KEEP YOUR EYE ON JUDEA & SAMARIA - ISRAEL IS EXPANDING!

While the Pope and international community clamors for a two-state solution, current events in Judea and Samaria (West Bank) are rapidly squelching that possibility. Jewish settlers are on an unabated rampage to force Palestinians out of their villages.

Complicating matters for the Palestinians, Israel's Ministry of Construction and Housing just issued a tender for 1,234 new housing units in the controversial E1 zone of the West Bank, located between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim. The bidding deadline is October 19, 2026, ahead of Israel's late-October general election.

This puts the first nail in the coffin of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The two short, Palestinian biased videos, below illustrate how the Jewish settlers are seizing Judea and Samaria and with the general support of the Israeli government.

Pope Leo XIV Calls For End To West Bank Violence, Urges Two-State Solution For Palestine

Pope Leo XIV has called for an immediate end to violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and urged the international community to step up efforts to advance a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel. 

Speaking on Sunday after his weekly prayer in Rome, Leo said the international community should work toward a political settlement capable of securing what he described as a“just and lasting peace.” 

His remarks came amid reports of increasing violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, where tensions have risen sharply in recent weeks. (Read More)

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Dr. Bill Salus says: The two-state solution ship has sailed.already. There are only two chances for a two-state solution - SLIM to NONE!

A Third Red Heifer Is Born: Rabbis Race to Examine the Herd Israel Has Waited 2,000 Years to Raise

 

A calf was born in a dairy barn in the Jordan Valley last week, and on Rosh Chodesh Elul, a delegation of rabbis stood over her, running their hands through her coat. She was the third heifer of her kind to be born in Israel this season, joining two others already under watch in the Galilee and the Golan Heights. Together, the three calves represent the most concrete progress yet toward a goal Jewish tradition has pursued since the destruction of the Second Temple: raising a red heifer whose ashes can restore ritual purity to the Jewish people. 

The examinations were carried out by the Beit Midrash, the rabbinic study hall, of the National Institute for Red Heifer Research, a body that unites religious Zionist, Litvish, and Hasidic rabbis around a single national mission. Members of the Institute traveled to all three farms in a single sweep, checking the calves from tail to head for the disqualifying flaws that have derailed nearly every red heifer candidate in living memory.

 The requirements come directly from the Hebrew Bible. “This is the ritual law that Hashem has commanded: Instruct the Israelites to bring you a red cow without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which no yoke has been laid” (Numbers 19:2). Since the Second Temple’s destruction nearly two thousand years ago, the ashes of such a cow have been unavailable, leaving every Jew in a state of ritual impurity from contact with the dead, a status the Bible calls tumat met. Without those ashes, the purification described in the Torah cannot take place, and full Temple service cannot resume. That is why a light hair on a newborn calf is not a minor veterinary detail. It is the difference between a heifer that can eventually serve the nation and one that cannot. (Read More)

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Brad Myers - Senior Researcher Comments: In the future, after 2,000 years, the ashes of a red heifer without blemish will be used for temple sacrifices in a rebuilt Third Temple in Jerusalem. Unfortunately, this proposed Third Temple will not be the one described in detail in Ezekiel 40–48, as its location, size, and measurements do not align with the plans drafted by the Temple Institute—which has created detailed blueprints and 3D digital renderings. The Bible foretells in Daniel 9:27 and 2 Thessalonians 2:4 that this Third Temple will restore animal sacrifices but will ultimately be desecrated by the 'man of lawlessness,' known as the Antichrist.

Syria's foreign minister confirms nuclear material found by IAEA at Deir ez-Zor site

Syria is not known to hold operational stockpiles of nuclear material for a weapons program, but Israel bombed a suspected Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007 in the country's eastern province.

Nuclear material in Syria was discovered and collected by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Saudi state-owned Al-Hadath reported on Tuesday, citing confirmation by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani. According to the report, al-Shaibani emphasized that the material, discovered in Syria's Dier al-Zor site, will remain in Syrian custody, "subject to IAEA guarantees."

"We will provide the necessary conditions for handling nuclear materials and storing them safely," said al-Shaibani, who further noted that Damascus, "on its own initiative," permitted the IAEA to access the site. Al-Shaibani made the comments at a joint press conference with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi in Damascus, where he added that Syria had the right to use the material for civil and peaceful purposes. He noted that cooperation between Syria and the IAEA has reached "advanced stages."

