π️Lonny's War Update- October 305, 2023 - August 6 2024 π️
π️Day 306 that 115 of our hostages in Hamas captivity
**There is nothing more important than getting them home! NOTHING!**
“I’ve never met them,But I miss them. I’ve never met them,but I think of them every second. I’ve never met them,but they are my family. BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!”
We’re waiting for you, all of you.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!ΧΧΧ Χ Χ¦ΧΧΧ Χ’Χ Χ©ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧΧ€ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧͺ
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*8:40pm yesterday - north - rockets Netua*8:40pm yesterday - north - hostile aircraft - Horfeish, Tzuriel, Sde Meron, Zivon, Jish, Gush Halav, Kerem Ben Zimra -
*10:30pm yesterday - north - rockets Kiryat Shemona, Snir
*5:25am - north - rockets - Kerem Ben Zimra, Gush Halav - Israeli troops shot down a “suspicious aerial target” which infiltrated Israel’s airspace from Lebanon a short while ago, the Israel Defense Forces says about 45 minutes after sirens were triggered in two northern communities.
*10:30pm yesterday - north - rockets Kiryat Shemona, Snir
*5:25am - north - rockets - Kerem Ben Zimra, Gush Halav - Israeli troops shot down a “suspicious aerial target” which infiltrated Israel’s airspace from Lebanon a short while ago, the Israel Defense Forces says about 45 minutes after sirens were triggered in two northern communities.
There are no injuries in the incident, the army says. Rocket sirens were triggered in Kerem Ben Zimra and Jish near the Lebanon border out of fear of falling shrapnel, according to the IDF.
*8:50am - An anti-tank missile has hit the backyard of a home in the evacuated northern community of Avivim, without causing casualties, the Merom HaGalil Regional Council says. The council says light damage was caused, quoting its head Amit Sofer urging military action to finally return residents to their homes after 10 months.
*11:40am - north - rockets Kfar Giladi, Margaliot, Misgav Am, Kiryat Shemona
*12:15pm - north - hostile aircraft - Hanita, Shlomi, Batat, Leeman, Gesher Haziv, Naharia, Achziv, Saar, Lohaemei Haghetto'ot, Ben Ami, Netiv haShayyara, Mizra'a, Shavei Zion, Regba
*12:25pm - north - hostile aircraft - Nahariya, Lohamei Haghetto'ot, Bustan Hagalil, Shomera, Acre
*12:55pm - North - hostile aircraft - Bustan hagalil, Acre
*3:45pm - north - rockets - Hila
*3:50pm - north - hostile aircraft - Sha'al, Kela
*3:55pm - north - rockets - Even Menahem, Zar'it, Shomera, Shtula
*5:00pm - north - rockets - Baram
*5:20pm - north - hostile aircraft - Kela, Sha'al
*6:25pm - north - rockets - Dafna, Hagoshrim, Kfar Szold, Kibbutz Dan, Sha'ar Yeshuv, Snir, Masa'ada
*7:00pm - North - Rockets Kfar Giladi, Kiryat Shemona, Tel Hai, Metulla, Kfar Yuval, Maayan Baruch, Ajar
Hostage Updates
Today is Agam Berger's 20th Birthday
Since October 7, many hostages' families have only their loved ones' belongings left to give them a little hope until their return home. The family of Agam Berger, who was kidnapped in the Gaza Strip, turned to Agam's diary in an attempt to draw some encouragement from it.
Her family found a chilling passage in it, seemingly foreshadowing her fate. A few months before she enlisted in the IDF, Agam wrote in her diary, "Do not confine me in any cage, neither physical nor spiritual." Alongside her handwritten note, Agam added: "God will accompany me in every step." The sentence "Do not confine me in any cage, neither physical nor spiritual" was taken from Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook's letters.
Agam Berger, who served in the IDF as a Military Observer over parts of Gaza, was abducted from her base in Nahal Oz. A month ago, the video of her abduction was published by Hamas, showing the terrorists shouting at her and her friends. Agam is seen in the video with a bleeding face.
On her 19th birthday, which came just before October 7, Agam wrote a blessing to herself in her diary: "In the last 10 minutes of my birthday, I will wish for myself and my loved ones happiness and good health until 120. May I continue on my path, succeed in everything I do, and be truly happy. Surely in God's care, He will accompany me in every step. Thank you for my family."
Relatives of hostages and dozens of women-led protesters are blocking southbound traffic on Tel Aviv’s Ayalon Highway, protesting against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and in favor of a hostage deal.
“Netanyahu is abandoning, Netanyahu isn’t fit [to serve],” they chant.
They put up an English-language banner saying “Stop bullshitting us,” referencing a phrase reportedly used by US President Joe Biden in a recent call with the premier when talking about a hostage deal.
Hostage Updates
Today is Agam Berger's 20th Birthday
Since October 7, many hostages' families have only their loved ones' belongings left to give them a little hope until their return home. The family of Agam Berger, who was kidnapped in the Gaza Strip, turned to Agam's diary in an attempt to draw some encouragement from it. Her family found a chilling passage in it, seemingly foreshadowing her fate. A few months before she enlisted in the IDF, Agam wrote in her diary, "Do not confine me in any cage, neither physical nor spiritual." Alongside her handwritten note, Agam added: "God will accompany me in every step." The sentence "Do not confine me in any cage, neither physical nor spiritual" was taken from Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook's letters. Agam Berger, who served in the IDF as a Military Observer over parts of Gaza, was abducted from her base in Nahal Oz. A month ago, the video of her abduction was published by Hamas, showing the terrorists shouting at her and her friends. Agam is seen in the video with a bleeding face.
