuclear facilities, remain viable if negotiations fail. This reflects his belief in achieving favorable outcomes by demonstrating strength.”
“The key issue is whether the deal will robustly prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and roll back its program for years or if it will be a superficial agreement that delays the challenge temporarily,” Har-Zvi noted.
Hamas list confirms fate of hostages: 25 reported alive out of 33 slated for release
Hamas has handed over to mediators a list showing that 25 Israeli hostages are still alive, out of 33 scheduled for release, an official of the group told Reuters on Monday. He said Israel had received the list from the mediators of the Gaza cease-fire agreement.
According to Israeli officials, the list was divided into categories: women and men, living and deceased. The list revealed that the majority of the additional 26 hostages slated for release in the first phase are still alive.
Israeli authorities updated the families. Some were informed that the list confirms the assessment that their loved ones are alive. But other families were given the difficult news that the information received confirms grave concerns about the lives of their loved ones. However, it was clarified to these families that a hostage cannot be officially declared dead while their body remains in captivity unless Israel obtains unequivocal evidence.
Families whose fears for their loved ones’ lives were confirmed by the Hamas list received personal calls overnight and into the morning from the Coordinator for POWs and MIAs, Brigadier General (res.) Gal Hirsch. Some families, who have been receiving consistent updates based on reliable information independent of the Hamas list, are unwilling to accept the situation, as there has been no definitive confirmation of death. As a result, they maintain hope that their loved ones are still alive.
Gaza hostages held in tunnels for over 8 months, were starved, IDF medical officer says
Some of the hostages released from Gaza so far during the current cease-fire had been held in Hamas tunnels for up to eight months straight, deprived of daylight and with little to no human contact, an Israeli general said on Monday.
Three Israeli civilians and four soldiers – all women – have been released so far in the most recent cease-fire, which began on Jan. 19. In return, Israel has released 290 Palestinian terrorists and murderer, and detainees.
“Some of them told us that they’ve been in the past few months, that they’ve been through the entire time, in tunnels, underground,” deputy chief of the Israeli military’s medical corps, Colonel Dr. Avi Banov, told journalists online.
“Some of them were alone through the entire time they were there,” he said. “Those who said they were together were in better shape.”
The Israeli military oversees the first health checks that the hostages receive upon their arrival in Israeli territory. Reuters was unable to reach Hamas’ armed wing for comment but the terror group that perpetrated a massacre on southern Israel 15 months ago said on Saturday that it maintains hostages’ wellbeing.
The hostages said their treatment improved in the days leading up to their release, Banov said, when they were allowed to shower, change their clothes and received better food. They appeared to be in good condition and smiling in videos on the days of their release.
Citing the hostages’ privacy, Banov would not say whether any of the seven bore signs of torture or abuse.
Some had not received proper treatment for wounds sustained when they were captured during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and some showed signs of “mild starvation,” Banov said.
Iranian cyberattack terrorizes Israeli daycares
Iranian hackers attacked an Israeli company that provides panic buttons in daycare facilities, maliciously sounding alarms in childcare centers, as well as playing threatening messages in Arabic and songs glorifying terrorism.
The pro-Palestinian Handala hacking group, which is believed to be composed of Iranian actors, has carried out numerous attacks on Israeli targets in recent years.
On Sunday, Handala infiltrated Magar-Tech, an Israeli business that installs panic buttons in childcare facilities that can be used to summon emergency services.
After hacking Magar-Tech, the group sounded air raid sirens via the buttons, as well as Arabic-language pro-terror songs and messages.
According to a report from Hebrew-language outlet Ynet, the hack affected approximately 20 daycare centers in Israel.
Leveraging a list of customer names and phone numbers with Magar-Tech’s internal systems, Handala then sent threatening text messages to some 10,000 Israelis.
In a statement, the National Cyber Directorate recommends that municipal administrators using Magar-Tech’s panic buttons advise daycare facilities to disconnect from the system for several days and change their passwords.
The Iranian attack group claims that beyond terrorizing childcare centers, it also successfully hacked into the National Security Ministry’s internal systems.
On their Telegram channels, the group posted screenshots depicting stolen files that were said to contain personal information about police officers.
Handala said it had obtained the personal details of those who hold firearms along with information about vehicles belonging to municipal police forces.
In March 2022, an Iranian hacking group published personal documents belonging to Mossad chief David Barnea.
Female soldier defied Hamas, refusing to leave fellow hostage behind
New details obtained by Israel Hayom reveal the remarkable courage and unbreakable bonds displayed by the female IDF observers during their captivity under unimaginable conditions. Sources involved in the release of Liri Albag (19), Daniella Gilboa (20), Naama Levy (20), and Karina Ariev (20) have disclosed a profound incident that illuminates the intense loyalty between the hostages until their final moments in Hamas captivity.
While Israeli officials remained uncertain about which of the five observers would be released last Saturday, a dramatic scene unfolded as Hamas selected the four young women. When it became clear that Agam Berger (20) would remain in Gaza until the next phase of the hostage release deal, one of her fellow soldiers took a brave stand – grabbing Agam’s hand, confronting the captors, and declaring she would remain behind with her friend.
According to sources familiar with the release details, the observer scheduled for release firmly held onto Agam’s hand, steadfastly refusing to abandon her companion. Only when the captors forced her to comply with their predetermined release plan did she reluctantly leave her friend behind until the next phase, expected this Saturday. She departed with the hope that Agam would soon return to her family and reunite with her friends in Israel to begin their collective journey of healing from their Gaza ordeal.
The situation continues to evolve as Hamas violates the ceasefire agreement terms while Israel maintains its firm stance on implementation. The next phase is expected to secure the release of Arbel Yehoud (29) in the coming days, followed by another phase on Saturday that should finally bring the fifth IDF observer – Agam Berger – home to freedom.
