πŸŽ—️Lonny's War Update- October 628, 2023 - June 25, 2025 πŸŽ—️

 πŸŽ—️Day 628 that 50 of our hostages are still in Hamas captivityπŸŽ—️

    **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

    There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!
    ‎ΧΧ™ΧŸ Χ Χ¦Χ—Χ•ΧŸ Χ’Χ“ Χ©Χ›Χœ Χ”Χ—Χ˜Χ•Χ€Χ™Χ Χ‘Χ‘Χ™Χͺ

    Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements

    *


    Seven Israeli soldiers killed after armored vehicle hit by explosive in southern Gaza
    Shahar Manoav, Shahar Manoav, Maayan Baruch Pearlstein, Ronen Shapiro, Shai Yashinovski and Ronel Ben-Moshe
    (Photo: IDF) Seven Israeli soldiers were killed during fighting in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday, after an armored vehicle they were in was hit by an explosive device.
    MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A REVOLUTION
    Six of the slain soldiers are named as: Lt. Matan Shai Yashinovski, 21, from Kfar Yona. Staff Sgt. Ronel Ben-Moshe, 20, from Rehovot. Staff Sgt. Niv Radia, 20, from Elyakhin. Sgt. Ronen Shapiro, 19, from Mazkeret Batya. Sgt. Shahar Manoav, 21, from Ashkelon. Sgt. Maayan Baruch Pearlstein, 20, from Eshhar. The name of the seventh soldier is expected to be released in the coming hours. They all served with the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion. According to an initial IDF probe, a Palestinian terror operative planted a bomb on the Puma armored combat engineering vehicle the soldiers were in while they were driving in Khan Younis. The blast set the CEV on fire, and efforts to extinguish it were unsuccessful. All the soldiers inside perished in the blaze. The burnt remains of the CEV were later towed out of Gaza. In a separate incident in the Khan Younis area, two soldiers of the 605th Battalion were wounded, one seriously and one lightly, by RPG fire.

    IDF names 7th soldier killed yesterday when armored vehicle hit by explosive in south Gaza

    Staff Sgt. Alon Davidov killed in the Gaza Strip on June 24, 2025 (IDF)
    MAY HIS MEMORY BE A REVOLUTION

    The Israel Defense Forces names the seventh soldier killed during fighting in Gaza yesterday as Staff Sgt. Alon Davidov, 21, from Kiryat Yam.

    Davidov and the six other soldiers named earlier this morning were killed in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday, when an armored vehicle they were in was hit by an explosive device.

    They all served with the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion. Davidov served as a medic.

    According to an initial IDF probe, a Palestinian terror operative planted a bomb on the solders’ Puma armored combat engineering vehicle while they were driving in Khan Younis.

    The blast set the vehicle on fire, and efforts to extinguish it were unsuccessful. All the soldiers inside perished in the blaze.

    Another 7 Israeli soldiers are killed in Gaza - for what?
    As long as there are Israeli soldiers on the ground in Gaza, Hamas has targets to kill.  Hamas is broken, they have no remaining army, their ability to resupply weapons including weapons does not exist. Hamas can no longer effectively govern Gaza - the people of Gaza don't want Hamas there any more.  But as long as there are Israeli soldiers on the ground, the remaining armed Hamas fighters can kill them, and they will continue to try to kill as many as possible. Israel continues to kill up to 100 Palestinians in Gaza on most days - most of them are non-combatants -non-Hamas - most are innocent civilians struggling to survive. Gazans have a daily struggle to survive - the bring the next bottle of war, the next meal to their families. Israel's war in Gaza has been for a long time the war to save Netanyahu's political life and his coalition. Netanyahu gained some life-line from the war in Iran. I predict that it will not hold - his failures and those of his government will come to the surface once again very quickly. 
    This war must end now. Yesterday we saw the total dependence of Israel on the US with President Trump demanding that Netanyahu order the war planes to make a u-turn and return before bombing Iran once again. Trump ordered Netanyahu to end the war and Netanyahu immediately complied.  Trump can force Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza as well. Hamas is ready for a deal that will release all 50 Israeli hostages on the condition that it ends the war. Hamas will give up governance in Gaza - it wrote that to me in Arabic and English back in September 2024. Whoever will govern Gaza from the Palestinian side will have to disarm Hamas, because there will not be one dollar of money from anyone to begin to rebuild Gaza if Hamas continues to be a military threat. Some of the Arab countries are prepared to send troops to Gaza to assist the new Palestinian Gaza government to create law and order, on the condition that Israel withdraws, the war is officially over and Hamas is no longer in charge. That is the only viable day-after scenario. So what are we waiting for. President Trump - do what you need to do now - don't wait even one more day.  Doing it now will prevent the next death of Gazans and of Israelis. (Gershon Baskin, June 25, 2026)

    IDF soldier, mother, girlfriend killed in Iranian missile strike on Be'er Sheva
    Corporal Eitan Zachs, 18, who was training as a fighter in the multi-dimensional unit, was killed alongside his mother, Michal, 50, and his girlfriend, Noa  Boguslavsky, 18, from Arad, and another victim from the direct hit of the Iranian missile  shortly before the ceasefire went into effect 
    Corporal Eitan Zachs, 18, from Be'er Sheva, a soldier in combat training in the Multidimensional Unit (888), his mother, Michal Zachs, 50, and his girlfriend Noa Boguslavsky, 18, from Arad, are two of the four Israelis killed Tuesday morning in Beersheba by a missile strike from Iran. Boguslavsky graduated from ORT High School in Arad.
    MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A REVOLUTION
    One other person was killed when a missile hit the apartment building - just before the ceasefire declared by U.S. President Donald Trump went into effect; their names have not yet been released. At least 22 others were injured in the missile strike.
    The three named dead were in one secure rooms or MAMAD, and the fourth victim in another when a missile broke through an external wall and hit them. Extensive damage was also caused to other buildings and a nearby kindergarten.
    Rescue forces pulled people alive from the rubble, including a child. Soroka Hospital reported that "following the missile strike in Be'er Sheva, 26 injured people have been evacuated to the trauma room so far, two in moderate condition, and the rest in light condition."
    One of the residents of the building that took the direct hit said that she entered the building following a warning from the Home Front Command, left after a while - then an alarm was activated and she and her family went back inside. "We entered quickly, and within a second there was such an explosion that we knew it was really close to us," she said. "That's all the fears. When we came out, we saw the destruction."
    Daniel Ben Zvi, who lives in a nearby building, said: "There's no house left. Everything is dismantled. It happened in seconds. As soon as we entered the MAMAD, we barely had time to close the door. My father flew and I caught him. The impact was beyond normal. It's impossible to describe it. When we left, our world was destroyed. It's just property. But still."
    Rescue workers pull a young child from the rubble
    (Photo: Zeev Diekman)

    Magen David Adom set up a point at the scene to treat the injured, and the teams conducted medical examinations on the residents who left the buildings. These are several buildings that have a commercial center on their ground floors. Vehicles parked there were completely burned, and great destruction was also caused to the stores and the entire area.
    The deadly strike was part of a broader Iranian missile barrage that triggered air raid sirens across southern, central and northern Israel. Initial reports indicated that two missiles were intercepted in the first wave. In a subsequent barrage, at least four missiles were launched, with one scoring a direct hit on the Be'er Sheva home.
    Rescue workers pull a young child from the rubble
    (Photo: Zeev Diekman)
    Magen David Adom set up a point at the scene to treat the injured, and the teams conducted medical examinations on the residents who left the buildings. These are several buildings that have a commercial center on their ground floors. Vehicles parked there were completely burned, and great destruction was also caused to the stores and the entire area.
    The deadly strike was part of a broader Iranian missile barrage that triggered air raid sirens across southern, central and northern Israel. Initial reports indicated that two missiles were intercepted in the first wave. In a subsequent barrage, at least four missiles were launched, with one scoring a direct hit on the Be'er Sheva home

    Naomi Shanan, Michal Zaks, her son Eitan, and his partner Noa Bogoslavsky were killed in the missile strike in Be'er Sheva

    The name of Naomi Shanan, a resident of Be'er Sheva, was cleared for publication during the night

    Naomi Shanan, the fatality from the missile strike in Be'er Sheva | Photo: News 12
    MAY HER MEMORY BE A REVOLUTION





    Hostage Updates
      Until the last hostage

  • Qatar: 'Hope to resume Israel-Hamas cease-fire talks within two days'

    Qatar to push for indirect Israel-Hamas cease-fire talks starting in next two days; urges Israel not to exploit Iran truce to strike Gaza; Iranian president apologizes to Qatar for US base attack   
    Following the cease-fire between Iran and Israel, Qatar announced on Tuesday that it hopes to facilitate indirect talks between Israel and Hamas within the next two days, in an effort to broker a cease-fire in Gaza as well. Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Doha “hopes Israel will not use the cease-fire with Iran as an opportunity to continue its attacks on Gaza, and that it will stop its bombardments.”

