Hezbollah says it targeted IDF 'barracks' in north

Hezbollah claimed to target an Israeli army base at Biranit on May 1. The group put out a statement to the pro-Iran Al-Mayadeen media claiming that the “Islamic Resistance in Lebanon-Hezbollah announced that its fighters targeted, this Wednesday morning, a deployment of Israeli occupation soldiers in the vicinity of the ‘Branit’ barracks with rocket weapons and artillery shells.” Hezbollah last claimed to have targeted the site on April 17 and has also targeted it in January and in November 2023.

Sirens sounded in northern Israel at 8:11 a.m. on May 1 in the communities of Al-Kosh, Matat, Netua, Fassuta, and Hurfeish. It is relatively rare to have sirens in Hurfeish, a large Druze town in northern Israel. Israel has evacuated most of the communities along the border, but Druze and Arab citizens generally have not evacuated their villages and towns near the border. Hezbollah has targeted the Arab Bedouin community of Arab al-Aramshe in April, wounding 14 soldiers. Hezbollah often claims to target soldiers in its attacks. Last week, Hezbollah killed an Israeli civilian who was working in the Mount Dov area.

Terrorists in Lebanon also claimed to have attacked an area near Metulla on Tuesday, April 30. No sirens were heard in the area, but Al-Mayadeen media, parroting Hezbollah, claimed that the terrorist group targeting “buildings where occupation soldiers were stationed.” The IDF said that “over the last few hours, launches were identified crossing from Lebanon into the area of Metulla in northern Israel. As a result, damage was caused in the area. No injuries were reported. In response, the IDF struck the sources of fire.”

The IDF also said overnight that it had responded to the recent Hezbollah attacks over the last days. “Overnight, IAF fighter jets struck Hezbollah terror targets in the areas of Khiam and Kfarkela in southern Lebanon, including observation posts and terrorist infrastructure. In addition, the IDF struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure and a military structure in the area of Blida in southern Lebanon, as well as terrorist infrastructure and observation posts in the areas of Odaisseh and Meiss El Jabal,” the IDF said. READ MORE

Hezbollah has destroyed South Lebanon, says BBC report

The BBC recently reported on southern Lebanon where it said it saw “air strike destruction in deserted towns.” The report sought to downplay the role Hezbollah has had in bringing this disaster on southern Lebanon. However, reading between the lines, one can get a sense of how Hezbollah’s thousands of attacks on Israel since it joined the war in support of Hamas on October 8, has harmed civilian life in Lebanon.

Hezbollah is an Iranian-backed terrorist group that illegally occupies southern Lebanon and has illegally stockpiled more than 150,000 missiles and rockets. It has also acquired anti-tank missiles in the thousands and several thousand attack drones in recent years, as well as precision-guided munitions. Some of its weapons are developed locally, while other are trafficked from Iran.

Hezbollah has festooned southern Lebanon with weapons, moving them into villages and building networks of bunkers, observation posts, launch sites, and other illegal terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon. After the 2006 war, the UN and Lebanon were supposed to keep Lebanon from creating a state within a state in southern Lebanon, and returning to the border.

Parts of the South are ghost towns

However, the group is exponentially more powerful today than in 2006. Similar to their blind eye to Hamas activities, the international community has sought to enable Hezbollah’s threats or pretend not to notice them.

The result of ignoring Hezbollah’s threats have now become apparent. The group began attacks on Israel on October 8 – one day after the Hamas incursion and brutal October 7 attack in Israel’s South – and has now launched thousands of missiles and rockets at Israel. READ MORE

Report: Biden considering bringing Palestinian Arabs from Gaza to the US

US President Joe Biden is considering offering Palestinian Arabs a permanent safe haven and the opportunity to flee war-torn Gaza, with various benefits that could eventually lead to permanent residency and possible US citizenship, as reported by CBS News, based on information from various federal government documents.

This offer refers only to certain Palestinian Arabs who have immediate family members who are US citizens or permanent residents, or those who have American relatives.

Reports say that the plan would need to be coordinated with Egypt, which would have to accommodate these people during the screening process, but so far has refused to welcome large numbers of refugees from Gaza.

