π️Lonny's War Update- October 693, 2023 - August 29, 2025 π️
π️Day 693 that 48 of our hostages are still in Hamas captivityπ️
- IDF recovers body of hostage Ilan Weiss from Gaza
Weiss, deputy head of Kibbutz Be’eri’s emergency team, killed defending his community on October 7; his wife and daughter released from Hamas captivity in November 2023; remains believed to belong to another fallen hostage also retrievedThe body of Ilan Weiss, abducted by Hamas on October 7, was recovered from the Gaza Strip in a joint military operation, the IDF announced Friday. Weiss, 55, was declared missing for three months before his death was confirmed in January 2024.Weiss, deputy head of the emergency response team in Kibbutz Be’eri, was killed while responding to the Hamas assault and his body was taken into Gaza. His wife, Shiri, and daughter, Noga, were also kidnapped in the attack and released as part of a hostage deal in November 2023.Ilan Weiss, his wife Shiri and daughter Noga (Photo: Facebook) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation, carried out by the IDF and the Shin Bet security service, also retrieved remains believed to belong to another fallen hostage, whose identity is still under investigation. The remains are being examined at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine. Families of both hostages have been notified. “Together with all Israeli citizens, my wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and share in their deep sorrow,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “Ilan Weiss, a hero of the corps, was a member of the Emergency Response Team of Kibbutz Be’eri. He was murdered on October 7, 2023, while defending the kibbutz, and his body was kidnapped... We will not rest or be silent until we bring all our captives home—both the living and the fallen alike.The military said the complex operation was led by Southern Command in cooperation with Military Intelligence, the Shin Bet and special forces units, relying on precise intelligence provided by the Hostage Task Force. Identification was completed with support from the Israeli police. Kibbutz Be’eri mourned Weiss, calling him a “modest and principled man,” deeply involved in community life and a devoted family man. “We hope there is some comfort in knowing that Ilan will be laid to rest in the soil of Be’eri, which he loved and died defending,” the community said in a statement. They also reiterated their opposition to endangering soldiers in rescue operations and urged the government to secure the release of all remaining hostages through a negotiated agreement.Ilan Weiss and his dog Ketem
President Isaac Herzog expressed condolences, praising Weiss for showing “courage and noble spirit when he fought the terrorists on that dark day,” as well as his wife and daughter for showing “extraordinary strength in their struggle for his return.” Herzog added that Israel “will not rest until every one of them is brought home, the living to the loving embrace of their families, and the fallen to be laid to rest in dignity. Every last one.” Defense Minister Israel Katz called the recovery “a heroic operation led by the IDF and Shin Bet.” He noted that Weiss “bravely led the defense of the kibbutz and helped prevent an even greater disaster.” Katz said he sent “deep condolences to the Weiss family” and voiced “profound appreciation for the soldiers who risk their lives day and night to bring every hostage home, living and fallen alike.” According to the IDF, 48 hostages remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza.Ilan Weiss and his dog Ketem
Weiss' daughter, Noga, who was abducted on October 7 from Kibbutz Be'eri and released after 50 days as a hostage in Gaza with her mother, Shiri, enlisted in the IDF in May 2024 as a social welfare soldier. Noga's enlistment day came more than five months after she was released and about four months after the announcement that her father was murdered and his body held in Gaza. "After a very tumultuous period, I feel that enlisting is the right thing for me. I always wanted to enlist and contribute to the country, and the army for me is a combination of processing what happened, a distraction, daily routine and mainly getting in touch with reality," Noga said during the enlistment ceremony. linkNoga Weiss, center, on the day of her enlistment in the IDF, while her father was still being held in Gaza (Photo: IDF)
**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!!!”
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
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- 'He didn't hesitate for a second': On October 7, Ilan rushed to defend his kibbutz. His body has now been brought home
When Shiri and Noga Weiss were freed from Hamas captivity, they learned Ilan was missing; weeks later it was confirmed he was murdered defending Be’eri and taken to Gaza; with his return, the kibbutz mourns 'a modest and principled man'
On the morning of October 7, 2023, as Hamas terrorists stormed into southern Israel, Ilan Weiss rushed to defend his kibbutz. Weiss, 56, was the deputy head of the emergency response team in Kibbutz Be’eri. When he learned that the kibbutz security chief had been killed at the gate in the first minutes of the attack, Weiss grabbed the keys to the armory and went to unlock it for the local alert squad. He never came back.
For three months, his family did not know his fate. In January 2024, they were told that Weiss had been murdered that same morning and his body taken into Gaza. His remains were recovered this week in a joint IDF and Shin Bet operation.
While Weiss went to fight, terrorists broke into his home. His daughter Noga hid under a bed in the safe room. They kidnapped his wife, Shiri, as one of their daughters watched and reported the abduction in the family WhatsApp group. The attackers then set fire to the house. On the advice of her sister, Noga fled through a window but was also taken hostage. After 50 days in Gaza, both mother and daughter were released in the first hostage deal in November 2023.
