A rocket strike on Israel

1 Israel — The Gaza Strip

The IDF reported on Twitter that 7 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel on Friday night. 6 of them were intercepted by the ‘Iron Dome’ air defense system. In response to the rocket attack — the IDF carried out a «strike against the Hamas military targets in the Gaza Strip, including their underground infrastructure» — the IDF reported. Earlier, the IDF attacked the Hamas military targets in the Gaza Strip in a response to the launch of explosive balloons at Israel. The IDF press service reported that the Israeli military intercepted 3 rockets, launched by the Palestinian radicals. The Israeli Air Force responded by attacking a Hamas facility in the Gaza Strip.

2 Libya

‘The Sky News Arabia’ TV repoted that on Friday, the Libyan Government of the National Accord announced a ceasefire and a suspension of all military operations in Libya. The statement stated that «a comprehensive ceasefire will stop the foreign military interference in the internal affairs of Libya, and the presence of the mercenaries in the country». It was noted that it is necessary to create a DMZ in the strategically important Libyan cities of Sirt and Al-Jufra in order to implement the ceasefire. The GNA also called for presidential and parliamentary elections in the next March.

3 The Republic of Mali

The ‘Journal du Mali’ reported that the National Committee for the Salvation of People, created after the military coup in Mali, reduced the curfew, imposed in the country on 19th of August. From now on it lasts from 00:00 to 05:00. It was also reported that the air and land borders will be open on 21st of August. The news website ‘Malivox’ reported that the military has arrested Kamiss Kamar, the chief of staff of the ousted president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. She is located at one of the protected locations in the capital of the country, Bamako.

4 The USA — Syria

The US Treasury Department announced that Washington imposed sanctions on 6 Syrian citizens. The sanctions of the US Treasure Department and the US State Department affect the representatives of the head of state’s apparatus, the leadership of the ruling ‘Arab Socialist Renaissance Party’, and the military command. The advisers to the Syrian president, Yasser Hussein Ibrahim and Luna al-Shibl, were included in the black list as well. According to the US Treasure Department — Luna al-Shibl is responsible for the relations between the head of state’s office and the media. According to the ministry, the sanctions were imposed to «put the pressure» and «force the regime of Bashar al-Assad to stop attacking the Syrian people.»

5 The USA — Iran

The US State Department stated that on Thursday the US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo submitted documents to the UN Security Council on the US intention to reestore the UN sanctions against Iran. During a press conference at the UN HQ, Michael Pompeo said that the USA are ready to take all possible measures against other countries in order to ensure the compliance with the UN sanctions against Iran. The Iranian Permanent Representative to the UN, Majid Takht-Ravachi, stated that Tehran is confident that the US proposal «will be rejected since it contradicts the UN Charter and the Security Council resolution. This is nothing more than a political persecution by the USA. It is not only related to the JCPOA, but the other international agreements as well» — the Iranian representative explained. The communiqué of the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the UK stated that these countries do not support the US decision to restore the sanctions against Iran. The First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, stated that Russia demanded an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on 21st of August due to the US appeal to return the anti-Iranian sanctions. The USA opposed the call for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.