While the eligible population is expected to be relatively small, and the process would involve a series of eligibility, medical and security screenings, this plan could offer a lifeline to some Palestinian Arabs fleeing the Israel-Hamas war.

Military expert: ‘Enter Rafah Now’

Former IDF commander and leading military expert Brigadier General Avigdor Kahalani called for immediate action in Rafah, as well as in the north against Hezbollah, in order to restore lost dignity.

"We should have finished with Rafah a long time ago. Now I would give 24 hours’ notice and move into action," Kahalani said in an interview with Galai Yisrael Radio.

He added, "I am following the developments and am very angry. Military action in Khan Yunis took three or four months for a mission that should have been finished much earlier."

"Also," said Kahalani, "today Hamas supporters are running around in Khan Yunis with weapons and controlling the place. If we don't enter Rafah, we will never cut off the head of the snake that will keep on growing in the Gaza Strip."

He explained, “An operation in Rafah would restore Israel’s lost dignity. We are going through a journey of humiliation, mainly with what is happening in the north."

Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel will enter Rafah. "We will enter Rafah because we have no other choice. We will destroy the Hamas battalions there and we will complete all the war objectives, including the return of all our hostages."

Watch live: At UCLA, protesters clash with Los Angeles police

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Tuesday night (local time) clashed with counter-protesters at UCLA in Los Angeles, California.

According to the Los Angeles police department, police arrived at the scene at the university's request, "due to multiple acts of violence."

According to several reports, at around 11:00 p.m. local time, counter-protesters began to attempt to dismantle the protest camp erected on campus by anti-Israel protesters. In the ensuing chaos, members of both sides scuffled with one another, fireworks were thrown, and teargas were sprayed.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the violence at UCLA, stressing that it is "absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable."

Earlier on Tuesday night, the college declared the protest "unlawful," urging activists to leave.

"The established encampment is unlawful and violates university policy," read the college's message to the protesters, according to NBC News.

Meanwhile, around 300 people were arrested thus far at Columbia University and CCNY.

NYPD's Tarik Sheppard, deputy commissioner for public information, told NBC News that 230 people were arrested at Columbia, while the rest were arrested at CCNY. Of those arrested at Columbia University, between 40 and 50 of whom were at the occupied Hamilton Hall. WATCH

Report: Prisoner swap agreement doesn't include IDF withdrawal from Gaza

Lebanon's Al Akhbar newspaper on Wednesday reported that the Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire-prisoner swap agreement does not include a complete withdrawal of IDF forces from Gaza - even in the second stage of the plan.

A Hamas sources said, "The organization is still studying the proposal for a ceasefire."

According to editor Ibrahim al-Amin, the proposal does include enormous amounts of humanitarian aid, an increase in the number of Gazans who will be able to "move freely" (northwards), and a limited withdrawal of IDF forces within Gaza from residential areas - something that is already happening on the ground.

The Al Akhbar editor also said that the new proposal includes an expression of flexibility on Israel's part regarding the names of the terrorists to be released. According to the article, the exact wording of the agreement discusses "an effort to achieve a lasting ceasefire, and to extend it again if Hamas releases additional hostages."

However, it is also reported that Hamas wishes to receive guarantees for the cessation of the fighting, which cannot be interpreted in a different fashion.

Israel, meanwhile, is continuing its preparations for a military operation in Rafah, as Egypt warns that Hamas has placed mines along the Gaza-Egypt border.

The newspaper also said that the US has asked Israel to safely evacuate 800,000 Gazans from Rafah to camps that Egypt has set up from Al-Mawasi to Deir al Balah, and in the Khan Yunis area. According to the report, the plan is to drop flyers from the air and send telephone messages to Gazans, instructing them to evacuate to the camps.

An Egyptian source said Wednesday morning that the negotiations for a ceasefire are ongoing and that there is a "positive atmosphere." The source also said that Egypt is holding talks with "all sides."

A Hamas source responded to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's Wednesday morning statements, saying, "The organization is still examining the proposal for a ceasefire; Blinken's words are an attempt to pressure Hamas."