At a rally in Tel Aviv earlier this month, Noga recalled her father’s final moments. “When they told him there might be terrorists inside the kibbutz, he didn’t hesitate for a second. He took the keys to the armory and left the house to defend us and the community. That was the last time I saw him,” she said.“That morning, at 7:15, when he left the safe room, I asked him to take care of himself. He told my mom and me not to worry, that it would be over in a few minutes and he’d be back. Six hundred and eighty days have passed since then. It’s not over, and my father still hasn’t returned. When he does, it will only be to say goodbye forever, to be buried in the soil he loved.”
Weiss is survived by his wife and three daughters, Meital, Maayan and Noga. Members of Kibbutz Be’eri described him as “a modest and principled man, deeply involved in community life and highly respected for his actions. A devoted family man who cared for his loved ones, loved hosting, tending to his garden, drinking beer and riding his mountain bike on weekends with his brother-in-law, Gil Boim, who was also killed that day.”The community added: “On October 7, when news came of the infiltration, Ilan did not hesitate for a moment. Despite the grave danger, he left his home to protect us, the members of Be’eri. We share the family’s heavy grief and hope they find some comfort in knowing that Ilan will be laid to rest in the soil of Be’eri, which he loved and for which he gave his life.”The recovery of Weiss’s body was part of a complex military operation carried out by IDF Southern Command together with Military Intelligence, the Shin Bet security service and special forces, the army said Friday.
According to the IDF, the remains were located following a prolonged intelligence effort that included interrogations of captured terrorists. “The operation was made possible thanks to precise intelligence gathered by the Hostage Task Force, Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet,” the army said. Identification was completed at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine with the assistance of the police, after which the Hostage Task Force notified Weiss’s family and the Be’eri community. “The IDF and Shin Bet share in the families’ grief and will continue to make every effort to bring all hostages home,” the statement said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the operation also retrieved remains believed to belong to another hostage, whose name has not yet been released. He said the findings are undergoing forensic examination, and the family of the fallen hostage has been informed.
IDF troops uncover and destroy kilometer-long tunnel in southern Gaza, says military
IDF troops operating in southern Gaza’s Zeitoun area discovered and destroyed a roughly one-kilometer-long Hamas tunnel equipped with living quarters and weapons, the military says.
Soldiers from the 7th Brigade, under the 99th Division, located the underground tunnel during operations in the southern Gaza Strip. According to the IDF, the tunnel was used by Hamas operatives for military purposes.
In addition, the brigade, working alongside the Israeli Air Force, dismantled other terrorist infrastructure, seized additional weapons, and neutralized several terror operatives who allegedly posed a threat to troops in the area. Video
Addressing Gazans, IDF general promises boosted aid, tents ahead of expanded offensive
The head of Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, issues an Arabic-language video message to Gaza residents as the IDF prepares to expand its operations against Hamas in Gaza City and move civilians southward.
Alian accuses Hamas of orchestrating a “false starvation campaign,” stressing that “Israel does not pursue a policy of starvation. On the contrary, Israel works to prevent it.”
He says more than 300 humanitarian aid trucks enter Gaza daily — most carrying food — and that four crossings have been opened to facilitate deliveries, which he claims have driven down market prices and improved access to food.
“Hamas, and only Hamas, is responsible for the humanitarian crisis,” he says, charging that the group seizes aid and uses civilians as human shields.
Alian says the IDF’s upcoming Gaza City offensive is aimed at bringing about “the collapse of this terrorist organization,” while ensuring safe passage for civilians to the southern Gaza Strip.
To support that effort, he notes that Israel has facilitated the entry of tents for shelters, worked to set up additional field hospitals and enabled the transfer of medical equipment to bolster the health system in the south.
“Hamas will continue spreading lies,” he adds. “We will continue working together with the UN and international organizations to facilitate the entry of large-scale food supplies and ensure that the aid reaches you, the residents of Gaza, and not Hamas.” Link
IDF blows up Hamas tunnel from which terrorists stormed a military post in Gaza
The IDF’s 7th Armored Brigade uncovered and destroyed a kilometer-long tunnel in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood after Hamas terrorists tried to attack a military position; troops vow all terror infrastructures in the area will be destroyed
The IDF said Thursday that it thwarted a Hamas attack launched from a large tunnel in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood, as the 7th Armored Brigade pushes into its second month of operations in the area ahead of a wider offensive planned for this fall.According to the IDF, at least four Hamas terrorists emerged several days ago from the shaft of an 800-meter tunnel and charged a fortified position held by the brigade. The attackers were met by two alert reservists standing guard, who opened fire and repelled the assault. Other troops killed at least two terrorists before the remainder of the squad fled back underground.The tunnel was later found to be in active use and equipped for long-term operations. Troops from the 99th Division, working with Yahalom combat engineers, uncovered rooms, supplies, and even a rocket-propelled grenade left on a mattress. The military released footage showing the discovery and subsequent destruction of the tunnel, which it said stretched nearly one kilometer.“Brigade engineering forces, in cooperation with Yahalom, located a tunnel containing living quarters and weapons used by Hamas terrorists for military purposes,” the IDF said. “In other actions, the brigade, with air force support, destroyed additional terror infrastructure, seized weapons, and killed terrorists posing a threat to our forces.”The army says the goal of the current operation is to dismantle the remaining capabilities of Hamas’ Zeitoun battalion, most of whose terrorists—estimated at about 400—have already fled deeper into Gaza City along with evacuated civilians. Those who remain are operating in small guerrilla squads of three to 15 men, striking from ruins and booby-trapped positions.
