Today’s Image
Last night Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets across the border into Israel. Nothing new. This photo was taken of the night sky lit up by some of the rocket traces and iron dome eliminating them from the skies.
Gaza Rockets
A barrage of 5 rockets were fired from the Khan Younis area of Gaza directed at the Israeli city of Askelon. There was no damage or injuries reported. But shrapnel ignited a fire near the Israeli town of Bitzaron.
Casualties
No IDF casualties have been reported in the past eight days. BUT, two civilians who were just out taking a walk in the Tel Aviv suburb were attacked by a terrorist bearing a large knife. The couple killed are Rinat Daniv - 66 (Z’’L) and her husband Shimon Daniv - 69 (Z’’L). Two others were seriously injured. The attacker was neutralized by an alert policeman called to the scene. The attacker, Omar Razor Kamel Odeh, entered the country illegally three days ago from Judea/Samaria (West Bank).
Gaza Operations
The IDF infantry operating in Rafah has uncovered a very large tunnel that bridges the Gaza-Egyptian border large enough to accommodate Humvees. So far 25 tunnels have been uncovered that cross the border. This new one is being mapped out before it will be destroyed. Here is more and a photo of the exit from the uncovered tunnel.
This has not garnered wide spread coverage but, as reported here, it is not only the top Hamas officials - Haniye, Deif, Issa - that are being picked off but also those immediately below them in the military infrastructure. This report, extracted from reports in a leading Saudi Arabian newspaper, lists several other very high ranking Hamas officials killed in recent military actions in Gaza.
Disagreements within the Hamas leadership, Shura Council, over who should replace Ismail Haniyeh have emerged. The most logical replacement is Khaled Mashaal (also on the IDF’s hit list). But Yahya Sinwar, as reported in Saudi news outlets, is insisting that whoever assumes the role must have strong relations with Iranian leadership. That might imply Khalil al-Hayya, who was reported to have been close to Haniyeh. But the reality is that no one within Hamas has the kind of relationship with Iran that was maintained by Haniyeh. It will take considerable time for his replacement to build the trust and communications with Hamas’s main sponsor - Iran.
Due to the rockets launched today from Khan Younis, the IDF has issued evacuation orders to those remaining civilians in the area to evacuate in anticipation of ground operations that are likely to be launched soon to eliminate those tunnels from where the rockets were launched.
IDF infantry directed aerial attacks on two UNRWA schools in Gaza City that were serving as Hamas command centers and hideouts. Civilians were given notification prior to the attack to evacuate.
Lebanon Operations
Last night Hezbollah fired more than 30 rockets from Lebanon into what is called the Galilee Panhandle. This is the northernmost tip of the country. Most were intercepted by Iron Dome battery, one hit the northern town of Beit Hillel and several landed in open areas. There were no injuries reported.
This morning reports from Lebanese media report that an Israeli fighter jet fired missiles that hit a power station in the southern town of Taybeh in Lebanon. No comments have come from the IDF regarding the incident.
This afternoon a kamikaze drone launched by Hezbollah struck an operating factory near the northern city of Kiryat Shmona. There was light damage, but no injuries.
It appears that it is not just Iran that is panicking and arresting many of its own senior people in order to find out how there was an assassination on their soil. This report about Hezbollah suggests that this organization is busy scrambling to find out how Israel could pin point one of its most senior leaders, knowing when and where he was at the time of the missile strike in Beirut. Many arrests have already been made. Here is a similar report on Iran’s panic within its leadership.
Yemen Operations
The Houthis announced today that it struck commercial vessel in the Gulf of Aden today. It is the first claimed attack since Israel hit its al-Hodeidah port on July 20. The vessel is the MV Groton bearing a Liberian flag. The Houthis also claim that they shot down another US drone - Reaper - that was operating in Yemen’s airspace.
