October 372, 2023, "The War"
My 275th post on The War
Today’s Image
There were commemorative ceremonies held all across the country today, along with 24 hour non-stop interviews, documentaries, etc. related to the people and events on October 7. This image you see here is a brief image captured from the official ceremony organized by the government. These children are from the community of Mahdal Shams where 12 children playing soccer were killed by a rocket fired by Hezbollah. Here is a link to the ceremony if you are inclined to watch. It is in Hebrew and I am not sure it will be available to view after it is over.
Casualties
The IDF announce today the deaths of Master Sgt. (res.) Etay Azulay - 25 (Z’’L) and Sgt. Major (res.) Aviv Magen - 43 (Z’’L). Azulay. Both were killed by mortar fired by Hezbollah during combat in Lebanon. Azulay died on the spot and Magen died after being rushed to the hospital. To date 11 soldiers have died during the Lebanese offensive.
Rockets & Missiles & Drones
Someone with a lot of patience posted this on Facebook. It is a video on a compressed timeline of each and every rocket, missile and drone launched by Iran and its proxies against Israel. I recommend you watch it.
Early this morning 4 rockets fired from Gaza entered Israel air Space. Three of them were intercepted and one fell in an open area. The IDF reports that Hamas intended to fire many more in recognition of October 7, but air strikes on yesterday and over the weekend destroyed some of the other launchers. Shortly after their firing, IAF fighter jets struck the sites from where the rockets were launched. Then another barrage was fired from Gaza by Hamas mid day from Khan Younis. Two women were lightly injured.
By early this evening Hezbollah managed to launch more than 130 medium range rockets triggering sirens in communities as far south as the city of Haifa. From this set of barrages it was reported that 5 people were injured in Haifa and 1 in Tiberias. I wonder if any interviews or videos of the injured were shown on Western TV stations?? Here you can see video footage captured from a security camera showing shrapnel hitting a building. At the bottom of that article you will see a crater formed by a direct hit of one of the rockets.
And two homes in the northern Israeli town of Kfar Vradim (The former mayor is a friend.) were directly hit by rockets, causing significant damage but no injuries.
Lebanon Operations
Israeli Air Force has been striking the Southern Beirut neighborhood of Dehiyeh with ongoing strikes targeting Hezbollah bunkers, arms manufacturing locations and arms storage warehouses. You should look at this 3 minute video of one of these strikes. You can see multiple after strike explosions and rockets launching. It gives you an idea of just what level of rockets and other explosives Hezbollah is storing deep under the streets of Beirut. Just today the IAF reports that about 100 Hezbollah sites were struck from the air. The IDF has noted that in recent weeks Hezbollah has been moving weapons - including rockets and missiles - from Southern Lebanon and the Eastern Beqaa Valley into the underground labyrinth they constructed over the years in the Dahiyeh neighborhood. No doubt with the IDF ground offensive making progress from the south and the active air attacks on the arms manufacturing and storage facilities in the Beqaa Valley, Hezbollah is looking to preserve whatever arms they can for future operations.
And just today about 120 Hezbollah targets located in Southern Lebanon were hit by Israeli fighter jets. As the ground troops locate or intelligence reveals them, they are destroyed. Like in Gaza, the terrorists have stored arms, rockets and missiles in homes, schools and mosques.
You may remember that just before Rosh Hashanah, the New Year, I reported that Iran’s IRGC Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani was killed in the same attack on Hashem Safieddine, the presumed replacement for Hassan Nasrallah. Iran reports that they have not heard from Qaani since that attack but deny that he was killed. Today, the IDF reported that they did not know that Qaani was with Safieddine at the time of the attack and that he was not the intended target.
Gaza Operations
The IDF now has a division operating in the Northern Gaza city of Jabaliya, seeking and destroying Hamas facilities that remain. They are about to launch a major operation in Khan Younis, from where one of the rocket barrages was fired this afternoon.
And it looks like activities are heating up in Deir al Balah. Today the IAF identified a large number of Hamas combatants congregated in a building adjacent to the Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital. After, hours of surveillance to ensure the absence of civilians, a missile was fired that destroyed the facilities and the terrorists inside.
Unlike those idiotic former US generals you are seeing interviewed on your Cable News programs in the USA, we are neither upset nor surprised that the IDF has to go back in to several of these hotbeds inside Gaza to root out the terrorists and their infrastructure. None of us expect the kind of war where we fight, call it a day, bring back the troops, leave allies in the lurch and billions of dollars in arms that the enemy can use. We will be having to go back and return to fight in these locations for YEARS to come. This will not end until either the Gazan residents have moved somewhere else or they give up on trying to murder and eradicate us. They have already proven that letting them build a state only makes the situation worse. They could have built the state they demand in Gaza, but chose instead to try and destroy ours.
Yemen
A ballistic missile was fired towards Israel from Yemen and was intercepted without damage or injury reported.
Syria/Iran/Jordan/Egypt/Iraq/Turkiye
The Biden Administration has been publicly sending mixed messages regarding the imminent IAF attack on Iranian Assets after Iran launched more than 181 ballistic missiles heading to Israel last week. I do not know if this is intentional or just showing a confused administration. In Israel it is felt that the USA is trying to do what it can to protect Iran behind the doors while trying to show support for Israel in the open. In my opinion, I think that the USA is certainly entitled to advise Israel on what operations it feels are appropriate. But ultimately they must leave this decision to Israel. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid has verbally advocated for attacking their oil storage and refining facilities, even suggesting the possibility of forming a temporary unity government to see Israel through this process. I have no doubt that Defense Minister Gallant’s imminent trip to the USA is for the purpose of having these discussions.