(Photo: IDF)In the past three weeks, the brigade says its forces have killed about 60 identified terrorists. One officer was lightly to moderately wounded by gunfire from an ambush hidden in a destroyed building. Soldiers also uncovered seven powerful roadside bombs planted under a main route between abandoned neighborhoods, any of which, the IDF said, could have destroyed a Merkava tank.
(Photo: IDF)Brigade commanders said the campaign differs from six previous incursions into Zeitoun because this time the focus is on systematically demolishing structures and destroying tunnels beneath them. “This time we will eliminate the infrastructure of Hamas’ Zeitoun battalion, denying them places of refuge and survival,” the army said.
(Photo: IDF)The IDF expects operations in Zeitoun to continue for another two weeks before the brigade rejoins its parent division, the 36th, for the next stage of the Gaza City offensive. Videos in articleIDF nixes daily ‘tactical pauses’ for aid distribution in Gaza City ahead of planned takeover
The IDF announces that as of 10:00 a.m. today, the localized tactical pause of military activity for the distribution of humanitarian aid will not apply to Gaza City, describing the area as a “dangerous combat zone.”
The military has been implementing such pauses in parts of the Strip in recent weeks to allow for the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid.
It says it will continue supporting those efforts across the enclave — with the exception of Gaza City — while simultaneously carrying out “offensive operations against terror groups in Gaza to protect Israeli civilians.”
The military is gearing up for an offensive which aims to capture Gaza City, where an estimated one million Palestinians — or roughly half of the enclave’s population — are sheltering.
- Satellite images reveal Gaza City outskirts in ruins ahead of Israeli ground offensiveImages show Sabra leveled within weeks of IDF raids; residents describe constant blasts as Israel razes even damaged buildings to deny Hamas guerrilla fighters coverIsrael is gearing up for a full-scale ground offensive to seize Gaza City, while continuing heavy operations in outlying neighborhoods where troops are demolishing buildings they say could shelter Hamas fighters.New satellite images published by The New York Times on Thursday show the vast scale of destruction in Gaza’s Sabra neighborhood after three weeks of Israeli operations. Pictures from Planet Labs taken on Aug. 8 show dozens of intact buildings and makeshift refugee camps. A second set, taken on Aug. 25, shows most structures reduced to rubble and tents gone.The Times reported Israeli tanks have also been operating in the nearby Zeitoun district, with destruction there resembling the devastation in Rafah in the south and Beit Hanoun in the north. Israeli commanders say the Zeitoun operation, launched earlier this month, is meant to pave the way for the broader Gaza City assault. On the ground, residents describe relentless bombardments. “It breaks your heart to see your friends’ houses in ruins,” said Fadi al-Saifi, 33, of Sabra. He said powerful blasts shake his home “all day long,” but he and his brother stayed behind to guard their property from looters. Reuters reported shelling in Zeitoun, Shijaiyah and Sabra.Satellite images reveal Gaza City outskirts in ruins(Photo: Samuel Granados, Planet Labs)The military released footage from a kilometer-long tunnel discovered in Zeitoun by the 7th Armored Brigade. Days earlier, fighters had emerged from one of its shafts to attack Israeli troops but were repelled. Israel says it has killed about 60 terrorists in the neighborhood in recent weeks, though most of the estimated 400 fighters in Hamas’ Zeitoun Battalion are believed to have fled deeper into Gaza City, sheltering among civilians. Officials say Israel’s aim is to level as many buildings as possible to collapse tunnels beneath and deny Hamas places to hide. While small guerrilla units remain behind, laying roadside bombs and ambushing troops from ruins, commanders say Hamas’ infrastructure in Zeitoun is being systematically dismantled. In one case, soldiers uncovered seven large roadside explosives, each powerful enough to flip a Merkava tank.Leaving Gaza City (Photo: Eyad BABA / AFP)Aftermath of Israeli airstrike in Zeitoun, Gaza City (Photo: BASHAR TALEB / AFP) According to the army, the Zeitoun campaign is expected to conclude within two weeks before shifting under the 36th Division for the major Gaza City offensive, codenamed Operation Gideon's Chariots II. The strategy mirrors earlier operations in Shijaiyah, where Israeli forces flattened large sections of the neighborhood. Israel has not ruled out a partial hostage deal with Hamas, but says its primary objective remains to dismantle the terrorist group’s military command or force it into full surrender. link The satellite pictures released by The New York Times are indicative of the destruction in all parts of Gaza. We have destroyed approximately 90% of all structures and infrastructure in Gaza leaving over a million people homeless and this number will double if the army carries out the plan for all of Gaza City and its outskirts. In Israel, there is a clear division among the population of what they would like to see done with Gaza. Every single person in Israel was affected by October 7 and the desire and demands for retribution, revenge and punishment are strong with a large part who would like to see Gaza totally decimated and to be rid of the entire population by 'voluntary emigration'. Among them there are those who are not calling for emigration of all the population, but