    The ceasefire between Israel and Iran, announced overnight by U.S. President Donald Trump, was reportedly brokered by Qatar. According to Al Thani, Iran agreed to the cease-fire following his discussions with Iranian officials in the wake of Tehran’s missile attack on a U.S. base in Qatar—a strike it described as “revenge” for the American bombing of its nuclear facilities.
    Iran fired missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East. While Tehran described the attack as “powerful and destructive,” U.S. media reported that Iran had given early warning several hours in advance, apparently to limit casualties and avoid a significant escalation. Ten missiles were launched toward the base, but it was not hit.
    Doha said that the Iranian ambassador to Qatar was summoned Tuesday for a formal reprimand, during which Qatari officials expressed their protest over the strike. The Qatari prime minister added that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and apologized for the attack on Qatari soil.
    Al Thani said the Iranian strike would leave a scar on relations between the two countries but expressed hope that neighborly ties would not be harmed. In his remarks Tuesday afternoon, he also called on Iran and the United States to resume negotiations on a new nuclear agreement. link. There are certain conditions that could make Netanyahu agree to end the war and bring home all of the hostages instead of his stupid and extremely distressing regular plan of interim agreements and only bringing some of the hostages home and allowing the rest to rot and die. 1- Trump is the only person who can force Netanyahu to make the decision that he doesn't want to, and that is to end the war. Since the last hostage deal that he forced upon Netanyahu, Trump got busy with issues that were more pressing to him and he wasn't ready to apply that pressure to Netanyahu. One of those issues was the negotiations with Iran for which he put Steve Witkoff in charge. Witkoff, who is personally invested in getting the hostages home needed to put his efforts where Trump wanted them and that was exacerbated by the fact that Trump and Witkoff knew that, for his own personal political reasons, Netanyahu refused to end the war and Hamas wouldn't agree to any deal that didn't include the end of the war. Due to this, Witkoff and Trump were totally frustrated with Netanyahu and put it on the back burner. 2-Netanyahu is now feeling very differently with regard to his political position and strength following the war that Netanyahu brought upon us. He claims that all of the war goals were accomplished. When looking closely at his declared goals, we are actually quite far from this 'complete accomplishment of goals'. The enriched uranium was not touched. It was moved before the American bombing of the 3 nuclear plants. With all the damage to the nuclear plants and assassinations of the nuclear scientists, almost all of the nuclear experts state that it would only take about a year for Iran to return to the same status of nuclear position as before the war. The knowledge base is still there, even with so many of the scientists killed. Even if they needed same level scientists, they could easily import them from their close allies who are nuclear states: Russia, Pakistan and North Korea. As for the other goals, we caused considerable damage but it was not total and complete. Back to how Netanyahu feels. He and all of his well oiled machine have been writing the Netanyahu narrative since the first day of the war. He will be presenting the rosiest personal picture taking almost all of the credit for everything that happen. The same pilots, military intelligence and Mossad that he didn't stop disparaging and blaming for October 7 to remove all blame from himself, are the some organizations who brought him these successes. He will be broadcastings all of 'his' successes in Lebanon, Syria and Iran and putting October 7 as a 'minor' incident that he wasn't responsible for. He believes that his political position has improved greatly since his downfall from October 7. Banking on the typical short memory of Israelis, he may believe that he is capable of winning elections if they are done in a snap fashion - quickly- to keep the Iran momentum. With a month to a month and a half before the elections, he will make a similar announcement to that he made about Iran, that we have reach 'total victory', that illusive and non-determined term that he has purposely used as he is the only one who determines what it means. With that declaration, he will say that we can now end the war and bring all the hostages home, which he would make sure happens with a month or so before elections so he can use the return of the hostages in his election campaign as well. If he believes that he is in a position to win, he then believes that he will continue to be able to prevent an Independent Official Commission of Inquiry of October 7 and all that led up to it, as well as complete the judicial overthrow which in the end, he is sure that his criminal trials will be cancelled. In my opinion, these are the 2 scenarios that can bring us to the end of the war and bring home all the hostages.

  • Hostage families ask Trump to prioritize captives’ release after Iran ceasefire


    Protesters rally in support of the hostages in Central Park, New York City, June 8, 2025. (Luke Tress/Times of Israel)

    Advocates for the Israelis held hostage in Gaza appeal to US President Donald Trump following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran.

    The Hostages and Missing Families Forum advocacy group meets with members of Congress and issues an open letter to Trump.

    The letter applauds Trump’s actions against Iran, calling the US-Israeli campaign “a significant blow to one of the most dangerous threats,” but adds, “our hearts remain consumed with fear for our loved ones still trapped in Gaza.”

    “We face a fleeting opportunity: to bring all 50 of them home, together, in one swift and decisive action,” the letter says. “President Trump, the United States has shown its power, its resolve, and above all, its unwavering commitment to Israel and its people.”

    “You have demonstrated true friendship and deep allegiance. We are asking you now — please prioritize the release of our hostages. Do not forget them. Help secure their return,” the letter says.

    The forum says that hostage families and former captives visited Congress to push for a release deal after the Iran ceasefire.

    The advocates met with more than 150 members of Congress and the Senate and distributed posters showing the faces of the captives.

    “We came to Washington to thank the US for standing with Israel in our fight against Iran. But now we face an even holier mission — the mission to bring home the 50 remaining hostages,” says Moshe Lavi, the brother-in-law of hostage Omri Miran.  link  It is truly astounding that the hostage families, 20 months after October 7 with their loved ones in captivity for 628 days and counting, have to appeal to the US president for help in getting their loved ones home because, in Israel, their appeals fall on the deaf ears of our failed leadership. Netanyahu has shown throughout his total deficiency of sympathy, empathy or any real caring about those he personally allowed to be taken captive and killed on October 7. His only care is what happens to him personally and politically and those are the criteria for all of his decisions.

  • Trump mediator says Israel-Hamas ceasefire-hostage deal possible ‘within days’

    The Palestinian-American political activist who has been mediating between the Trump administration and Hamas says it is possible to reach a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal “within days.”

    Bishara Bahbah, who is mediating alongside Egypt and Qatar, says in an interview with the Al Ghad TV channel that he is optimistic about the chances for a deal following today’s ceasefire between Israel and Iran, which returns Gaza to the top of the regional agenda.

    A senior Arab diplomat tells The Times of Israel that he is not as optimistic, saying that Israel has not budged from its refusal to provide an upfront commitment to permanently end the war. Israel has instead offered to spread out the release of hostages throughout the temporary ceasefire on the table, but the sequencing of the releases is not a critical issue blocking a deal, the Arab diplomat says.

    While Bahbah clarifies that the Israel-Iran war is not linked to the Israel-Hamas war, he tells Al Ghad that Qatari and Egyptian mediators are now determined to secure a deal that ends the latter conflict now that the former one has been settled.

    He asserts that there are very few disagreements remaining between Israel and Hamas and that the main one is about the wording of a particular sentence — an ostensible reference to the clause pertaining to the end of the temporary ceasefire and whether it is extended if the sides haven’t reached an agreement on the terms of a permanent ceasefire by then, as Hamas is demanding.

    The interview is held in Egypt where Bahbah is now stationed in order to advance an agreement. He says he met with senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad in order to discuss remaining gaps in the talks.