Relatives of hostages and dozens of women-led protesters are blocking southbound traffic on Tel Aviv’s Ayalon Highway, protesting against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and in favor of a hostage deal.
“Netanyahu is abandoning, Netanyahu isn’t fit [to serve],” they chant.
They put up an English-language banner saying “Stop bullshitting us,” referencing a phrase reportedly used by US President Joe Biden in a recent call with the premier when talking about a hostage deal.
Gaza
- The Israel Defense Forces says it killed a Hamas officer in charge of weapons smuggling into the Gaza Strip in an airstrike last night.
The army says Muhammad Mahasna mainly coordinated maritime smuggling, but also dealt with getting arms through cross-border tunnels and land crossings. “His elimination deals a blow to terror group Hamas’s ability to smuggle [weapons] into Gaza,” the IDF says in a statement.
Additionally, the military says it has killed around 20 terror operatives in face-to-face fighting and airstrikes in central Gaza over the past day, while its forces have killed over 25 operatives in the area of Rafah.
In one incident, an anti-tank missile was fired toward IDF forces — without causing casualties — and a warplane quickly bombed the house from where the missile was fired, killing the shooter.
The IDF says that it has temporarily closed a route leading from the Kerem Shalom border crossing to the humanitarian zone in the Gaza Strip, used to deliver aid to Palestinians, after troops came under Hamas fire in the area.
Five soldiers were wounded by the Hamas anti-tank fire this morning, including two in serious condition.
The IDF says it worked to kill the terror operatives behind the attack. “Terror activity in humanitarian areas and areas where the population is concentrated harms humanitarian coordination and the distribution of aid,” the IDF says.
It says that deliveries along the route have been halted temporarily, “as the area has become an active combat zone.” The military adds that the Kerem Shalom Crossing, and other entry points to the Strip, including the Netzarim Corridor and two crossings in the north, remain open as usual.
A medical officer and a reservist paramedic with the Givati Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit were seriously wounded during fighting in the southern Gaza Strip earlier today, the IDF announces.
In the same incident, an officer was moderately wounded, and two more soldiers were lightly hurt. They were all taken to hospitals in Israel for treatment.
The army says Muhammad Mahasna mainly coordinated maritime smuggling, but also dealt with getting arms through cross-border tunnels and land crossings. “His elimination deals a blow to terror group Hamas’s ability to smuggle [weapons] into Gaza,” the IDF says in a statement.
Additionally, the military says it has killed around 20 terror operatives in face-to-face fighting and airstrikes in central Gaza over the past day, while its forces have killed over 25 operatives in the area of Rafah.
In one incident, an anti-tank missile was fired toward IDF forces — without causing casualties — and a warplane quickly bombed the house from where the missile was fired, killing the shooter.
The IDF says that it has temporarily closed a route leading from the Kerem Shalom border crossing to the humanitarian zone in the Gaza Strip, used to deliver aid to Palestinians, after troops came under Hamas fire in the area.
Five soldiers were wounded by the Hamas anti-tank fire this morning, including two in serious condition.
The IDF says it worked to kill the terror operatives behind the attack. “Terror activity in humanitarian areas and areas where the population is concentrated harms humanitarian coordination and the distribution of aid,” the IDF says.
It says that deliveries along the route have been halted temporarily, “as the area has become an active combat zone.” The military adds that the Kerem Shalom Crossing, and other entry points to the Strip, including the Netzarim Corridor and two crossings in the north, remain open as usual.
A medical officer and a reservist paramedic with the Givati Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit were seriously wounded during fighting in the southern Gaza Strip earlier today, the IDF announces.
In the same incident, an officer was moderately wounded, and two more soldiers were lightly hurt. They were all taken to hospitals in Israel for treatment.
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
Lebanese media reports four dead in an Israeli airstrike in the southern town of Maifadoun. There is no immediate comment from the IDF
Nineteen people were injured Tuesday, one of them critically, after a Hezbollah drone attack on the Western Galilee. At least one of those injured was wounded as the result of an Iron Dome interceptor missile that malfunctioned, the Israel Defense Forces later said.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said it treated victims at three locations in the Nahariya area. One person was critically wounded, another person was listed in light-to-moderate condition, and others were lightly hurt, MDA said.
The critically wounded man, in his 40s, was hit while driving and crashed into the side of the road. Hundreds of meters away, in a parking lot, a woman aged 65 was moderately wounded by shrapnel. Six soldiers were also wounded at an army base in the area.
Footage taken by an onlooker in northern Israel appears to show a Hezbollah attack drone that crossed from Lebanon, on August 6, 2024. (Video screenshot; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)Among the lightly wounded were six soldiers who were hurt after one of the Hezbollah drones impacted the Shraga Camp near Nahariya, sparking a fire. The troops were taken to a hospital for minor injuries, including ringing in their ears from the blast. One of the Hezbollah drones impacted the Shraga Camp near Nahariya, sparking a fire. The troops were taken to hospitals for minor injuries, including ringing in their ears from the blast.
Additional Hezbollah drones impacted the Nahariya area. Amid the incident, an Iron Dome interceptor missile malfunctioned, impacting a highway and critically injuring a motorist. videoIsraeli warplanes fly low over the Lebanese capital Beirut, with witnesses saying they can see the planes with the naked eye and creating one of the largest sonic booms heard by residents in years.