a great deal of them. These are also the people who don't believe that there are any innocents in Gaza. The feeling of a lack of innocents is understandable based on what we all saw on our screens on October 7 and the days that followed. There were hundreds, if not thousands of Gazans, who were not part of the terrorists onslaught who came over the border to loot the communities of whatever they could carry or drive away with: cars, tractors, televisions, stoves, personal property, anything and everything. Yet, there were also many of these Gazans who also took part in the rapes, killings and kidnappings of living and dead hostages, knowing they will get cash rewards for every kill and every hostages, living and dead from Hamas. The other brutal scenes that we saw on our screens was what the hoards gathering to see the hostages being brought into Gaza did. The bodies of some of the dead were dragged through the streets with the crowds praising and cheering, and others who tried to pull hostages from the Hamas kidnappers in order to attack and lynch them. These were not innocents. They were brutal hoards in a frenzy following the amazing results of a surprise attack of the 'Zionist' enemy. There was shock of the success and sheer happiness in the streets. Based on these scenes, it is understandable how so many can believe that there are no innocents in Gaza. On the other hand, much of the population is disturbed and horrified by the total destruction of a civilization in Gaza and the war crimes being committed. They are mortified by the amounts of women, elderly and children who have been killed by our attacks, aerial bombings and shooting at refugees coming to the humanitarian aid distribution centers. The government and the army have worked strenuously to prevent any foreign correspondents from entering Gaza and the only journalists they allow are Israeli and they enter with complete limitations. The army takes them in and out, decides where they will take them and then the army censor tells them what they are allowed and not allowed to report on. This isn't exactly free press. However, the Israeli news channels and journalists are part of the problem. Let us remember that any news that is censored by the army censor is free game once it is published in any foreign reports. There is no shortage of reports of the devastation and destruction of Gaza and the war crimes committed in our names. The Israeli news channels have purposely refrained from reporting on most of this for several reasons: They know how many of the viewers are in favor of the destruction; they don't want to be cut off from information from the army; they don't want to be accused of being Hamas sympathizers; they want the focus to be on the hostages and not what is happening to Gazans. This, of course does not include Channel 14 which is similar to Fox news in the US which idolizes Netanyahu and all his actions, nor does it include any of the Haredi publications which barely deal with the war at all except the issue of Haredi exemptions and drafts to the IDF. In the past months, many more Israelis have been demonstrating against the war and the war crimes and showing pictures of the destruction and mostly of the babies and children who have been killed in Gaza. As a result, there have been more cases of people arrested and physically attacked at the demonstrations by the police and Bibists (supporters of Netanyahu). The police have grabbed and destroyed many of the pictures showing the dead children claiming that the people holding them are inciting to riot. The police sometimes suffice with tearing up the signs and beating the people holding them and if they think that isn't enough, they arrest them on trumped up charges only to be ordered by the courts to release them later or the next day. But the police's point and agenda is not to arrest them and have charges brought on them, it is to scare others from having the audacity to join and protest the war and the war crimes being perpetrated. That is the country we are living in today.
Israel Welcomes UN move to end UNIFIL peacekeeping force after next year
Israel welcomes the United Nations Security Council’s decision to terminate the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon at the end of next year.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar hails the move and credits Washington for enabling it, saying in a statement from his office: “Israel appreciates the stance of the United States, and particularly that of Secretary of State Rubio, which made this outcome possible. US involvement in shaping a more secure environment for the states of the region is welcome.”
“The recent developments in Lebanon are positive developments. Israel will continue to ensure that these gains are not eroded and that the security of the residents of the north is safeguarded,” he continues.
The Foreign Ministry adds that ahead of the Security Council discussion on UNIFIL, it “coordinated interagency preparations together previously with the IDF and the National Security Council,” and held talks with “key international partners,” in efforts it claims led to the decision to end UNIFIL’s mandate.
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, celebrates the “good news” in a video message, saying UNIFIL “has failed in its mission and allowed Hezbollah to become the region’s most serious threat.”
“The Lebanese government now needs to take responsibility and ensure that no other force is present on its border with Israel,” he adds.
The mandate is set to formally expire in December 2026, with UNIFIL troops scheduled to withdraw from Lebanon during 2027.
