🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 627, 2023 - June 24, 2025 🎗️
🎗️Day 627 that 50 of our hostages are still in Hamas captivity🎗️
Hostage forum: ‘Ending Iran op without using it to return the hostages would be grave diplomatic failure’
Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, speaks at a protest outside the Likud headquarters in Tel Aviv along with other relatives of the Gaza captives, on June 9, 2025. (Erik Marmor/Flash90)The Hostage and Missing Families Forum says that ending the military operation against Iran without taking the opportunity to secure the release of the hostages held in Gaza would be a “grave diplomatic failure.”
“The ceasefire agreement must expand to include Gaza; we call on the government to hold snap talks that will lead to the return of all the hostages and an end to the war. Those can bring about a ceasefire with Iran can also end the war in Gaza,” the forum says.
“After 12 days and nights in which the Israeli people could not sleep because of Iran, we can finally go back to not sleeping because of the hostages,” the forum says.
“Ending the operation in Iran without using it to return all the hostages would be a grave diplomatic failure,” the forum says.
Terror groups in the Gaza Strip are holding 50 hostages, including 49 of the 251 abducted by Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023. They include the bodies of at least 28 confirmed dead by the IDF. Twenty are believed to be alive and there are grave concerns for the well-being of two others, Israeli officials have said. Hamas is also holding the body of an IDF soldier killed in Gaza in 2014. link This ceasefire as well as the ceasefires with Lebanon and Syria is the strongest proof that the war in Gaza could be ended easily and all the hostages brought home. Why is it that we can reach a ceasefire with Hizbollah and now with the Mother of the Axis of Evil within a matter of days after beginning a war with them, and we can't reach a similar situation with this small piece of real estate to our south? It is all a matter of political survival for the one person who makes these decisions, Netanyahu. This war with Iran and the ceasefire may indeed provide the impetus for Netanyahu to declare total victory in Gaza and make a deal to bring home all the hostages. This decision will only be made together with his decision to go to early and snap elections when he is feeling stronger politically than he has felt for the last 20 months since the disaster of October 7 for which he is primarily responsible yet shirks all responsibility. Netanyahu has absolutely refused to end the war in Gaza for his own personal political self-interests. We may have reached the fulcrum where his personal interests intersect with the needs of the nation and we will see the hostages come home soon, something that was within his power to do for the last 20 months.
- Now it is time to complete the deal with Hamas.
Just as President Trump told both sides - Iran and Israel - that the war is over, now he needs to tell Israel and Hamas that the war is over. Just as Trump told Iran that they will never have nuclear weapons, he needs to tell Hamas that they will never rule Gaza again. For the sake of the Palestinian people, Hamas needs to lay down their weapons and release the hostages (Israel will release Palestinian prisoners as well) - those Hamas combatants and leaders in Gaza who want to exit may do so safely with their families - Turkey and Qatar are the best places for them to go. The Palestinian Authority President needs to appoint a legitimate person to form a temporary government for Gaza (without Hamas) until the Palestinians can hold elections. President Trump should encourage Egypt, Jordan, the UAE and Saudi to offer to send a temporary security presence to Gaza that would deploy and work with a Palestinian security force to establish law and order coordinated with Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Twenty months of war in Gaza is far too much already. Now is the time for it to end.(Gershon Baskin, June 24, 2025). - Qatari PM says he hopes Israel, Hamas will restart hostage-ceasefire talks in coming days
Qatar’s prime minister says that he hopes indirect talks will be held in the coming days between Israel and Hamas as part of a renewed push to reach a hostage-ceasefire deal.
“Regarding the Gaza talks, discussions are ongoing with both the Israeli side and Hamas in an effort to reach an agreement based on the American draft,” says Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, without giving details on what the proposal involves.
“We had achieved a lot in the past, but the Israeli escalation against Iran disrupted the process. However, we are still continuing our efforts, inshallah, and we are trying to find an opportunity in the next day or two for indirect talks between the sides to reach an agreement,” he says.
There is no immediate comment from the Prime Minister’s Office.
The war in Gaza was sparked by the Hamas onslaught on October 7, 2023, in which thousands of terrorists killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.