    Bahbah says there are several hostage deal proposals being discussed, with some being comprehensive and others being partial. He stresses that one of the key goals is to secure a surge of humanitarian aid into the Strip, given that Israel has only been allowing an average of roughly 60 trucks per day over the past month — far below the hundreds that the UN says is needed to address the humanitarian crisis.  LINK. It is very true that a deal could be reached in a matter of days. In fact, it could be reached immediately except for the one factor called Netanyahu. Up until now, he has refused to agree to end the war in Gaza and Hamas will not agree to any deal that does not include ending the war. This has been Hamas' bottom line since the beginning of the war and everyone knows that this will not change, even if Hamas is breathing its last breath. They know that they can hold this position because they have the ace in their hands, the hostages. Netanyahu, on the other hand is not ending the war because of his personal political interests of political survival. The hope is that, following the 'successes' of the war with Iran, Netanyahu may be prepared to end the war if he goes to snap elections with the belief that 'his wins' in the war will get him re-elected. If he isn't secure in this feeling, then his refusal to end the war will remain. Ending the war will increase the calls for a state commission of inquiry of October 7 and all that led up to it, that Netanyahu has refused to create and has taken all possible steps to prevent it from coming into existence because of the known outcomes of his culpability.



  • Senior Hamas official emphasizes: 'No updates on ceasefire negotiations'
    Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nono told the Qatari channel "Al-Arabi" that "there is nothing new regarding the negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza." He emphasized: "The US has the ability to stop the war in Gaza, Trump can force Netanyahu to stop it. But Netanyahu is fighting to remain in his position, with no clear objective for continuing the war."
  • Sources involved in hostage deal talks: 'No progress or flexibility on both sides'
    Sources involved in the hostage deal negotiations responded to U.S. President Donald Trump's statement claiming there is "great progress with Gaza." They stated: "At this stage there is no flexibility and no progress from either side. The war with Iran and the ceasefire have no impact on Hamas's position. Talks continue constantly, but Hamas is not yet ready for a deal without guarantees for ending the war."
  • Senior Hamas official: 'Ceasefire negotiations for Gaza intensified in recent hours'
    Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nono told the French news agency AFP that negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip "intensified in recent hours." He additionally noted that "communication with our Egyptian and Qatari mediator brothers has never stopped."


  • Matan Angerst's mother: 'With every run to the shelter my mind races to Gaza - to my child'
    Anat Angerst, mother of kidnapped soldier Matan, said that the war with Iran has pushed public attention away from the hostages. In an interview with ynet studio, she shared: "For 12 days, we felt pushed aside in public discourse and media. We run to shelters and my mind runs to Gaza, to my child. The hostages have no one to tell them it's over, they're counting seconds there." According to her, "They keep telling us there are negotiations, but as long as there are no actions or delegations going out, we understand there's no progress, it's just general talk."


  • Israel has shown flexibility in the proposal to Hamas, but is still not ready to agree to end the war

    The families of the hostages hope that the ceasefire with Iran will lead to a breakthrough also in Gaza, but in Israel it is clarified: there is no connection between the arenas • On the table lies an Israeli proposal that approaches Hamas’s demands, but without agreement to end the campaign in the Gaza Strip • An Israeli official: This is the only guarantee Hamas can receive • All the details

    The Prime Minister of Qatar announced yesterday (Tuesday) an attempt to restart talks for a hostage deal, against the backdrop of the ceasefire between Israel and Iran. The families of the hostages hope that Trump’s intervention in what is happening in the Middle East will bring about a breakthrough. However, in Israel they insist there is no connection between the arenas.

    The person managing the hostage deal negotiations on behalf of the Americans is Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. This is different from the talks that were held with Iran, which involved direct participation by the President of the United States. The American mediator currently in Egypt, Beshara Bahbah, expressed optimism regarding the possibility of a deal and said that it will be possible to reach an agreement within days.

    On the table lies an improved Israeli proposal for the release of hostages. That proposal, which includes a ceasefire for 60 days, is approaching Hamas’s demands. It includes a reduction in the number of live hostages to be released in the first week, from ten to eight live hostages.

    Against the background of the proposal that was submitted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that a hostage deal be carried out in stages. Netanyahu is not willing to agree to declare an end to the war, or to a significant ceasefire, as a condition for entering negotiations with Hamas.

    An Israeli source explained that Israel is willing to show flexibility on the issue of ending the war only through a guarantee from President Trump. The guarantee will be conditional, and will determine that the ceasefire in Gaza will continue beyond the 60 days – only on the condition that negotiations on a comprehensive deal are conducted in good faith.  link The entire concept of phased agreements with limited numbers of hostages released has been the invention and constant demand of Netanyahu. It is entirely against the well being of the hostages and is strictly to give him an off ramp at any time that he determines or states that Hamas has breached the agreement and he has done that with each of the agreements. He insists of these interim agreements so he doesn't have to end the war and scuttles each deal in order to keep the war going. It is the hope of nearly everyone that the claimed successes of the Iran war that Netanyahu is claiming as his own will give him the assumed political backbone to agree to end the war and bring home all of the hostages. Based on his constant demands of interim agreements with only the release of a limited number of hostages, I don't believe that Netanyahu will agree to a single agreement that ends the war and releases all the hostages at once. He has a personal need to be able to break each deal at any time that he chooses when he assesses that it doesn't suit his personal needs. I believe he will insist on it now again to be sure that his political assessments of election success will keep the pace with his needs. And if they don't, he has his built in 'out' which he wouldn't hesitate to use at the expense of the hostages as he has done with each hostage release agreement. Many of the hostages who were taken alive and were killed, lost their lives during the times that they should have been coming home but Netanyahu prevented it from happening. So many lives have been lost due to his asserting his needs over theirs and the needs of the country, and their blood will forever be stains on his hands


  • Senior Haredi lawmaker: ‘I don’t understand what we are fighting for in Gaza’

    MK Moshe Gafni, the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Degel Hatorah faction, declares that he does not understand what Israel is fighting for in Gaza.

    Opening a meeting of the Knesset Finance Committee, Gafni tells lawmakers that he is thankful to God and US President Donald Trump for the end of the war with Iran, before expressing his condolences over the deaths of seven soldiers in Gaza yesterday.

    “But I don’t understand until this moment what we are fighting for there. I don’t understand what the need is. What are we going to do there when soldiers are being killed all the time? I don’t understand this. We needed Trump here to come and say we are returning the hostages, stopping all these things, and returning to normal. But apparently we haven’t merited this yet,” he declares.

    Gafni’s Degel Hatorah faction is part of the larger United Torah Judaism faction, which recently threatened to topple the government over efforts to conscript Haredim into the IDF. Lawmakers within the coalition and the opposition have been pushing for legislation that would end the longstanding exemption of yeshiva students from military service to make up for a wartime manpower shortage and ease the burden on reservists.

    Far-right Religious Zionism party director-general Yehuda Wald declares Gafni’s statement to be “atrocious.”

    “What is it saying to the 879 families of the heroic IDF fallen, that their sons fell in vain? What does he say to all the residents of the surrounding area who fear another massacre, that we will abandon them to Hamas terrorists?” Wald asks in a post on X.

    “Only a person who does not send his sons to war can speak with such detachment,” Wald declares, calling Gafni a “shame and a disgrace.”

    According to the Israel Defense Forces, as of 2024, over one in five combat soldiers is female, with mandatory conscription applying to all non-religiously observant women. Thirty-seven female soldiers have been killed in the war.  link Firstly, I would hope that Gafni is not referring to the first part of the war, when it was necessary to fight (after returning the hostages) but these last very long months of the war. I will give him the benefit of the doubt and say that it is regarding this latter part of the war when it should already ended and all the hostages should have been brought home. He is absolutely right that there is no rhyme of reason that the war is still being fought except to satisfy Netanyahu's political needs. If only he and Deri of Shas would put action behind their words and do the same, but opposite of Ben Gvir and Smotrich, and threaten to bring down the government if Netanyahu doesn't end the war and bring home the hostages. However, their verbal bravado is cowardly and they remain fully self-interested for themselves and their partisan benefits, and they will not act in the moral way and fully ignore all of the Jewish codes of conduct, such as the most important Mitzvah (good deed) as defined by both Rambam and Ramban that redemption of prisoners comes before all else. Both Ben Gvir and Smotrich claim to be religious Jews as well, but that part of Jewish value is part of their moral abyss.