Since the ouster of former president Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, Syria's new authorities have committed to working with the United Nations' nuclear watchdog to address the legacy of nuclear activities during decades of Assad family rule.Grossi said the agency accessed the site after the Syrian government notified it.  (Ed note: Watch out, Israel. Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.)   (Source)

Syria airfield attack sends warning to Erdogan and al-Sharaa

Analysis: The strike in northeast Syria likely served the same strategic goal as the 2025 T4 attack: warning Erdogan where Israel’s red line lies and telling al-Sharaa not to let Turkish air defenses restrict Israeli freedom of action. In early April 2025, Israeli Air Force jets struck the runways and facilities of Syria’s T4 military air base. It was hardly the first time the base had reportedly been targeted by Israel. During the Syrian civil war, T4 served not only the Syrian Air Force but also Iranian forces, which sought to use it to transfer advanced air defense systems to Hezbollah and Syria. For that reason, according to foreign reports, the Israeli Air Force attacked the base several times.

But the April 2025 strike appeared to be different. Arab and international media reported at the time that Israel targeted T4’s runways because Turkey, following the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime, was seeking to take control of the base and deploy air defense systems and detection radars there.

Israel appeared to be drawing a red line. As Turkish troops, engineers and contractors made their way toward the base, Israeli aircraft struck its runways and surrounding areas, signaling that Jerusalem would not accept a Turkish military presence at such a strategically important site. From Israel’s perspective, sophisticated Turkish radar and interception systems there could severely restrict the Israeli Air Force’s freedom of action over Syria. As later became clear, that freedom of movement was also relevant to the aerial route used for strikes against western Iran. (Read More)

Turkey rejects Israel's justification for strikes on Syrian airbase

Turkey on Tuesday night condemned Israel's confirmation that it carried out airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Syria, rejecting Jerusalem's explanation for the operation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel acted after Syria was close to violating a security understanding by allowing Turkish forces to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo. "Israel and Syria agreed to a status quo in security matters, which Syria was on the verge of breaching by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo."

The statement added that Israel had repeatedly warned Damascus that a Turkish deployment there would endanger Israeli security. “Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel's security. Syria chose to ignore these warnings. Israel will not tolerate threats to its security, and would welcome a return to the status quo." Turkey's Directorate of Communications rejected the Israeli explanation, accusing Jerusalem of attempting to justify an attack on Syrian territory. "The allegations put forward by the Israeli Prime Ministry, which lack seriousness, aim to legitimize Israel's unlawful airstrikes targeting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria."

Ankara further accused Netanyahu of pursuing regional expansion and destabilization for political purposes ahead of elections in Israel. "The accusations raised stem from Netanyahu's intent to continue his expansionist and destabilizing policies in the region ahead of elections in Israel," Turkey claimed. "Turkey, like the vast majority of the international community, supports the establishment of lasting peace in our region. The sole path to this lies in Netanyahu abandoning his aggressive and coercive policies and demonstrating respect for international law."

Turkey also defended its cooperation with the Syrian government, saying it would continue working with Damascus to promote stability. "Turkey will steadfastly continue its cooperation with the Syrian Government on legitimate grounds to establish peace, stability, and prosperity in Syria, and will never allow Syria to be destabilized," the statement concluded. The dispute comes amid already strained relations between Turkey and Israel. Ankara and Jerusalem had been moving toward renewed diplomatic ties before the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist massacre in southern Israel, but relations deteriorated sharply afterward. Turkish officials, particularly President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have since repeatedly criticized Israel. (Ed note: What did "Turkish forces to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo" mean? Was Turkey setting up to take over Syria, stage an attack on Israel, or go after the Kurds, which they hate almost as much as they hate the Jews.) (Read Move)

Israel confirms striking Syrian air base, saying Turkey was planning to deploy forces

Netanyahu’s office asserts Damascus was repeatedly warned ‘such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel’s security’; Trump’s envoy says US working to establish deconfliction mechanism for Israel, Syria and Turkey.

Israel confirmed late Tuesday that it was behind overnight airstrikes against a Syrian military airport, where it claimed Turkey was planning to deploy forces.“Israel and Syria agreed to a status quo in security matters, which Syria was on the verge of breaching by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office in an English-language statement. The Prime Minister’s Office said Israel “repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel’s security.”

“Syria chose to ignore these warnings,” Netanyahu’s office said, adding that Israel “will not tolerate threats to its security, and would welcome a return to the status quo.” In response, Ankara decried “the frivolous allegations put forward by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office,” according to a Turkish government statement quoted by the Anadolu state news agency, saying they “aim to legitimize Israel’s unlawful airstrikes targeting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” An unnamed Turkish official also denied to Axios that Ankara was seeking to establish a military presence at the Abu Duhur air base in Idlib province. “There was no Turkish presence at the airbase. Israel is inventing pretexts to bomb neighboring countries and destabilize the region,” the official asserted.