The flyovers and sonic booms take place minutes before Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah begins an address to mark the one-week memorial of the Lebanese terror group’s top military commander Fuad Shukr, killed in an Israeli strike last week in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Hezbollah cannot be expected to react to the killings of Fuad Shukr last week the same way it has reacted to other strikes on its operatives in the past months, Hassan Nasrallah says in a eulogy for the assassinated commander.
“We have not sought escalations until now, we have been fighting in support of Gaza but keeping in mind the Lebanese national interest,” Nasrallah says. “
“Restaurants over the past months have been full and the airport fully functioning,” he adds. “Every time one of our commanders was killed, our response was heightened but always measured.”
“But an assassination of a top leader in the Dahia [Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut] must be treated differently,” he continues.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah calls on members of the Iran-backed “axis of resistance” in Iraq and Yemen to keep supporting Gaza despite the “difficulties and the sacrifices,” while urging other Arab countries to “wake up to the danger that threatens the region.”
“The Israeli danger cannot be faced by burying our heads in the sand, because the enemy has no red lines,” he says.
Iran has also been forced to join the battle after the assassination of Hamas leader in Tehran, Nasrallah maintains.
The uncertainty regarding the date of its response constitutes “part of the punishment” for Israel, he adds.
Nasrallah also addresses Hezbollah’s opponents inside Lebanon, asking that they not “betray the resistance or participate in the psychological warfare against us.”
“Our response is coming, God willing, from us and the axis of resistance — and it will be strong.”link Nasrallah's speech was directed to the Lebanese people and he states very clearly that the assassination of Hamas' Shukr will not draw the same kind of reaction and retaliation as when Senior Hizbollah commanders were killed. We can definitely expect a retaliation but it may not be at the same level as was anticipated just a day or two ago. We can already see more attacks on the north today of rockets, anti tank shells and UAVs.
Several local authorities in northern Israel close to the Lebanon border, including the city of Nahariya, have told citizens to remain close to bomb shelters.
No such directive has been issued by the IDF Home Front Command. Amid the war, local authorities regularly issue their own recommendations to civilians.
Nahariya is located around 10 kilometers from the Lebanon border.
Emerging: Hezbollah Used New Aircraft in Drone Attack on Western Galilee
Critically and lightly wounded in Mazra'a south of Nahariya from shrapnel • Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack - and declared it was in response to yesterday's assassination of a Radwan Force commander in southern Lebanon • Assessment: Hezbollah started using new electric drones, this is how they appeared in Nahariya's skies
The drones used for the attack at noon (Tuesday) on the Western Galilee are likely electric drones of the Shahed 101 type. This is the assessment of the Alma Research and Education Center, which studies Israel's security challenges in the north. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack in which one person was critically injured and 4 others lightly wounded. Alma said that according to existing information, until a few weeks ago, the terrorist organization mainly used the Ababil T suicide drone. On July 11, in the drone attack on the Kabri area, Hezbollah used the new Shahed 101 electric drone for the first time.
Tal Beeri, head of the research department at the Alma Center for Research of Security Challenges in the North, told N12: "In our assessment, the advantage of the electric drone is a low acoustic signature and possibly also a low thermal signature, which may make it difficult to detect and intercept the drone upon launch. It also appears that the Russians and Iranians are working together to improve drone capabilities in light of lessons from the Ukraine war, and of course, improvements in Iranian drones reach Hezbollah."
In today's attack, five people were injured, one critically and the others lightly, from shrapnel near the village of Mazra'a south of Nahariya. An additional impact site was located in the area, where no casualties are known.
MDA paramedic Roy Vishnia Shabtai and MDA medic Noam Levi, who treated the wounded at the scene, said: "We saw a man sitting in a car unconscious, he suffered a severe head injury from shrapnel impact. Another wounded woman was near the parking lot, fully conscious and suffering from shrapnel injuries to her limbs. We provided medical treatment to the man including intubation and medication administration and evacuated him in an MDA intensive care ambulance to the hospital. Another wounded person was evacuated from the scene."
The IDF spokesperson reported that several unmanned aircraft were identified crossing from Lebanese territory. One was intercepted, impacts were identified south of Nahariya, and several civilians were injured.
Hezbollah, as mentioned, claimed responsibility for the drone attack and claimed it was aimed at a military base. Hezbollah noted that this was in response to the assassination of a Radwan Force commander yesterday in southern Lebanon. link
Lebanese media reports four dead in an Israeli airstrike in the southern town of Maifadoun. There is no immediate comment from the IDF
Nineteen people were injured Tuesday, one of them critically, after a Hezbollah drone attack on the Western Galilee. At least one of those injured was wounded as the result of an Iron Dome interceptor missile that malfunctioned, the Israel Defense Forces later said.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said it treated victims at three locations in the Nahariya area. One person was critically wounded, another person was listed in light-to-moderate condition, and others were lightly hurt, MDA said.
The critically wounded man, in his 40s, was hit while driving and crashed into the side of the road. Hundreds of meters away, in a parking lot, a woman aged 65 was moderately wounded by shrapnel. Six soldiers were also wounded at an army base in the area.
Footage taken by an onlooker in northern Israel appears to show a Hezbollah attack drone that crossed from Lebanon, on August 6, 2024. (Video screenshot; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
Among the lightly wounded were six soldiers who were hurt after one of the Hezbollah drones impacted the Shraga Camp near Nahariya, sparking a fire. The troops were taken to a hospital for minor injuries, including ringing in their ears from the blast. One of the Hezbollah drones impacted the Shraga Camp near Nahariya, sparking a fire. The troops were taken to hospitals for minor injuries, including ringing in their ears from the blast.
