In Israel, as part of the “Qatargate” scandal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s advisors, Jonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein, who were taken into custody, were placed under house arrest until April 22 by the Magistrate Court where they were brought. The court forbade the two from communicating with anyone related to the case, including Netanyahu, for 60 days during the investigation. Additionally, a travel ban was imposed for the next 80 days.

The Israeli police requested the court to extend Urich and Feldstein’s detention period for seven more days, citing the need to deepen the investigation. However, the court limited this request to only a 24-hour extension. Later, it decided on house arrest instead of detention.

In the file dubbed “Qatargate,” the two advisors are accused of working for a pro-Qatar lobby firm, communicating with a foreign agent, and spreading messages favorable to Qatar to journalists in exchange for money. According to the allegations, these activities aimed to strengthen Qatar’s position as a mediator in the hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

Additionally, Eli Feldstein is the main suspect in the scandal involving the leaking of a confidential document belonging to the Prime Minister’s Office. It is alleged that the document contained Hamas’s priorities and tactics in the hostage negotiations, and that the material was leaked to the Germany-based Bild newspaper.

The judge in the case, Menachem Mizrahi, made criticisms regarding the scope of the police interrogations. The judge stated that in recent interrogations, the police focused not only on the Qatar connections but also on the confidential document leak, and that this situation may have exceeded the boundaries of the investigation.

On the other hand, it was claimed that a dispute occurred between Feldstein and Urich, who were taken into joint interrogation yesterday for giving contradictory statements. It was stated that Urich, whom Feldstein accused of lying during the interrogation, started to cry.

Urich’s lawyer, Amit Hadad, claimed that his client experienced chest pain during the police interrogation, that the police did not take this seriously, and that Urich fainted and fell to the ground. The police representative denied this claim and said that Urich did not lose consciousness and was treated in the interrogation room by health teams before the ambulance arrived.

It was also stated that Zvika Klein, the Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post, who testified as a suspect and was placed under 5 days of house arrest, was interrogated again due to inconsistencies in his initial statement.

The US is demanding that the Lebanese government disarm Hezbollah, threatening that “Israel will launch an all-out war again” if it does not comply.

Following Israel’s bombing of Beirut twice last week, the US has issued an ultimatum to Lebanon, stating that Hezbollah must be forcibly disarmed within a specific timeframe, or the country will face another all-out war with Israel.

According to a report in the Lebanon-based Al-Akhbar newspaper, Morgan Ortagus, the US’s special representative in the region, is expected to visit Lebanon within two days. During this visit, Ortagus will convey the US’s clear message regarding the disarmament of Hezbollah, stating that all other issues, including Israel’s withdrawal and reconstruction efforts, will be contingent on this condition being met.

Sources speaking to the newspaper stated that the demands in the threatening messages from the US go beyond UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and would mean “suicide” for Lebanon.

According to the report, Lebanese officials are cornered by the intense pressure from the US and Israel. According to officials, the country faces two options: forcibly disarming Hezbollah, which carries the risk of civil war, or a large-scale new Israeli offensive for disarmament.

Sources indicate that the Israeli army is likely to attack Lebanon again in full force: “Israel will launch a military operation within a certain timeframe, and the Americans have given the green light for this. It is not known whether this will happen after Ortagus’s visit or whether Ortagus will postpone the visit until the operation takes place.”

Last month, the US announced that it was mediating indirect negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. These negotiations address Lebanese prisoners in Israeli prisons, 13 border points that Israel has been expected to vacate for years, and five new regions occupied by Israeli forces after the ceasefire agreement in November 2024. However, according to the newspaper, Washington and Tel Aviv are now making the disarmament of Hezbollah within a specific period a condition for these negotiations. Otherwise, it is suggested that “the US may drag the country into civil war by using the Lebanese army against the resistance forces.”

The report warns that the forced disarmament of Hezbollah by the army could lead to chaos and sectarian clashes throughout the country.

It is stated that Israel’s two attacks on Beirut last week, the first since the ceasefire, were in retaliation for rockets fired from southern Lebanon. However, Hezbollah announced that it was not involved in the attacks and that it continues to adhere to the ceasefire. The Lebanese resistance organization declared that if Israel’s aggressive stance continues and the Lebanese state cannot stop these violations through diplomatic means, they will have to respond.

Israel bombed the T4 Air Base in Syria, where Türkiye was allegedly planning to establish a military base. An Israeli official stated, “This attack carries a message to Türkiye: ‘Do not establish a military base in Syria’.”

According to Syria’s official news agency SANA, Israeli aircraft conducted more than 14 airstrikes yesterday evening targeting Hama Airport and surrounding points, the T4 Military Air Base in Homs province, and military infrastructure in the capital, Damascus. Additionally, mortar and artillery attacks were carried out west of Deraa province.

A statement from the Israeli army confirmed that a series of airstrikes were executed in Syria. The statement indicated that Israeli warplanes targeted Hama Military Airport, the T4 Military Airport in Syria’s Homs province, and military infrastructure in the Damascus region. It also confirmed targeting a scientific research building in Damascus’s Barzeh neighborhood.

An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that the recent airstrikes in Syria were carried out to “convey a message to Türkiye.” The official specified the message was, “Do not establish military bases in Syria and do not interfere with Israeli activities in the country’s skies.”

A report by Middle East Eye (MEE), citing sources knowledgeable on the subject, claimed that Türkiye intended to deploy Turkish-made Hisar-type air defense systems and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with advanced surveillance and strike capabilities to the T4 Air Base.

It had previously been claimed that Ankara was preparing to take control of the T4 Military Air Base near the ancient city of Palmyra, which Israel had struck.

According to the report by Qatar-based Middle East Eye (MEE), citing Turkish military sources, Ankara plans to equip the base with a complex defense system featuring short, medium, and long-range capabilities against warplanes, UAVs, and missiles.

It is also alleged that Türkiye plans to deploy S-400 air defense systems to the base in addition to the Hisar systems. However, Russia’s approval is necessary for the deployment of the S-400s.

The report notes that the base “will provide Türkiye with greater air control in Syria and serve as a starting point for intensified operations against ISIS.” It further states, “The presence of Türkiye’s UAVs and air defense systems will deter Israel from conducting airstrikes in the region.”

The Israeli army had also targeted the T4 and nearby Palmyra bases on March 21-22; those airstrikes damaged infrastructure at the base, including runways, hangars, and control buildings.