📑 Israel is setting up a complex system of checkpoints that will prevent men of “military age” from fleeing Rafah in preparation for its offensive on the southern Gaza border city, a senior western official familiar with Israel’s plans has told Middle East Eye on condition of anonymity.

The checkpoints are designed to allow some women and children to leave Rafah ahead of an expected Israeli offensive, but unarmed, civilian Palestinian men will likely be separated from their families and remain trapped in Rafah during an expected Israeli assault.

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📑 The International Criminal Court is being warned by members of Congress in both parties that arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials will be met with U.S. retaliation — and legislation to that effect is already in the works, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu has gone so far as to urge President Biden to intervene to help prevent the warrants, Axios' Barak Ravid reported.

The White House declined to comment on Netanyahu's call with Biden but said "the ICC has no jurisdiction in this situation and we do not support its investigation."

Driving the news: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) issued a statement on Monday calling the reported warrants "disgraceful" and "lawless."

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🔻 A 34-years-old Turkish tourist in Israel attempted to stab an Israeli soldier in Jerusalem.

He was shot dead.

📑 Hezbullah took credit today for 3 significant attacks on the Israeli army in Metulla settlement, where they:

🔻 Attacked and destroyed an Israeli tank
🔻 Attacked soldiers in a direct strike
🔻 Damaged 6 buildings in ATGMs attacks

📹 In Lebanon, the Israeli enemy carried several airstrikes that targeted:

- Aita al-Shaab
- Odaiseh
- Yaroun
and several others.

⚠️ Fire at a restaurant in Beirut near Bchara al-Khoury has claimed that lives of up to 9 as of now.

This high casualty event is under investigation by the Lebanese Ministry of Interior.

🗣️ After destroying a Merkava today, Hezbullah announces a new ambush on an Israeli vehicle inside Israel between Yeftah and Ramot Naftali.

📹 The Israeli army carried a series of new airstrikes in Aitaroun, Odaideh outskirts, and Khiyam twice.

Footage from the attack on Aitaroun.

📹 Two additional Israeli attacks on Kfarkila and Mays al-Jabal.

📑 Hezbollah daily brief 30/04/2024:

- Eastern sector:

1- At 14:10, Israeli Merkava tank in the Metulla site was targeted with guided missiles, casualties confirmed.

2- At 14:10, Israeli soldiers near the Metulla site were targeted, casualties confirmed.

3- At 18:00, the Radar site in Lebanon's Shebaa was targeted with missiles.

4- At 18:00, two Israeli military buildings in the Metulla settlement were targeted and destroyed.

- Western sector:

1- At 00:05, Israeli military building in the Doviv settlement was targeted with appropriate weapons.

2- At 00:10, Israeli military building in the Avivim settlement was targeted with appropriate weapons.

3- At 20:17, Israeli military vehicle at the Jephthah-Ramot Naftali triangle was targeted with guided missiles, casualties confirmed.

4- At 22:25, Israeli soldiers, west of the Jal al-Alam site, were targeted with artillery shells.

Translated by thecradlemedia

The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth

🗣️ Quoting a settler from Avivim

I saw my house burning before my eyes due to Hezbullah's missiles. The security forces prevented me from approaching and extinguishing the fire due to the seriousness of the situation. Apparently Hezbullah saw Israeli army soldiers next to the house and fired the missiles.

🗣️ Quoting a settler from Metulla:

The Metulla settlement has not been evacuated since its founding in this way. Even in the 2006 war there were a number of settlers still inside it. This time we were evacuated in a state of panic because they were afraid of infiltration operations, and today there are missiles. Anti-armor precision missiles targeting us.

🌷 Update on yesterday restaurant tragedy in Beirut

Sources of the Beirut Fire Brigade told Al-Akhbar that the initial investigations indicated that the incident occurred while workers were welding gas pipes, which led to the outbreak of the fire.

Workers who were present in the shop escaped towards an inner room instead of outside. When the fire spread, they were trapped inside, and civil defense teams were unable to save them, so most of them died of suffocation.

🌷Hezbullah mourns the martyrdom of Waheed Abdul Hameed Tufaileh, born in 2000 in Deir Al-Zahrani, on the path to Jerusalem and in defence of south Lebanon.

📹 Hezbullah released footage of their attack on 3 houses in the Israeli settlement of Metulla yesterday, in response to the Israeli attack on civilian houses in south Lebanon.

Damage isn't on par, but the message is one.

📝 One soldier on the frontline fired three ATGMs from the same location safely, and retreated back to his position safely.

This is a reminder to those who claimed early in this battle and before, that the Israeli army has perfected the ability to neutralise ATGMs cells.

To note, in April, there was 74 ATGMs fired by Hezbullah in Lebanon.

🇺🇲 The United states of Israel: Laws don’t apply to Israel

StateSpox Patel on ICC/Israel: “We do not believe the ICC has jurisdiction on this, that being said, we work closely with the ICC on a number of key areas… Ukraine, Darfur, Sudan, but on this particular instance they just do not have jurisdiction”

🚫 Tiktok-based pedophiles arrested by the Lebanese security forces for luring and molesting dozens of children.

At least 30 arrested.

📷 In response to Israeli attacks on Lebanese villages and civilian houses, Hezbullah announced attacking two houses in Shtula settlement and one in Metulla

📷 According to Israeli media, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi met with troops in Northern Israel earlier today.

The reports add that Halevi held an assessment with the head of the Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, the commander of the 146th Division, Brig. Gen. Yisrael Shomer and others.

📝 Halevi was neither at the Lebanese border nor did he meet the soldiers at any close border base. He hid in the rear and in the woods.

🗣️ Halevi during his visit to northern Israel:

"We are praying for an attack on Lebanon."

🔴 Colombian President Gustavo Petro:

"The president of the Republic informs you that, tomorrow, the diplomatic relations with the State of Israel will be severed... For having a government, a president Genocide.

"I think all humankind, in the streets by millions, is in agreement with us.

"The times of genocide can't come. The extermination of an entire people before our eyes, before our passivity."

📹 Remarkably, Hezbullah has decided to share with the Qatari-based Al-Jazeera TV some exclusive behind the scenes footage.

The 7-minute video show cases some photos and videos taken of Hezbullah tracking and monitoring Israeli army soldiers, vehicles, and air defence locations.

The video is not breaking nor offer that much of an exclusive scope, but promotes Hezbullah further to the Palestinian and Arab population.