The West must take stronger stance on Iran - opinion

In the late 1970s, the shah of Iran, a staunch ally of the West, found himself subject to frequent criticism from Western journalists.

His significant efforts to modernize Iran, including substantial investments in education and healthcare through oil revenues, were often overshadowed by this disproportionate and critical media focus. This emphasis on perceived shortcomings may have contributed to a global underestimation of the potential consequences of the shah’s fall.

Western media, perhaps inclined to highlight negatives over positives, may have inadvertently downplayed the shah’s accomplishments while amplifying his missteps. The subsequent rise of a repressive theocracy in Iran underscored the gravity of the situation. While initial media reports portrayed a more open atmosphere under the ayatollah, it has become tragically clear that the Iranian revolution ultimately facilitated the rise of a regime far more hostile to both its own people and the international community.

A lesson in history

A pertinent example can be traced back to the British withdrawal from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 1971. This decision, taken during a period of domestic economic and political fragility in Britain following the Suez Crisis, transpired despite the clear preference of the Emiratis for the continuation of British presence until the newly formed nation could fortify its position. In the immediate aftermath of this withdrawal, Iran seized islands of strategic significance in the Arabian Gulf. This event is frequently viewed as a precursor to the Islamic Republic’s ongoing endeavors to augment its influence throughout the Middle East. READ MORE

While Saudi Arabia publicly aligned itself with the coalition, recently declassified documents suggest a more nuanced perspective. Through discreet diplomatic channels, Saudi authorities reportedly expressed grave reservations regarding the complete removal of Saddam Hussein from power. Their primary concern centered on the potential for regional instability and the emergence of a power vacuum that could be exploited by actors like Iran. Their unheeded warnings ultimately proved prescient.

US military’s Gaza aid pier to cost $320 million, nearly double initial estimate

WASHINGTON — The US military’s cost estimate to build a pier off Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid has risen to $320 million, a US defense official and a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The figure, which has not been previously reported, illustrates the massive scale of a construction effort that the Pentagon has said involves about 1,000 US service members, mostly from the Army and Navy.

Still, the cost has roughly doubled from initial estimates earlier this year, according to a person familiar with the matter.

“The cost has not just risen. It has exploded,” Senator Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Democratic-led Senate Armed Services Committee, told Reuters, when asked about the funds.

“This dangerous effort with marginal benefit will now cost the American taxpayers at least $320 million to operate the pier for only 90 days.” READ MORE

Iran: US reneging on ‘human rights obligations’ in campus protest crackdown

Iran on Monday criticized a police crackdown in the United States against university students protesting against the rising death toll from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

“The American government has practically ignored its human rights obligations and respect for the principles of democracy that they profess,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said.

Tehran “does not at all accept the violent police and military behavior aimed at the academic atmosphere and student demands,” he said.

American universities have been rocked by pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel demonstrations, triggering campus clashes with police and the arrest of some 275 people over the weekend. The protests regularly feature intense anti-Zionist rhetoric, sometimes veering into overt antisemitism, which has led to trepidation among many Jewish and Israeli students.

In Iran, hundreds of people demonstrated in Tehran and other cities on Sunday in solidarity with the US protests. READ MORE

Houthis attack Israel-linked ship in Indian Ocean, 2 US warships in Red Sea

DUBAI/CAIRO — Yemen’s Houthis said they targeted the MSC Orion container ship Monday in a drone attack in the Indian Ocean as part of their ongoing campaign against international shipping in solidarity with Gaza.

Portugal-flagged MSC Orion was sailing between the ports in Sines, Portugal and Salalah, Oman and its registered owner is Zodiac Maritime, according to LSEG data.

Zodiac is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Iran-aligned Houthi rebels say their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its war against Hamas in Gaza, which the terror group claims has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.

The Houthis have launched repeated drone and missile strikes since November, forcing shippers to reroute cargo to longer and more expensive journeys around Southern Africa and stoking fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread and destabilize the Middle East. READ MORE

EU top diplomat: At least 5 countries expected to recognize Palestinian state in May

Several European member states are expected to recognize Palestinian statehood by the end of May, the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday at the sidelines of a World Economic Forum special meeting in Riyadh.