While Israel had pushed for the observer force’s mandate to be terminated even sooner, arguing it had not sufficiently acted against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, its ally the US ultimately joined the rest of the Security Council in backing UNIFIL remaining in Lebanon for another year. link When UNIFIL was formed, it was an effective Peace Keeping Force keeping a quiet buffer zone between Israel and Lebanon. It was made up of talented and seasoned UN peacekeeping officers and soldiers, most of whom were reassigned from other peacekeeping forces in the area. However, they were not fully successful and there were many infiltrations by Palestinian terrorists which led to the first Lebanon War. Their mandate was enhanced at various times up to and including the period of time following the Israeli pullout in 2000. Following the Israeli pullout, there were many changes in personnel and effectiveness and the greater troubles began when the French UNIFIL commander and French Foreign Minister would not intervene to disarm Hizbollah. Things continued to deteriorate in the years following and there were many battles between terrorists in Lebanon and the UNIFIL forces. In many instances, Israel accused UNIFIL of favoring the Lebanese and not doing enough to stop the attacks on Israel. Relations with Israel were not good and Israel felt the need to retaliate against terrorists in Lebanon and disregard UNIFIL. In Israel, it was felt that UNIFIL totally lost its effectiveness and this was seen on multiple occasions such as when there were skirmishes or rocket attacks, UNIFIL soldiers stayed in their bunkers and didn't get involved. The original idea behind setting up UNIFIL was for it to help stabilize Southern Lebanon for the Lebanese Government and forces to take over and maintain control. The civil wars, political instability and the growing influence and control by Hizbollah prevented that up to the point that Hizbollah was the de facto government and security force in Southern Lebanon. Now, following the war in Lebanon and the heavy damage inflicted on Hizbollah from its top and senior leaders on down, the Lebanese government finally has the opportunity that was missing for decades and now also has a President who wants to take Lebanon back for the Lebanese and not have Iranian or any other foreign influence. They have financial backing from some Gulf State to rebuild their army and finally manage and maintain South Lebanon and the rest of the country. They are in the midst of of disarming Palestinian refugee camps and working very hard to fully disarm Hizbollah, yet that is not going as smoothly as hoped. With the Lebanese government showing backbone and actually performing these critical tasks, the need for UNIFIL is a thing of the past. This is positive both for Lebanon and for Israel.
More Palestinian groups in southern Lebanon hand their weapons over to army
Palestinian groups in three refugee camps in south Lebanon hand over heavy weapons to the Lebanese army today, under a disarmament deal reached earlier this year, say Lebanese and Palestinian authorities.
During a visit to Beirut in May, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun agreed that weapons in Lebanon’s Palestinian camps would be handed over to the Lebanese authorities. The implementation of the deal — part of Lebanese authorities’ decision to disarm all non-state groups — began last week as Abbas’s Fatah movement surrendered its weapons in south Beirut’s Burj al-Barajneh camp.
The official Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee says that “heavy weapons belonging to the factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the Rashidieh, Al-Bass and Burj al-Shemali camps were handed over to the Lebanese army.”
Abbas’s Fatah is the most prominent PLO faction. Palestinian terror groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which are allied to Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group, are not part of the organization. By longstanding convention, the Lebanese army stays out of the Palestinian camps — where Fatah, Hamas and other armed groups are present — and leaves the factions to handle security.
The statement says six truckloads of weapons were removed from Rashidieh, and one truck each from the other two locations, adding that the process will continue in the rest of Lebanon’s Palestinian camps.
Lebanon hosts about 222,000 Palestinian refugees, according to the United Nations agency UNRWA.
IDF: Air force strikes Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, including rocket launcher
The IDF says that its aircraft struck several targets of Hezbollah terror infrastructure, including a rocket launcher, in multiple areas of southern Lebanon.
According to the military, the presence of the targets constituted a violation of understandings between Israel and Lebanon.
IDF ‘expresses regret’ after Lebanon says two soldiers killed in Israeli drone explosion
The IDF expresses regret for an incident yesterday in which an Israeli drone that had crashed in southern Lebanon exploded, killing and wounding several members of the Lebanese Armed Forces.
In a statement, the military says the IDF has opened a probe into the incident, which it attributes to a “technical malfunction.”
It acknowledges that following the explosion, “the IDF received reports that a number of Lebanese army soldiers were harmed.”
“The possibility that the incident was caused by an IDF weapon explosion is being examined,” the military says, adding that it “regrets the harm to Lebanese army soldiers.”
According to the military, the drone had been intended to target a Hezbollah site that the terror group was rebuilding “in violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon, and not against the Lebanese army soldiers.”
The IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee issues a similar statement in Arabic on X.
The Lebanese military has said that two people were killed in the blast, including an officer, and two others were injured. link It seems to me that we are long past the point that the "IDF expresses regret" has any meaning. Every time, it is reported in the news that those killed in an Israeli attack were not the target and not involved in actions against Israel, the "IDF expresses regret" and that is always followed by "the IDF has opened a probe into the incident". There are so many 'probes' into incidents, it's amazing that there are people left to do the fighting. That might be the case if there was something real to these probes. To me (and I'm saying this as speculation only and don't have any information about what happens in these so-called probes), it seems to be that these probes entail someone in an office making a few calls and asking a few questions, followed by the closing of the probe. If we are lucky, we hear the IDF spokesman's office say that the incident was caused by equipment malfunction, or non-intentional human error, or some kind of accident. It is extemely rare that these incidents trigger a further examination and even rarer that there is accusation of negligence or actionable blame causing reduction of rank, trial or real punishment. In most of these incidents, they are simply brushed away and we never hear anything else unless it is so horrendous such as the tank shelling of the hospital with deaths of journalists and medical personnel that causes international demands for investigation. Even then, those who committed the incidents that the IDF regrets, are exonerated by the same excuses.
This is not moral, not responsible, not ethical, but no different than the actions of the political echelon that instructs the army.
Gaza and the South
7 extremist settlers arrested over past month freed to house arrest
Seven of eight West Bank settlers arrested by security forces earlier this month were released to house arrest today by the Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court, according to the right-wing legal aid group Honenu.
