Israel-Hezbollah Conflict, RSF Downs Plane

THE WAR NEWSLETTER — OCT 22 2024

Good morning. Today’s update covers UNIFIL in Lebanon and updates from the civil war in Sudan.

Welcome to your daily international conflict briefing.

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Map of today’s newsletter:

• 🇮🇱 About the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon

• ⚔️ A combat vehicle with 8-wheel drive

• 🇸🇩 RSF shoots down a cargo plane in Sudan

1 - ISRAEL

1 thing to know

The UNIFIL peacekeeping force was installed in Lebanon to prevent further wars between Hezbollah and Israel. It failed to do that. 

The context 

In 2006, the conflict between Israel and terrorist group Hezbollah was ended by a UN agreement. UN Resolution 1701 calls for deployment of UN forces - UNIFL - alongside Lebanese forces in southern Lebanon.

UNIFIL (the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) is made up of forces from more than 40 countries. It was put in place at the end of the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. Its job was simple: 

• Confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces

• Confirm Hezbollah demilitarization

• Support the Lebanese army throughout southern Lebanon

• Enforce an area in southern Lebanon, from the Litani river to the Israeli border, free of any armed forces or weapons, except for UNIFL and Lebanese army forces.

UNIFIL was also authorized to take all necessary action to make sure its area of operations is not used for any kind of hostile activities.

As Israeli forces have pushed into Lebanon, they have found resistance from heavily armed Hezbollah terrorists. Israeli forces have taken out Hezbollah weapons stockpiles, rocket launchers, tunnels, and bases of operation - all located within the UNIFIL area of operation.

It seems that neither UNIFIL forces nor Lebanese the army had taken action against Hezbollah, with entrances to Hezbollah tunnels discovered mere hundreds of yards from UNIFIL outposts.

More from the region

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to Israel, where he met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials, hoping to start negotiations for a new ceasefire deal with Israel.

IDF soldiers continue to fall in battle against Hezbollah in Lebanon’s south. Today, two soldiers were killed and three wounded, both fighting in Lebanon and from Hezbollah rocket barrages into northern Israel. 

The IDF also confirmed that a top Hezbollah official, Hashem Safieddine, was killed in an airstrike on Beirut back on October 4.

In the news

• Hezbollah official confirmed dead

• Blinken’s return to Israel

• Another Iranian plot thwarted by Shin Bet

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TECH SPOTLIGHT: THE STRYKER

The Stryker is an eight-wheeled combat vehicle that is available in 10 different variants for different battlefield purposes, including troop transportation, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, and as a platform for multiple types of weapons.  

The vehicle is built by General Dynamics Land Systems, and was first adopted by the U.S military in 2001, making it the first new vehicle to enter service since the Abrams tank. The Stryker is operated by a crew of two, the driver and the vehicle commander, who also serves as the gunner. 

Both crew members have periscopes, allowing them to see outside the vehicle without exposure.  

The hull is constructed of hardened steel for basic protection, and additional ceramic armor can be bolted on for increased protection against armor-piercing rounds.

What it’s used for

The Stryker has seen action for over 20 years, first being deployed to Iraq in 2003, where it was used in numerous deployments for the next 8 years. The vehicles also saw heavy use in the War in Afghanistan, where they were deployed for over 10 years as well. 

The U.S has also sent at least 90 Strykers to Ukraine in January 2023, as part of an aid package after the Russian invasion in 2022. Soldiers from multiple wars have reported the vehicle "fantastic," and instrumental in saving hundreds of lives.

Read more here.

2 - SUDAN

1 thing to know

The Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shot down a Russian cargo plane - reportedly delivering weapons to the RSF.

The context 

The RSF shot down a cargo plane using a surface-to-air missile in the Malha area of North Darfur, claiming it was a Sudanese Army bomber.

Evidence found after the crash however indicates that the plane was delivering weapons and supplies to RSF itself, sponsored by the United Arab Emirates. Documents from deceased crewmen indicated the plane was from Kyrgyzstan, but a Russian passport was also found. 

Because of the consistent bombings carried out the Sudanese Air Force, the RSF was on the lookout for SAF planes, and it would be unlikely that RSF troops would be aware of secret supply flights coordinated by the military leadership.

More from the region

Peace in Sudan still seems a long way off. Despite the Sudanese army slowly regaining control of the capital, Khartoum, the RSF, an undisciplined paramilitary rebel group, continues its siege of El Fasher.

Both sides have maintained relentless barrages of artillery and bombs that, more often than not, strike hospitals, markets, and other civilian areas rather than military targets.

In the news

• Insight into the war

• RSF shoots down cargo plane

P.S. If you have a source, tip, or piece of information we missed, please reply to this email and tell us about it. Thank you!