Archive for month: June, 2024

News Update

Sgt. Eyal Shynes, 19, from Kibbutz Afik, of the Nahal Brigade’s 931st Battalion was killed in a Hamas sniper attack in the Rafah area.

As combat operations continue in Gaza, humanitarian aid continues to flow in through the Kerem Shalom crossing. To read more about how the IDF is facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid, click here. 

At least 40 rockets were fired at the Safed area by Hezbollah yesterday. Half of the rockets were intercepted by Iron Dome and many of the rest fell in open areas. Some minor damage was caused. The IDF struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

The Cabinet yesterday approved a package of measures that includes the cancellation of permits and various benefits for senior Palestinian Authority officials, restricting the movement of PA senior officials and preventing them from leaving the country, enforcing their incitement offenses, withdrawing enforcement powers from the PA in the Judean Desert, enforcement actions against rampant construction in the area and more.

The pre-trial chamber set to deliberate on issuing arrest warrants against Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant will hold a discussion on the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) jurisdiction to prosecute Israeli citizens, based on a request by the UK. This postpones the decision to issue the arrest warrants has been postponed by several weeks.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken invited Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz to participate in the NATO summit that will be held in Washington on July 9 to mark the 75-year anniversary of the NATO alliance.

News Update

IDF forces arrested multiple terror suspects in raids in several Palestinians towns and villages in the Jerusalem and Hebron areas. IDF jets struck Hezbollah targets in several areas of southern Lebanon. Combat operations continue in Gaza.

Zahr Abdel Salam Haniyeh, the older sister of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, was killed Tuesday morning along with around 9 other Haniyeh family members in an airstrike on their home in the Al-Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City. Haniyeh commented, “If the criminal enemy thinks targeting my family will change our position or that of the resistance, they are delusional, because every martyr in Gaza and Palestine is from my family.” He added, regarding the ceasefire negotiations, “We still claim that any agreement that does not guarantee a cease-fire and an end to the aggression is not an agreement. Our position will not change at any point.”

A large fire broke out last night near the Ofrit military base on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem. The fire is alleged to have started by firebombs thrown near the base. At least 25 fire crews worked to extinguish the fire.

Due to a shortage of combat soldiers, the army has decided to significantly reduce the quotas for high-profile, high-scoring individuals who were previously directed to elite technological and intelligence units such as Unit 8200, 81 in the Intelligence Directorate, and the C4I Corps. Instead, these recruits will be redirected to serve as combat soldiers.

Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, former Mossad head Tamir Pardo and several other prominent Israeli personalities, have written an article in the New York Times asking Congress to rescind its invitation to Prime Minister Netanyahu to address Congress at the end of July, claiming that Netanyahu does not speak for them. For more, click here.

I will be visiting the Kotel – Western Wall – sometime next week. If you would like me to place a note in the wall for you, click here. To have us include the name of your loved one in our prayer for healing at the Western Wall, click here.

News Update

Two IDF soldiers from the Alexandroni Brigade’s 9203rd Battalion were killed yesterday in a mortar attack near Gaza City. the soldiers were, Sgt. First Class (res.) Omer Smadga, 25, from Genot Hadar and  Sgt. First Class (res.) Saadia Yaakov Dery, 27, from Tel Aviv. Three other soldiers were seriously wounded in the attack. Combat continues in Rafah as IDF forces move to complete the capture of the entire city. Forces are firing from the air, sea and ground.

Israel has confirmed that 18 hostages have been murdered or killed in captivity, some most likely as a result of IDF fire. 60 hostages have been confirmed to have been murdered on Oct. 7. The IDF has retrieved 19 bodies. For more, click here. 

IDF forces eliminated 2 terrorists in a vehicle in Kalkaliya (Samaria) today.

IDF forces struck Hezbollah targets in southern yesterday.

Armenia has recognized a Palestinian state, making it the 147th country to do so.

A new campaign launched in Lebanon is calling for a boycott of Pepsi, after the company changed its logo to a blue and white design that seems to remind the Lebanese of the Israeli flag. [Probably a smart move health wise :) Is Coke behind this? Hmm…]

News Update

Hezbollah fired a swarm of drones at Metula today, 3 of which exploded in the town, causing minor damage. Hezbollah also fired rockets into western Galilee. The IDF responded with artillery fire at Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Last night Israel struck a Hezbollah weapons depot and other targets in Lebanon, killing several terrorists.  The most reason violence comes after U.S. special envoy completed talks with Lebanese officials yesterday, in an attempt to stem an all out war that could lead to a broader regional conflict. The IDF confirmed that it has approved operational plans to attack Lebanon if directed to do so.