One of them remains in custody.
The eight were arrested in three separate incidents over the course of the past month, amid simmering tensions between extremist settlers and security forces in the West Bank.
The arrest of five of the eight was announced on Sunday by the police and Shin Bet, which said they were suspected of engaging in “grave and violent activities against security forces.” They were detained as part of an ongoing investigation, whose details are under a gag order until September 3.
“The Shin Bet and Israel Police view these acts of terror as a grave threat to national security and will continue to work to thwart such activity and to prosecute perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law,” the agencies said at the time.
The night before the five were arrested, a group of 30-40 settlers set fire to an olive grove adjacent to a Shin Bet facility in central Israel, in an attempt to obstruct the probe currently underway, Channel 13 News reported. link "“The Shin Bet and Israel Police view these acts of terror as a grave threat to national security and will continue to work to thwart such activity and to prosecute perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law,” the agencies said at the time." The agencies said this at the time of the detention and arrest. Unfortunately, only one of these agencies actually acts that way, the Shin Bet but they are limited in what they can do following the arrest. The statement even called it terrorism but that did not last very long. When has a terrorist ever been released to house arrest and then had all charges removed and house arrest cancelled.
In this case, had it been that only the police were involved, I highly doubt that there would have been any arrests whatsoever due to the explicit orders of the criminal Minister of Internal 'Insecurity'. No where is there any mention of any Palestinians arrested and what their current situation is. When Palestinians are arrested at the same time as the settler terrorists, they are interrogated, charged and kept in jail without bail for the duration until the end of trial. As opposed to the settlers, who are under Israeli jurisprudence, the Palestinians are under military law and brought before a military court where there is a 99% chance of being found guilty and sentenced to prison. How is that for equal justice? There is no such thing as equal justice between Palestinians and Israelis.Palestinian reports: Palestinian amputee arrested after being shoved to ground
Palestinian media reports that Sa’eed al-Amour, a resident of Khirbet al-Rakiz in the South Hebron Hills of the West Bank, was arrested after being assaulted by settlers.
In video footage from today, settlers are seen walking in orchards near the village and knocking the Palestinian man to the ground. He is then seen walking alongside Israeli soldiers who, according to the reports, arrested him. The IDF has yet to comment on the incident.
Al-Amour is an amputee. In April, he was reportedly shot by settlers during clashes around the village, an incident that led to his leg being amputated. Link
This is the West Bank sovereignty plan settler leaders want Netanyahu to adopt
With France moving toward recognizing a Palestinian state, settler leaders urge Prime Minister Netanyahu to declare sovereignty over all areas without Palestinian residents; Smotrich pushes to act before global moves
Against the backdrop of a closed-door cabinet discussion on possible sovereignty moves beyond the Green Line, settlement leaders in the West Bank are pressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to adopt the broadest possible plan—one that would cover all territories without Palestinian population centers.“Our understanding is that he’s not there yet, but that’s no reason to stop,” said a settlement leader. “We can bring him there, especially with Europe moving toward recognizing a Palestinian state. There’s a consensus in Israel that this must be prevented.”Settlement leaders presented Netanyahu with a proposal to apply sovereignty across areas where Palestinians do not live, regardless of whether those areas are classified as A, B or C. In their view, such a move would block the creation of a Palestinian state while avoiding the annexation of large Palestinian populations, effectively altering the map with minimal demographic consequences.Netanyahu has yet to decide. He is weighing Israeli public opinion, as well as the international response—particularly from the United States. For now, he is waiting to see whether French President Emmanuel Macron will follow through on his stated intention to recognize a Palestinian state at next month’s U.N. General Assembly, along with other European leaders. Netanyahu is expected to adjust his position accordingly.Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other right-wing figures are pressing Netanyahu to move first rather than respond to European recognition efforts, effectively “killing” the two-state idea. At a recent ceremony approving the long-delayed E1 construction plan near Ma’ale Adumim, Smotrich declared: “By September, there will be nothing left for Europe to recognize.”Settlement leaders fear Netanyahu could settle for a limited sovereignty move—such as annexing Ma’ale Adumim or the Jordan Valley—which could be presented to Washington as securing Israel’s eastern border in the wake of the October 7 Hamas massacre. But they warn that such a step would mean “giving up everything else and leaving the Palestinian dream of statehood alive.”For two years, Smotrich and his allies have been quietly preparing the ground. They established a new Settlements Administration within the Defense Ministry, siphoning powers from the IDF’s Civil Administration and placing them under civilian political control. This body now oversees enforcement policies on illegal construction, dramatically accelerates planning approvals, advances new farms and settlement outposts, declares state land, transfers budgets, and reshapes governance across the West Bank.“This is a revolution,” Smotrich has said. “Anyone trying to recognize a Palestinian state will receive an answer from us on the ground. It is time for full sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.”At last week’s closed ministerial meeting, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close Netanyahu confidant, expressed support for sovereignty. According to participants, he said: “There will be sovereignty in the West Bank—the only question is over which areas.”Omer Rahamim, CEO of the Yesha Council, said Thursday morning: “It is right for Israel to move toward sovereignty, but we must ensure it is good sovereignty, not dangerous. Half a million Israeli citizens cannot live under military rule. If sovereignty is applied only to settlement blocs, it means the rest becomes a terror state—another Gaza in the heart of the country. We completely oppose that.” Link This is such clear evidence that this extremist criminal government doesn't care at all about international condemnation, sanctions, embargoes, arrest warrants, denunciations, attacks on Israelis and Jews around the world due to the actions of this government. They only care about their messianic agenda to take over and annex the West Bank and Gaza and finally to expel all Palestinians from those