Additional Hezbollah drones impacted the Nahariya area. Amid the incident, an Iron Dome interceptor missile malfunctioned, impacting a highway and critically injuring a motorist. videoIsraeli warplanes fly low over the Lebanese capital Beirut, with witnesses saying they can see the planes with the naked eye and creating one of the largest sonic booms heard by residents in years.
The flyovers and sonic booms take place minutes before Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah begins an address to mark the one-week memorial of the Lebanese terror group’s top military commander Fuad Shukr, killed in an Israeli strike last week in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Hezbollah cannot be expected to react to the killings of Fuad Shukr last week the same way it has reacted to other strikes on its operatives in the past months, Hassan Nasrallah says in a eulogy for the assassinated commander.
“We have not sought escalations until now, we have been fighting in support of Gaza but keeping in mind the Lebanese national interest,” Nasrallah says. “
“Restaurants over the past months have been full and the airport fully functioning,” he adds. “Every time one of our commanders was killed, our response was heightened but always measured.”
“But an assassination of a top leader in the Dahia [Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut] must be treated differently,” he continues.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah calls on members of the Iran-backed “axis of resistance” in Iraq and Yemen to keep supporting Gaza despite the “difficulties and the sacrifices,” while urging other Arab countries to “wake up to the danger that threatens the region.”
“The Israeli danger cannot be faced by burying our heads in the sand, because the enemy has no red lines,” he says.
Iran has also been forced to join the battle after the assassination of Hamas leader in Tehran, Nasrallah maintains.
The uncertainty regarding the date of its response constitutes “part of the punishment” for Israel, he adds.
Nasrallah also addresses Hezbollah’s opponents inside Lebanon, asking that they not “betray the resistance or participate in the psychological warfare against us.”
“Our response is coming, God willing, from us and the axis of resistance — and it will be strong.”link Nasrallah's speech was directed to the Lebanese people and he states very clearly that the assassination of Hamas' Shukr will not draw the same kind of reaction and retaliation as when Senior Hizbollah commanders were killed. We can definitely expect a retaliation but it may not be at the same level as was anticipated just a day or two ago. We can already see more attacks on the north today of rockets, anti tank shells and UAVs.
Several local authorities in northern Israel close to the Lebanon border, including the city of Nahariya, have told citizens to remain close to bomb shelters.
No such directive has been issued by the IDF Home Front Command. Amid the war, local authorities regularly issue their own recommendations to civilians.
Nahariya is located around 10 kilometers from the Lebanon border.
Emerging: Hezbollah Used New Aircraft in Drone Attack on Western Galilee
Critically and lightly wounded in Mazra'a south of Nahariya from shrapnel • Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack - and declared it was in response to yesterday's assassination of a Radwan Force commander in southern Lebanon • Assessment: Hezbollah started using new electric drones, this is how they appeared in Nahariya's skies
The drones used for the attack at noon (Tuesday) on the Western Galilee are likely electric drones of the Shahed 101 type. This is the assessment of the Alma Research and Education Center, which studies Israel's security challenges in the north. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack in which one person was critically injured and 4 others lightly wounded. Alma said that according to existing information, until a few weeks ago, the terrorist organization mainly used the Ababil T suicide drone. On July 11, in the drone attack on the Kabri area, Hezbollah used the new Shahed 101 electric drone for the first time.
Tal Beeri, head of the research department at the Alma Center for Research of Security Challenges in the North, told N12: "In our assessment, the advantage of the electric drone is a low acoustic signature and possibly also a low thermal signature, which may make it difficult to detect and intercept the drone upon launch. It also appears that the Russians and Iranians are working together to improve drone capabilities in light of lessons from the Ukraine war, and of course, improvements in Iranian drones reach Hezbollah."
In today's attack, five people were injured, one critically and the others lightly, from shrapnel near the village of Mazra'a south of Nahariya. An additional impact site was located in the area, where no casualties are known.
MDA paramedic Roy Vishnia Shabtai and MDA medic Noam Levi, who treated the wounded at the scene, said: "We saw a man sitting in a car unconscious, he suffered a severe head injury from shrapnel impact. Another wounded woman was near the parking lot, fully conscious and suffering from shrapnel injuries to her limbs. We provided medical treatment to the man including intubation and medication administration and evacuated him in an MDA intensive care ambulance to the hospital. Another wounded person was evacuated from the scene."
The IDF spokesperson reported that several unmanned aircraft were identified crossing from Lebanese territory. One was intercepted, impacts were identified south of Nahariya, and several civilians were injured.
Hezbollah, as mentioned, claimed responsibility for the drone attack and claimed it was aimed at a military base. Hezbollah noted that this was in response to the assassination of a Radwan Force commander yesterday in southern Lebanon. link
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
- A member of Israeli security forces was lightly injured in a West Bank stabbing attack at the Tunnels Checkpoint, south of Jerusalem.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service says it is treating a 20-year-old woman soldier in good condition after she was attacked. She has been taken to Hadassah Medical Center in the capital. The stabber was shot and “neutralized” by security personnel and Border Police officers at the scene, police say.
Border Police troops killed four Palestinian gunmen and wounded 10 others during an overnight operation in the West Bank overnight, police say.
According to police, the incidents took place in the West Bank city of Jenin, but Palestinians say they occurred in the town of Aqabah, near Tubas.
It is not fully clear if the gunmen police say officers killed in Jenin overnight are the same four Palestinians reported dead by Israeli fire in the Tubas area, or if another four were killed.
According to police, undercover officers worked to arrest wanted Palestinians, including one suspected of terror activities.
