Lebanese News and Updates

⋯ The head of Eshmun was received by the ambassador of Lebanon from the chief of the archaeological and artistic department of the police of the State of Bavaria, Christian Klein. Earlier, Culture Minister Mohammad Mortada had sent a letter to recover the stolen antiquity that was being auctioned by Gorney & Mosh in Munich.

Germany hands over to Lebanon the “ancient head of Eshmun” (stolen in 1981)! During the civil war, more than 2,000 artifacts from Sidon were moved to the Byblos castle. In 1981, the depot in Byblos was looted and around 600 objects were smuggled out of Lebanon. Eshmun (𐤀𐤔𐤌𐤍) was the tutelary god of Sidon (from the 7th century BC) and Phoenician god of healing. A 6th-century story by Damascius recounts the myth that Eshmun, a young man from Beirut, was hunting in the woods when Astarte saw him and was stricken by his beauty. She harassed him until he eventually emasculated himself with an axe and died. The grieving goddess revived him and made him into a god in the heavens. The Eshmun Temple sits on the southern bank of the modern Awali river. Ritual lustral ablutions, pertaining to purification and healing, were performed in its sacred basins. Citrus groves, known as Bustan el-Sheikh, occupy its ancient “sacred forests”.

Germany hands over to Lebanon the “ancient head of Eshmun” (stolen in 1981)! During the civil war, more than 2000 artifacts from Sidon were moved to the Byblos castle. In 1981, the depot in Byblos was looted and around 600 objects were smuggled out of Lebanon. Eshmun (𐤀𐤔𐤌𐤍) was the tutelary god of Sidon (from 500 BC) and the Phoenician god of healing. A 6th-century story by Damascius recounts the myth that Eshmun, a young man from Beirut, was hunting in the woods when Astarte saw him and was stricken by his beauty. She harassed him until he eventually emasculated himself with an axe and died. The grieving goddess revived him and made him into a god in the heavens. The Eshmun Temple sits on the southern bank of the modern Awali river. Ritual lustral ablutions, pertaining to purification and healing, were performed in its sacred basins. Citrus groves, known as Bustan el-Sheikh, occupy its ancient “sacred forests”.

🏥 🇵🇸 🇮🇱 Israeli forces advance in Rafah; Health Ministry says Gaza hospital system will collapse in hours 🔶️ Israeli forces are advancing on the southern city of Rafah, aiming to destroy what Israeli officials have called the last significant Hamas stronghold in Gaza, at the same time that Israel and the militant group are again clashing in areas in the north. 🔶️ The Gaza Health Ministry said Monday that the health system in the strip will collapse within “a few hours” due to a lack of fuel needed to power generators and ambulances, after similar warnings from aid agencies last week. 🔶️ Nearly 360,000 Palestinians have fled Rafah in the week since Israel ordered its civilians to evacuate, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said Monday. Israel says the evacuations will protect civilians from being caught up in looming battles, while aid groups say there is nowhere safe for them to go https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/05/13/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/ https://archive.ph/jEzpw

📹 Additional footage was shared of ATGM attacks on spy equipment raised using cranes in Huneen. The usage of cranes was due to the constant attacks on the pre-installed equipment and the threat posed to install them on the established poles.

📹 Hezbullah released yesterday night footage of its attack on a fortified bunker inside Al-Jerdah base with two ATGMs. The attack is meant to deny its usage by the Israeli army.

📷 The Israeli enemy carried two airstrike on Al-Khiyam village.

📹 The indiscriminate Israeli attack on Odaiseh village destroyed 7 houses of no military value, but out of frustration.

📷 An Israeli airstrike targets the village of Odaiseh.

🗣️ The speech by his eminence started. Follow the English remarks here