The attack marked extraordinary defiance by Israel of the United States, which has sought to support Syria’s new government led by a former jihadist allied with Turkey. US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack criticized the strikes as an “unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability.”  (Ed note: AGAIN WITH OLD GOMER: What did "Turkish forces to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo" mean? Was Turkey setting up to take over Syria, stage an attack on Israel, or go after the Kurds, which they hate almost as much as they hate the Jews.) (Read More)

Zamir tours Syria after Israeli strike

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visits IDF positions in southern Syria following strike on Syrian airbase to prevent planned Turkish military deployment.

Following Israel's recent strike in Syria, IDF Chief of Staff LTG Eyal Zamir visited the area on Wednesday and toured IDF positions in the security zone in southern Syria. The visit was conducted together with the Commander of the Northern Command, the Commander of the 210th Division, and additional commanders. During the tour, Zamir received an operational briefing on the sector and spoke with reservists serving in the area. On Tuesday night, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed that Israel was behind the strike on the Abu al-Duhur military airport in Syria.

"Israel and Syria agreed to a status quo in security matters, which Syria was on the verge of breaching by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo," the English-language statement said. "Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel's security. Syria chose to ignore these warnings. Israel will not tolerate threats to its security, and would welcome a return to the status quo."

A senior Israeli official confirmed to Fox News that Israel carried out the strike and said Jerusalem had shared sensitive intelligence with Washington beforehand. According to the official, the intelligence was shared at the highest levels of the various agencies and bodies in both countries. The senior Israeli official also addressed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying, "He understands that he cannot act like the previous Syrian regime. It is possible that he did not understand what was happening, or did not know." (Ed note: Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.) (Source)

Report: Saudi Arabia Resumes Loading Oil in Strait of Hormuz

Trade industry sources said on Tuesday that Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia, has resumed loading tankers with product at its Juaymah and Ras Tanura oil terminals, which lie within the contested waters of the Strait of Hormuz.

The move suggests Aramco believes it will be able to ship its products through the Strait of Hormuz, either in coordination with Iran, or in defiance of Iran’s terrorist threats. The Saudis might even see Hormuz as safer than the alternative route through the Red Sea they have been using, as Iran’s regional proxy, the Houthi insurgents of Yemen, have “banned” Saudi Arabia from using another vital shipping chokepoint, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Emma Li, a market analyst with Vortexa, told Reuters on Tuesday that the Saudis might have concluded they have no choice but to dare the Strait of Hormuz again because their only other gambit to ship oil to Asia was a lengthy route through the Mediterranean and Aramco’s Asian customers are “not happy with the long voyages and high freight cost.”

According to ship tracking services, three Saudi supertankers loaded two million barrels of crude oil apiece from Juaymah and Ras Tanura over the past week – the first time in three weeks that either port has loaded an oil cargo. Six more Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) are in position to load from the ports in the near future and all of the massive ships would need to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to deliver their cargoes to Asian customers, predominantly China. Aramco made a public offer of crude oil cargoes to Asian buyers on Monday, proposing to deliver the oil via ship-to-ship transfers off Fujairah, a port city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that lies on the Gulf of Oman side of the Strait of Hormuz. The offer included heavy grades of crude oil, which can be refined into high-quality fuels. (Read More)

PM, Kushner clashed over continued Israeli strikes on Oct. 7 terrorists — officials

The main dispute during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting on Monday with US special envoy Jared Kushner was over the premier’s insistence that Israel continue carrying out strikes on Hamas operatives who allegedly took part in the terror group’s October 7 onslaught, an official present at the sit-down told The Times of Israel.

Earlier this month, Israel acknowledged having established a special operation to hunt down and kill every single Palestinian terrorist involved in the October 7, 2023, invasion and atrocities. The mission has resulted in countless apparent violations of the ceasefire that Israel and Hamas inked in October 2025, but the US-controlled Board of Peace has not adamantly objected, as the Israel Defense Forces in most cases has claimed those targeted posed an imminent threat to troops.

For months, the Board of Peace prioritized coaxing Hamas to accept its disarmament proposal, which it finally did on July 30. Once in place, the plan envisions both sides immediately halting all military operations, though Netanyahu has come out against the proposal and raised that specific issue during his meeting with Kushner, according to the official present. While Kushner assured Netanyahu that he would not oppose Israeli strikes against those who genuinely pose an “imminent threat,” US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior aide told the premier that the rationale should not be widely interpreted, the official said.

