Yahya Sinwar Becomes Head of Hamas Political Bureau; 19 Injured in Attack on Northern Israel

The extremist group Hamas announced that following the death of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Yahya Sinwar has been elected as the new head of the political bureau of the group. Yahya Sinwar is referred to as the mastermind behind the October 15 attack last year on Israeli territory, and while he has been Israel's number one target for about ten months, Israeli officials claim he is hiding in tunnels beneath the Gaza Strip. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. The selection of one of the most radical senior members of Hamas as the head of the political bureau could signal a disregard for regional and global pressures to reduce tensions in the Middle East. Previously, multiple media outlets reported that Yahya Sinwar opposes a ceasefire in the Gaza war and there are differences of opinion between him and other members of Hamas's leadership on this issue. Amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, Israeli emergency officials reported that on Tuesday, August 7, at least 19 people, including six soldiers, were injured following drone attacks by Hezbollah in northern Israel. According to the Associated Press, most of the injured were harmed by a rocket from Israel's defense shield that fell to the ground after failing to hit its targets. Reports indicate that this attack does not appear to be part of Hezbollah's 'response' to the killing of one of its senior commanders due to an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last week, but rather part of the daily exchange of fire with the Israeli army that has continued since the start of the Gaza war. Meanwhile, with the increasing likelihood of widespread attacks by Iran and its proxy groups, Israeli officials have advised residents of northern Israel to avoid unnecessary activities and stay close to shelters. Just hours before Hezbollah's attack on northern Israel, the French news agency reported that six members of this Iranian-backed militia were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday. On the other hand, Reuters reported that on this day, Israeli fighter jets broke the sound barrier over Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. In recent days, the promise of retaliation by Iran and its proxy groups against Israel following the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut and the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas's political bureau, in Tehran has heightened tensions in the Middle East. The United States and the European Union recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization. Western countries and their regional partners are warning of a widespread war following a potential attack by Iran and its allies on Israel, and diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions continue. In the latest of these efforts, the White House announced that Joe Biden spoke by phone with the leaders of Qatar and Egypt on Tuesday about efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East. The U.S. President also discussed the regional situation with the King of Jordan the previous day and was briefed on the latest developments in the Middle East during a meeting with his senior national security advisors. On Tuesday, the Guardian reported that it seems that responsible agencies in the British government have suspended the process of reviewing and issuing licenses for arms sales to Israel until the completion of a full review of arms exports to that country. Arms exporters to Israel have received messages from the British Department of Trade stating that the review of arms export license applications has been suspended until the end of the review. Senior officials in the responsible agencies emphasize that this does not mean a change in government policy and may just be an administrative process. The end date for the comprehensive review of the British government regarding arms sales to Israel due to allegations of violations of international law in the Gaza war has not yet been announced. One of the issues that has complicated this review and final decision is determining the distinction between defensive and offensive weapons used in the Gaza war. British government sources say another reason for the prolonged comprehensive review is that the government wants to ensure that each case of suspension of arms sales to Israel is legally justified and complies with the general laws governing arms exports. Former judges of the UK Supreme Court have called for a halt to arms sales to Israel. The former British government led by the Conservative Party announced in June that between the Hamas attack on Israeli territory on October 7 and May 31, it approved 108 licenses for arms exports to Israel. The value of the arms shipments sold to Israel under these licenses has not been disclosed. The Jewish Chronicle, a weekly associated with British Jews, and the British weekly Mail on Sunday recently reported that requests for arms export licenses to Israel received a brief message from the British Department of Trade stating: 'The review process for licenses has been suspended and is awaiting review.' A spokesperson for the British Department of Trade told the Guardian: 'There has been no change in our policy regarding the issuance of licenses for arms exports to Israel. We continue to review all applications on a case-by-case basis and based on strategic licensing criteria.' Christian Aid, a British charity operating under the umbrella of Orthodox and Protestant churches, recently received some details regarding arms exports from Britain to Israel from the responsible agencies, citing the Freedom of Information Act. According to this charity, from October 7 last year (the date of Hamas's attack on Israel) until the end of May this year, the government approved license requests from 20 companies for arms and military equipment exports to Israel, and 30 other companies are awaiting license approval.