  • The father choked and was unable to speak: "You brought joy like a revolution" | Yonatan Samrano was brought to rest

    "A rolling laughter, contagious joy, a soul that touched people without many words": 627 days after he was kidnapped from the party in Re'im, Yonatan Samrano was brought to eternal rest in Tel Aviv. The father Kobi asked the rabbi to read: "You were one big party," his brother: "A real Superman, forever you will remain young." Herzog: "On behalf of the state – sorry. There is no victory until the last one returns"

    Hundreds of people accompanied today (Tuesday) on his final journey the fallen hostage Yonatan Samrano, whose body was returned to Israel in a special operation of the IDF and the Shin Bet two days ago, along with two other fallen hostages, Ofra Kedar and Staff Sergeant Shai Levinson.

    Yonatan Samrano (Photo: Courtesy of the family)

    Samrano, 21 at his death, from Tel Aviv, fled on the morning of October 7 with two of his friends from the Nova party to Kibbutz Be'eri. The two friends were murdered, he was shot and defined as kidnapped. Almost two months after that Saturday, the family was informed that he had been murdered.

    The eulogy ceremony was held at "Eyalon" School in Tel Aviv, and from there the funeral procession set out to the nearby Nachalat Yitzhak cemetery. Singers David D’Or, Kobi Aflalo, and Hanan Ben Ari came to perform a song in his memory. Also present was Gal Hirsch, Coordinator for Captives and Missing Persons. The first eulogy at the ceremony was given by the President of the State, Isaac Herzog.

    The funeral of Yonatan Samrano, of blessed memory
    "The heart cannot grasp." The coffin of Yonatan (Photo: AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

    The father, Kobi, eulogized: "Yoni would say now 'I made a sold out here.' This time he made a sold out of the people of Israel." Then he said, choking up, that he could not read what he had written, and asked the rabbi to read it in his place: "My Yoni, we were granted 21 years and four months of life by your side. Being by your side was a grace. More than a year and eight months we fought to bring you back and return you.

    "You were one big party. You brought joy like a revolution, a DJ of dreams and hope, every room you filled with love. You were a sun in grey skies. The heart cannot grasp that you are gone. A great soul, you will stay with us," he said.

    According to him, "To our new family, the hostage family, a family we did not choose but the terrible shared fate connected us forever. I am with you until the last hostage is home. We must bring them all home. Am Yisrael Chai forever."

    His mother, Ayelet, said: "My Yoni, a child of 24/7 connected to the umbilical cord, and still now. How many phone calls a day you made to me, when you were at school about every time you left class to the bathroom, about every teacher that kicked you out, even when you were debating whether to buy a slushy drink or save the money. When the terrible event started on October 7, that morning there was no call."

    The funeral of Yonatan Samrano, of blessed memory
    "They returned the body, but the soul will remain forever." The mother of Yonatan, Ayelet (Photo: AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
     "You were a real Superman." The brother Yair and the father Kobi (Photo: Paulina Patimer)

    "A year and eight months since you were kidnapped, I imagined you would call. I waited, I dreamed, it supposedly did not happen but in one boom I understood – you did call. You very much called." She added: "All this time I stood firm in belief that you were alive, I would not accept otherwise. I said – 'He will return and then we will know.' I waited for a call from the officers and then this time you called – you sent a missile fragment to the entrance of the house. I stand here in front of you and understand – I was right, you are alive.

    "They returned your body, but your soul is not silent. It always was and will stay with me forever. Watch over the world for us, Mommy’s child, watch over us. You are life from now until forever," she said.

    The cry of the families: "The victory is not complete without the return of the hostages"

    Before her, his brother Yair spoke, who said with tears and pain: "Crazy. Yoni, how do you say goodbye to 21 years of a crazy person whose life was one giant marathon? You would turn a few beers into a party, that is who you were. I always looked up in admiration. You were a real Superman, there is nothing you did not do and you were good at everything. You accompany me in everything I do, you are the most amazing kid in the world and forever you will remain young."

    Yair asked to refer to the 50 hostages still in captivity in the Gaza Strip, and called: "Everyone’s duty is to go out every Saturday to the square, and do everything possible to bring them back. We are a people of superheroes – enough with the bullshit, bring everyone back. This situation cannot continue, this reality must end. I call on all of you, raise your voices – everyone must come home."

    The funeral ceremony in Tel Aviv (Photo: Jack GUEZ / AFP)

    His cousin Yuval also eulogized: "Hard to stand here and speak of Yoni in the past tense. A child who was all one big light. Rolling laughter, contagious joy, a soul that knew how to touch people without many words. He loved to surprise, to challenge and to break routine. His mischief was not just that, but his way of bringing life into every moment and reminding all of us that things can be different."

    Another cousin, Dana, said: "In every little thing you knew how to make a celebration, you did not need anything to be happy. You were murdered cruelly because you were born a Jew. Mom read your chapter, chapter 23 in Psalms, every day and asked for you to come back. You appeared before they knocked on the door. A fragment came to the entrance. So many signs that you are with us, I waited for you, I prayed for you to return. I will continue to keep you alive day by day, all the time. I miss you, rest my angel. We will all meet again in the end."

    A friend of Yonatan, Boaz, told about a moment from their shared childhood: "Once we came back from school, we all sat on the roof, and out of nowhere Yoni said – 'Let’s go to Eilat.' Everyone laughed, but he said 'What’s with you, it’s just one bus line.' We were too young to understand the great meaning behind the sentence. I understood that one bus line was his philosophy. We are always one line away from reaching our goal."

    He described: "Yoni was always just one line away from achieving his goal. A person for whom the whole world is small, who shows that with hard work and a small smile – everything is possible. That sentence will be a mantra for me for my whole life. Yoni reminded me to dare to experience, to try, to fail, just not to give up in advance. Not to stay in place – always take the bus. May the decision makers decide to adopt this philosophy and bring back all the hostages – it’s just one bus line."

    "Sorry it took so long." President Herzog with Yonatan’s father, Kobi (Photo: Yariv Katz)

    President Herzog said in his eulogy: "In the name of the State of Israel, I ask Yonatan, and with him also Ofra and beloved Shai – sorry. Sorry that the State of Israel did not protect you. Sorry we did not manage to rescue you from the hands of the murderers. Sorry that it took so long to bring you back from the hands of human monsters. At this time, this shaking, historic moment, I remind us all – there is no full and complete victory until the last of our sons returns."

    "From here, from this sacred and painful moment, I call out to our hostages and say – a whole country longs and misses you, and wants you home urgently," the President added. "A whole country will not rest and will not be silent, until you all return to us. I swear here, in the name of the entire people: there is no force in the world that will make us forget our tormented brothers who remain there."

    At the end of his remarks, Herzog called on decision makers: "We are at a key moment. This is the time to take one more step and another, to send whoever is needed wherever needed, to speak with whoever needs to be spoken with, to continue to act with determination, creativity and urgency, in every way and with all strength until they return home."

    "I never stopped believing he would come back, and so it happened"

    Yonatan’s father, Kobi, published a post on Instagram after his return, in which he wrote: "Yesterday was Yonatan’s Hebrew birthday, on his 23rd birthday, on the day he was born, our Yoni was rescued in a heroic operation by the brave soldiers of the IDF and Shin Bet."

    "On his birthday, Yoni, prankster that he is, knocked on his home’s door. Just before, a missile fragment fell near the door. And then came the message, the message we did not want to receive for many long months. From the first moment I believed, with all my heart, that our army would bring my son back. I never stopped believing, and so it happened," he added. Kobi thanked the government and its head, and also the security forces and all the people of Israel "who carried us on hands of prayer, hope and faith."

    Samrano (Photo: Courtesy of the family)

    "Yoni, we were privileged to be by your side for 21 and a half years of light, and today, in a new light. You returned to us, beloved son, wrapped in the light of heroism, of faith, of a whole nation. I, Mom, and Yair will remember you forever. Am Yisrael Chai," he concluded.