To the frustration of the Board of Peace delegation, Netanyahu insisted the strikes against participants in the October 7 attack would continue, according to the official, who added that no agreement was reached on the matter. A second source briefed on the meeting confirmed the official’s account. Hours after Kushner left Israel, the IDF carried out one of its deadliest strikes in months, targeting what it said was a gathering of senior Hamas operatives. Reports said at least six people were killed, including a child, and over 10 wounded in the strike, among them an elderly woman. Even while theoretically understanding Israel’s desire to pursue October 7 terrorists, the continued harm to civilians in those strikes has been an increasing cause of concern for the Board of Peace, the official said. (Ed note: What should be of concern to the so called "Board of Peace" is the fact that Hamas is a killer terrorist organization who hides itself among its civilians in hope that they won't be killed themselves. Jared should know better.) (Read More)

Trump calls off Iran talks as Tehran doubles down on Hormuz leverage

President Donald Trump has halted diplomatic engagement with Iran until further notice, the White House said on Tuesday, as Tehran hardens its position over the Strait of Hormuz and presses Washington to meet its demands. Trump said Tuesday on Truth Social that no conversations with Iran were taking place and none were scheduled, adding that the US naval blockade remained “in full force and effect.” A White House official later told Semafor that Trump’s post amounted to calling off talks with Tehran “for the foreseeable future.” The move came as the 60-day period set by the Islamabad memorandum for reaching a final agreement reached its stated end. Iranian officials, however, dispute that the negotiating clock ever formally began, arguing that Washington failed to fulfill the commitments required for negotiations to start.

Iranian Foreign Ministry officials say the United States initially fulfilled only commitments concerning the lifting of restrictions on Iranian oil sales and the naval blockade before abandoning them, while failing to implement its other obligations altogether. They therefore argue that negotiations with Washington never began and that the 60-day period cannot be considered to have expired in the manner described in media reports, although the memorandum says the two sides committed to reaching a final deal within a maximum of 60 days, extendable by mutual consent. Citing that argument, the state-run IRNA news agency wrote Tuesday that although the Islamabad memorandum is not currently being implemented, it could still serve as a basis for returning to negotiations and ending the war. “All it takes is the will on the American side to implement all of its commitments,” IRNA wrote.

Earlier in the day, Tehran-based news website Rouydad24 similarly argued that the end of the 60-day period did not necessarily mean the end of diplomacy. The intensification of the naval blockade and economic pressure, Trump’s threat to take military action against Oman if it “gets in the way” of his administration’s dealings with Tehran, and his references to back-channel contact with the Revolutionary Guards suggested that pressure and diplomacy could still proceed simultaneously, it said, with the Strait of Hormuz emerging as Iran’s main bargaining tool. “The existence of back-channel contacts with Iran, Oman’s efforts, and continued messaging from Pakistan and Qatar show that the path of diplomacy has not been completely closed,” Rouydad24 wrote. It added that “the end of the 60-day period may perhaps be better understood not as the end of negotiations, but as the end of one model of negotiations.” (Read More)

Iran Calls Trump ‘Delusional,’ Declares ‘Post-American Order’ — After He Claims Hormuz as ‘New U.S. Territory’

Iranian officials fired back at President Donald Trump on Tuesday, calling him “delusional” and declaring a “post-American order” in the Persian Gulf after the president posted a map labeling the Strait of Hormuz “New U.S. Territory” and insisted the strategic waterway is “open and operating.”

Trump posted the map to Truth Social without comment Tuesday, following up on a claim he first floated last week and embraced again Monday when asked about the prospect of declaring the strait American territory.“I mean we control it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We control it with the blockade, and I like the idea of declaring it a territory.” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded directly to Trump’s map, warning that Tehran would correct what he called the president’s “delusion.” “Just as Trump correctly referred to the Persian Gulf by its proper name, his delusion about the Strait of Hormuz will soon either be dispelled, or we will set this deluded man straight,” Gharibabadi wrote on X.

