Israel
As of August 4, health officials in Israel reported almost 24,598 active COVID-19 cases, with 769 people hospitalized. The death toll for the pandemic in the Jewish State has reached 546.
Syria
The Israeli Air Force bombed a series of Syrian military targets southwest of Damascus on August 3 in retaliation for an attempted attack in the Golan Heights. The IDF released a video of four men entering Israeli territory and planting an explosive device near the security fence with Israel the previous day. Israeli soldiers killed the four individuals suspected of having ties to an Iranian-backed militia, during their attempt to plant the explosive.
Lebanon
The Israeli government denied involvement in a massive explosion at Beruit’s port on August 4. At least 50 people died in the blast with hundreds of injured taken to hospitals, already stressed from COVID-19 infections. Images shared on social media depicting an initial explosion, with numerous smaller flashing detonations before a giant blast that could be heard as far away as Cyprus. While the port primarily functions for commercial trade, Hezbollah has been known to smuggle weapons through the facility.
Amid heightened tensions with Hezbollah, the IDF deployed an extra Iron Dome missile air defense battery, surface-to-surface missiles, special forces, and intelligence units to Northern Israel. The previous day Israeli troops exchanged fire along the Lebanon-Israel border, even though the Shiite terrorist group denied an infiltration operation in the Shebaa Farms area.
Gaza
Israeli fighter jets bombed several Hamas targets in Gaza on August 3 several hours after rocket launch from the enclave. Iron Dome intercepted the incoming projectile, and the military activated air raid sirens near the southern city Sderot in response to the attack.
The Israel Defense Forces arrested a Palestinian man crossing the border fence with Gaza on August 1. Soldiers did not find any weapons on the individual and released him back to the enclave after questioning.
Police in Eshkol conducted a controlled detonation of an explosive device attached to a balloon on July 27. The balloon landed in an agricultural field after being launched from Gaza.
West Bank
Police suspect Israeli extremists of torching two cars and graffitiing ultranationalist slogans in the predominantly West Bank village of Fara’ata. Authorities are investigating the August 4 incident as a hate crime.
Sinai
Egyptian military claimed on July 22 that it had killed 18 members of Islamic State’s affiliate in Sinai. Two army personnel also died in the operation near the North Sinai town of Bir al-Abd.