The suspected terrorist began to flee as troops surrounded his home, along with another gunman, police say. The Border Police officers then opened fire, killing the gunman and wounding the wanted man.
Additionally, troops returned fire at gunmen and other Palestinians hurling explosive devices at them, killing three and wounding nine others, according to police. No soldiers were hurt in the operation.
Separately, the IDF this morning is carrying out an operation in Jenin. An Israeli Air Force drone hit groups of gunmen in two separate strikes in the West Bank city of Jenin a short while ago, the military says.
According to Palestinian media, 2 people were killed. The IDF says the strikes came as troops carried out a counterterrorism operation in Jenin.
The Palestinian Authority says a teenage boy died of wounds sustained during a clash with Israeli forces in the northern West Bank town of Aqaba, raising the death toll in the raid to 4.
The teen is named as Bilal Izzaldin Sawafta, 14. Palestinian health officials say all four fatalities were caused by Israeli bullets. Another seven people are injured, the PA health ministry says. video
The Magen David Adom ambulance service says it is treating a 20-year-old woman soldier in good condition after she was attacked. She has been taken to Hadassah Medical Center in the capital. The stabber was shot and “neutralized” by security personnel and Border Police officers at the scene, police say.
Border Police troops killed four Palestinian gunmen and wounded 10 others during an overnight operation in the West Bank overnight, police say.
According to police, the incidents took place in the West Bank city of Jenin, but Palestinians say they occurred in the town of Aqabah, near Tubas.
It is not fully clear if the gunmen police say officers killed in Jenin overnight are the same four Palestinians reported dead by Israeli fire in the Tubas area, or if another four were killed.
According to police, undercover officers worked to arrest wanted Palestinians, including one suspected of terror activities.
The suspected terrorist began to flee as troops surrounded his home, along with another gunman, police say. The Border Police officers then opened fire, killing the gunman and wounding the wanted man.
Additionally, troops returned fire at gunmen and other Palestinians hurling explosive devices at them, killing three and wounding nine others, according to police. No soldiers were hurt in the operation.
Separately, the IDF this morning is carrying out an operation in Jenin. An Israeli Air Force drone hit groups of gunmen in two separate strikes in the West Bank city of Jenin a short while ago, the military says.
According to Palestinian media, 2 people were killed. The IDF says the strikes came as troops carried out a counterterrorism operation in Jenin.
The Palestinian Authority says a teenage boy died of wounds sustained during a clash with Israeli forces in the northern West Bank town of Aqaba, raising the death toll in the raid to 4.
The teen is named as Bilal Izzaldin Sawafta, 14. Palestinian health officials say all four fatalities were caused by Israeli bullets. Another seven people are injured, the PA health ministry says. video
Politics and the War (general news)
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided not to pursue potential normalization with Saudi Arabia before the US presidential election in November, Channel 12 reports.
It says Netanyahu made the decision at the same time as the fast-moving US political developments, with the consideration that it might be worth waiting to see whether Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump is elected.
The report says the decision has major implications, including for a potential hostage-ceasefire deal, since potential normalization would have constituted a “safety net” for Netanyahu: if his right-wing coalition were to collapse during disagreements over a Gaza deal, normalization with Saudi Arabia would have given him an election-boosting trump card and the opportunity to secure a historic legacy.
The unsourced report comes barely a week after an Israeli official told reporters in a briefing in Washington, DC that a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia was still possible before the November presidential election, and that Netanyahu discussed the matter with US President Joe Biden during their White House meeting. link
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara tells Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the government is acting unlawfully when adopting important cabinet decisions, and says he need to put things “back on track.”
The attorney general, who has repeatedly clashed with Netanyahu and his government, alleges the texts of such decisions are shared with the relevant authorities either just before or during the cabinet meeting in which they are being voted on, and sometimes are backed by legal briefs issued by unauthorized officials, including the cabinet secretary and even private attorneys.
Baharav-Miara points to an incident in which she says Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs penned a letter “in which he gave a legal opinion with far-reaching consequences in the realm of security” that she insists was issued “without authority,” but declines to go into further detail.
“For some time now, significant government decisions have been made in a flawed process,” she tells Netanyahu in a letter also sent to the press.
“This [includes decisions prepared] without professional work; sending them for comment to the relevant authorities close to [cabinet] meetings or during them, in a way that does not allow professional officials, and ministers, to do their job and fulfill their obligations; and even using legal briefs of people unauthorized [to issue them], private parties, or the cabinet secretary.”
Baharav-Miara tells Netanyahu that such behavior violates governmental procedures and that the cabinet secretariat “must act in a professional and appropriate manner” to ensure that the government is acting in a legitimate fashion.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided not to pursue potential normalization with Saudi Arabia before the US presidential election in November, Channel 12 reports.
It says Netanyahu made the decision at the same time as the fast-moving US political developments, with the consideration that it might be worth waiting to see whether Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump is elected.
The report says the decision has major implications, including for a potential hostage-ceasefire deal, since potential normalization would have constituted a “safety net” for Netanyahu: if his right-wing coalition were to collapse during disagreements over a Gaza deal, normalization with Saudi Arabia would have given him an election-boosting trump card and the opportunity to secure a historic legacy.
The unsourced report comes barely a week after an Israeli official told reporters in a briefing in Washington, DC that a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia was still possible before the November presidential election, and that Netanyahu discussed the matter with US President Joe Biden during their White House meeting. link
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara tells Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the government is acting unlawfully when adopting important cabinet decisions, and says he need to put things “back on track.”