    Yonatan’s mother, Ayelet, last spoke to him at 6:30 in the morning that day. "They were three friends, said there were rockets and that they were coming home," she said in an interview with Ynet. "At some point we saw a video that Yonatan was kidnapped. His two friends were identified and brought to burial." The family said about Yonatan: "A magical boy, surrounded by friends, a DJ who only wanted to make music, to grow and to travel."  link



    Israel and Iran

  • Israel Airports Authority says Ben Gurion Airport returning to full operation

    Israel’s main international Ben Gurion Airport is returning to full operation, following the Home Front Command decision to lift all restrictions, the Israel Airports Authority says.

    “Restrictions on the number of incoming and outgoing flights, as well as the number of passengers on each flight, have been lifted,” the Israel Airports Authority says. “In addition, restrictions on the arrival of passengers and accompanying persons at the airports have been lifted.”

    Starting tomorrow morning, duty-free shops at airports will resume operations in accordance with security and regulatory guidelines.

    The Israel Airports Authority recommends that the public follow airline announcements and receive the most up-to-date information regarding flight schedules.


  • Home Front Command lifts all restrictions on gatherings, school and work places

    The IDF Home Front Command has lifted all restrictions on gatherings, schools, and workplaces, as the ceasefire with Iran appears to hold.

    The move comes following a fresh assessment.

    There will be no restrictions on gatherings in most areas of the country, workplaces can open, and schools may resume, Home Front Command says.

    In some communities on the Gaza border, gatherings are limited to 2,000, a restriction that had existed before the war with Iran.



  • Israeli intel said to assess Iran’s nuclear program set back ‘several years,’ not destroyed; US intel said to say ‘months’

    Israeli intelligence assesses that US and Israeli strikes set back Iran’s nuclear program by “several years,” but did not completely destroy it, as US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed, a senior Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.

    The Israeli intelligence assessment is constantly being updated and refined, and a more concrete understanding of the status of Iran’s nuclear program will be available in the coming weeks, the senior Israeli official says.

    The Israeli official argues that the military strikes were still worthwhile because the negotiations that the US had previously been pursuing with Iran would not have been able to achieve such results.

    Moreover, the strikes on the nuclear program along with other military targets in Iran will serve as a deterrent against the Islamic Republic again trying to enrich uranium.

    IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir also said this evening, “We have set Iran’s nuclear project back by years, and the same goes for its missile program.”

    CNN reported earlier that an early US intelligence assessment indicates the US military strikes did not destroy the core components of Tehran’s nuclear program and likely only set it back by months.  link The report of the Israeli Intelligence assessment that Iran's nuclear program has been set back by years did not come from any source in Israel's Intelligence networks. It came from an anonymous senior Israeli official, which means it came from Netanyahu. Netanyahu claims to be the expert on Iran's nuclear program, therefore he is most likely the Israeli intelligence assessor in this case. His claim of setting Iran's nuclear program by years is extremely important for him to claim that all the goals of the war were attained. It is clearly not true but he is already using it to promote himself in preparation for the next elections.

    American intelligence estimates: The strikes in Iran did not destroy the core components of the nuclear facilities
     According to CNN, in the United States there are concerns that the attacks have only set back Iran's nuclear project by a few months, and did not destroy the entire program • It is also becoming apparent that Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium was not damaged

    A report published last night (Tuesday) on CNN reveals that according to an initial assessment by American intelligence, the damage caused to Iran's nuclear facilities is smaller than previously thought. According to CNN, it appears that the American strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities did not destroy their core components – and in practice, only set Iran's nuclear program back by a few months.

    It further emerges from the report that apparently Iran's enriched uranium stockpile was not harmed. CNN emphasizes that the intelligence assessment is based on a damage evaluation conducted by the U.S. Central Command – following the American strikes two days ago.

    In the report it was clarified that the analysis of the damage to the site, as well as the analysis of the strikes' impact on Iran’s nuclear program, may change in accordance with updating intelligence information. Nevertheless, the preliminary findings contradict the claims by U.S. President Trump that the strikes "completely erased" Iran's uranium enrichment facilities.

    The damage at the Fordow nuclear facility after the American strike | Photo: Reuters

    The Fordow facility, after the American strike | Photo: According to Clause 27A

    Two sources familiar with the details said that Iran's enriched uranium stockpile was not destroyed, and the centrifuges are "largely intact." They explained that from those data it appears the U.S. delayed Iran’s nuclear program by a few months, "at most."

    The White House acknowledged that it is aware of the existence of the intelligence assessment indicating that the nuclear program was set back by only a few months. However, it was stated that it does not agree with that.

    The White House spokesperson told CNN: "This is a completely incorrect assessment and it was classified as 'top secret', but it was leaked to CNN by an 'anonymous loser' of a low rank in the intelligence community. The leaking of the assessment is apparently an attempt to humiliate President Trump and defame the brave fighter pilots who carried out a perfect mission."

    She added: "Everyone knows what happens when you drop 14 bombs weighing 13 tons perfectly on the targets – total destruction."

    The U.S. military stated that the operation proceeded as planned and that it was "a resounding success."

    Trump: They are trying to downplay, nuclear facilities were destroyed
    U.S. President Trump firmly denied the report last night in a post on the Truth network: "Fake news CNN, alongside the failing New York Times, are trying to downplay one of the most successful strikes in history. The nuclear facilities in Iran were completely destroyed."

    Earlier, the president had shared a post by Secretary of Defense Gesseth: "Our bombing campaign erased Iran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons. Our mighty bombs hit precisely the right point on every target and worked perfectly."  link. This is an assessment that I am prepared to accept its validity far more than Trump's 'assessment' or the assessment of the anonymous Israeli Senior official which means its coming from Netanyahu. Both of these politicians' assessments are for political purposes and are not based in any type of empirical data or proof as opposed to this assessment by the US Intelligence experts and the US Central Command, both of which are not political bodies. Both Trump's and Netanyahu's assessments are political fodder served up to promote them personally.



  • Iran is not Hezbollah: The real test of the ceasefire is only just beginning

    Opinion: Unlike Hezbollah, the Islamic Republic is a sovereign state with a declared nuclear ambition, and while Trump demands restraint from Israel, Jerusalem will need to clarify what it considers a violation, and what it is entitled to do in response
    The first test of the ceasefire reached between Israel and Iran is also the defining question of the entire campaign: How can Israel maintain the new balance of power with Tehran, one achieved through a military success that was, by many accounts, unprecedented.