He said these included Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Slovenia and Malta.

The meeting between European and Arab officials took place on the sidelines of a two-day World Economic Forum special meeting in Riyadh, with the sides discussing shared partnership in advancing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“If we want to move this two-state solution forward it will not happen from the parties. I do not believe that Israel is ready to negotiate at this point, and I do not think that the US is ready to take the necessary leadership,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, one of the organizers of the meeting, told reporters after it concluded.

“So I think an Arab-European leadership is the best we can hope for.” READ MORE

Israeli source to CNN: 'For every freed hostage - one day of ceasefire'

A delegation of Hamas representatives is expected to arrive Monday evening in Cairo, as part of the renewed efforts to achieve a prisoner swap and ceasefire in Gaza.

An Israeli source told The New York Times that in the first stage of the deal includes a humanitarian agreement which would see the release of about 33 hostages - women, children, the ailing, the "mentally harmed," and the elderly - in exchange for a temporary ceasefire and the release of convicted terrorists currently serving sentences in Israel.

Israel has significantly compromised on its demands, and the current deal is based on Hamas' previous response, which rejected out of hand all Israeli offers, in an "outrageous" fashion. At that time, Hamas said that it could not release 40 live hostages in the "humanitarian" categories.

A source also told CNN that there would be one day of ceasefire for every hostage released in the deal.

According to the Times, in the second stage of the deal, there will be negotiations regarding the end of the war, in exchange for the release of the rest of the hostages. An Egyptian source told AP that there is "Israeli willingness" to discuss, during the second stage, a complete ceasefire. The Egyptian source told AP that in the second stage, "senior" terrorist will also be released, and the rebuilding of Gaza will begin.

White House: Biden reiterated his clear position on Rafah incursion

US President Joe Biden spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, the White House said.

In a statement following the call, the White House said Biden “reaffirmed his ironclad commitment to Israel’s security following the successful defense against Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack earlier this month.”

The two “also reviewed ongoing talks to secure the release of hostages together with an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The President referred to his statement with 17 other world leaders demanding that Hamas release their citizens without delay to secure a ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza.”

“The President and the Prime Minister also discussed increases in the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza including through preparations to open new northern crossings starting this week,” according to the White House statement.

“The President stressed the need for this progress to be sustained and enhanced in full coordination with humanitarian organizations. The leaders discussed Rafah and the President reiterated his clear position,” it concluded.

The New York Times, which cited two officials with direct knowledge of the plan, said before the call that Biden plans to speak with Netanyahu on the prospects of a possible ceasefire deal to obtain the release of some of the remaining hostages held since the Hamas-led terrorist attack of October 7.

Israeli media outlets said the two leaders would also discuss expected arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials by the International Criminal Court, and preparations for an incursion into Rafah.

Biden and Netanyahu previously held a phone call earlier in April. During that call, according to the White House, the President “made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers. He made clear that US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”

US officials later told NBC News that Biden warned Netanyahu during the call that the US could condition military aid to Israel on what it does to address humanitarian concerns in Gaza and get to a ceasefire as soon as possible.

Biden has also been vocal in his opposition to an Israeli operation in the Gazan city of Rafah.

On Sunday, the Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that in recent days the US and Egypt have increased the pressure on Hamas to agree to a deal to release hostages in exchange for a ceasefire, in order to prevent Israeli military entry into Rafah.

According to the report, the Egyptian mediators made it clear to Hamas that this was the best deal they could get, and if it was not met, Israel would be able to enter Rafah legally.

It was also reported that Egypt would try to arrange a phased deal so that in its first phase, hostages would be released in exchange for a ceasefire – and issues such as the cessation of hostilities or the control of Gaza on the day after, would be postponed to a second phase and be discussed later on.

Later on Sunday, an Israeli diplomatic official responded to criticism that has been leveled at the government for contemplating the Egyptian deal.

“The preparations for entering Rafah are continuing. In any deal, if there is one, Israel will not give up the goals of the war,” said the official.