The attorney general, who has repeatedly clashed with Netanyahu and his government, alleges the texts of such decisions are shared with the relevant authorities either just before or during the cabinet meeting in which they are being voted on, and sometimes are backed by legal briefs issued by unauthorized officials, including the cabinet secretary and even private attorneys.
Baharav-Miara points to an incident in which she says Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs penned a letter “in which he gave a legal opinion with far-reaching consequences in the realm of security” that she insists was issued “without authority,” but declines to go into further detail.
“For some time now, significant government decisions have been made in a flawed process,” she tells Netanyahu in a letter also sent to the press.
“This [includes decisions prepared] without professional work; sending them for comment to the relevant authorities close to [cabinet] meetings or during them, in a way that does not allow professional officials, and ministers, to do their job and fulfill their obligations; and even using legal briefs of people unauthorized [to issue them], private parties, or the cabinet secretary.”
Baharav-Miara tells Netanyahu that such behavior violates governmental procedures and that the cabinet secretariat “must act in a professional and appropriate manner” to ensure that the government is acting in a legitimate fashion.
The Region and the World
- The UN says nine employees of its agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA ‘may have been involved’ in Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israel.
The Office of Internal Oversight Services says it has completed its investigation into 19 UNRWA staff members alleged to have taken part in the attacks and concluded that in nine cases, “the evidence obtained by OIOS indicated that the UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the armed attacks of 7 October 2023.
Video showing an UNRWA worker driving a white UN jeep, and abducting the body of Jonathan Samerano, who was killed by Hamas terrorists on October 7. (Screenshot)“The employment of these individuals will be terminated in the interests of the Agency,” it says.
In nine other cases the OIOS says the evidence of involvement was insufficient, while in one case there was no evidence.
Israel has alleged that hundreds of UNRWA employees have ties to terror groups in Gaza. In January UNRWA said it fired several staffers, after Israeli authorities provided information that pointed to their active participation in the October 7 terror onslaught.
The accusations led numerous countries to suspend their funding to the organizations, but many have since renewed it, citing the difficult humanitarian situation in the Strip.
In April, a review of UNRWA by an independent panel said Israel had yet to provide supporting evidence for its claims that a significant number of agency staff were members of terrorist organizations and argued that UNRWA had “robust” policies in place to ensure staff neutrality. link
Iran has in recent days been moving missile launchers and carrying out military exercises, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing unnamed US officials.
This may signal it is preparing to conduct an attack in the coming days, as widely reported is the case.
The report says US officials don’t know the extent of Hezbollah’s role in a potential Iranian response to the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, which came hours after the Lebanese terror group’s top military commander Fuad Shukr was killed in an Israeli attack in Beirut.
Several US personnel were injured in an attack against a military base in Iraq today, three US officials tell Reuters.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, say the suspected rocket attack took place at Al Asad airbase in Iraq, citing initial information which could change.
“Base personnel are conducting a post-attack damage assessment,” one of the officials adds.
Two Katyusha rockets were fired at the base in western Iraq, security sources say. One security source says the rockets fell inside the base.
The US is bracing for Iran to make good on its vow to respond to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh last week in Tehran – one in a series of killings of senior figures in the Palestinian terror group as the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza rages.
Putin Asked Iranian Leader Khamenei to Avoid Large-Scale Attack on Israel
The Pentagon is moving warships closer to Israel's shores in anticipation of an Iranian attack; A U.S. official: "We will defend Israel as we did in April" • Report: Russia is supplying Iran with air defense systems as part of the defense ahead of the Israeli response • The two images that told the whole story: The U.S. supports Israel – and Russia supports Iran
Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked Iranian leader Ali Khamenei that Iran's response to Israel for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh be measured and softened, Reuters reported today (Tuesday). According to the report, Putin requested that the attack not result in loss of life - and this was conveyed during yesterday's visit to Tehran by Sergei Shoigu, Putin's national security advisor.
Parallel to the Russian request to Iran, Moscow has recently begun supplying Iran with air defense systems in preparation for a possible war with Israel, according to a report in the New York Times last night. According to the report, Russia has recently been supplying Iran with radar systems and air defense equipment. The New York Times reported that this comes against the backdrop of reports in Iranian media that Tehran had directly asked Moscow for assistance in the field of air defense.
Shoigu, considered one of Putin's closest confidants, met last night with Iran's new president Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials. According to a report in Iranian media, Pezeshkian told Shoigu that "Israel will receive a response for the crime it committed." Until now, it has been reported that Iran refused requests from Middle Eastern and Western countries to soften the intensity of the attack against Israel, but it's possible that Putin's personal request will carry more weight in Tehran's considerations.
Late yesterday evening, Shoigu completed his visit to Iran and flew to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. According to various unconfirmed reports, he was asked to convey a warning message from Iran to Azerbaijan - not to allow Israel to carry out operations against Iran from its territory. Azerbaijan and Israel maintain diplomatic relations and extensive trade ties, and according to foreign publications, Israel has used Azerbaijan's territory in the past to carry out attacks inside Iran.
Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to prepare to defend Israel against the expected attack from Iran. An official U.S. source told the Wall Street Journal last night that the U.S. is "preparing to defend Israel as we did in the April attack."