    Recent history provides a reference point: the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, which has largely held since it was reached. In both cases—Hezbollah and Iran—Israel prepared extensively for war with an enemy that had stockpiled ballistic missiles capable of targeting the Israeli home front. Against Hezbollah, a deeply entrenched Iranian proxy in Lebanon, Israel successfully leveraged its gains to establish a new strategic reality.
    Despite ongoing Israeli strikes in Lebanon, Hezbollah has so far refrained from aiding its Iranian patrons—even symbolically. When the ceasefire was announced with the Shiite militia, many in Israel, particularly in the north, feared the war had ended too soon. But so far, the outcome has held, aided in part by a shift in public sentiment in Lebanon against Hezbollah.
    The Iranian case is more complex. Iran is a sovereign nation, not a proxy force, and its nuclear ambitions remain undeterred—perhaps even reinforced. While Iran may have proven to be a less formidable adversary than worst-case scenarios suggested, this is no time for arrogance or overconfidence. Lives were lost, damage was done, and the threat is far from over.
    If the U.S.—under President Donald Trump, who has clarified he is not seeking regime change—intends to pursue negotiations with Iran for a more stringent nuclear deal, Israel will need to press for clearly defined limits on Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. It will also need firm definitions of what constitutes a violation and what Israel will be allowed to do in response.
    For all the success of Israel’s air operations over Iran—an achievement in its own right—it is no substitute for concrete terms in an agreement negotiated by others. That context makes Israel’s own response to the Iranian missile fire after the ceasefire came into effect worth examining critically.
    While senior Israeli officials—from Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir—rushed to make bold, swaggering statements reminiscent of the Lebanon playbook, President Trump appeared to mock their rhetoric. Not only did he publicly scold Israel, but he also phoned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reportedly insisted that Israeli warplanes turn around midair, settling instead for a limited strike on an Iranian radar site.
    Whether even that single target was worth angering the man who gave the green light to strike Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility—a move no U.S. president before him had seriously considered—is debatable. But the key lesson is this: maintaining good relations with the United States is not merely a matter of gratitude, though that too is relevant, especially in Trump’s unpredictable world. It is also a strategic necessity in the new era now unfolding.
    If the U.S. isn’t firmly on Israel’s side when the rules of engagement with Iran are being drawn, it may not be there next time, when it becomes clear the Iranians didn’t get the message. link. It is my assessment that the Israeli government/Netanyahu has 3 major demands for the ceasefire to become an end of the war through a diplomatic agreement where Israel is not even a player. The three are: 1- end of the Iranian Military nuclear program - there must be constant inspections and verifications 2- end of the Iranian long range missile production 3- end of the supporting and supplying of terror proxies such as Hizbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Iraqi militias The first demand meshes with the US demand (and others). It may also mesh with Iran's plans and needs. Although they were enriching uranium to much higher levels than are needed for civilian nuclear needs and clearly approaching the level needed for nuclear weapons, there has never been a declaration by Iran that they were heading to a nuclear bomb. Obviously, the lack of a declaration doesn't mean anything but it is possible that they were enriching the uranium as a clear possible threat that they could reach nuclear explosive power within a short time if they deemed it necessary. Right now it is a game of pride that is running the publlic show with Iran stating that they, and only they will make decisions about their nuclear programs. It may be more than bluster for pride but it also may be the opening needed to reach the compromise that their nuclear program will only be for civilian needs. The second demand is something unlikely to occur. If their pride is talking about their independent needs to determine the future of their nuclear program, their ability to produce long range missiles will be a matter of their 'self defense' although there is nothing about long range missiles that is self defense, they are purely offensive. In any case, I don't believe that the US or the Europeans would allow this demand to be a stumbling block in their nuclear negotiations. The third demand is a different matter. The Iranian proxies have been the bane of the Western world for quite some time, not just for Israel, and that point was driven home by the terror actions of the Houthis in the Bab al-Mandab Straits of the Red Sea. Their actions impacted world shipping and increased dramatically the shipping of goods from multiple places in the world, as well as endangered the ships, crews and cargo of the ships that were attacked and pirated. Will this mean that the US and the Europeans will make this a major issue in their negotiations? That is a question that we will only know the answer when negotiations get under way. There is actually a fourth demand that Israel will never get and that is freedom of movement in Iranian air space to act on violations of the ceasefire. Israel has insisted on this, not that there is agreement on it, in Lebanon and Syria. Neither of these countries currently have the means or abilities to prevent Israel's movement and attacks within those countries and these attacks have not created a scenario of putting us back into a war situation in either. That will not be the case with Iran. Iran will never give that ability in an agreement to any country, especially not to Israel, and they would consider any action like this as an act of war, bringing us back to a war of attrition. Israel, in its place, will demand of its main partner, the US that some kind of real verification and penalties get put into any agreement for a long term cessation of violence between the 2 countries. Will the US do it? We'll have to see.
  •  6 Ben Gurion University research labs destroyed, 9 damaged by Iranian missile last week: ‘Years of work wiped out’
    Smokes rises from a building of the Soroka hospital complex after it was hit by a missile fired from Iran in Beersheba, Israel, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

    Six Ben Gurion University research laboratories were destroyed and nine others were damaged by the impact of an Iranian missile that struck the Soroka University Medical Center campus on June 19, the educational institution says in a postwar update.

    The damage to the six destroyed laboratories “wiped out years of work on diverse research projects in medicine and biology,” the university says.

    Classrooms, teaching laboratories, and the dissection room of the Faculty of Health Sciences were also significantly impacted, along with 30 buildings on the main Marcus Family Campus.

    The university, still assessing the costs, estimates they will run into “tens, and perhaps even hundreds of millions of shekels.”

    The homes of 50 faculty or staff members and 48 students were damaged, with 25 of the former and 41 of the latter having to evacuate.

    Four families from the city whose homes were damaged are being housed in student dormitory facilities, along with some of the evacuated employees.



  • 'We survived'—now comes the hard part for families whose homes were destroyed by Iran

     'The tractor is destroying 34 years of memories,' said Liza Yazdi, as bulldozers leveled homes in Rishon LeZion hit by an Iranian missile; Dozens remain displaced, clinging to hope that promises of state support and compensation will be fulfilled
    It's Monday at 8 a.m. A metallic roar cuts through the air as the heavy bucket of a tractor crashes into the roof of a house in the quiet Neve Yam neighborhood of Rishon LeZion. Former residents stand by, watching in disbelief as their homes are torn down one by one—not by an enemy, but by the State of Israel. The demolition is part of the official clearance of five private houses that were directly hit by an Iranian missile that landed in the city a week and a half ago.

    One voice that refuses to fade from the scene is that of 67-year-old Liza Yazdi, who stood with her two daughters facing the remains of the house where she raised an entire family. “This is a painful and difficult moment,” she said. “The tractor is destroying 34 years of memories. But I’m grateful to be alive. We’ll build a new home.”
    Yazdi, who miraculously survived the impact, described the emotional turmoil of watching the iron claw tear through the walls built by her late husband. “He built it well,” she said through tears. “The walls didn’t want to fall.”
    Not far from her stood Sivan Malkiel, 44, watching the demolition of her parents’ home, built by her father, Zion, some 37 years ago “when the area was still all sand.” “It was his life’s project. This is the house of my childhood. We played here, we grew up here. I know everyone on this street, in this neighborhood,” she said. Her parents are currently staying at a hotel, while she tries to manage the overwhelming bureaucracy—rent, renovations, furniture—starting again from scratch. “It’s very difficult,” she admitted. “Rental prices are through the roof.”
    Liza Yazdi trying to grab what she can from her demolished apartment
    (Photo: Meir Turgeman)
    Pain echoes in the voice of Yedidya Shabtai as well. Along with his wife, daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren, he was rescued from the rubble of their home. “Everything was there—all the memories,” he said, eyes fixed on what was left of the structure as a massive excavator crushed the remaining walls. Even the family dog, Tzvika—initially thought to have died—was found alive four days later under the ruins, a small ray of light in a dark moment.
    But the grief extends beyond the five homes that were completely destroyed. According to an engineering survey, around 150 private homes suffered varying levels of damage—from shattered windows to serious structural cracks. Another 30–40 homes sustained major damage requiring significant repairs, and some of these are expected to be demolished as well. For now, displaced residents are being housed in hotels, waiting for compensation, decisions and answers.
    Demolished homes in the western part of the city
    (Photo: Yair Sagi)
    Despite everything, amid the rubble flows a sense of hope. “We survived,” one resident repeated. “Now we just need the state to truly stand by us—no bureaucracy, no delays. Let us rebuild.”
    In the midst of the physical loss and the tremendous challenge of starting over, there is also a flicker of pride and faith. “The state promised compensation. We will rebuild,” said one of the site inspectors.
    Barring any unexpected complications, demolition is expected to be completed by the end of the week, after which the residents will receive a clean plot with an approved engineering report—and can begin their next journey: from ruins to a new home. link

  • Low, maneuvering, and difficult to detect: The weapons that the Iranians have not yet launched at Israel

    The IDF estimates that Iran has launched about 500 ballistic missiles since the start of the war, including a single launch of the heavy Khorramshahr • The advanced cruise missiles, which are difficult to detect and intercept, have almost not been used in the current war – and now comes the threat from the Revolutionary Guards to launch them: "This is our message to the world, we will do it" • The differences between ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, and why the Iranians kept them in storage

    An Iranian cruise missile during a military exercise in the northern Indian Ocean, June 2020 | Photo: Reuters


    The IDF estimates that so far, the Iranians have launched about 500 ballistic missiles towards Israel, and about ten percent of them managed to penetrate the Israeli defense envelope and hit targets in the rear. However, according to Israeli assessments, Iran has almost not made use of two central long-range weapons in its possession: the heaviest missiles carrying a ton or more of explosives in the warhead, and cruise missiles that are very difficult to detect, classify, and intercept.

    The scenarios for an attack from Iran Photo: News 12 The Iranian drones and missiles and Israeli air defenses against them (Left to right) - Drones, transit time from Iran to Israel 9 hours, Israeli air defense - Iron Dome (fighter helicopters are also used, not displayed in picture); Cruise missiles, 2 hours, defense - David's sling and Iron Dome; Ballistic missiles, 12 minutes, Arrow and American THAAD system)

    The Revolutionary Guards threatened this afternoon (Monday) to launch cruise missiles, and tweeted on their official account on X (formerly Twitter): "This is our message to the world – we will do it."

