world
Israel Signs $34 Million Deal to Extend Range of F-35 Fighters
Israel’s Defence Ministry announced a contract with Elbit’s subsidiary Cyclone to increase the operational range of its F-35 aircraft. The agreement, valued at $34 million, was reported on the same day that Israeli air strikes continued in southern Lebanon and a Hezbollah drone struck near the Israel-Lebanon border.
May 14, 4:21 AM·3m read4 sources
AJ
+1
theaviationist.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Israel’s Defence Ministry has signed a $34 million contract with defence firm Elbit’s subsidiary Cyclone to increase the range of its F-35 fighters. The agreement was announced on Thursday as Israeli air strikes continued across southern Lebanon. The National News Agency reported strikes in the towns of Seddiqine, Tuffahta, Kafra, Majdal Selem and Souaneh that caused several injuries.
About 30 minutes before those reports, the Israeli military said it had begun a new wave of air strikes targeting Hezbollah sites. Separately, Israel’s military stated that a drone fired by Hezbollah landed near the border with Lebanon, wounding several civilians who were evacuated and hospitalised.
Hezbollah has continued launching rockets into northern Israel and said it struck an Israeli tank in the south.
Israeli officials are scheduled to begin in Washington later Thursday as an existing ceasefire arrangement nears its expiration. The discussions aim to extend the truce. Hezbollah is not participating in the talks and has described direct discussions between Lebanon and Israel as capitulation.
The group has called instead for a full ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, the return of displaced residents and the start of reconstruction. The Lebanese government is proceeding with the talks, stating that some of those issues can be addressed within the parameters of the negotiations.
Reporting from Beirut, Rory Challands noted that the talks are viewed as controversial in Lebanon.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s party faces internal divisions and public frustration over the lack of progress in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Jibril Rajoub, the current secretary-general, said the conference comes as the Palestinian national movement confronts some of the most serious challenges in its struggle.
He expressed hope that the meeting would help keep the establishment of a Palestinian state and the role of the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative on the international agenda. Fatah has historically been the main component of the PLO, which includes most Palestinian factions except Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