areas. These criminal acts are all based on Jewish sovereignty, racism, control and colonization with the distorted view that only Jews should be allowed to live in any part of these lands. They view the idea of a Palestinian State as a crime and stealing their lands (that are not theirs) and will do whatever they can to prevent it from coming into existence and burying any possibility that it could happen. The distorted lesson that they took away from October 7 is that everything needs to be Arab-free and only Jews to live in the entire West Bank and Gaza. As a result of the war with Hizbollah and the exit of Assad from Syria and following disarray, they also see their mission and ideology extended to both of those countries. Due to the weakness of Netanyahu and his relentless narcicissitic need to stay as prime minister, Netanyahu has allowed and enabled the 2 extremist messianics control the government and all decision making. In the past, Netanyahu beamed with personal pride that he was welcomed on red carpets with all the pomp and circumstance throughout the world. This war and Netanyahu's mismanagement of it has brought the world to be against us, Netanyahu has an arrest warrant by the ICC that is supposed to be honored by every member state of the ICC agreement, and the only leader that Netanyahu cares about is Trump. He therefore enables the criminal ministers to be the tail that wags him and he then enables such criminal acts that will turn the world even more against us with further sanctions, embargoes and arrests, but he doesn't care. So, now because of all of this, we are at a dangerous crossroad where this extremist government may go forward with this horrendous and damaging act of annexation. Not only do these extremists not fear another intifade type uprising in the West Bank, they would actually like to see it happen. It would give them the excuse and justification for doing to the West Bank what they have done to Gaza; destroying most of the structures and infrastructure and lead them to massive 'voluntary emigration' i.e. ethnic cleansing. Every day that the position of Israel in the world reaches the worst point ever in our history, this government seems to question how to make it even worse and then go ahead and do it. Their actions are not just dangerous on the world front, they are internally dangerous deepening the divisions until they will cause everything to explode. The extremist have no idea what real democracy is, nor do they care. They are in favor of denying rights to anyone who is against them and will do whatever they can to reach their messianic goals. They neither realize or care that it is tearing the country apart and will never believe that it is their actions that are risking the existence of the country that we love.
IDF confirms striking Houthi targets in Sanaa area of Yemen
The IDF confirms that the Air Force carried out a targeted strike on a military site of the Iran-backed Houthis in the Sanaa area of Yemen, following two Israeli Air Force interceptions of Houthi drones earlier today.
Defense Minister Israel Katz, together with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and senior commanders, coordinated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu via the Red Line communication system before authorizing the operation, Katz’s office says.
“As we warned the Houthis in Yemen: After the plague of darkness comes the plague of the firstborn,” Katz says in a statement, a reference to the biblical 10 plagues. The comment appears to confirm remarks in Hebrew media attributed to a senior Israeli official that the strikes are targeting Houthi political figures.
The IDF says the Houthis have acted aggressively since the start of ongoing war, aiming to harm Israel and its allies, destabilize the regional order, and disrupt global maritime freedom.
“The IDF is acting forcefully against the Houthi terror regime, alongside intensifying operations against Hamas in Gaza, and will continue to work to eliminate all threats to Israeli civilians,” the military says in a statement.
The new strike follows Sunday’s IAF operation in Houthi-controlled Sanaa, reportedly killing at least four people and injuring scores. That strike came after a Friday night ballistic missile attack from Yemen, in which the Houthis for the first time used a projectile with a cluster bomb warhead.
After Sanaa attack: These are the senior Houthi leaders in Israel's crosshairs
Yemini military officials said the attack took place near the presidential compound, and one resident estimated that at least 10 missiles fell in less than five minutes; The chief of staff who survived an assassination attempt during the 12-day war with Iran and the veteran defense minister are among the senior Houthi figures that Israel has targeted since the outbreak of the war
Israel is still assessing the results of an airstrike in southern Sanaa, Yemen, and examining whether it succeeded in killing Defense Minister Mohammed al-Atifi and Chief of Staff Mohammed Abdul Karim al-Ghamari — hours after the Houthis launched another drone toward Israel. In Yemen, the strike — which coincided with a speech by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi — was described as an “earthquake.”“It was much stronger than the strikes we’re used to here,” one Sanaa resident told Ynet, adding: “The blast was very powerful, it felt like it came from underground,” and estimated that the Israeli military fired 10 missiles in less than five minutes. The location, he said, was “not far” from the site targeted in June, when Israel unsuccessfully tried to kill the Houthi chief of staff.On Yemeni social media, calls emerged urging people not to publish footage of the strikes, prompting ridicule. Reuters, citing Yemeni military officials, reported the airstrikes targeted the presidential compound and an adjacent building containing a command center and a missile storage facility.The Israel Defense Forces said it struck one target, but Reuters cited Israeli officials who said multiple sites were hit, all gatherings of senior Houthis who had come together to watch the leader’s speech.The strike was approved by Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and top military commanders, in coordination with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a secure line. The operation was codenamed “Drop of Luck.”Katz later said: “As we warned the Houthis in Yemen: After the strike of darkness comes the strike on the firstborn. Whoever raises a hand against Israel — his hand will be cut off.”Houthi leaders in Israel’s crosshairsMohammed Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, Houthi chief of staff. A close confidant of the Houthi leader, he has stood by his side in various battles. Reports say that in 2012 he traveled to Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh and underwent training with Hezbollah instructors, as well as with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, he directed the deployment and acquisition of weapons in Yemen, including drones, and oversaw attacks on Saudi targets. He is also accused of orchestrating attacks against Yemenis in areas controlled by the internationally recognized government. The U.S. sanctioned him for involvement in “activities that threaten the peace, security and stability” of Yemen.