Terror groups in the Gaza Strip are holding 50 hostages, including 49 of the 251 abducted by Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023. They include the bodies of at least 28 confirmed dead by the IDF. Twenty are believed to be alive and there are grave concerns for the well-being of two others, Israeli officials have said. Hamas is also holding the body of an IDF soldier killed in Gaza in 2014.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 53,000 people in the Strip have been killed or are presumed dead in the fighting so far, though the toll cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israel says it has killed some 20,000 combatants in battle as of January and another 1,600 terrorists inside Israel during the October 7 onslaught. link
I don’t trust either Trump or a Netanyahu. Both are self interested megalomaniacs. However, Trump is the only person, other than Netanyahu’s wife who could force him to end the war in Gaza and bring the hostages home. Since the last hostage deal, it became a very low priority issue for Trump. Now, however with the damage done to Iran and the ceasefire, it is likely they will return in earnest into the negotiating table. As a result, hopefully Trump, together with his congratulating himself on the ceasefire, will out the war in Gaza and the hostages back on the front burner. If Trump will put someone other than Steve Witkoff to head the renewed negotiations with Iran, Witkoff could rerun to the hostage issue and hopefully be empowered to put a full court press on Netanyahu to end the war in the same way that he forced him to accept the previous hostage deal. Opposition party heads Lapid, Golan call for end to fighting after announcement of Iran ceasefire
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid and The Democrats chairman Yair Golan both call for an end to fighting in Gaza, following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
“And now Gaza. It’s time to [finish] there too. Return the hostages, end the war. Israel needs to start rebuilding,” Lapid says in a statement.
“The campaign against Iran ended with a clear security achievement, which would not have been possible if Israel were not a democratic, strong, and united state. The ceasefire agreement must now be scrutinized: Does it prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and what sanctions, including renewed fighting, will be imposed if it is violated,” Golan posts on X.
“And now is the time to complete the mission: Return all the hostages, end the war in Gaza, and stop once and for all the coup that threatens to make Israel weak, divided, and vulnerable,” Golan says.
- Ex-hostage Eli Sharabi’s autobiography sets Israeli record for fastest-selling book
Released hostage Eli Sharabi, speaking during an online ceremony on Monday to receive the Golden Book Award for breaking the Israeli record for the fastest-selling book with his recent autobiography, “Hostage,” says that books and language can be tools for survival.
Sharabi, who was released from Hamas captivity four months ago, tells about being held captive for months with Alon Ohel, Eliya Cohen and Or Levy, and how they taught Cohen how to speak and read English during that time by reading the only book they had, a novel by American author Leigh Bardugo.
“We taught Eliya English and he read the book a few times, he learned English in captivity,” says Sharabi. “It shows how much our survival mattered.”
Sharabi, 52, was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, during the Hamas onslaught. His wife Lianne and daughters Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13, were murdered. His brother Yossi was also kidnapped and murdered by his captors, who still hold his body.
Sharabi was held in Hamas captivity for 491 days and was released on February 8 as part of a temporary ceasefire deal brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the US.
“Hostage,” published by Sella Meir Publishing House, was written over two months and is the first memoir published by a released hostage. Sharabi says that he wrote the book quickly in order to tell his story, and in the hopes it would help those still held hostage.
“I wrote it to show how much you can choose the cards in your hand, you can make the choice to live and how to live,” says Sharabi, speaking from London where he and his brother Sharon have been stranded since their flight home to Israel was diverted due to the conflict with Iran.
Sharabi says he wrote the book to describe the experience of captivity so readers would understand what he and other hostages experienced and what is still happening to hostages still in Hamas captivity, which includes Alon Ohel, 23, who was left behind when his three cellmates were released.
“I can’t stop thinking about them and acting for them, so that they come home, and they will,” says Sharabi.
Sharabi thanks the Israeli public for reading the book, which sold 20,000 copies in one week, and which will be translated into other languages in order to reach a wide a public as possible.
“Books — more than films, TV series or plays — are able to relate the true circumstances of a situation,” says Sharabi.