Syria/Iraq/Egypt/Jordan/Turkiye/Iran
There are rumors here in Israel that Iran intends to time its attack with the Israeli national day of mourning - Tisha B’Av, which falls on the evening of August 12. This day is the day (Hebrew/Lunar Calendar) on which the Babylonians destroyed the first temple built by King Solomon and the day on which the Romans breached the walls of the Second Temple built by King Herod. It is also the day of the infamous Kristalnacht in Germany. It has particular significance in the Jewish calendar as a day on which disaster falls on the Jewish People. Personally, I doubt that Iran pays attention to such holidays on the Hebrew Calendar. It is my guess that preparations for such an attack takes days, perhaps as much as two weeks. In this case it is being coordinated across several of its proxies and it could even take longer.
General Mood - Israel
The country is preparing for a multi-day missile and drone attack. Everyone is stocking up on bottled water, toilet paper, cleaning out bomb shelters and more. The Home Front Command has prepared the population to expect the possibility that water or electric power could be out in specific areas covering 1-2 days depending on what happens. As part of its preparations, the Home Front Command has finished testing a system that broadcasts Text Messages to smartphones within a specific geographical area, independent of any specific application operating. This way they can notify individuals in specific areas what to do and where to go.
In the northern part of the country, which is expected to sustain the main thrust of any attack, the IDF is meeting with many of the mayors and leaders in the municipalities, sharing suggestions and plans for the population. In some cases the IDF is suggesting that the towns might endure up to a 3 day power outage. Water supplies could be interrupted as long as days. Cellphone communications could be out for up to 24 hours.
There is talk of setting up makeshift tent cities in the southern part of the country to accommodate potential internal refugees should their town come under major attack.
Many Israelis are stranded in Europe as most European Carriers have cancelled flights. Many of them are making their way to Cyprus. One TV channel announced that the government will operate maritime shuttles that can bring Israelis in Cyprus back to Haifa by boat.
IDF General
Meeting within the IDF hierarchy continue as they review preparations of the anticipated attack being orchestrated by Iran. Reports are coming from the Gulf that despite several Gulf states urging Iran to exercise caution when it responds, Iran has rebuffed all interlockers saying that there will be no withholding of restraint… that Iran doesn’t care if their attack triggers a full out war.
US General Michael Erik Kurilla, head of the US Central Command CENTCOM is arriving in Israel tomorrow, Monday, in order to coordinate with the IDF preparations for the anticipated Iranian attack.
And the Shin Bet finished preparing a fully operational underground bunker from which senior cabinet members in the government can operate while Jerusalem is under fire. It has full high speed, secure connectivity to Israel’s Kirya in Tel Aviv (the equivalent of the Pentagon).
As you might remember, I reported last week on the arrest of ten IDF reserve soldiers accused of abuse of a Palestinian terrorist commander in the Sde Teiman detention facility. I followed up on Thursday saying that two of the suspects have been released based on testimony provided by all nine soldiers. Today it was announced that another three were released after questioning. Five of the soldiers remain in custody, pending a military hearing.
Hostages/Ceasefire
Differences within the government regarding the hostage/ceasefire proposal continue. Today President Isaac Herzog emphasized the urgency in reaching a deal that brings the hostages back. You can read more details here. And today Prime Minister Netanyahu said that only increasing military pressure on the Hamas murderers will lead to the achievement of all the war’s goals, including the return of all our hostages… Earlier today, during a meeting with his cabinet, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that the government is willing to go a long, long way to free the hostages as long as Israel’s security is safeguarded.
Despite all this there are reports coming in from Cairo that some progress is being made on the current round of negotiations. No more details were provided.
Aid
COGAT reported today that 39 trucks with humanitarian aid entered Gaza via the northern Erez border crossing. More than 450 truckloads of aid have accumulated inside Gaza in the staging areas waiting for distribution. COGAT stands for Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories.
International
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan dispatched their Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi to visit his counterpart in Tehran. Jordan has been coming under attack by Iranian proxies not far from its northern border with Syria over the past year. Perhaps they are trying to come to some form of accommodation.
And In Your Copious Spare Time…
Here is an article written by a former head of Israel’s National Security Council. In this analysis, he describes how, in his view, the assassination of Haniyeh is more significant and meaningful than meets the eye.