Mohsen Rezaei, the newly appointed secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), followed with a taunt of his own, posting an image depicting the roughly 7,000-mile distance between Washington and Hormuz beneath the words, “Some Dreams Are Too Far From Reality.” “The gap between America’s inability to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and its claim to own it is greater than the 7,000-mile distance between Washington and the Strait itself,” Rezaei wrote.“Welcome to the post-American order in the Persian Gulf,” he added. (Read More)

Leaked audio: Iran's Basij brace for new protests and fear being named online

Officials of Iran's Basij militia can be heard on a leaked recording weighing the risk of a new round of protests and the danger that members will be identified online, a rare glimpse of the anxiety inside the force the state sends against demonstrators. In the audio recording of a closed meeting of the Media and Cyberspace Headquarters in Pakdasht, Tehran province, officials discuss possible new demonstrations, the online identification of Basij members and plans to track anti-government activity and individuals on social media. The meeting was held amid recent developments including the killing of Hamidreza Rajabzadeh, a Basij member and government-aligned religious singer, as well as growing concern among officials over the role and influence of social media.

The meeting was held amid recent developments including the killing of Hamidreza Rajabzadeh, a Basij member and government-aligned religious singer, as well as growing concern among officials over the role and influence of social media. The Media and Cyberspace Headquarters is made up of cyber personnel and government supporters operating under the supervision of the Revolutionary Guards. The concerns raised at the meeting echoed recent remarks by Ebrahim Garmabdari, commander of the Revolutionary Guards in Pakdasht, who said government opponents were using sanctions, infiltration and social media to target the Islamic Republic’s governing structure.

Earlier this week, Iran’s supreme leader appointed Hossein Taeb, a veteran intelligence official, to lead the Basij paramilitary forces, giving the former protest crackdown figure a mandate to expand the paramilitary force’s grassroots intelligence network and use of new technologies. Participants of the meeting raised concerns about mounting social and psychological pressure on government-aligned forces. Referring to Rajabzadeh’s recent killing, the meeting’s lead speaker described the incident as a warning that pro-government figures could be targeted both offline and online.

He said the pressure was intended to make Basij members, mosque clerics and local base commanders regret or feel ashamed of their affiliation, potentially pushing them to adopt opposition views to avoid social rejection. Earlier in the meeting, a participant identified as Mr. Shahbazi said the underlying tensions had not subsided and warned that public protests against the government and confrontation with security forces could continue. (Ed note: The BASIJ is the group that during the last Iranian uprising, rode around on their motorcycles, attacking the civilians in the streets, killing them at will. They also went into the hospitals and shot the wounded, or drug them out into the street and shot them.) (Read More)

Russians Are Pulling Billions From Banks As Fears Grow That Putin Could Seize Deposits to Fund The War

A senior executive at Sberbank, Russia's largest retail bank, warned that withdrawals for all of 2026 could approach twice the amount withdrawn during that first year of the war.

Russians are pulling billions of dollars out of banks at a pace not seen since the early days of the invasion of Ukraine, as drone attacks, mounting economic strains and fears that the Kremlin could eventually tap private deposits to finance the war shake confidence in the country's financial system. Nearly $3.4 billion, or 286.4 billion rubles, were withdrawn during the first two weeks of August, according to Russian Central Bank data cited by The Washington Post. That followed withdrawals of $7.3 billion in July and more than $4.5 billion in June.

The exodus has already pushed withdrawals this year above the roughly $24.7 billion during the first year after the February 2022 invasion. Taras Skvortsov, a senior executive at Sberbank, Russia's largest retail bank, warned that withdrawals for all of 2026 could approach twice the amount taken out during that first year of war. This time, however, the pressure is unfolding against a very different economic backdrop. Russian banks have spent years extending government-directed loans to defense industries, while high interest rates, bad debts and a slowing civilian economy have increased strains on the financial sector.

"Drones are flying. Things are burning down. Nervousness is growing," a former senior Russian finance official told The Post, describing a return to the instinct of keeping cash "under their pillow" rather than trusting banks. The exodus has already pushed withdrawals this year above the roughly $24.7 billion during the first year after the February 2022 invasion. Taras Skvortsov, a senior executive at Sberbank, Russia's largest retail bank, warned that withdrawals for all of 2026 could approach twice the amount taken out during that first year of war. This time, however, the pressure is unfolding against a very different economic backdrop. Russian banks have spent years extending government-directed loans to defense industries, while high interest rates, bad debts and a slowing civilian economy have increased strains on the financial sector. "Drones are flying. Things are burning down. Nervousness is growing," a former senior Russian finance official told The Post, describing a return to the instinct of keeping cash "under their pillow" rather than trusting banks.