Yesterday, Hezbollah launched 3 reconnaissance drones at Haifa. One was intercepted, another disappeared from radar and is believed to have crashed into the sea and the third completed its reconnaissance mission, taking video of the port, the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems campus with Iron Dome missile defense batteries, rocket engine depots, David’s Sling aerial defense facilities and radar installations. The IDF chose not to shoot down the drone since it was unarmed.

The Biden administration has yet to advance the sale of 50 F-15 fighter jets to Israel, even after congressional leaders agreed to allow the deal to proceed last month. Prime minister Netanyahu posted a video on social media yesterday, criticizing the Biden administration for delaying weapons deliveries. He said, “It’s inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions from Israel.” The White House denied knowledge of any delays, other than one incident of delaying one arms shipment of 2,000-pound bombs, out of concern that they would be used in civilian areas in Rafah. Some Israeli officials also criticized Netanyahu for making false accusations of weapons delays.

The U.S. is abandoning the pier it built off the coast of Gaza to facilitate more humanitarian aid flow into the strip. The pier will be dismantled in early July ahead of anticipated bad weather conditions in September, and will be towed to Israel. U.S. Central Command said, “The decision is not made lightly but is necessary to ensure the temporary pier can continue to deliver aid in the future.” Since May 17, over 3,500 metric tons (7.7 million pounds) have been delivered through the pier. The pier cost $230 million. [Can you think of a better use for $230 million??]

According to Arab media, Egypt has shown willingness to potentially join a military task force to operate under UN auspices in Gaza, after Israel withdraws from the strip.

News Update

Prime Minister Netanyahu has dissolved the War Cabinet, a week after Benny Gantz and Gadi Eizenkot left the government. National Security Minister Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Smotrich had demanded to join the war cabinet, which may have led to Netanyahu disbanding it. For more, click here.

Israeli officials reiterated that would not commit to ending the war in Gaza before the release of all of the hostages. They stressed that Hamas had violated previous agreements, so ending the war prematurely, would be a mistake.

Several IDF battalions, along with the air force, continue to operate in Rafah. The IDF said that over 500 terrorists have been killed and over 100 tunnel shafts discovered. For more, click here.

On Saturday morning, 8 IDF soldiers were killed when their vehicle was destroyed by an explosive device while they were returning from a mission in Rafah, during which around 50 Hamas terrorists were killed. Four other soldiers were killed in other incidents.

IDF soldiers killed in Gaza:

Sgt. Eliyahu Moshe Zimbalist, 21, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion, from Beit Shemesh

Sgt. Itay Amar, 19, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion, from Kochav Yair

Sgt. Stanislav Kostarev, 21, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion, from Ashdod

Sgt. Or Blumovitz, 20, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion, from Pardes Hanna-Karkur

Sgt. Oz Yeshaya Gruber, 20, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion, from Tal Menashe

Cpt. Wassem Mahmoud, 23, a deputy company commander of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion, from Beit Jann.

Sgt. Yakir Ya’akov Levi, 21, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion, from Hafetz Haim.

Sgt. Shalom Menachem, 21, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion, from Beit El.

Staff Sgt. Tzur Abraham, 22, of the Nahal Brigade’s reconnaissance unit, from Modi’in.

Cpt. (res.) Eitan Koplovich, 28, 8th Reserve Armored Brigade’s 129 Battalion, from Jerusalem.

Warrant Officer (res.) Elon Weiss, 49, 8th Reserve Armored Brigade’s 129 Battalion, from Psagot.

Sgt. Yair Roitman, 19, of the Givati Brigade’s reconnaissance unit, from Karnei Shomron.

White House special envoy to the Middle East Amos Hochstein will arrive in Israel today in a bid to try and avoid an all out war in the north. He will meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant, former War Cabinet member Benny Gantz, President Isaac Herzog and opposition leader Yair Lapid. Israeli and American officials acknowledge that the fighting in the north will likely continue until there is a ceasefire in Gaza. Hochstein will head to Lebanon for talks with Lebanese officials tomorrow. Meanwhile, a Hezbollah commanded was killed in a drone strike in southern Lebanon today.

The men who held the 3 Israeli hostages who were rescued last week were Ahmad Aljamal, a 73-year-old family doctor who is considered a pillar of his community, and his son, Abdallah, a 37-year-old Al Jazeera journalist. Abdallah’s wife and children also lived in the apartment. Neighbors in the apartment complex claim that while they knew the family was closely connected to Hamas, they did not know that they were holding hostages.

Israeli defense exports for 2023 hit a record $13.073 billion. Almost 50% of the exports went to Asia and the Pacific Region and 35% to Europe. For more, click here.