- From Einav Tzengauker's Twitter:
The 12-day war ended with astounding military achievements and painful costs for the Israeli home front.
**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.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית
As everyone knows, a ceasefire went into effect sometime aftet 7AM Israel time. Less than 3 hours later, Iran launched a missile attack to our north and both missiles were intercepted. This was a number of hours after there was a direct missile hit in Beersheva killing 5 people in their homes.
Without any real consideration and thoughtful planning, our idiot Defense Minister with support of our criminally indicted prime minister gave the order to attack Iran and sent our fighter jets to make a major attack on multiple important targets in Tehran. With the jets on the way, Trump called Netanyahu and told him to call off tthe attack.
As a result, a single radar sight in North Tehran was attacked and all the jets returned home. It was symbolic and low priority target meant to sent a message. Hopefully, the ceasefire will hold and the major parties will be back at the negotiating table ASAP.
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*1:35am - north - drone intrusion
*5:15am - country wide alert - ballistic missiles from Iran less than 2 hours before the ceasefire begins- 1 intercepted in the north and 1 intercepted in the south
*5:35am - country wide alert right after announcement of event end from previous small barrage - secondary barrage of 3 ballistic missiles - direct impact on 7 story building in Beersheva - major damage - 3 critically wounded declared dead, 8 others injured
2 hours after direct hit in Beersheva, another woman found killed in the destruction and body has been retrieved bringing total of killed to 4 so far. Another body was pulled from the rubble bringing the death toll to 5. At least 4 of the 5 were actually in their safe rooms. The missile was a direct hit on the wall of 2 adjoining apartments' safe rooms which caused the safe rooms to cave in and kill the 4. Other neighbors in the rest of the safe rooms were all safe.
*6:35am - 4th country wide alert - ballistic missiles from Iran
*6:55am - 5th alert, this in the north - ballistic missiles from Iran- missiles intercepted
*7:15am - 6th alert to Sharon area
*7:35am - north - drone shot down in Golan, another 3 shot down before reaching Israeli space - drones take about 12 hours to reach Israel from Iran
*10:40am - north - 2 ballistic missiles from Iran - intercepted, no reports of injuries or damage. this is 3 hours into the ceasefire and an obvious breach of the ceasefire. This is a dangerous situation that could reignite the war before it has a chance to end.
The 627-day war is galloping toward an endless war.
The families of the hostages hang between despair and hope.
A comprehensive agreement to return all the hostages and end the war—this is the imperative of the hour, this is Israel's interest.
The absolute victory is the return of the living and the fallen—now!
The Book of Chronicles is being written right now,
but one chapter is missing—
the chapter of October 7th.
@netanyahu
It's up to you 🙏
**Hot News**: Michael Shemesh: Netanyahu's Update on the Ceasefire in the Cabinet:
During a cabinet meeting that lasted until nearly 2:00 AM, the Prime Minister briefed ministers on agreements reached regarding a ceasefire with Iran. During the meeting, Netanyahu revealed details about an earlier conversation he had with U.S. President Donald Trump, which led to progress in the matter. The PM asked ministers to maintain media silence and wait for the situation on the ground to become clearer. The cabinet was not asked to vote or approve the move—the decision was made in advance by Netanyahu in consultation with senior security officials. link This, unfortunately is just more proof that we are living under an authoritarian prime minister. By law, Netanyahu doesn't have the authority to do most of what he has done throughout this very long war but as long as his cabinet of self-interested lackeys go along with it, he has all the power. Never before in our history has any other prime minister grabbed the amount of power that Netanyahu has and been allowed to continue in this manner. It has been a growing danger for years and this war starting on October 7 has made it all too evident that Netanyahu is a danger to us all.
Ceasefire announced, confirmed by Iran, not yet by Israel although official announcement expected. Likely to be dramatic announcement by Netanyahu praising his BFF Trump and himself for 'his' successes in the war.
7:40am - From reporter on N12, statement:It would have been fitting for Israeli citizens to receive an update this morning from Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Is there a ceasefire? Is there no ceasefire?
Why must we once again rely on statements from our enemies?