    Most of the missiles launched from Iran to date are Shahab 3 missiles, alongside Qadr, Emad, and Kheibar Shekan missiles. On the other hand, Iran’s weapons arsenal is eroding day by day due to Iranian usage and IDF strikes, which yesterday struck Khorramshahr missiles stored at the Imam Hossein missile base in Yazd, 2,200 kilometers from Israel, before they could be launched.


    Missiles, Drones, and more than half a million soldiers: The Iranian Military Capabilities
    Approximately 2000 surface to surface missiles with a range that includes all of Israel
    1000-4000 Explosive drones
    580,000 soldiers in mandatory regular service
    Ballistic missiles with capability of containing war heads of more than a ton of explosive material

    Ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones of Iran capable of hitting Israel

    *Shahad 135 - range of 2200 kilometers
    *Shihab-3 - range of 1300 kilometers
    *Riadar - 1600 kilometers
    *Eimad - 1600-2500 kilometers
    *Khormashahar-2000-3000 kilomets
    *Fatah-1 - 1400 kilometers
    *Khibar-Shekan- 1450 kilometers
    *Sajil- 2000 kilometers
    *Haj Kasem - 1400-1800 kiometers
    *Sumar - 700 kilometers
    *Haviiza - 1300-1400 kilometers
    *Faweh - 1650 kilometers
    source: IISS and INSS
    The heaviest missile in Iran’s possession is the Khorramshahr – a ballistic missile considered one of the most powerful in the Iranian arsenal. According to an analysis by Dr. Yehoshua Kalisky, senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), the missile has a range of 2,000–3,000 km and is capable of carrying a warhead weighing up to 1,800 kg.

    Khorramshahr missile | Photo: AP

    Last night, Iran launched a single Khorramshahr-4 missile toward Israel – a significant escalation in the current war. "Until today, we almost have not seen use of missiles with over a ton of explosives," says Kalisky, "but in principle they are definitely capable of that and might escalate in their use of such missiles."

    The new version of the missile has a range of 2,000 km with a warhead of 1,500 kg – a capability that allows it to reach any point in Israel. The commander of the Air and Space Division of the Revolutionary Guards, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who was eliminated in the surprise attack, said that the Khorramshahr-4 is a missile capable of carrying 80 small warheads.

    In addition, Iran holds the Sejjil – an advanced ballistic missile with solid fuel that travels at a speed of Mach 13 and is capable of carrying 750 kg of explosives over a range of up to 2,300 km. The missile is equipped with inertial and GPS navigation and has advanced maneuvering capabilities.

    Senior members of the Revolutionary Guards who were eliminated, Amir Ali Hajizadeh and Hossein Salami, visiting the "Missile City" in Iran, January 2025 | Photo: Reuters

    Unlike missiles with liquid fuel that require preparation time of two to four hours, the Sejjil is powered by solid fuel allowing for relatively short preparation time. "You arrive, raise, and fire," explains Brig. Gen. (res.) Tzvika Haimovich, former commander of the Air Defense Array. According to Haimovich, the missile was already launched at Israel twice – last week at Be’er Sheva and again yesterday in the heavy barrage after the American strikes.

    Eight days ago, Iran claimed to have used a new maneuvering ballistic missile – the guided ballistic missile Haj Qasem. The missile, 11 meters long and weighing 7 tons, is named after General Qasem Soleimani, who commanded the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards and was eliminated in an American strike in Iraq during Donald Trump’s first term. It is equipped with electro-optical guidance and a warhead weighing 450–600 kg, has a range of 1,400–1,800 km, and is powered by solid fuel.

    Senior members of the Revolutionary Guards who were eliminated, Amir Ali Hajizadeh and Hossein Salami, visiting the "Missile City" in Iran, January 2025 | Photo: Reuters

    "These heavy missiles are characterized by a very precise impact radius – between 10 and 50 meters," explains Kalisky. "As long as the missile moves in a ballistic trajectory, even if it reaches hypersonic speeds of Mach 10–12, our systems are capable of intercepting it. Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 can intercept, but their efficiency is somewhat reduced."

    The advanced cruise missile array

    Despite the widespread use of UAVs and ballistic missiles, the Iranians, as far as is known, have not used their cruise missiles in the current war. This is a separate category of weaponry that has unique advantages. A cruise missile is essentially an unmanned jet plane, guided to a specific target and homing in on it.

    The Vaeze cruise missile displayed in the Imam Mosque in Tehran, February 2019 | Photo: AP

    "A cruise missile does not travel in a ballistic path, but in a maneuvering and low trajectory," details Kalisky. "It can change directions and go in different paths to reach the target. The cruise missile flies low, and therefore is harder to detect – also because its path is not fixed and also because the low altitude makes detection and tracking more difficult."

    Iran holds several advanced cruise missile models:

    • Soumar – The basic model in the Iranian cruise missile family, produced in various versions since 2015. The missile has a range of 700 km, travels at 1,000 km/h, and carries 500–600 kg of explosives. It is based on Russian technology from the Soviet nuclear missile Kh-55, but due to its short range cannot reach Israel directly from Iran.

    • Vaeze – An advanced cruise missile unveiled in 2019, with a range of 1,300–1,400 km and a speed of 800–900 km/h. The missile carries 450 kg of explosives, and its arrival time to Israel is estimated at about 2.5 hours.

    • Paveh – The most advanced missile in the Iranian cruise missile family, unveiled in February 2023. The missile has a range of about 1,650 km, travels at 500 km/h, and carries about half a ton of explosives. It is based on GPS guidance and is equipped with capabilities for coordinated attacks with additional missiles. The Houthis use a similar version called "Quds-4".

    Why are the Iranians not using cruise missiles?

    The central question is why Iran prefers to use ballistic missiles and UAVs over the advanced cruise missiles it possesses. "I assume the reason they are not using them lies in tactical considerations," admits Kalisky. "But one thing is clear to me – the environmental damage from a cruise missile is much lower than that of a ballistic missile, because it travels at much lower speeds."

    According to his assessment, it could be that the Iranians are saving the cruise missiles for a later stage or for use as part of a massive attack meant to significantly saturate Israel’s defense systems. In the first Iranian attack on Israel in April last year, 36 cruise missiles were fired, but all were intercepted outside Israel’s borders by Israel’s defense systems and the coalition.

    The Iranian Khorramshahr missile | Photo: AP

    "Their interception is carried out with all our defense layers – Iron Dome, Arrow, David’s Sling, the naval Iron Dome, and even with Barak missile, which intercepted for the first time on Friday a UAV launched from Iran," explains Kalisky. "This is a target that is not hard to intercept for our defense systems and fighter jets, but it is difficult to detect and track because of its low flight profile, maneuvering, and also its structure."

    The push to eastern Iran and the increasing strike intensity

    Meanwhile, Israeli strikes in western Iran are pushing the Iranian launcher units to operate from greater distances in the center of the country and in the east. "The more you push the Iranians to longer ranges, it requires much more energy and power to accelerate the missiles," explains Haimovich. "This ultimately translates to greater strike intensity. The greater the launch power, the greater the strike power." According to him, the additional 700 km of distance increases the extent of the damage by 25%.

    The Iranian Sejjil missile

    "The more the Air Force crushes them in western Iran, the more the Iranians will have difficulty launching such heavy missiles," notes Kalisky. "It is important to remember that the greater a missile’s payload capacity, the harder it is to operate. These are large missiles in their dimensions, of great height, and weigh 28–30 tons."

    Some of the Iranian ballistic missiles are equipped with a separable warhead carrying small sub-munitions. "The penetrating body mounted on the missile contains sub-munitions inside, and it disperses them at a certain altitude over a very wide radius," describes Haimovich. He warns that it is forbidden to touch unexploded objects, as touching or moving them may cause a dangerous explosion.

    All the details in the article were approved for publication by the military censor. link




    • Gaza and the South

  • Anti-Hamas protester hospitalized in Gaza after he was beaten by Hamas operatives, activists say

    Activists in Gaza say on social media that Ahmad al-Masri, a known figure in the anti-Hamas protests in the northern Strip, was beaten by Hamas operatives in recent days, and hospitalized.