Last night it was reported that two American warships, the USS Laboon and USS Cole, left the Gulf of Oman and arrived in the Red Sea area. The new deployment of ships in the Red Sea area, where there has recently been no presence of U.S. military vessels, may indicate preparation to intercept launches by the Houthis towards Israel. The two warships were identified last night in the central Red Sea, and may even move further towards Israel. Movement of American vessels is also recorded in the Mediterranean, and in the last day, a slight advance of the USS Wasp strike group towards the east was identified. It carries no less than 4,500 U.S. Marines, and about 30 aircraft and helicopters, including F-35 aircraft. The ship's last location showed it moving in the area of the island of Crete. Alongside it operate the warships USS Oak Hill and USS New York. Further east in the Mediterranean, in the area of Cyprus, the warships USS Roosevelt and USS Bulkeley are also operating.
The aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt continues to operate in the Gulf of Oman area, and with it are at least four additional American warships. The Roosevelt aircraft carrier has about 40 F-35 and F/A-18 fighter jets.
Towards direct war? Russia's security support for Iran
The report in the New York Times last night about the transfer of air defense systems from Russia to Iran is part of a broad security cooperation between the countries. Over recent years, relations between Moscow and Tehran have strengthened significantly in many areas, primarily mutual military assistance. Since September 2022, Iran has been supplying Russia with thousands of attack drones used to wreak havoc in Ukraine.
The fact that Russia is supplying air defense systems to Iran, or at least components and parts of them, has a particularly significant meaning today. For many long months, Ukraine has been greatly increasing its air strikes on Russian territory, even at large ranges close to 2,000 km. As a result, the deployment of Russia's air defense systems on its territory is probably close to the possible maximum. If even in such a situation Russia chooses to support Iran in the field of air defense - one can deduce how much Moscow desires Iran's well-being. This can be explained by Russia's desire to help Iran possibly deal with a potential U.S. attack, Russia's great enemy. In general, the assessment is that Russia has a clear interest in prolonging and maintaining the war in the Middle East in any possible form and scope - in order to divert Washington's attention from the war in Ukraine. Additionally, if Iran manages to hit American fighter jets in a scenario of an attack on Iran - it's a big bonus for Russia and Putin.
Iran has been operationally operating S-300 air defense systems since 2019. The operational activation of the advanced batteries began after a long and protracted saga between the countries, after the initial deal was signed already in 2006. On April 19, less than a week after Iran's large attack against Israel - Israel attacked a radar system of an Iranian S-300 air defense battery, related to the regional defense of the Natanz nuclear facility. According to estimates, the purpose of the attack was symbolic - to signal to Iran that Israel can accurately hit quality targets. It's unclear if there's a connection between the air defense system hit in April and last night's report that Russia is supplying Iran with radar systems for air defense batteries.
In September 2023, Iran began receiving Russian Yak-130 training aircraft. Their transfer was approved as part of a broader transfer, which according to reports was supposed to include advanced Russian SU-35 fighter jets. According to the Reuters report on Shoigu's visit - Iran pressed him to expedite and advance the deal - which has been stuck for many long months.
Over recent years, Russia has also been assisting Iran in the field of military satellite launches into space. On February 28, Russia launched an Iranian satellite from the Vostochny space base in the Russian Far East. In 2022, Russia launched the Iranian Khayyam satellite into space.
Yesterday's meeting of Sergei Shoigu, Putin's advisor, with Iran's president and other senior officials, came exactly when General Michael Kurilla, commander of the U.S. Central Command, visited Israel and met with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and other senior officials. For many, the images from the two meetings told the whole story: The U.S. supports Israel - and Russia supports Iran. link
Personal Stories
The Office of Internal Oversight Services says it has completed its investigation into 19 UNRWA staff members alleged to have taken part in the attacks and concluded that in nine cases, “the evidence obtained by OIOS indicated that the UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the armed attacks of 7 October 2023.
Video showing an UNRWA worker driving a white UN jeep, and abducting the body of Jonathan Samerano, who was killed by Hamas terrorists on October 7. (Screenshot)
“The employment of these individuals will be terminated in the interests of the Agency,” it says.
In nine other cases the OIOS says the evidence of involvement was insufficient, while in one case there was no evidence.
Israel has alleged that hundreds of UNRWA employees have ties to terror groups in Gaza. In January UNRWA said it fired several staffers, after Israeli authorities provided information that pointed to their active participation in the October 7 terror onslaught.
The accusations led numerous countries to suspend their funding to the organizations, but many have since renewed it, citing the difficult humanitarian situation in the Strip.
In April, a review of UNRWA by an independent panel said Israel had yet to provide supporting evidence for its claims that a significant number of agency staff were members of terrorist organizations and argued that UNRWA had “robust” policies in place to ensure staff neutrality. link
Iran has in recent days been moving missile launchers and carrying out military exercises, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing unnamed US officials.
This may signal it is preparing to conduct an attack in the coming days, as widely reported is the case.
The report says US officials don’t know the extent of Hezbollah’s role in a potential Iranian response to the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, which came hours after the Lebanese terror group’s top military commander Fuad Shukr was killed in an Israeli attack in Beirut.
Several US personnel were injured in an attack against a military base in Iraq today, three US officials tell Reuters.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, say the suspected rocket attack took place at Al Asad airbase in Iraq, citing initial information which could change.
“Base personnel are conducting a post-attack damage assessment,” one of the officials adds.
Two Katyusha rockets were fired at the base in western Iraq, security sources say. One security source says the rockets fell inside the base.
The US is bracing for Iran to make good on its vow to respond to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh last week in Tehran – one in a series of killings of senior figures in the Palestinian terror group as the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza rages.