Report: Hamas response to prisoner swap deal expected Wednesday evening

The London-based, Qatari-owned Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on Tuesday reported that the Hamas terror group is examining the Egyptian-proposed ceasefire-prisoner swap deal and weighing its response.

The source told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that "despite the time constraints, the Hamas leadership abroad has succeeded in passing the latest Israeli response to the Hamas leadership in Gaza, through secured channels, which fulfilled its role in turn, in examining the proposal."

At the same time ,a diplomatic source reported that the Israeli delegation will not leave for Cairo on Tuesday, and instead wait for Hamas' response.

According to the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya, Hamas' response is expected to arrive on Wednesday evening.

The report said that Hamas leadership in Gaza send its response, with comments, back to Hamas leadership abroad, for the preparation of the final answer. The source added that Gaza's comments to Israel's response come not only from Hamas' leadership, but also from that of other Gaza terror groups, such as Islamic Jihad.

According to Al Akhbar, Egyptian officials in Cairo feel that the sides are closer than ever to reaching an agreement. The report added that Egypt is still convinced that there are matters which both sides will need to compromise on.

Egyptian sources also said that "additional changes have been made to the proposal in recent hours," and that "the goal is that there be as long a ceasefire as possible, which will ensure the complete end of the war, and not bring about its renewal once more." This, according to the report, would be backed by regional and international guarantees.

The newspaper said that Hamas is demanding that these guarantees be in writing, as part of the agreement, and that Israel sign them, since the terror group will not accept oral commitments.

The AWP news outlet on Tuesday morning quoted a source familiar with the details of the deal, saying that "the two sides are close and able to reach an agreement within a few days - if some of the issues which are disrupting this are quickly solved."

The source added that the Egyptian proposal is acceptable to both sides, but there are issues relating to the number of hostages to be freed. On this matter, Hamas has said in the past that it can identify only 20 elderly, female, and ailing hostages, while Israel is demanding 35-40 hostages.

"We can overcome this obstacle by means of a number of days of ceasefire which will be agreed-upon. What is suggested is six weeks, and it could be that this number will be reduced if Hamas does not agree to release more than 20 hostages," the source said.

Meanwhile, a Washington diplomat told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that "the US government is pushing that a hostage deal and a ceasefire deal be part of a comprehensive plan, which will include normalization with two Arab states, and the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza. This is in addition to Egypt's cooperation in a security role in the region."

The diplomat added that Cairo "has confirmed to officials in the US government that it rejects all presence of non-Palestinian forces in Gaza, with the option of a full agreement for a temporary position with specific tasks, according to the request of the Palestinian leadership, on the condition that the character of the Egyptian role is advisory and not operational."

Israel threatened to topple Assad regime if Syria gets involved in Gaza war — report

Syria has avoided getting embroiled in the Gaza war, experts said, despite a strike on a building near Iran’s Damascus consulate, blamed on Israel, that threatened to ignite a regional conflagration.

The government of Syrian President Bashar Assad is seeking to strike a delicate balancing act between Russia and Iran, which have propped up it up during 13 years of civil war and helped it reclaim lost territory.

Syria is part of the so-called Axis of Resistance — an alliance of Iran-backed groups that has launched attacks on Israel or its alleged assets since October.

But its other main ally Russia maintains diplomatic ties with Israel and has pushed for stability in Syria’s south, which borders the Golan Heights.

“The Israelis clearly warned Assad that if Syria was used against them they would destroy his regime,” said a Western diplomat who requested anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the media. READ MORE

Gantz, far-right ministers issue dueling ultimatums to PM over hostage deal, Rafah op

Ministers issued dueling threats on Sunday to leave the government as Israel negotiated a deal for the return of hostages held by Hamas and made preparations for a ground offensive in Rafah, further ratcheting up pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while he attempts to navigate the increasing domestic and international pressures over the war in Gaza.

War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz, whose National Unity party joined the government days after the Hamas-led October 7 terror onslaught that triggered the ongoing fighting, said that although an IDF operation in Rafah “is important in the long struggle against Hamas, the return of our hostages — who were abandoned by the government on October 7 — is urgent and of far greater importance.”

