Tag Archive for: Israel News

News Update

As cease-fire and hostage negotiations continue in Doha with no progress to speak of, Hezbollah has released a video of a vast underground missile storage and launching facility that it claims is totally secret. The video shows trucks carrying missiles driving through a network of underground tunnels. Sources close to Hezbollah say that Hezbollah will not launch an anticipated retaliatory strike against Israel while the Doha negotiations are ongoing, so as not to be blamed for a possible failure. The Qatari Prime Minister spoke with Iranian leaders last night and reportedly told them to consider whether it’s advisable forIran or Hezbollah to attack Israel while negotiations are in process.

The IDF carried out air and artillery strikes against Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon yesterday. Airstrikes and ground combat continues to eliminate terrorists, weapons and terror infrastructure in southern Gaza.

Over 100 settlers reportedly rampaged through the Palestinian village of Jit in northern Samaria, setting homes and cars on fire. At least 11 villagers were injured, according to Palestinian health authorities. One man was killed by gunfire, and another suffered gunshot wounds. IDF troops and Border Police were dispatched to the scene and used riot dispersal methods to stop and remove the settlers. One settler was detained. Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant, Finance Minister Smotrich and National Security Minister Ben Gvir condemned the settler violence. The White House also issued a statement condemning the attack and urging Israeli authorities to protect all communities and hold perpetrators accountable.

News Update

Hamas fired two long-range rockets from Gaza at central Israel yesterday. One fell into the sea and the other never made it out of Gaza. [But the point here is that Hamas still has the capability to launch attacks on Israel, which means there’s no way Israel can agree to a ceasefire and let Hamas remain a threat on its border. The job of the IDF is clearly not done, and Hamas is simply reminding the world of that. Will the world heed that reminder or just continue pressuring Israel to quit the fight and accept the Hamas threat going forward?]

Combat operations continue in the Shabora neighborhood of Rafah in southern Gaza. Over the past few days, over 100 terrorists have been killed and many weapons depots and tunnels have been destroyed.

IDF troops killed a terrorist who earlier opened fire near a car repair shop in the Palestinian city of Qalqilya in Samaria, wounding an Israeli man in his 60’s and 2 local residents. The 18 year old terrorist had been imprisoned in Israel but was released in the November hostage deal.

Security forces began a counter-terror operation in the Palestinian Authority villages of Tubas and Tammun, near Jenin, in eastern Samaria this morning. Forces have thus far eliminated one terrorist and injured others during a shootout, and have arrested wanted terror suspects and confiscated weapons. The IDF used a drone strike on a house to eliminated the terrorists.

The U.S. has approved $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, including more than 50 F-15 fighter jets, Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles, 120 mm tank ammunition, high explosive mortars and tactical vehicles. The weapons contracts approved will take several years to fulfill. The jets are expected to be delivered in 2029.

News Update

Israel is still waiting…

According to a U.S. official quoted in a Wall Street Journal report yesterday, “The United States has sent clear messaging to Iran that the risk of a major escalation if they do a significant retaliatory attack against Israel is extremely high,” and “that there is a serious risk of consequences for Iran’s economy and the stability of its newly elected government if it goes down that path.” On Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the U.S. has communicated “that message directly to Iran.”

The U.S. has deployed military assets to the region, including stealth F-22 fighters and additional ships capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. The aircraft carrier the USS Theodore Roosevelt is also in the Gulf of Oman. The Navy has also moved an F/A-18 fighter squadron from that carrier to a base in a Middle East nation to position the aircraft closer to the action.

United States CENTCOM chief Gen. Michael Kurilla arrived in Israel yesterday for his second visit this week.

U.S. intelligence sources say that an attack could come over the weekend, but no one knows who will be involved in the attack or whether it will happen at all. Israel is reportedly prepared for a possible preemptive strike if it becomes aware of concrete attack plans.

[BTW, have we forgotten that Iran is chillingly close to obtaining nuclear weapons? An Iranian attack would be the perfect justification for Israel and the U.S. to destroy that possibility forever. That’s why Iran will probably not directly attack Israel in any significant way, or not at all.]

Overnight, the air force struck a Hezbollah command center and a rocket launching area in southern Lebanon.

Syrian state media confirmed that an Israeli airstrike in central Syria injured four soldiers and caused material damage.

The IDF’s 98th Division began operational activity in the Khan Yunis area following intelligence indicating the presence of terrorists and terror infrastructure in the area. The operation is in conjunction with coordinated airstrikes. IDF forces have already eliminated terrorists and destroyed ammunition depots.

United Airlines has suspended its flights to Tel Aviv for the foreseeable future, the company announced on Wednesday. The airline stated it plans to resume services when it is deemed safe for both customers and crew.

News Update

Israel is still waiting for an Iranian-Hezbollah military response to the assassination of Hamas leader Haniyeh in Tehran last week. U.S. intelligence sources say that an attack may be launched on Thursday or Friday, after today’s Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said in a public address that “Israel’s waiting is part of our response” and “the battle is also psychological”. Meanwhile, Israel launched airstrikes at Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and Hezbollah launched a large rocket barrage at Kiryat Shemona and other places in the north.

Contrary to reports yesterday, Hamas has said that Yahya Sinwar will succeed Ismail Haniyeh as the new head of the political bureau. [It’s a hard job to fill, given the life expectancy. But Sinwar doesn’t have much to lose at this point. He’ll be leading Hamas to hell from his hiding place deep inside a hole somewhere under Gaza.]

According to a report in the Washington Post today, the Biden administration was surprised and outraged by the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. [That’s the equivalent of being surprised and outraged at the killing of Al Queda leader Osama Bin Laden. The U.S. should be working with Israel to destroy the Hamas terror organization instead of pressuring Israel to sign a ceasefire agreement with them and let their army of 14,000 armed terrorists remain on Israel’s border, preparing for the next October 7th. Instead of bullying Prime Minister Netanyahu into giving up the fight, President Biden should be sending a clear and direct message to the Iranian leader that if the Iranians attack, the U.S. will wipe out their nuclear program — which is an existential threat to the entire world.]

Israel struck several sites from where Hamas has launched rockets at southern Israel including Sderot this week. The launch sites were located near humanitarian aid distribution warehouses.

News Update

Israel continues to prepare for an Iranian-Hezbollah military response to the assassination of Hamas leader Haniyeh in Tehran last week. The U.S. administration is working diplomatically on dissuading Iran from escalating the conflict. [But President Biden has not forcefully warned Iran not to retaliate, as a did after October 7th with the famous word, “Don’t”. Instead, he is pressuring Israel to accept a ceasefire and allow Hamas to continue as a functioning terrorist army and treating Iran as if they are a victim instead of a state sponsor of terrorist throughout the region.]

Overnight, Hezbollah launched several drones at northern Israel. An IDF officer and soldier were moderately wounded when a drone struck near the community of Ayelet HaShahar.

A 37 year old truck driver was lightly injured by a rocket impact near Kibbutz Re’im, along the Gaza border. The rocket was one of  15 fired from Khan Yunis.

The IDF uncovered a massive tunnel along the Gaza-Egypt border. The tunnel is large enough to allow vehicles to pass through. The army has thus far discovered 25 tunnels that extend into Egypt. The border with Egypt must be permanently secured to prevent Hamas from rearming.

A terrorist, 35, from the West Bank town of Salfit, stabbed 3 people in a park and a 4th on the sidewalk in Holon yesterday, killing an 80 year old man and a 66 year old woman. The terrorist was neutralized by police in the area. The terrorist had entered Israel illegally 3 days before the attack.