Alexandra Prokopenko, a former adviser to Russia's Central Bank, said the withdrawals point to declining confidence that money held inside the banking system will remain untouched, which is potentially more damaging than a temporary demand for cash. "This is all a consequence of the fear that the government will do something with the banking system, that it could nationalize deposits," Prokopenko told The Post. While she considers outright nationalization unlikely, she said restrictions on withdrawals could not be ruled out. (Read More)

Across from ruins in Lebanon, a Kibbutz surpasses its prewar size

The sound of construction in Kibbutz Yiftah travels across the border with Lebanon and echoes among the ruins of the Shi’ite village of Blida, which Hezbollah used as a stronghold before Israel destroyed much of it. “Blida is gone, and we are building new homes for new families who want to move here. That’s the story this image tells,” Annat Zisovich-Charrit, the head of civilian security at Kibbutz Yiftah and a mother of two, told JNS earlier this month near a construction site where homes for 22 new families are being built.

The scene reflects the broader rehabilitation of northern Israel following the mass evacuation that ended last year, after Israeli military operations severely weakened Hezbollah and pushed its forces and infrastructure away from parts of the border area. For years before the war, Hezbollah had harassed and intimidated Israelis living near the frontier. The evacuation of some 60,000 northern residents beginning in October 2023 devastated the economy of the Upper Galilee, a tourist destination known for its mild climate, scenic beauty and streams.

Kiryat Shmona, the region’s only city, lost about a third of its roughly 25,000 prewar residents, who did not return after the evacuation, according to its mayor. The Kibbutz Movement estimates that the area’s kibbutzim lost about 12% of their population. By September 2025, 87% of the evacuated population had returned, according to figures released by the government’s Tnufa North task force. At the same time, hundreds of Israelis moved north as Israel’s operations against Hezbollah significantly improved the security situation. Kibbutz Yiftah, a community of about 700 people, lost 10 families but is now preparing to receive more than twice that number, Zisovich-Charrit said.

Yiftah is one of at least 10 evacuated communities whose populations had surpassed their prewar levels by September 2025, according to data released that month by Tnufa North. Ze’ev Elkin, a minister in the Finance Ministry responsible for rehabilitating northern and southern Israel, said at the time that the growth demonstrated that the north’s demographic recovery had begun. Neither Elkin’s office nor the Central Bureau of Statistics has complete population data for 2026. Updated figures are expected in the final quarter of this year. To encourage residents to return and attract new families, the government approved a package of roughly 13 billion shekels, or about $4 billion, for the rehabilitation, development and protection of northern communities. The package is comprised of several separate government programs, including the multiyear Tnufa North development plan and a dedicated fortification program. (Read More)

Hezbollah JUST Revealed What It’s Desperate To Protect...

 

Egypt Can't Stop Ethiopia's Nile Dam

Despite Africa's most powerful military, Cairo faces insurmountable obstacles in confronting the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Geography, logistics, and humanitarian risks have turned a potential conflict into a prolonged cold war. Millions of Egyptians depend entirely on the Nile River for survival, and upstream sits a massive concrete structure threatening to reshape Africa's entire water balance. Yet despite what seems like an inevitable military showdown, the complex realities of the Horn of Africa have created an impasse between overwhelming force and strategic victory.

According to Global Firepower rankings, Egypt commands Africa's most formidable military. It's arsenal includes cutting-edge technology, devastating firepower, modern aircraft, and advanced air defense systems. Egyptian forces operate French-made Rafale fighters armed with SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles, upgraded F-16s, M1A1 Abrams tanks, S-300, Buk, and Tor air defense batteries, alongside submarines, advanced warships, and A330 MRTT aerial refueling tankers. Ethiopia's military, by contrast, relies largely on older Soviet and Russian equipment, including T-72 tanks and Su-27 fighters. However, Addis Ababa has significantly upgraded its drone capabilities with Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2s and additional systems from China and the United Arab Emirates. Ethiopia also brings proven combat experience from brutal internal conflicts, partially offsetting its technological disadvantage.

The geographic barrier presents the most critical obstacle preventing direct confrontation. Between 2,000 and 2,500 kilometers separate Egypt's main bases from the Benishangul-Gumuz region where the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) stands. Such distance demands complex logistical arrangements, including aerial refueling or forward operating bases. While Cairo has recently strengthened strategic ties with Somalia and Eritrea and maintains open channels with Sudan, executing an operation remains extraordinarily complicated. Beyond logistics, physically destroying the dam itself would be catastrophic: the concrete structure already holds massive water volumes. Complete destruction could unleash devastating floods that would obliterate entire communities in Sudan and directly threaten Egyptian territory. (Read More)

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Dr. Bill Salus comments:

More than 95% of Egypt's population lives along the Nile River and the fertile Nile Delta. This dense group occupies just a small fraction—about 4% to 5%—of the country's total land area, while the rest of Egypt is mostly empty desert.