“If a responsible outline is reached for the return of the hostages with the backing of the entire security establishment — which does not involve ending the war — and the ministers who led the government on October 7 prevent it, the government will have no right to continue to exist and lead the campaign,” Gantz said in a statement.

Gantz’s declaration came after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned the government would have “no right to exist” unless Israel invades Rafah. In a video posted to social media, Smotrich also rejected an Egyptian-mediated hostages-for-ceasefire proposal as a “humiliating surrender to the Nazis on the backs of hundreds of IDF soldiers” who died there.

“If you decide to fly a white flag and cancel the order to conquer Rafah immediately to complete the mission of destroying Hamas and restore peace for the residents of southern Israel and all of the country’s citizens, and return our abducted brothers and sisters who are held hostage to their homes – then the government you head will have no right of existence,” said Smotrich. READ MORE

NYT: Israel believes ICC readying arrest warrants for senior officials, weighing such measures for Hamas officials too

Israel thinks the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials over accusations related to the Israel-Hamas war, and is considering arrest warrants against Hamas officials too, The New York Times reports.

The report cites five Israeli and foreign officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity and did not reveal the information that led them to reach this conclusion.

The Israeli officials say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be named in the warrant, though it is unclear what he would be charged with.

Two of five of the officials say some charges against officials could relate to the severe actions taken by the military in Gaza and the alleged preventing of humanitarian aid deliveries to the Strip.

Israel has been working to prevent such a measure by the iCC recently, an Israeli government source told The Times of Israel on Sunday, amid fears warrants could be issued for Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.

Israel is not a member of the court, based in The Hague, and does not recognize its jurisdiction, but the Palestinian territories were admitted as a member state in 2015.

Karim Khan, the ICC prosecutor, said in October that the court had jurisdiction over any potential war crimes carried out by Hamas terrorists in Israel and by Israelis in the Gaza Strip.

Khan has said his team was investigating any crimes allegedly committed in Gaza, and that those found to have breached the law will be held accountable.

Netanyahu said on Friday that any decisions by the ICC would not affect Israel’s actions, but would set a dangerous precedent.

“Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the International Criminal Court in The Hague to undermine its basic right to defend itself,” Netanyahu said in a statement on Telegram.

“While decisions made by the court in The Hague will not affect Israel’s actions, they will set a dangerous precedent that threatens soldiers and public figures,” he said.

The ICC is a treaty-based criminal court focusing on individual criminal responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

After monitoring terrorist, IDF destroys Hezbollah military compound in Lebanon

IDF soldiers on Sunday identified and monitored a Hezbollah terrorist operating in the area of Ayta ash Shab as he entered a military compound belonging to the terrorist organization, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.

A short while after, fighter jets struck the structure in which the terrorist was operating and destroyed the infrastructure, the statement added.

On Sunday evening, meanwhile, two launches were identified crossing from Lebanon toward the area of Har Dov in northern Israel.

Overnight Saturday, 26 rockets were fired at Israeli territory from Lebanon. Some of the rockets fell in open areas and some were intercepted.

An IDF soldier was lightly injured in the barrage. The soldier was taken to Ziv Hospital in Tzfat, where he underwent tests in the emergency room and was treated by an orthopedist. He was later released from the hospital. WATCH

White House: Biden reiterated his clear position on Rafah incursion

US President Joe Biden spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, the White House said.

In a statement following the call, the White House said Biden “reaffirmed his ironclad commitment to Israel’s security following the successful defense against Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack earlier this month.”

The two “also reviewed ongoing talks to secure the release of hostages together with an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The President referred to his statement with 17 other world leaders demanding that Hamas release their citizens without delay to secure a ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza.”

“The President and the Prime Minister also discussed increases in the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza including through preparations to open new northern crossings starting this week,” according to the White House statement.

“The President stressed the need for this progress to be sustained and enhanced in full coordination with humanitarian organizations. The leaders discussed Rafah and the President reiterated his clear position,” it concluded.

The New York Times, which cited two officials with direct knowledge of the plan, said before the call that Biden plans to speak with Netanyahu on the prospects of a possible ceasefire deal to obtain the release of some of the remaining hostages held since the Hamas-led terrorist attack of October 7.

