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Israeli strike hits municipal building in south Lebanon, mayor among 6 killed

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By Laila Bassam and Humeyra Pamuk

BEIRUT/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Israel launched an airstrike on Wednesday on the municipal headquarters in Nabatieh, a major town in south Lebanon, killing the mayor and at least five others.

The attack raised fears that Israel’s expanding air campaign, designed to crush Iran-backed Hezbollah, could increasingly include public officials and buildings, which so far have been spared.

Debris lies at a damaged site in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmad Al-Kerdi
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Lebanon’s Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the attack on the provincial capital, saying it “intentionally targeted a meeting of the municipal council to discuss the city’s service and relief situation.”

It was the most significant Israeli hit yet on a Lebanese state building since it launched its offensive two weeks ago and came despite U.S. concerns about rising death tolls and fears of all-out war in the region.

Rubble lies at a damaged site in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmad Al-Kerdi
© Thomson Reuters

 

The health ministry said six people had been killed, with the interior minister confirming the death of the mayor.

After Israel first issued an evacuation notice for Nabatieh, a city of tens of thousands of people, on Oct. 3, a Reuters reporter called Mayor Ahmed Kahil to ask if he would leave. He said he would not.

Israel’s military said on Wednesday it struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in the Nabatieh area and dismantled underground infrastructure, while its navy also hit dozens of targets in southern Lebanon, in cooperation with troops on the ground.

Israel is now battling Tehran’s allies Hezbollah in south Lebanon and in the capital Beirut and the Palestinian militants Hamas in Gaza. It is also preparing to retaliate for an Iranian missile attack on Oct. 1, following a similar large-scale operation in April.

Rubble lies at a damaged site in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmad Al-Kerdi
© Thomson Reuters

 

Options include an attack on the Islamic Republic’s oil facilities, a move that would hammer Iran’s economy and raise global oil prices, or its nuclear facilities.

Smoke billows over Beirut’s southern suburbs after an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Hadath, Lebanon October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
© Thomson Reuters

 

LOW PROBABILITY OF ATTACK ON NUCLEAR SITES

The probability of an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites remains low but any potential damage would be “quickly compensated,” state atomic energy agency spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi said on Wednesday, according to semi-official Nournews.

“We have always taken these threats seriously. We have planned in a way that if they commit any stupidity, the damages would be minimal,” Kamalvandi said.

Earlier on Wednesday, at least one Israeli airstrike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs, Reuters witnesses said.

Reuters witnesses heard two blasts and saw plumes of smoke emerging from two separate neighbourhoods. It came after Israel issued an evacuation order early on Wednesday, which mentioned only one building.

On Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the U.S. had expressed its concerns to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration on the recent attacks on Beirut.

The last time Beirut was hit was on Oct. 10, when two strikes near the city centre killed 22 people and brought down entire buildings in a densely populated neighbourhood.

The Israeli military has in recent weeks carried out strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, the stronghold of Hezbollah, without advance warnings, or with a warning for one area while striking more broadly.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday it had targeted an underground Hezbollah weapons stockpile in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh.

“Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including advancing warnings to the population in the area,” the Israeli military said.

Hezbollah has not yet commented.

NO SIGNS OF CEASEFIRE

Some Western countries have been pushing for a ceasefire between the two neighbours, as well as in Gaza, though the United States says it continues to support Israel and was sending an anti-missile system and troops.

Natanyahu and his far-right government has rejected ceasefire calls and has vowed to crush Hamas and Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s Mikati on Wednesday also appeared to cast doubt on diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire.

“What can deter the enemy (Israel) from its crimes, which have reached the point of targeting peacekeeping forces in the south? And what solution is hoped for in light of this reality?,” he said in a written statement.

Since Israel began its ground incursion, UNIFIL positions have come under fire and two Israeli tanks burst through the gates of one of its bases, the U.N. says. Five peacekeepers have been injured.

European Union countries that contribute have no intention of pulling back despite Israeli calls to do so, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said.

Sixteen EU countries, including Austria, contribute to UNIFIL and the recent incidents have sparked widespread alarm among European governments.

Israel says it intends to push back Hezbollah and allow the safe return of tens of thousands of Israelis to their homes in northern Israel.

Israeli operations in Lebanon have killed at least 2,350 people over the last year and left nearly 11,000 wounded, according to the health ministry, and more than 1.2 million people have been displaced. The U.N. says a quarter of the country is under evacuation orders.

The toll does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but includes hundreds of women and children.

Around 50 Israelis, both soldiers and civilians, have been killed in the same period, according to Israel.