Israeli citizens wake up in the morning and hear the Iranian Foreign Minister, but on our side—silence.
With all due respect to Trump, we have a prime minister.
Waiting for an update.
(Almog Boker)
From Michael Shemesh, the well respected political reporter of Channel 11 Kan News in Israel:
*Hot News*: Michael Shemesh: “Netanyahu's Update on the Ceasefire in the Cabinet:
During a cabinet meeting that lasted until nearly 2:00 AM, the Prime Minister briefed ministers on agreements reached ahead of a ceasefire with Iran. During the meeting, Netanyahu revealed details about an earlier conversation he had with U.S. President Donald Trump, which led to progress in the matter. The PM asked ministers to maintain media silence and wait for the situation on the ground to become clearer. The cabinet was not asked to vote on or approve the move—the decision was made in advance by Netanyahu in consultation with senior security officials.”
While it is not new, Netanyahu has become the de facto autocratic leader of Israel because all those around him including his cabinet has allowed and encouraged this to happen. Throughout the war in Gaza and the continuing hostage crisis, he is the unilateral decision maker. The only times that he has brought things to a vote, either in the security cabinet or the wide cabinet, is when he wants something to be voted against to provide him with the ability to tell our allies (particularly the US) that it’s out of his hands. He states that that it is a decision by the ‘democratically’ elected government. That makes it difficult for the ally to speak against the decision since it is looked down upon to speak or act against the decision of a democratically elected government. When it is only the decision of the autocrat, they can discuss, criticize and act against that decision.
Finally, 2 hours after the start of the ceasefire, the government finally makes an announcement (unbelievable that we have to hear the announcements from our enemy long before we hear from our own government):
**Statement from the Government of Israel:**
Last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the Cabinet along with the Defense Minister, the IDF Chief of Staff, and the Mossad Director to report that Israel has achieved all the objectives of *Operation "With the Strength of a Lion"*—and even far beyond.
Israel has eliminated an immediate dual existential threat—both in the nuclear and ballistic missile domains.
Additionally, the IDF has established complete air superiority over the skies of Tehran, dealt a severe blow to the military leadership, and destroyed dozens of key regime targets in Iran.
Even in the past 24 hours, the IDF struck critical government targets in the heart of Tehran, eliminated hundreds of Basij operatives—the enforcers of the terror regime—and assassinated another senior nuclear scientist.
Israel thanks President Trump and the United States for their support in our defense and for their role in removing the Iranian nuclear threat.
Following the successful completion of the operation’s objectives, and in full coordination with President Trump, Israel has agreed to the President’s proposal for a bilateral ceasefire.
**Israel will respond with force to any violation of the ceasefire.**
Israeli citizens must continue adhering to Home Front Command instructions until the ceasefire is fully confirmed.
Our hearts are with the families who lost their loved ones, and we send our wishes for a full recovery to the wounded.
In *Operation "With the Strength of a Lion,"* the State of Israel has achieved historic, monumental victories and positioned itself alongside the world's great powers.
This is a tremendous success for the people of Israel and its warriors, who have removed the two existential threats to our nation and ensured the eternity of Israel.
The Prime Minister will issue a statement later today.
Trump told Netanyahu in ‘exceptionally firm’ terms not to retaliate against Iran’s missile fire
—❗️🇮🇷☢️ Dr. Jeffrey Lewis, Professor at Middlebury Institute & Staff at James Martin Center of Non-Proliferation Studies:
'Why am I so unimpressed by these strikes? Israel and the U.S. have failed to target significant elements of Iran's nuclear materials and production infrastructure. RISING LION and MIDNIGHT HAMMER are tactically brilliant, but may turn out to be strategic failures.
Netanyahu's justification for conducting this strike was that 'Iran has produced enough highly enriched uranium for nine atom bombs — nine.' He refers to Iran's stockpile of ~400 kg of 60% U-235 which, if further enriched, would be enough for 9-10 weapons. Let's consider.
The 400kg of HEU was largely stored in underground tunnels near the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility. Despite extensive Israeli and U.S. attacks on the facility, there does not seem to have been any effort to destroy these tunnels or the material that was in them.