Israeli media outlets said the two leaders would also discuss expected arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials by the International Criminal Court, and preparations for an incursion into Rafah.

Biden and Netanyahu previously held a phone call earlier in April. During that call, according to the White House, the President “made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers. He made clear that US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”

US officials later told NBC News that Biden warned Netanyahu during the call that the US could condition military aid to Israel on what it does to address humanitarian concerns in Gaza and get to a ceasefire as soon as possible.

Biden has also been vocal in his opposition to an Israeli operation in the Gazan city of Rafah.

On Sunday, the Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that in recent days the US and Egypt have increased the pressure on Hamas to agree to a deal to release hostages in exchange for a ceasefire, in order to prevent Israeli military entry into Rafah.

According to the report, the Egyptian mediators made it clear to Hamas that this was the best deal they could get, and if it was not met, Israel would be able to enter Rafah legally.

It was also reported that Egypt would try to arrange a phased deal so that in its first phase, hostages would be released in exchange for a ceasefire – and issues such as the cessation of hostilities or the control of Gaza on the day after, would be postponed to a second phase and be discussed later on.

Later on Sunday, an Israeli diplomatic official responded to criticism that has been leveled at the government for contemplating the Egyptian deal.

“The preparations for entering Rafah are continuing. In any deal, if there is one, Israel will not give up the goals of the war,” said the official.

Hezbollah warns full-scale war may end Israeli presence in north ‘once and for all’

Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem warned Saturday that full-scale war will not bring residents of northern Israel home, but rather end their presence there “once and for all,” as Hezbollah attacks on the north and Israel strikes in Lebanon continued.

“[Israeli Defense Minister Yoav] Gallant threatens us that if we don’t stop the attacks, he will attack Lebanon to return the residents of the north to their homes,” he said, in a statement quoted in Hebrew media.

“I say to Gallant that this war will not only cause the residents to not return to their homes but will push their return further and further away and is likely to end their presence once and for all,” he added.

At the same time, a senior Israeli military official cited by The Wall Street Journal said Saturday that intensifying Israeli operations was the only way to end clashes with Hezbollah on the northern border with Lebanon.

“There is a way out and it’s to escalate,” the official argued. “Israel cannot stop right now. It’s dangerous for the whole region.” READ MORE

Rafah and Riyadh: Defeating Hamas is essential for normalization - analysis

Israel faces several challenges almost seven months into the war in Gaza. Hamas is still not defeated, and international pressure on Israel is growing. A recent column at The New York Times suggested that “Israel has a choice to make: Rafah or Riyadh.” This is what columnist Thomas Friedman argues. “US officials tell me that if Israel does mount a major military operation in Rafah, over the administration’s objections, President Biden would consider restricting certain arms sales to Israel.” The article also claims that Saudi Arabia and other Arab states could agree to an Arab peacekeeping force in Gaza. “Israel’s long-term interests are in Riyadh, not Rafah,” the article concludes.

Currently, Israel continues to fight Hamas almost seven months after one of the worst terror attacks in history which led to the largest mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust. However, the war in Gaza has not been fought with the urgency that one would think that a response to such mass murder would entail. Instead, Israel has approached the war on Hamas with slow, cautious operations of campaigns in Gaza in the past, and Hamas continues to thrive in Gaza.

Now, most of the focus has moved to Rafah, the southern city in Gaza along the Egyptian border that is controlled by Hamas. It is believed Hamas has several “battalions” of fighters there and that it uses Rafah to control aid entering Gaza and also uses it to smuggle weapons. Many Gazans who fled fighting in the north in October and November are now displaced in Rafah. Any Israeli operation in Rafah is now under the international spotlight and Israel has been encouraged to refrain from an operation there or to at least help the civilians move out of the way.

 The assertion that Israel should end the war in Gaza, withdraw, and set its sights on normalization with Riyadh would appear to indicate that Israel should basically give up on security for its citizens and its border in exchange for normalization with Saudi Arabia. This is a strange theory. Most countries don’t sacrifice security for peace, and there is no evidence that giving up on security on the Gaza border will bring peace. If it was true that giving up on securing the Gaza border would bring peace, then how does one explain the lack of peace on October 6.

