Israel News for 1-1-2024
News Update
Israel welcomed the new year of 2024 under a large Hamas rocket attack targeting the center and south of the country, including Tel Aviv. 18 rockets were intercepted and no damage or casualties were reported. Rockets and attack drones were also launched from Lebanon. The IDF strike targets in Khan Yunis, Gaza and in southern Lebanon.
Earlier yesterday, a terrorist stabbed 2 security guards in the Mishor Adumim industrial park near Ma’ale Adumim, south of Jerusalem. The victims were a 24-year-old young woman in mild-moderate condition, fully conscious and a man in his 20s in mild condition. The terrorist was neutralized.
IDF soldiers killed in Gaza:
– Reserve Major Constantine Sushko, aged 30, from Tel Aviv, 7086 Engineering Battalion of the Golani Brigade.
– Captain Harel Ittah, aged 22, from Netanya, a team commander in the Givati Reconnaissance Battalion.
Syrian sources reported a large attack on the Aleppo International Airport in Syria, launched from the sea by Israel.
The IDF has begun constructing barriers and structures in the south and north to protect civilians from anti-tank missiles as part of a larger effort to convince residents of cities and communities along both borders to return home in the near future. As part of the plan, thousands of troops will be positioned in the areas to protect civilians once they return. The plan would also include building a wall along the entire length of the Lebanon border with Israel (80 miles). The construction and ongoing military presence, which would include reserve battalions called up for longer periods of time, will cost the country tens of billions of shekels.
Israel is currently allowing diplomatic efforts by the US and France to remove Hezbollah forces from the border area and prevent a full scale war. If diplomatic efforts fail, Israel would be forced to clear Hezbollah out of the border area with a combined air and ground offensive, while it is still fighting the war in Gaza.
The NYTimes is reporting that the Pentagon has prepared detailed plans to attack Houthi bases in Yemen. Yesterday, US navy helicopters destroyed 3 Houthi boats that attacked them. Some Pentagon officials are reluctant to attack Houthi bases because they claim that it will play into the hands of Iran, who wants to stir the conflict.
Israel’s population grew by 1.9% over the past year to 9.842 million, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. 7.208 million (73.2%) of Israel’s citizens are Jewish, 2.080 million (21.1%) Arabs and 554,000 (5.7%) others including Russian-speaking immigrants who are not Jewish.
As part of its investigative reporting series on the Hamas war, the NYTimes published an article yesterday on the failure of the IDF to properly prepare for, and react to, the terrorist invasion and massacre of Oct. 7. To read the article, click here.
There is no question that the IDF failed in its mission to protect the civilians of Israel and the IDF has accepted blame for it. Hamas succeeded in fooling Israel. But they did not expect the fierce and relentless reaction of the nation of Israel, who has risen up in righteous fury to defend its existence and avenge the slaughter and desecration of its children. The Hamas terrorist army is now hiding in their tunnels deep under the schools and hospitals of Gaza. If Israel stops now, Hamas will emerge victories and ready to repeat Oct. 7 as often as they can. That’s why the war must continue until Hamas is either totally eliminated or degraded to the extent that they will never again be able to carry out a terror attack of any significant size.