Putin Asked Iranian Leader Khamenei to Avoid Large-Scale Attack on Israel
The Pentagon is moving warships closer to Israel's shores in anticipation of an Iranian attack; A U.S. official: "We will defend Israel as we did in April" • Report: Russia is supplying Iran with air defense systems as part of the defense ahead of the Israeli response • The two images that told the whole story: The U.S. supports Israel – and Russia supports Iran
Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked Iranian leader Ali Khamenei that Iran's response to Israel for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh be measured and softened, Reuters reported today (Tuesday). According to the report, Putin requested that the attack not result in loss of life - and this was conveyed during yesterday's visit to Tehran by Sergei Shoigu, Putin's national security advisor.
Parallel to the Russian request to Iran, Moscow has recently begun supplying Iran with air defense systems in preparation for a possible war with Israel, according to a report in the New York Times last night. According to the report, Russia has recently been supplying Iran with radar systems and air defense equipment. The New York Times reported that this comes against the backdrop of reports in Iranian media that Tehran had directly asked Moscow for assistance in the field of air defense.
Shoigu, considered one of Putin's closest confidants, met last night with Iran's new president Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials. According to a report in Iranian media, Pezeshkian told Shoigu that "Israel will receive a response for the crime it committed." Until now, it has been reported that Iran refused requests from Middle Eastern and Western countries to soften the intensity of the attack against Israel, but it's possible that Putin's personal request will carry more weight in Tehran's considerations.
Late yesterday evening, Shoigu completed his visit to Iran and flew to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. According to various unconfirmed reports, he was asked to convey a warning message from Iran to Azerbaijan - not to allow Israel to carry out operations against Iran from its territory. Azerbaijan and Israel maintain diplomatic relations and extensive trade ties, and according to foreign publications, Israel has used Azerbaijan's territory in the past to carry out attacks inside Iran.
Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to prepare to defend Israel against the expected attack from Iran. An official U.S. source told the Wall Street Journal last night that the U.S. is "preparing to defend Israel as we did in the April attack."
Last night it was reported that two American warships, the USS Laboon and USS Cole, left the Gulf of Oman and arrived in the Red Sea area. The new deployment of ships in the Red Sea area, where there has recently been no presence of U.S. military vessels, may indicate preparation to intercept launches by the Houthis towards Israel. The two warships were identified last night in the central Red Sea, and may even move further towards Israel. Movement of American vessels is also recorded in the Mediterranean, and in the last day, a slight advance of the USS Wasp strike group towards the east was identified. It carries no less than 4,500 U.S. Marines, and about 30 aircraft and helicopters, including F-35 aircraft. The ship's last location showed it moving in the area of the island of Crete. Alongside it operate the warships USS Oak Hill and USS New York. Further east in the Mediterranean, in the area of Cyprus, the warships USS Roosevelt and USS Bulkeley are also operating.
The aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt continues to operate in the Gulf of Oman area, and with it are at least four additional American warships. The Roosevelt aircraft carrier has about 40 F-35 and F/A-18 fighter jets.
Towards direct war? Russia's security support for Iran
The report in the New York Times last night about the transfer of air defense systems from Russia to Iran is part of a broad security cooperation between the countries. Over recent years, relations between Moscow and Tehran have strengthened significantly in many areas, primarily mutual military assistance. Since September 2022, Iran has been supplying Russia with thousands of attack drones used to wreak havoc in Ukraine.
The fact that Russia is supplying air defense systems to Iran, or at least components and parts of them, has a particularly significant meaning today. For many long months, Ukraine has been greatly increasing its air strikes on Russian territory, even at large ranges close to 2,000 km. As a result, the deployment of Russia's air defense systems on its territory is probably close to the possible maximum. If even in such a situation Russia chooses to support Iran in the field of air defense - one can deduce how much Moscow desires Iran's well-being. This can be explained by Russia's desire to help Iran possibly deal with a potential U.S. attack, Russia's great enemy. In general, the assessment is that Russia has a clear interest in prolonging and maintaining the war in the Middle East in any possible form and scope - in order to divert Washington's attention from the war in Ukraine. Additionally, if Iran manages to hit American fighter jets in a scenario of an attack on Iran - it's a big bonus for Russia and Putin.
Iran has been operationally operating S-300 air defense systems since 2019. The operational activation of the advanced batteries began after a long and protracted saga between the countries, after the initial deal was signed already in 2006. On April 19, less than a week after Iran's large attack against Israel - Israel attacked a radar system of an Iranian S-300 air defense battery, related to the regional defense of the Natanz nuclear facility. According to estimates, the purpose of the attack was symbolic - to signal to Iran that Israel can accurately hit quality targets. It's unclear if there's a connection between the air defense system hit in April and last night's report that Russia is supplying Iran with radar systems for air defense batteries.
In September 2023, Iran began receiving Russian Yak-130 training aircraft. Their transfer was approved as part of a broader transfer, which according to reports was supposed to include advanced Russian SU-35 fighter jets. According to the Reuters report on Shoigu's visit - Iran pressed him to expedite and advance the deal - which has been stuck for many long months.
Over recent years, Russia has also been assisting Iran in the field of military satellite launches into space. On February 28, Russia launched an Iranian satellite from the Vostochny space base in the Russian Far East. In 2022, Russia launched the Iranian Khayyam satellite into space.
Yesterday's meeting of Sergei Shoigu, Putin's advisor, with Iran's president and other senior officials, came exactly when General Michael Kurilla, commander of the U.S. Central Command, visited Israel and met with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and other senior officials. For many, the images from the two meetings told the whole story: The U.S. supports Israel - and Russia supports Iran. link
Acronyms and Glossary
ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague
IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague
MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp
PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen
PMO- Prime Minister's Office
UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission
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