    In footage and images circulated online, Al-Masri can be seen with injuries to his legs, apparently as a result of the attack.

    According to the reports, he was hospitalized at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. His condition is currently unclear.

    Al-Masri, a resident of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, had been filmed in recent months holding a sign during protests that read, “Hamas does not represent us,” referring to the people of Gaza.

    In another video from a demonstration, he is heard saying: “We don’t want Hamas. Hamas has destroyed us. Enough!”


    Northern Israel, Lebanon and Syria

  • Hanegbi: Israel in direct daily contact with Syria, exploring normalization

    National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi says that Israel and the Syrian regime are in direct daily contact and are discussing the possibility of normalization, Israel Hayom reports.

    Hanegbi today confirms comments he made during a classified session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Sunday, saying “There is direct daily dialogue at all levels between Israel and the regime in Syria. I am leading it with political officials there,” the Hebrew outlet reports.

    Hanegbi told the committee that Syria and Lebanon are candidates for the Abraham Accords normalization agreements, the paper reports.

    When asked whether Israel had agreed to withdraw the IDF from buffer zones in Syria as part of these efforts, Hanegbi responds: “If there is normalization, we’ll examine this,” but clarified that “we will not withdraw from the Syrian Hermon.”

    Hanegbi’s comments confirm recent foreign reports that Israel has been engaged in direct dialogue with Syria to calm border tensions and prevent conflict with new Syrian leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa. He revealed that the conversation is not limited to military channels, but also includes direct diplomatic engagement, the report adds.

    When asked in the committee meeting how he responds to IDF intelligence assessments that Sharaa has not parted ideologically from his past ties to jihadist terror groups, Hanegbi replied: “We are evaluating it. Sharaa is being shaped as things move forward.”


    West Bank, Jerusalem, Israel and Terror Attacks

  • Palestinian report: Settlers burn house south of Hebron, no injuries
    The Palestinian news agency 'Wafa' reported that settlers burned a residential house belonging to a resident of Susiya village in the town of Yatta, south of Hebron. According to the report, several settlers "arrived armed and under IDF protection" at the home of Palestinian Nasser Shareitah, set it on fire - resulting in the complete destruction of the building. No injuries were reported. link The continued deliberate and encouraged violence and lawlessness against the Palestinians by the extremist settler terrorists that the government doesn't acknowledge or do anything against it. This makes the government, from the prime minister downward completely complicit in these terrorist acts.

    An overnight fire at an empty house in the Palestinian village of Susiya in the South Hebron Hills in the West Bank was caused by settlers, witnesses say.

    Nobody was inside the building at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.

    Palestinian media outlets also report that the blaze was an arson attack by settlers.

    A resident of the village tells The Times of Israel that an eyewitness who noticed the fire said two individuals fled the scene, heading toward the nearby Susiya archaeological site, which is under Israeli control — a detail that, according to the resident, supports the claim that the fire was an arson attack by settlers.

    The source says settlers were filmed last week stealing from that same house.  video
  • IDF strike killed head of currency company involved in moving funds from Iran to Hezbollah, military says

    An Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon yesterday killed the head of a currency exchange company, who the IDF says was involved in transferring funds from Iran to Hezbollah.

    Haytham Abdullah Bakri had headed the Al-Sadiq currency exchange.

    The military says the company “serves as a funds storage and transfer mechanism for the Hezbollah terror organization, for funds originating from the Iranian Quds Force,” adding that Bakri operated with Hezbollah to transfer the funds.

    “These funds are used by Hezbollah for military purposes, including purchasing weapons, means for manufacturing [weapons], and providing salaries to operatives, and are diverted for terrorist purposes and to finance the continuation of Hezbollah’s terrorist activities,” the IDF says.

    Last week, during the war in Iran, the IDF killed Behnam Shahriyari, the head of the IRGC Quds Force’s Unit 190, responsible for the clandestine transfer of weapons to Iran’s proxy groups, especially Hezbollah.

    “Shahriyari exclusively oversaw the mechanisms that enabled the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars annually to the Quds Force and its proxies. These mechanisms included money transfer routes from the Quds Force to Hezbollah, using offsets between currency exchanges in Turkey, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates with Lebanese currency exchanges,” the IDF says.

    “These two eliminations constitute a severe blow to the Iranian financing routes to Hezbollah,” the military adds.
    Politics and the War and General News

    • The Region and the World

  • Israelis stranded abroad face fear rising hostility that began October 7
    Since October 7 and Israel’s subsequent attack on Iran, Israelis traveling abroad increasingly face hostility; Israeli travel blogger Uri Liron, recounts brush with antisemitism, subsequent empathy and gives advice to thousands stranded abroad
    One evening a few months after October 7, Uri Liron, a 27-year-old Israeli, was sitting with friends at a bar in Ireland. A casual conversation with a nearby group of women quickly turned into a confrontation.
  • “Everything was fine—we were talking, having a beer. Then they asked, ‘Where are you from?’” he recalled. “We hesitated but eventually said, ‘Israel.’ The second we did, everything changed. One got up and left and the other started shouting, ‘Baby killers! Why are you even here?’”
    Pro-Palestinian rally in Australia
    (Photo: AAP/Mick Tsikas / REUTERS )
    Within moments, the entire bar turned to look at them. More patrons joined in the shouting, and Liron and his friends quickly paid and rushed out. “We left everything on the table—drinks, plates—and just ran. In that kind of situation, you don’t think about advocacy or justice. You just think about staying alive.”
    For Liron, the incident wasn’t isolated. He’s visited 68 countries as a travel blogger, including during the war in Gaza. But in the months since the October 7 Hamas massacre, he said, the experience of traveling as an Israeli has changed dramatically.

    Identity on the defensive

    Before October 7, most Israelis traveling abroad—especially in Western countries—rarely hesitated to identify themselves. But since the war and the global wave of backlash, that instinct has shifted.
    The latest escalation, triggered by Israel’s offensive under Operation Rising Lion this past Friday, has brought the issue into sharper focus. With more than 100,000 Israelis now stranded abroad amid flight cancellations and airport closures, many report heightened fears of both physical and verbal assault.
    Liron recalled another moment in Indonesia, when a casual street conversation turned risky. “They asked where I was from. Without thinking, I said Romania.”
    “The world doesn’t hate us. Sure, there’s antisemitism,” he explained. “Some people buy into garbage they see on TikTok or Instagram. But most of the people I’ve met—from 68 countries—either don’t care or are friendly. When I say I’m from Israel, a lot of them smile and ask about Tel Aviv.”
    Still, he’s learned to be cautious. “In Vietnam, I sat near a German couple during a motorbike tour. The guy had a ‘Free Palestine’ pin on his bag. I considered not saying I was Israeli—but I did. He looked shocked but we ended up talking for 45 minutes. I told him what happened on October 7. I don’t know if I changed his mind but I was glad we spoke.”

    ‘You just listen to your instincts’

    When asked sked how he decides whether to identify himself as Israeli, Liron said it depends on the situation. “If I sense danger, I don’t say it. If the person just seems confused or brainwashed, I feel it out.
    “In places like Java in Indonesia, where there are Palestinian flags everywhere and graffiti of Israeli flags crossed out—it’s clear. I just say I’m Romanian. I even learned how to say ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ in Romanian. It works.”
    What about displaying Israeli or Jewish symbols? “Israeli-produced sandals, tank tops, side pouches, long hair, nose rings, Star of David necklaces—these all scream ‘Israeli.’ Large groups, speaking Hebrew loudly—it’s obvious. I’m not saying never wear them. But if you want to lay low, maybe leave the pouch at the hotel.”
    He shared his advice to fellow Israelis stuck abroad: “The world isn’t against us. Just be careful, stay aware and learn to read people. That’s the trick.” link
    Personal Stories


    Acronyms and Glossary

    COGAT - Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories

    ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague

    IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague

    IPS - Israel Prison System

    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

    Join my Whatsapp update group https://chat.whatsapp.com/IQ3OtwE6ydxBeBAxWNziB0 
    Twitter - @LonnyB58 
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    My blogs in The Times of Israel my blogs



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