What can we learn from Yahya Sinwar’s message to Abdulmalik Badr al-Din al-Houthi?
Sinwar was Hamas’ leader in Gaza since 2017, and as of August 6, he has become Hamas’ overall leader, following the assassination by Israel of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.
The election of Sinwar as the overall leader of Hamas is itself rife with meanings, lead amongst them is that Hamas now sees the Gaza Resistance model as the core of its mission, existence and future strategies.
Sinwar, however, has not communicated much since August 6, and even before. However, he issued two important messages: One communicated publicly on September 13, to thank Hezbollah for its retaliation against Israel’s assassination of top commander Fouad Shukr and today, to Ansarallah.
The Ansarallah published scenes from the launch of the hypersonic 'Palestine 2' missile towards a military target in Tel Aviv. pic.twitter.com/OKivosda9Q
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) September 16, 2024
This tells us that the regional front is, from Sinwar’s point of view, critical to the Resistance fight against the Israeli war and genocide in Gaza.
Moreover, the fact that the letters were made to two powerful non-state actors largely representing the Shia communities in their respective regions signals the greatest challenge to the Sunni-Shia rift that has, in many ways, defined the Middle East for many years, especially since the so-called Arab Spring of 2011.
The language of the brief note tells us much more:
One, the letter, though short, is rife with religious and spiritual discourses, which emphasize the element of faith that unifies Arabs and Muslims in the region, including, as stated above, the Shia and the Sunni communities.
Two, while Palestine remains at the center of the fight, references to ‘together’, ‘support fronts’, and other such language are meant to emphasize that the battle for Palestinian freedom is a Muslim battle.
Three, in his letter, Sinwar redefines the concept of Arab and Muslim unity. In the overall Palestinian discourse, including that of Hamas’ early political literature, references to Arab governments and Arab armies were always central. This is no longer the case.
It means that Palestinians are no longer counting on the sudden change of course of Arab governments and official attitudes towards Gaza and Palestine, and that Palestinians are ready for a long battle based on an alternative resistance paradigm that involves non-state actors and non-traditional warfare.
Four, Sinwar also addresses a critical issue regarding the readiness and preparedness of the Palestinian Resistance. “We have prepared ourselves for a prolonged war of attrition that will break the enemy’s political will, just as the Al-Aqsa Flood broke its military will.”
Regarding the above point in particular, Sinwar speaks of the “lies and psychological warfare” of the enemy, most likely a reference to repeated Israeli claims that its army has achieved many tactical victories in Gaza.
This point is also important as a message from Hamas to the rest of the Resistance fronts that they too are expected to build a long-term strategy and also prepare for a prolonged war of attrition against Israel at a regional level.
(For more on Sinwar’s letter, click here.)
Below are the latest statements from the main Palestinian Resistance groups in the West Bank and Gaza.
The statements also contain the latest announcement by the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which continues to target Israeli occupation forces in occupied south Lebanon and northern Israel.
The statements were communicated via their Telegram channels and are published here in their original form.
Al-Quds Brigades
“Our forces in the Nablus Brigade, Balata groups, engaged in several fierce clashes with the enemy forces yesterday evening, Sunday 09/15/2024, in the Jamasin axis, the market axis, and the vicinity of Abu Warda Pharmacy.
“Our heroes in the Brigade also detonated an explosive device in a military bulldozer at the market axis and disabled it, while it was being used by the invading forces to carry out acts of destruction in the city.”
Hezbollah
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, on the morning of Monday 16-09-2024, targeted Israeli enemy soldiers’ positions around the Metulla site with rocket weapons and hit them directly.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance at 13:45, in the afternoon of Monday, 16-09-2024, targeted the Birkat Risha site with artillery shells.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance at 14:30, in the afternoon of Monday, 16-09-2024, targeted the Israeli enemy’s artillery positions in Zaoura with rocket weapons, achieving a direct hit.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 16:25 on the afternoon of Monday 16-09-2024, targeted the Metulla site with rocket weapons and hit it directly.
WATCH | Hezbollah publishes footage taken by the Israeli drone that dropped evacuation flyers over the southern Lebanese village of Wazzani 'without permission' after the drone was seized. pic.twitter.com/VC3krUCRRk
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) September 16, 2024
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted a deployment of Israeli enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the “Metat” barracks with rocket weapons and hit them directly.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 17:00 in the afternoon of Monday 16-9-2024, targeted the “Samaqa” site in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Shuba Hills with rocket weapons and hit it directly.
“The fighters of Islamic Resistance at 16:35 on Monday, 16-09-2024, targeted the Ruwaisat Al-Alam site in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Shuba hills with machine guns, hitting it directly.
“The fighters of Islamic Resistance targeted the Ramim barracks with Katyusha rockets.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance shelled the Ramot Naftali barracks with a barrage of Katyusha rockets.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted buildings used by enemy soldiers in the settlement of Metulla using appropriate weapons and hit them directly.
“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, on Monday 16-09-2024, targeted the movement with artillery shells hitting it directly.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
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