No one even knows where the HEU is now! Rafael Grossi says Iran moved it. Marco Rubio says 'nothing can move' in Iran. But trucks are moving in Iran. Trucks and heavy equipment showed up at least two days ago to seal the tunnels to protect them, and there is visual evidence of this. Trucks also showed up at the Fordow FEP the day before the strike, possibly to relocate sensitive equipment, and certainly to cover those entrances with dirt. Iran just isn't a no-drive zone at the moment.
To be fair, some in the Trump admin do acknowledge Iran still has the enriched material. J.D. Vance says they're going to 'have conversations with the Iranians about' it. 🙃
The talking point is that the U.S. has knocked out Iran's ability to further enrich it and convert it to metal, so 'its fine'.
IT'S NOT FINE. Yes, the strikes on the enrichment plants at Qom (Fordow FEP) and Natanz (PFEP and FEP) appear successful. But there has been no effort to strike the enormous underground facility next to Natanz where Iran can make more centrifuges and maybe do other things.
In 2022, Iran moved a centrifuge production line to the heart of the mountain there. This facility is huge — we estimated 10,000 m2 or more — and we don't really know what else it might house (like enrichment or conversion).
Also, Iran recently announced a 'new enrichment facility in a secure location' and told the IAEA it was ready to start installing centrifuges. The IAEA was set to inspect the facility, near Isfahan, before the bombing. It hasn't been bombed AFAIK.
This means Iran has retained 400 kg of 60% HEU, the ability to manufacture centrifuges, and one, possibly two underground enrichment sites. That is also to say nothing of possible secret sites, which opponents of the JCPOA used to invoke all the freaking time.
Let's say Iran decides to rush a bomb. Iran can install ~1.5 cascades a week. In six weeks, it could have 9 cascades of IR-6 machines. It would take those machines about 60 days to enrich all 400 kg to WGU. Altogether that's about five months although IMMV.
RISING LION and MIDNIGHT HAMMER have not slowed the Iranian program nearly as much as the JCPOA. We hold diplomacy to much higher standards than bombing.
The same people who endlessly complained about the JCPOA 'sunsetting' are now happy to delay Iran's bomb by much less. The real purpose was always regime change.'
@Middle_East_Spectator
At missile impact site, PM says efforts underway for swift aid and rebuilding
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site of an Iranian missile impact in Rishon Lezion earlier today, where he met with residents whose homes were damaged by the attack, says the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement.
“We’re making a tremendous effort, first and foremost to help generously in every way we can—and most importantly, to cut through bureaucracy quickly, so that we can begin rebuilding here in full glory,” Netanyahu said at the site, according to the PMO.
The premier praised the residents and local officials, calling them “the pride of Israel and a model among the nations,” the PMO adds. link As the singer Bill Horowitz wrote in his song in 1975 "Lies, Lies, Lies". Netanyahu never stops lying, even when talking to people who just survived a missile attack and their homes have been destroyed. This dysfunctional government has allocated 500 shekels/per day for a family who is now displaced due to their home being destroyed or unlivable. That is $142 for a family. They are supposed to initially go to a hotel within this $142. And to add insult to injury, no one has begun receiving this pitiful amount because the finance ministry headed by the totally unqualified finance minister, Smotrich has not released any money. Netanyahu talks and talks and promises and promises and has no follow up or even care about follow up, and who suffers? The people most needed this aid but these failed politicians don't give a damn. "Lies, Lies, Lies"
Tax authority compensation fund receives 36,465 claims since start of Iran war
The Israel Tax Authority’s compensation fund has received 36,465 claims since the beginning of the war against Iran.
The vast majority of claims are requesting compensation for damage done to homes, followed by vehicles and other property.
It is estimated that there are thousands more homes that have been damaged for which no claims have yet been filed.
The Federation of Local Authorities says 10,996 people have been evacuated from their homes to hotels. It estimates that an additional 4,000 have moved in with friends and relatives.