Could this dire developing scenario between Ethiopia and Egypt lead to the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy in Ezekiel 29?

“Speak, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king (leader) of Egypt, O great monster who lies in the midst of his rivers, Who has said, ‘My River (likely the Nile) is my own; I have made it for myself.’ But I will put hooks in your jaws, And cause the fish of your rivers to stick to your scales; I will bring you up out of the midst of your rivers, And all the fish in your rivers will stick to your scales. I will leave you in the wilderness, You and all the fish of your rivers; You shall fall on the open field; You shall not be picked up or gathered. I have given you as food To the beasts of the field And to the birds of the heavens. “Then all the inhabitants of Egypt Shall know that I am the Lord, Because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. 

‘Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Surely I will bring a sword (war) upon you and cut off from you man and beast. And the land of Egypt shall become desolate and waste; then they will know that I am the Lord, because he said, ‘The River (likely the Nile) is mine, and I have made it.’  Indeed, therefore, I am against you and against your rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from Migdol to Syene (see map below), as far as the border of Ethiopia. Neither foot of man shall pass through it nor foot of beast pass through it, and it shall be uninhabited forty years.  I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and among the cities that are laid waste, her cities shall be desolate forty years; and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries.”” (Ezekiel 29:3-12, NKJV; emphasis added)

Nuclear Experts Warn: Bushehr Stores Enough Plutonium for Over 200 Nuclear Weapons (BUSHEHR)

Nuclear experts warn that Iran's Bushehr power station holds enough plutonium for over 200 nuclear weapons, with weak IAEA oversight creating proliferation risks."

Nuclear experts are sounding an alarm about a potential vulnerability in Iran's nuclear program that has received far less attention than enriched uranium stockpiles. Scott Camp and Steven Rademaker write in The Hill that while debate over Iran's nuclear program focuses almost entirely on enriched uranium reserves, Bushehr Nuclear Power Station has accumulated another potential source of fissile material over the years. According to their assessment, Bushehr currently holds approximately 210 tons of spent nuclear fuel containing more than two tons of plutonium, a quantity they argue could yield over 200 first-generation nuclear weapons. By comparison, they estimate Iran's enriched uranium stockpile could produce roughly ten weapons.

The plutonium is not immediately usable; it remains trapped within the spent fuel. To weaponize it, Iran would need to extract the fuel rods, open them, and separate the plutonium through chemical reprocessing. The authors contend that Iran has already demonstrated the ability to conduct such a process at small scale and that establishing a temporary reprocessing facility is within its technical reach.

The concern is amplified by weak oversight at Bushehr. The International Atomic Energy Agency conducted only a single three-day inspection at the site this year, a level of monitoring Camp and Rademaker argue could allow Iran to divert limited quantities of fuel without timely detection. They call for any future agreement with Iran to mandate near-continuous monitoring of Bushehr through cameras and sensors transmitting data directly to the IAEA, and for Iran to transfer spent fuel abroad once it has cooled sufficiently for transport. (Source)

Report: Iranians Facing 400 Percent Food Price Increases as U.S. Blockade Crushes Economy

Iranian citizens are telling foreign media outlets that survival is growing difficult as the price of food and other basic commodities soars by 400 percent under pressure from the U.S. blockade, even as the regime in Tehran insists the food situation is under control. “I’m in survival mode,” a 33-year-old cryptocurrency trader from western Iran using the alias “Nima” told The National on Monday.

Nima said his grocery bills have tripled from prices that were already painfully high before the conflict with the United States began and some items have quadrupled. He said this is forcing him to “choose between the essentials and everything else,” even though his crypto trading gave him better foreign currency reserves than most Iranians. The annual rate of general inflation in Iran is now over 80 percent and unemployment reached a four-year high of 9.1 percent in June. Iran’s currency, the rial, is down to an astounding 1.88 million against the U.S. dollar, which is an especially severe problem for the many Iranians who prefer to do business using dollars instead of Iran’s nearly-worthless currency. 

Unemployment rates soared after the uprising in January because the regime blacked out the Internet for about three months, dealing a crushing blow to many Iranian businesses. “Every tomorrow has been worse than the day before. If you can’t save, can’t buy what you want and don’t have a predictable future, then what’s the point of working any more?” Nima said in despair.