Muhammad Abdel Karim Al-Ghamari, Muhammad Al-Atafi, Houthi Minister of Defense.Israel already tried to assassinate him in June, during the 12-day war with Iran, targeting what an Israeli official described as a “qat-chewing session” attended by al-Ghamari. “This is no joke,” the official said at the time.Mohammed al-Atifi, Houthi defense minister. A longtime military figure, he has held multiple command roles in missile forces. In a joint statement with al-Ghamari, he once declared: “Yemen will remain a front of support for Gaza and Lebanon. Military operations will continue and our position will never change until the aggression and the siege are stopped.”Other senior Houthi figuresAbdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, leader of the Houthis. The 46-year-old took over leadership in 2004 after the death of his brother, the group’s founder Hussein Badr al-Din al-Houthi. The Houthis derive their common name from the family’s Zaidi-Shiite tribe, though their official name is Ansar Allah (“Supporters of God”). He delivers weekly Thursday addresses remotely to supporters. He continued his speech even as the strikes hit Sanaa.
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi( Photo: Screenshot)Yahya Sarea, military spokesman. At 55, he has become the Houthis’ public face during the Gaza war, issuing statements claiming responsibility for missile and drone launches at Israel and for attacks on Red Sea shipping. He has served as spokesman since 2018.Mehdi al-Mashat, president of the Houthis’ Supreme Political Council. Now age 39, he joined the council in 2017, handling its economic portfolio. He became president after his predecessor Saleh al-Sammad was killed in 2018. He also holds the title of “commander-in-chief of the armed forces.” Early in the Gaza war, he declared: “The war has become a war against Islam. The West and America have mobilized alongside Israel.”
Yahya Sarea, military spokesman(Photo: Mohammed Huwais / AFP)Mohammed Fadl Abd al-Nabi, Houthi naval commander. Now 72, he visited the hijacked Galaxy Leader ship in November 2023, warning that “any military vessel protecting Israeli ships will be a target” and vowing Houthis would continue operations “until the American-Israeli aggression against Gaza ends.”Mohammed Ali al-Qadri, commander of coastal defense forces. He is believed responsible for Houthi attacks on commercial shipping. The UK sanctioned him last year.
Mohammed Ali al-Qadri, commander of coastal defense forcesAbu Ali al-Hakim, head of Houthi military intelligence. Reports after a December Israeli strike in Yemen claimed he was injured, though no confirmation followed.Abd al-Ridha Shahlai, Iranian Quds Force officer overseeing Yemen. He funds and arms the Houthis and is listed as a global terrorist. The U.S. has offered up to $15 million for information on him. Also known as Yousef Abu al-Karh and Haj Yousef, he is based in Sanaa.Political and propaganda figuresBeyond military commanders, Houthi political bureau members have become prominent through social media and media appearances since the Gaza war and looked like targets of Israel.Hazam al-Assad, political bureau member, frequently tweets in Hebrew hinting at drone and missile attacks before official claims.
Hazam Al-Assad, political bureau memberMohammed al-Bukhaiti, another political bureau member, often gives interviews.Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, Supreme Political Council member.Nasser al-Din Amer, chairman of Yemen’s Saba news agency and senior Houthi media figure.Mohammed Abd al-Salam, spokesman for Ansar Allah, travels internationally and engages in negotiations. In November, he said: “The conflict with the Zionist enemy is inevitable. Wars with it are merely rounds of a conflict that will end with its disappearance.” Link
Houthi prime minister said killed in Israeli strike on Sanaa apartment yesterdayYemen’s Al-Jumhuriya channel reports that the prime minister of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, Ahmed al-Rahawi, was killed in an apartment in Sanaa during the Israeli strikes yesterday.
The Aden Al-Ghad newspaper adds that Rahawi was killed along with several of his companions.
It appeared from the reports to have been a separate strike from the one yesterday that was said to have targeted 10 senior Houthi ministers, including the defense minister, as they gathered in a location outside of Sanaa to hear a planned speech by the group’s leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi.
The outcome of that strike has yet to be made clear.
- The Region and the World
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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