- Police arrest 3 Bat Yam residents for barring people from shelters during Iran attacks
Police say they have arrested three Bat Yam residents for blocking people from entering shelters during Iranian missile attacks. All three were brought in for questioning at the Bat Yam police station, law enforcement says.
One of the suspects detained had allegedly blocked a woman and her elderly parents from entering an apartment building’s shelter because they didn’t reside in the complex.
Police also arrested a man who reportedly attacked a woman after she tried to bring her dog and cat into a public shelter the evening of June 14. She was hospitalized with a broken nose.
The woman filed a complaint against the man and his son, who had also joined in the beating, according to a Channel 12 report.
Preventing someone from taking cover in a shelter is a criminal offense, punishable with a year of jail time or a fine. Many such incidents have been reported across the country since the outbreak of war with Iran 11 days ago.
Yesterday, an Arab Israeli resident of Haifa told the city’s local 107.5FM radio station that she was blocked from taking cover in a public shelter in a Haredi-majority neighborhood, during a daytime missile barrage that interrupted her morning commute to work.
She stopped her car in the middle of the road and followed a crowd of people running toward a shelter in a nearby building, she said, but was denied entry by a resident near the door, and she remained outside as the sirens blared.
Police similarly detained a resident of Petah Tikva on Friday, after he was caught on film denying someone entry to a shelter while dressed in a phony sheriff’s costume, consisting of a vest and baseball cap, Hebrew outlets reported last week. link. I sincerely hope that the court imposes a very strong penalty; if it's a fine, it must be substantial for them to truly feel the pain, or jail time. This behavior cannot be acceptable by anyone. What they did was to put other people lives at risk and could have indeed cost people their lives. It must be taken very seriously.
- IDF says it has been intercepting dozens of Iranian drones using electronic warfare means
The Israeli military reveals that it has intercepted dozens of Iranian drones using electronic warfare means since the beginning of the war with Iran.
Troops of the 5114th Spectrum Battalion, part of the IDF’s Computer Service Directorate, “have played a significant role in the mission to defend against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran toward the State of Israel,” the military says.
In recent days, the IDF says the unit foiled dozens of attempts by Iran to carry out UAV attacks on Israel, using “advanced technological tools for the real-time detection and neutralization of aerial threats.”
“Their activity provides an additional layer of defense,” the IDF says.
Iran has launched more than 1,000 drones at Israel during the war, with the vast majority of them being intercepted by the Israeli Air Force and Navy. One drone hit a home in Beit She’an over the weekend.
Israel said to convey message to Iran it is looking to end war within days
After Sunday’s US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Israel is looking to end its bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing Israeli and Arab officials.
According to Channel 12, Israel believes it will reach its military objectives for Operation Rising Lion — removing the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile threat from Israel — in the next few days.
Arab officials tell The Journal that the US has told Arab partners to pass the message to Iran that Israel is looking to wrap up the operation soon. However, according to the officials, Iran still feels it has to respond to US strikes on Sunday.
Yesterday, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel that Jerusalem is willing to end the bombing campaign if Iran agrees to dismantle its nuclear program. “It depends on Iran, not on us,” says the official. “We are happy to wrap it up now; if there’s an agreement at the end, Israel will be content with the result.”
There are two options for ending the campaign itself, reports Channel 12: Israel can unilaterally declare it has achieved its war aims, and Iran ends its missile strikes; or the US announces that both sides have agreed to a ceasefire, something Israel sees as less desirable.
If Iran does not stop firing at Israel, Walla notes, Israel will intensify its strikes with a focus on undermining the regime. Today’s strikes on regime targets in the heart of Tehran were meant to preview what Israel may do if Iran doesn’t agree to stop firing at Israel, according to the outlet.
Citing security sources, Walla reports that Israel believes Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is the main obstacle to Iran agreeing to end the fighting.
Israeli officials tell The Journal that they hope the American and Israeli strikes will push Iran back to the negotiating table, where it will ultimately accept an end to its nuclear program. If Israel determines that Tehran is trying to rebuild it, the Israeli officials add, it will send the air force in to strike again.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was very close to achieving its goals in Iran, having inflicted significant damage both to the ballistic missile program and nuclear facilities.