IDF/Government
This afternoon the government’s extended cabinet held a special session starting with moments of silence to honor the memory of those killed and kidnapped on October 7. After lighting a ceremonial candle in their memory, the cabinet joined in prayer and a recitation of psalsm. Later in the meeting Prime Minister Netanyahu proposed to the cabinet that the current conflict should be renamed from “Swords of Iron” to “War of Revival”. I do not know if that will happen, but it might be more appropriate. Almost 2 years ago, the eldest son of my wife returned from reserve duty along the Lebanese border, long before October 7. He told us that his commanders were telling him that the IDF anticipates a war that will be as bad, if not worse, than Israel’s War of Independence when Arab armies attacked a population having an improvised Army and, except for The Czech Republic, experienced a world wide arms embargo. For many, this is our “Second War of Independence”.
And we are hearing signs of intelligence from our Fiance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who said today “The State of Israel that we all love and appreciate was not there for dozens of hours for many of its citizens who hid themselves in shelters, closets and attics. We are in the ten days of repentance. To repent is to correct things that we didn’t do well enough.” He is one of the few government officials who has publicly taken responsibility for the failures on October 7.
US CENTCOM chief General Michael Kurilla is still in Israel meeting with his counterpart, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi. No doubt they are discussing and coordinating plans for Iran.
The Shin Bet caught wind of an attempt to launch a massive revolt amongst the detained Hamas terrorists caught during fighting in Gaza. They were removed from their cells after which inspections found improvised knives and other weapons. No one was hurt and all the arms were confiscated.
Hostages/Ceasefire
Across the country today there have been multiple ceremonies commemorating the October 7 attack. For the last two days all the Israeli TV stations have been broadcasting special programs, most of which feature interviews with survivors of the attack, first responders, IDF reservists who rushed in to defend the communities, families of hostages, families of fallen soldiers, etc. It has been a very solemn day with everyone affected in one way or another.
According to members of the Israeli negotiating team, Qatar is reporting that Sinwar has made contact and that he is not interested in further negotiations now.
One of the hostages, Idan Shviti (Z’’L), was declared dead today by the IDF. Based on videos from October 7 and other unidentified evidence the IDF says that he was killed on the 7th and his body was taken to Gaza. According to the IDF that of the remaining 97 hostages they have confirmed that 34 are dead.
Today, on the one year anniversary of October 7, the spokesperson for Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigade delivered a speech praising the vicious attack. As reported in the Israeli Press, he called for assistance to the “resistance” in the form of military, financial and logistical support. When on the subject of the hostages he said that it would be “unreasonable” for Hamas to kill them but that many of them may be held in captivity for a long time and some may never be returned. As you, my readers know, I have been saying this for a long time. He referred to the assassinations of both Hamas and Hezbollah leaders by saying that the policy is a good outcome. According to him a leader is succeeded by 10 and a fighter by 1,000. “This land produces resistance fighters as it produces olives.
Media
Yesterday Qatari Government funded TV Network Al Jazeera’s Anchorman Jamal Rayyan appeared on TV celebrating the first anniversary of October 7. In his words, “This is the day that restored the nation’s dignity and prestige.” A video clip of this broadcast appeared on his x.com account, but has been deleted since it was posted. You might try doing a search on - Jamal Rayyan Celebrate October 7.
International
As I reported in the last two days, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the world should block arms shipments to Israel that could be used in Gaza. And today the hypocrite held a special ceremony to remember the victims of October 7. If you haven’t read Dana Horn’s book “People Love Dead Jews” you should. You can find a book review on Goodreads.com here. After reading the book you will understand how such hypocrites like Macron think. But here is even a better hint as to his motivation. This report from Reuters documents the Qatari Government providing France $10B in financing targeted at investments in tech startups. The French President sold his country cheap… It isn’t enough that Qatar is buying US Ivy League Schools, now they are buying governments.
And while we are on the subject, British Prime Minister Meir Starmer also issued statements relating to October 7, saying “One year on from these horrific attacks we must unequivocally stand with the Jewish community and unite as a country. We will not falter in our pursuit of peace and on this day of pain and sorrow, we honor those we lost, and continue in our determination to return those still held hostage, help those who are suffering, and secure a better future for the Middle East.” Then he called for an immediate cease fire. This is after his Foreign Minister declared that certain arms shipments to Israel will be blocked. I wonder how much Qatar paid the UK??
And Israel received a welcome clarification from the US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, saying that the Biden Administration does not support a unilateral ceasefire without recovery of the hostages. They should demand the same from their French and British counterparts.
In the meantime, a US Congressional Delegation (both parties) is here visiting. Today, Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham said:
To my friends in France, you’ve got this ass backwards…. You should be doubling down on helping Israel because the people that want to destroy Israel also want to destroy the French people.
, “To my friends in France, you’ve got this ass backwards.”
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin announced today sanctions to be imposed on Hamas’ fundraising network. There are many “charities” in the USA guising as non profits for Gaza victims, when in fact they are shell operations raising funds for Hamas. The sanctions also target several “businessmen” in Turkiye that are also fencing operations for raising funds for Hamas’ war effort. With these actions the Treasury Department made this announcement:
As we mark one year since Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack, Treasury will continue relentlessly degrading the ability of Hamas and other destabilizing Iranian proxies to finance their operations and carry out additional violent acts. The Treasury Department will use all available tools at our disposal to hold Hamas and its enablers accountable, including those who seek to exploit the situation to secure additional sources of revenue.