Israeli Airstrikes on an Illegal Crossing Between Syria and Lebanon
January 13, 2025, 10:48 am

Israeli Airstrikes on an Illegal Crossing Between Syria and Lebanon

استهداف إسرائيل (تعبيرية)

Israeli warplanes conducted airstrikes on Sunday night into Monday, targeting an illegal crossing between the Syrian area of Matreb and the Lebanese town of Al-Qusayr in the western countryside of Homs.

The border areas between Syria and Lebanon are witnessing a daily influx of hundreds of Syrian refugees returning to their homeland after years of exile in Lebanon, using illegal routes amid the ongoing chaos at the borders.

In a related context, multiple explosions were heard on January 8 at the Khalkhaleh military airport in the northern countryside of Sweida, indicating the activity of Israeli aircraft in the skies, although there was no information available regarding any human casualties.

On another note, the vicinity of the capital, Damascus, experienced intense explosions on January 5, likely resulting from an Israeli attack, causing panic among residents in the nearby areas. According to sources from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the explosions occurred in ammunition depots belonging to the previous regime forces at the 55th Air Defense Brigade, located on the slopes of Mount Al-Mani near Al-Kiswa in the Damascus countryside. This led to a thick plume of smoke and strong vibrations in the area, but no human losses were reported.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”