I promise to start working on some artwork/graphics so the posts stand out better…
No rockets fired from Gaza landed in Israel in the past 24 hours. No IDF casualties were reported in the past 24 hours from combat in Gaza.
Last night an aerial strike resulted in the assassination of Harem al-Ghamri, the head of the so-called emergency committee in the central Gaza Strip. Terrorists carrying a title like this are ones responsible for terrorizing local citizens, confiscating the aid and generally maintaining “Hamas Order”. Despite the fact that only one IDF division remains in Gaza at the moment they are very busy.
You may remember that I reported a couple days ago on the destruction of three major tunnels in central Gaza. Yesterday I posted a link to videos showing their destruction. Well an article appeared today in the Hebrew press saying that the IDF was aware of these tunnels since 2019 and had planted monitoring equipment in them for the purpose of gathering intelligence. Explosives were also placed inside the tunnels with the expectation that they would form a trap for Hamas.
Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that a date for the start of the Rafah Operation has been set. The Israeli government just received more than 40,000 tents they bought with the intent of providing them to the citizens that will be evacuated from Rafah.
Hezbollah successfully fired a surface to air missile that downed one of the IAF large Hermes drones. Afterwards an Israeli fighter jet was dispatched to strike the downed drone before Hezbollah could reach it. The IAF responded by firing on various Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. I appreciate that this is beginning to sound like “a broken record”. But it is necessary in order to maintain a level of deterrence. If Israel did not respond, Hezbollah would just continue to “up the ante”.
This morning rockets were fired from Syrian Army positions in southern Syria along the border with Israel. IDF artillery fired back at the positions launching these rockets. The IDF said that those positions are actually used by Hezbollah as the Syrian Army has let Hezbollah take them over. Interesting how both Syria and Lebanon have ceded their sovereignty to Hezbollah, an Iranian Pariah. In other activity in Syria, it was reported today that eight Syrian collaborators with Iran’s IRGC were stabbed in a knife attack on their position in eastern Syria, near the Iraqi border and not far from US military positions stationed nearby. Let them try to blame that on Israel… hah!
According to reports from US Centcom, US naval vessels destroyed several missile launching sites and drone systems operated by the Houthis but supplied by Iran. I still do not understand why the US just doesn’t blow up the Iranian ship anchored off the coast of Yemen that is providing navigational support to all the missiles and drones fired by the Houthis.
The IDF announced that it would not cooperate with any internationally led investigation into what happened in the WCK tragedy. The spokesperson said that the investigation was led by individuals outside the chain of command, and was therefore fair and thorough.
In an unusual twist, the US announced that it is providing all the weapons it confiscated in the Arabian Gulf while en route from Iran to the Houthis, to Ukrainian forces. Maybe Israel should supply the massive amount of weapons seized from Hamas to the Ukraine as well???
Today more than 450 (468 to be exact) aid trucks entered Gaza. The US said that this is a great sign of improvement in the humanitarian situation in Gaza. UNRWA said that it was not enough.
Consistent reports are coming in from multiple sources now that Hamas intends to reject the most recent ceasefire/hostage proposal. The Biden Administration is piling on enormous effort to pressure Israel and nail a deal. Israel is offering things that it probably should not, just to accommodate the US Administration. You can tell through the comments of US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan who said this afternoon that “I believe Israel is ready and Hamas should step up to the table and be prepared to do so as well.” He went on to say “There could be a ceasefire in place today that would extend for several weeks to be build upon longer if Hamas would be prepared to release some of those people, so let’s train the attention where it belongs, which is the world should say at this moment that ‘Hamas, it’s time. Let’s go. Let’s get that ceasefire.” Here is an assessment from the Wall Street Journal. Also, apparently Sullivan place a direct call to Qatar’s Prime Minister urging him to apply pressure to Hamas. Officially, Hamas has not rejected the deal. But they are taking a long time to respond and their officials are essentially saying that the deal does not meet their requirements of a full withdrawal of IDF troops, permanent Israeli ceasefire and lots of money. And then Hamas announced that they know the locations of less than 40 of the hostages. Can you believe this??? And as if this is one coordinated symphonic orchestration, today after meeting with British Foreign Minister David Cameron, as part of a join press conference in Washington DC, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said a serious and very good truce deal is on the table and Hamas should accept the deal. At the same press conference Cameron said that the International Community should prepare for a Rafah invasion if these talks fail. It is my opinion that when everyone tries too hard for a deal and gives too much, adversaries like Hamas think they are in a strong negotiation position and simply demand more. Right now Hamas thinks that with world pressure bearing on Israel, the US support of the UN Security Council resolution and public arguments between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Biden, that time is on their side and they will decline this deal thinking they will get a better one later.
And to emphasize all this sudden good will from the White House, US Defense Secretary Austin spoke at a Senate Hearing saying that since the WCK tragedy, the Israeli government has changed its responses, “for the better”. At the same hearing he stated that there is no evidence of Israel committing genocide in Gaza.
Turkiye’s President for Life Recep Rayyip Erdogan announced that his country would start reducing exports to Israel. Its government is mad that Israel would not let them air drop aid into Gaza. Turkey shelters Hamas officials, enables them to use Turkish banks for money laundering and considers Hamas peaceful freedom fighters. So Israel is shopping elsewhere…
If you can spare the time, I recommend reading this article in the Wall Street Journal . The authors co-wrote a top book called “Understanding Urban Warfare”. And the Wall Street Journal seems to be on a run here with this Op-Ed from their Editorial Staff. A very good read.