He promised not to let Israel be dragged into a “war of attrition” with the Islamic Republic, but stressed that this did not mean he would be prepared to end the campaign before all its objectives had been met. link The Israeli airforce has successfully destroyed so much of the military infrastructure that Iran is using against us directly or through their proxies, such as missile and drone factories, missile launchers and drones, fighter jets, anti aircraft defenses and done major damages and more to nuclear plants. Even after the American attack that targeted 3 of their major nuclear plants. However, Netanyahu's statements of achieving the war goals of destroying Iran's nuclear program is one of his biggest lies. It is widely known that Iran moved their enriched uranium from the nuclear plants that were bombed. Yes, we have killed many of the most senior Iranian nuclear scientists but the knowledge of nuclear production and enrichment is still there. It was not only in the heads of the nuclear scientists but on multiple computers with plenty of other scientists who can take their place. Even if they need to bring nuclear scientists from outside of Iran, there is no shortage of the expert scientists in nuclear countries, Russia, North Korea and Pakistan who are all close allies to Iran. The nuclear experts have stated very clearly that the Iranian nuclear program can be revitalized and brought to this same level in less than a year. All of this destruction on both sides, the loss of lives, the costs to all sides, the only real way to achieve any goals is strictly through diplomatic means. Netanyahu has no capacity to reach a diplomatic solution. It has to come from the US and the European countries. Netanyahu, with his bravado and unending hubris convinced Trump in his first administration to leave the agreement that was signed during the Obama administration. It basically guaranteed the postponement of any military nuclear program by 10-15 years. Leaving the agreement in fact expedited the Iranian nuclear program. Thank you Netanyahu. You single handedly brought us another disaster that you now paint as a great success. DISGRACEFUL!
Holocaust survivor killed in Iranian missile strike on Petah Tikva last week
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it distributed 34,000 boxes of food at three sites
The US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it distributed nearly 34,000 boxes of food at three distribution sites today in southern and central Gaza.
GHF says its boxes contain enough food for 5.5 people for 3.5 days, but the contents are dry food products that need to be prepared elsewhere in war-ravaged Gaza, where community kitchens and cooking supplies are limited.
Meanwhile, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announces that 75 humanitarian aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Sunday. About half of those trucks were filled with GHF food boxes.
An average of fewer than 60 trucks of aid have entered Gaza each day since Israel lifted its blockade on May 19 after 78 days. The amount of aid falls well below what aid groups say is required to address the need in Gaza.
- IDF says it demolished 2.5 km of Hamas tunnels in north Gaza operations
The IDF says it demolished 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) of Hamas tunnels in the Kafr Jabalia area in the northern Gaza Strip during recent operations. It publishes footage of the demolition. video of blowing up the tunnel
- 21 killed by Israeli fire near Gaza aid distribution site, say Hamas-run authorities; no comment from IDF
Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense agency says Israeli forces killed 21 people waiting for aid near a distribution site in the center of the Strip.
There is no comment from the Israel Defense Forces.
It is unclear at what time the reported shooting near the aid site took place. Earlier this month, the IDF warned Palestinians not to approach routes leading to Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. local time, describing these roads as closed military zones. However, the GHF has indicated it may be open during those hours.
The GHF has faced heavy scrutiny from other aid bodies, as well as the UN and foreign countries, which say that it does not sufficiently address the humanitarian needs in the war-torn Palestinian enclave.
Critics have also accused GHF of putting aid seekers in harm’s way, with operations beset by deadly incidents on a near-daily basis.
Israel says the mechanism is required to keep aid out of the hands of Hamas.
Ivette Shmilovitz, 95, was killed by a shock wave caused by impact on apartment building in central Israeli city
Ivette Shmilovitz, 95, a Holocaust survivor who was killed by an Iranian missile in Petah Tikva on June 17, 2025. (Social media, used in accordance with clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
May her memory be a revolution
A Holocaust survivor was killed by an Iranian missile last week in Petah Tikva, Hebrew media reported on Monday.
Ivette Shmilovitz, 95, whose name was released for publication on Monday, was one of four people killed in the missile strike on the central Israeli city last Monday.
