Tag Archive for: Israel News

News Update

The IDF is preparing to hand over two limited withdrawal areas in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese army under the framework agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon. The two areas, described in the agreement as “pilot areas” because they are meant to test the phased handover mechanism, are both in the Nabatieh region, near the towns of Frun and Zawtar al-Sharqiyah. At this stage, Israel is waiting for the Lebanese army to announce that it is ready to enter the areas, as well as for U.S. Central Command approval to move ahead. The agreement allows the IDF to remain in most of the areas it controls inside the security zone until the threat from Hezbollah is removed.

In an interview with Fox News, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that some Christian villages in southern Lebanon, near the Israeli border, had asked to be annexed to Israel to protect them from Hezbollah. He did not name the villages or say when the alleged requests were made.

According to Arab media, Hamas’ leadership is planning to announce the dissolution of the de facto government that has ruled the Gaza Strip for nearly 20 years, to clear the way for the entry of a technocrat committee into Gaza, which is supposed govern Gaza as per President Trump’s Gaza plan. The requirement for Hamas to fully disarm has reportedly been dropped.

The government approved a plan Sunday to speed up hotel construction in the territories, allocating 27 million shekels ($8.2 million) to remove planning barriers and provide grants for new hotel projects in the area. This follows a government decision approved in May to allocate 50 million shekels ($15 million) for public tourism infrastructure in the territories.

The Israeli government’s decision to recognize the Armenian genocide has reportedly triggered a crisis in Israel-Azerbaijan relations. Azerbaijan views Israel as “crossing a red line” and failing to reciprocate the support Azerbaijan has shown Israel since the outbreak of the war. For more, click here.

Minister of Defense Israel Katz issued a statement yesterday evening that appears to damage the chances of the deal for the sale of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (NYSE: ZIM) to German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd and private equity firm FIMI being completed. The deal announced in February consists of the sale of the company for $4.2 billion, and it was approved by a sweeping majority of ZIM shareholders. It now awaits the approval of the regulators, headed by the State of Israel.

News Update

An IDF post in the Syrian buffer zone came under fire overnight. IDF responded with mortar fire, artillery and an attack helicopter strike. No casualties were reported.

The IDF destroyed a massive Hezbollah underground tunnel in the south Lebanon village of Majdal Zoun last night. The tunnel was over 200 meters long and 25 meters deep and was used to store hundreds of weapons, including drones, warheads and explosives. The tunnel was built over a decade using Iranian technology and backing. The explosion was heard throughout northern Israel.

Capt. David Hazzut, 21, from Ashkelon, a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion, was killed overnight Saturday in combat in southern Lebanon.

Last week, Israel and Lebanon signed an agreement providing for a partial Israeli withdrawal from “pilot areas” in southern Lebanon and their transfer to the Lebanese army, while also allowing the IDF to remain in most areas under its control in the security zone until the threat posed by Hezbollah is removed.

The government unanimously approved Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s proposal Sunday to recognize the Armenian genocide. Israel had long avoided formal recognition, partly out of concern over relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Turkey rejects the genocide label, while Azerbaijan, a strategic partner of Israel that borders Iran and has major arms ties with Jerusalem, has also opposed recognition.

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems today announced that it has signed an agreement with Romania’s Ministry of National Defense for the Spyder air defense system to protect the country against short- to medium-range air threats, as part of a large-scale strategic agreement with an estimated value of over 2 billion Euros. It is the second largest defense sale ever by an Israeli company.

News Update

Defense Minister Israel Katz reiterated on Wednesday that Israel will not withdraw from its “security zones” in Lebanon and Syria, even if the United States were to demand it. He said, “The IDF must be on the enemy’s side of the border and protect the communities from within the territory itself.” He also said that Israel would not allow Lebanese civilians back into the security zones. Meanwhile, IDF forces eliminated 2 armed Hezbollah terrorists who were posing a threat near the security zone.

Israeli and Lebanese representatives resumed U.S.-mediated talks in Washington. Israel is demanding on a “step-by-step” process in which the Lebanese army takes concrete action on the ground to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure before any Israeli pullback. Israeli Ambassador Leiter said Lebanon’s government must exercise its sovereignty by ensuring that Iran is no longer involved in “malign activity or influence” in the country. He called the latest round of talks between the 2 countries a “train wreck”, primarily due to the continuing influence of Iran in the situation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi reportedly told a senior Hamas official that he would raise the Gaza issue in negotiations with the U.S. He stressed that the recent MOU signed with the U.S. includes a cessation of fighting on “all” fronts.

News Update

Four IDF soldiers were killed Thursday night when a Hezbollah attack drone struck their tank, near the village of Kfartebnit in southern Lebanon. Among those killed was Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, 32, of Kibbutz Beit Hashita, commander of the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade. The names of the three other soldiers were being withheld pending notification of their families. Ben Simhon had taken command of the 52nd Battalion in April, replacing a lieutenant colonel who was seriously wounded in combat in southern Lebanon. Several hours later, five soldiers were wounded in the same sector by an explosive-laden first-person-view (FPV) drone. The fighting near Kfartebnit is part of operations against what the military described as the last underground Hezbollah area north of Beaufort.

In response to the Hezbollah ceasefire violations, the IDF struck over 100 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon with Artillery and airstrikes. Talks between the U.S. and Iran that were set to be held today in Switzerland were called off because of the fighting. The White House said that VP Vance would not be traveling to Switzerland. The Iranian delegation also cancelled their trip, claiming that Lebanon is an integral part of the Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Iran.

President Trump has not made any statements regarding the most recent flare up in Lebanon and how it effects the MOU. Yesterday he posted, “The United States is committed to PEACE, and we encourage everyone in the Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations to beautifully unfold. The Markets are loving what is happening with Oil Prices way down, and Stocks way up. We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel.”

Yesterday, VP Vance lashed out at critics of the deal in the Israeli government saying, “Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who’s sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time. If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.”

Prime Minster Netanyahu has refrained from criticizing the deal, but reiterated that Israel would remain in southern Lebanon as long as necessary, to protect the northern border and communities.

How will all this play out?

Pray.

News Update

President Trump announced a ceasefire deal with Iran, which apparently the Iranians have confirmed, that will immediately open the Strait of Hormuz and lift the U.S. naval blockade. The final deal will be signed on Friday in Switzerland, after which they have 60 days to start talks on dealing with Iran’s nuclear program. The ceasefire also applies to Lebanon. The Tel Aviv stock exchange dropped over a percent on the news. Investors apparently don’t think the deal is that good for Israel.

While the details of the agreement remain unclear, as is whether Iran will actually sign and abide by it, Defense Minister Katz wrote today: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are leading a clear policy stating that the IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza without a time limit, in order to protect the border and Israeli communities from jihadist elements. The area will be cleared of local residents, and all terror infrastructure, above and below ground, including homes in contact-line villages that served as terror outposts, will be destroyed.”  So no withdrawal of IDF forces. He added, “Prime Minister Netanyahu made this clear to U.S. President Trump and other senior American officials, and I also made it clear yesterday to U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.”

According to Minister of Transport Miri Regev, if the 72 U.S. military refueling planes that are parked at Ben Gurion airport and taking up more than have the parking spots are not moved within the next 48 hours, over 2.4 million airline tickets sold for the summer and holidays season will have to be cancelled, resulting in billions of dollars in losses for airlines, the tourism industry and the economy. For more, click here.