In October, Israel left the Gaza border relatively undefended and trusted that Hamas was deterred, a message conveyed to Israel repeatedly over the last years. Hamas is hosted by US major non-NATO ally Qatar and apparently the US, Qatar and others thought Hamas was not going to do anything against Israel. READ MORE

IDF chief of staff okays new war plans, ahead of looming offensive in Gaza’s Rafah

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi approved battle plans with the commanders of divisions and brigades at the Southern Command headquarters in Beersheba earlier today.

The IDF says the meeting and “approval of plans for the continuation of the war,” was attended by the chief of the Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, and the heads of all of the command’s divisions and brigades.

The approval of the plans comes ahead of Israel’s looming offensive in southern Gaza’s Rafah.

Biden's team thinks defeating Hamas is not good for Israel

Dr. Aaron Lernerheads IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis, since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on Arab-Israeli relations.

It is "tough love," not hate. Sure.

The Biden team is convinced that the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders will herald a utopian peace.

And yet, despite all the former Prime Ministers, Defense Ministers, Mossad and Shabak heads, as well as Haaretz columnists, who share their conviction that such a fantastic peace is just a White House Lawn signing ceremony away, the Israelis in power don't agree.

Tough luck.

The Biden team is convinced that these Israelis simply don't know what's good for them.

The Biden team knows the score. Sure they do.

They know that the Jordanians, Egyptians, Saudis, and Abraham Accord partners also think that a sovereign Palestinian state would not bring utopian peace - or any other kind of peace.

The Jordanian monarchy, with a Palestinian Arab majority in their country, doesn't want a sovereign launching pad next to it for a revolt.

The Egyptians, saved from radical Islam by a military takeover, have no interest in a sovereign Palestinian Arab state which could ally with the Muslim Brotherhood. All Egypt wants right now is to prevent a huge influx of Gazans into the already unstable Sinai.

The Saudis and Abraham Accord partners don't want the instability that a sovereign Palestinian Arab state could inject into the region.

Even the Syrians, who consider Israel and Jordan to be part of "Greater Syria," don't see a sovereign Palestinian state as a goal but at most an intermediate step towards restoring "Bilad al-Sham."

But the Biden team is convinced that it knows better.

So, the Biden team thinks it is time for tough love.

The Biden team is concerned that there is no telling what Israel may do in the wake of a successful operation in Rafah.

The Jewish State might even actually carry out the operation it has been practicing for so many years to wipe out the medium and long-range rockets and missiles Hezbollah has deployed in Lebanon. Its children might be safe, its northern residents might go back home.

Those Hezbollah rockets and missiles have served as an important deterrent against a full-scale Israeli-led operation against Iran.

The Biden team is confident that Iran only wants to have nukes to keep their regime in power, that it has no designs on Israel or the world. The 300 projectiles against Israel were a sound and light show.

That is, after all, what all those former Prime Ministers, Defense Ministers, Mossad, and Shabak heads who want a sovereign Palestinian state
also think.

So, the Biden team believes, an Israeli-led operation to stop Iran from getting nukes would be both superfluous and dangerous for the world.

We know the truth: If Israel fails to defeat Hamas it will be a broken and lonely country desperate for its future. And in its desperation, the Biden team is certain the Jewish State can thbe forced to accept the "two state solution".

And that is why we are witness now to a "full court press" by the Biden team to prevent Israel from carrying out a successful operation in Rafah.

"US officials tell me that if Israel does mount a major military operation in Rafah, over the administration's objections, President Biden would consider restricting certain arms sales to Israel," Thomas Friedman, Biden's spokespuppet, threatened in The New York Times on Friday.

More threats to come.

And the irony: if we do the right thing and execute the operation, despite all the American threats, our neighbors - including the Saudis - will breathe a sigh of relief that Israel can be relied upon as the leading partner in the coalition to take care of Iran and Iran's allies.

That's because, unlike the Biden team, no one in the neighborhood thinks that Iran wants nukes only to keep their regime in power.