According to Ynet, Shmilovitz is survived by three granddaughters and four great-grandchildren, and her funeral will take place on Tuesday at the Segula Cemetery.
Ivette Shmilovitz, 95, a Holocaust survivor who was killed by an Iranian missile in Petah Tikva on June 17, 2025. (Social media, used in accordance with clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
May her memory be a revolution
A Holocaust survivor was killed by an Iranian missile last week in Petah Tikva, Hebrew media reported on Monday.
Ivette Shmilovitz, 95, whose name was released for publication on Monday, was one of four people killed in the missile strike on the central Israeli city last Monday.
According to Ynet, Shmilovitz is survived by three granddaughters and four great-grandchildren, and her funeral will take place on Tuesday at the Segula Cemetery.
The other victims of the attack were named as Yaakov and Hadassah Belo, both 77, and Daisy Yitzhaki, 85.
Shmilovitz was in a building next to the one that was directly hit and was killed by the shockwave.
Yaakov and Hadassah Belo were sheltering in their safe room when a missile with a large explosive warhead slammed into their 20-story apartment building, impacting a wall right between two safe rooms, which were unable to withstand the intensity of the blast.
Top (L-R): Yaakov and Hadassah Belo, Uri Levy; Bottom (L-R): Daisy Yitzhaki, Dani Avraham, Igor Fradkin. All were killed in Iranian ballistic missile strikes on Petah Tikva and Haifa on June 16, 2025. (Social media, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
The strikes have come in retaliation to Israel’s sweeping assault on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile program. Israel says the campaign is necessary to prevent the Islamic Republic from realizing its avowed plan to destroy the Jewish state.
Iran, which avowedly seeks Israel’s destruction, has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. However, it has enriched uranium to levels that have no peaceful application, has obstructed international inspectors from checking its nuclear facilities, and expanded its ballistic missile capabilities. Israel says Iran has recently taken steps toward weaponization. link
Gaza and the South
IDF confirms carrying out strikes against Hezbollah military sites north of Litani
The IDF confirms carrying out strikes in Lebanon a short while ago, saying it targeted Hezbollah military sites north of the Litani River.
The sites included rocket launchers and weapon depots, according to the IDF.
“The presence of weapons and Hezbollah’s activity constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the military adds. video
Lebanese media: 3 killed in IDF strike in southern Lebanon
The Lebanese Ministry of Health announces that three people were killed in an Israeli strike near the village of Kfardajal in the Nabatieh region of southern Lebanon.
Earlier, reports from Lebanon indicated that an Israeli drone had targeted a car in the area.
There is no comment from the Israel Defense Forces.
- Germany against suspending EU deal with Israel, official says
Germany does not support calls to suspend a pact governing Israel’s relations with the European Union, a German government official says, highlighting divisions within the bloc.
There has been deepening concern in European capitals in recent months about Israel’s military operations in Gaza and the humanitarian situation in the enclave.
Spain’s foreign minister said earlier today he would ask the EU council to approve an immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association agreement in protest over what he called human rights violations in Gaza.
The bloc’s diplomatic service also said on Friday that Israel may have breached its human rights obligations in Gaza and the West Bank under the deal. Israel rejected that report as a “moral and methodological failure.”
“Our position is very clear — we do not support either a suspension or a partial suspension,” the official says at a German government briefing.
As such an upcoming EU summit will involve intense discussions about Iran and Israel but is unlikely to result in any decisions, the official says.
Germany has long followed a policy of special responsibility for Israel, known as the Staatsraeson, due to the legacy of the Nazi Holocaust, and been much slower during the current conflict to criticize Israel for its conduct than other EU states have been.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says she will discuss with Israel a review conducted by the EU’s diplomatic service regarding Jerusalem’s human rights obligations.
The EU’s diplomatic service said on Friday there were indications Israel had breached its human rights obligations under the terms of a pact governing its ties with the bloc.
“I will now address the results of the review with Israel,” says Kallas at a news conference.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry has blasted the EU report as a “moral and methodological failure.”
- Personal Stories
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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