(Reporting by Laila Bassam and Timour Azhar in Beirut, Humeyra Pamuk in Washington and Andrew Gray in Brussels; Writing by Lincoln Feast and Michael Georgy; Editing by Stephen Coates, Raju Gopalakrishnan and Sharon Singleton)

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Troops hit Boko Haram hideouts in Borno, kill fighters

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Troops under the 7 Division, Sector 1 of Operation Hadin Kai have dealt another blow to Boko Haram, storming their strongholds in Tangalanga and Bula Marwa, both in Borno State.

According to details obtained by Zagazola Makama from military sources familiar with the mission, the operation was executed on Sunday, July 7, following “credible intelligence reports indicating the presence and activities of terrorist elements in the general area.”

The troops, acting swiftly on the information, first moved into Tangalanga where they came under attack but quickly responded, killing two insurgents during the engagement. The team didn’t stop there.

“After receiving intelligence on the massing up of terrorists within the location,” the sources said, “the team proceeded towards Bula Marwa.”

As soldiers approached the second target, Bula Marwa, the insurgents reportedly fled into the surrounding terrain in a bid to escape. However, their retreat was not entirely successful.

“One fleeing insurgent was neutralized during pursuit, while several special structures within the camp were destroyed,” a source confirmed.

Despite the tense situation and armed confrontation, the troops are said to have completed the mission without recording any casualties on their side — a significant morale boost for the ongoing counterinsurgency efforts in the region.

Recovered from the operation were key items, including aix AK-47 magazines, 90 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and a Boko Haram flag.

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BREAKING NEWS: Imo Govt Demolishes Notorious Criminal Hideout at Nekede No. 1 by Imo ADP

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By Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, July 07, 2025.

In a bold and decisive move, the Imo State Government has continued its onslaught against criminality by demolishing a notorious hideout located at Nekede Number One, near the Imo ADP. The structure, long suspected to be a base for armed robbery and heinous organ harvesting operations, was brought down earlier today under the supervision of government security operatives and task force agents.

According to sources within the Governor’s Monitoring and Compliance Unit, the location had been under surveillance following multiple intelligence reports linking it to violent crimes, including coordinated robberies, drug trafficking, and suspected ritual killings involving human organs.

“This location was not just a criminal den; it was a grave threat to public safety and human dignity,” said an official involved in the operation. “Our government will not allow any part of the state to become a breeding ground for evil.”

Residents in the area had reportedly lived in fear for months, as the structure harbored criminals and served as a meeting point for underworld elements. Eyewitnesses described scenes of relief as the bulldozers rolled in and leveled the compound.

“I can finally sleep with my two eyes closed,” said one local resident who asked not to be named. “We’ve known for long that something very dark was happening there. We thank the state government for taking this action.”

Preliminary investigations are ongoing, and several suspects were said to have been apprehended during the raid. Authorities have assured the public that a full-scale investigation will follow, and all those involved in the criminal enterprise will be brought to justice.

This demolition is part of the Imo State Government’s renewed campaign to cleanse the state of criminal syndicates and restore law and order across all localities. In recent weeks, similar crackdowns have been executed in other parts of the state, drawing commendation from security stakeholders and the general public.

The state government has reaffirmed its commitment to making Imo safe for residents, investors, and visitors alike.

More updates to follow.

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Court Jails Nine Chinese for Cyber-terrorism, Internet Fraud

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Justice D. E.Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, July 7, 2025, convicted and sentenced nine Chinese to one year imprisonment each for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.

The convicts are Qin Xiao Yong, Luo Mao Yang, Liu Ni Ni, Liu Gang, Sun Qi (a.k.a Wan Jin Ping), Zhang Juan, Li de Wen, Fun Min, Tan Ming.

They are among the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024, in Lagos during a sting operation tagged ‘Eagle Flush Operation’ conducted by EFCC operatives.

They were subsequently arraigned on a separate one -count charge of cyber- terrorism and internet fraud in February 2025 by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

 

The charge reads: “ That you, Qin Xiao Yong, Luo Mao Yang, Liu Ni Ni, Liu Gang, Sun Qi (a.k.a Wan Jin Ping), Zhang Juan, Li de Wen, Fun Min, Tan Ming, sometime in December, 2024 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: cause to be accessed computer system used for the purpose of destabilising and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 (1) (b) and punishable under Section 18(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act 2015.”

They initially pleaded “not guilty” to the charge preferred against them.

However, at Monday’s sitting, they changed their “not guilty plea” to “guilty.”

In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, R.A. Abdulrasheed, prayed the court to convict them accordingly.

Consequently, Justice Osiagor convicted and sentenced each of the defendants to one year imprisonment starting from the date of arrest on December 10, 2025, with a fine in the sum of N1,000,000 (One Million Naira (N1,000,000.00).

The judge also directed the Comptroller General of Immigration to ensure that the convicts are repatriated to their country of origin within seven days.

The judge further ordered that the mobile phones, computers, laptop computers and routers seized from them at the time of arrest be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

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