Field and political developments in Iraq, Israel and Yemen

It was reported in Iraq yesterday that the families of the victims of what is known as the “October Movement” in 2019 are preparing to file lawsuits against the backdrop of statements made a few days ago by the leader of the Badr Organization, Hadi Al-Amiri, regarding the participation of armed factions in suppressing the protests that began in October of that year against the political regime, describing them as the “October Sedition.”

His words sparked a storm of criticism, while dozens of families of victims of the “movement” began completing documents proving that their children were killed or injured in confrontations with security forces during their participation in the protests. To submit it as part of lawsuits before the courts, against the backdrop of the statements of the “Badr” leader.

Hadi Al-Amiri, leader of the Badr Organization, did not respond to the explanations given for his words, but a Shiite politician close to the “coordination framework” told Asharq Al-Awsat that Al-Amiri’s statements “as he wanted them to be, were a defense of the factions’ position at a pivotal moment.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Yisrael Katz, commissioned the army to prepare a vision for transferring the “experimental zones” model in southern Lebanon to the Gaza Strip, which sparked controversy in Tel Aviv between those who saw a serious proposal for progress in implementing the plan of US President Donald Trump, and those who saw a new puppet for further procrastination.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, the idea is to select areas outside the “yellow line” where the Israeli army is not deployed, with international forces entering to work on dismantling the armed infrastructure and establishing an alternative management system.

However, in return, Israel will maintain its ability to monitor and control these areas security-wise.

While skeptics assert that implementing the model in Gaza entails greater challenges, especially in light of the absence of an agreed-upon Palestinian body to take over civil and security administration.

Yesterday, the Yemeni Armed Forces regained the site of Tabba, the strategic reservoir in Jabal Habashi District, west of Taiz Governorate, during violent confrontations with the Houthi group, coinciding with the intensification of battles on the Maqbana and Al-Kadha fronts, and the arrival of military reinforcements to government forces.

Official military sources said that the armed forces continue to engage in violent confrontations with the Houthis on the Maqbana and Al-Kadha fronts, as part of operations aimed at confronting the group’s attacks and movements on the fronts west of the governorate.

In parallel with the field escalation, the Houthis, on Friday, targeted a restaurant with a ballistic missile in the Al-Mokha Junction area, west of Taiz Governorate. This led to civilian casualties, as well as significant material damage to the restaurant and neighboring properties.

The targeting of the restaurant comes at a time when the fronts of Taiz Governorate and the western coast are witnessing a continuous Houthi escalation, whether through military movements on the lines of contact or the missile bombardment that targeted the city of Mokha and the areas of the western coast.