Other Iranians who lacked Nima’s access to foreign currency were in even worse shape, as they can almost feel the regime scrip in their pockets losing its value with every passing day. Blue-collar Iranians told The National they had to work two or three jobs to make ends meet and there are not enough jobs to go around.Perhaps understandably, given the horrifying bloodbath the regime unleashed against protesters in January, few Iranians harbored realistic hopes of improving their country. Most of them simply dreamed of leaving. “This isn’t life, to worry every day if you can feed your family,” one of them said. (Read More)

Top Iranian Lawmaker Warns Trump After Hormuz Threats: ‘Worry About Your Own Security’

A top Iranian lawmaker appeared to warn President Donald Trump about his personal safety Saturday, telling the president to “worry about his own security” as tensions escalate over control of the Strait of Hormuz. “The U.S. President ought to worry about his own security rather than his endless bluffing regarding the Strait of Hormuz; before he ends up hiding in a food truck,” Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, wrote on X.

Azizi’s reference to a “food truck” appeared to invoke an extraordinary security operation during Trump’s trip to Turkey last month, when the president was secretly transported in a catering vehicle to a separate military aircraft after U.S. officials received intelligence about a potential Iranian threat against Trump or his plane. Trump confirmed the episode earlier this week, saying the Secret Service and military instructed him to switch aircraft as he departed Ankara.

“They wanted me to go on a different flight, a different plane — equal safety — but they wanted me to do it, so I do it. I do what they say,” Trump told reporters. “I guess there was a threat out there. I didn’t really ask too much about it,” he added. “I get a lot of threats.” The president dismissed concerns about his own safety, adding, “I don’t worry about anything, to be honest.”Azizi’s warning comes amid an increasingly heated confrontation between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz, with Trump declaring Friday that the United States effectively controls the critical waterway and joking that he would soon make it American territory. 

“After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated, pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” Trump said during an event in Nassau County, New York. “Essentially, that’s what it is,” he added. “We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to.” Iranian officials responded defiantly, with Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi insisting Tehran alone would determine when the strait is opened or closed. “The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor by an election speech,” Gharibabadi wrote on X. “Iran neither fears threats nor cowers before displays of power.” (Read More)

IRGC refutes Trump’s claim of backchannel talks, calls it ‘result of his delusions’

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohbehi on Monday denied President Donald Trump’s claim that Washington was engaged in backchannel discussions with Iran’s IRGC.“ There are no talks taking place between IRGC officials and the Americans, and this lie by Trump is merely fantasies caused by the delusions and nightmares he has suffered as a result of defeat and desperation in the war,” Mohbehi was quoted as saying by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News agency. He further stressed that the IRGC “speaks its word on the battlefield” and that the “diplomatic matters fall within the remit of other parts of the Islamic Republic.”


According to the information we have and based on the statements of the respected officials of the Foreign Ministry, even in this area, no talks are currently taking place with the Americans because of their broken promises and the dark experience of repeated and continual US breaches of commitments,” the IRGC spokesman said. Mohbehi further said that Trump’s mental fantasies will not help him on the field and added that the US president’s only real option is to accept defeat and meet Iran’s conditions.

“The sooner and faster the Americans accept their failure and make decisions accordingly, the more they can save their country from greater and heavier losses," Mohebbi warned. He also accused Trump of using his statements to temporarily manipulate global oil and energy prices.Iran’s judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei said that the country must not become complacent about the “enemy’s plots in hybrid warfare”, and emphasised that the “key to victory is unity and following the supreme leader”. (Read More)

Meeting with Kushner, PM doubles down on IDF remaining in Gaza until Hamas disarmed

Kushner predicts progress in Hamas weapon handover within 30 days, reportedly cautions PM against interpreting ‘imminent threat’ too broadly when approving Gaza strikes.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted during a meeting Monday with envoys from the White House and the US-backed Board of Peace that Israel would not redeploy any of its forces in Gaza or allow reconstruction to begin until the Strip was completely disarmed, a senior Israeli official told The Times of Israel. “The agreement was that there would be no redeployment or reconstruction until Hamas is disarmed throughout Gaza,” the official said of the premier’s four-hour meeting with Trump aide Jared Kushner and Board of Peace officials Nickolay Mladenov and Tony Blair.

According to a CNN report, citing an Israeli source familiar with the discussions, Kushner pressed Netanyahu during the lengthy meeting to “not create obstacles” to the implementation of the Board’s 15-point plan for disarming Hamas and moving toward the second and reconstruction-focused phase of Trump’s Gaza peace plan. Hamas has said it accepted the framework, which envisions the group gradually handing over its weapons, as Israel conducts corresponding withdrawals from Gaza, but Netanyahu has rejected the proposal, insisting that the terror group fully disarm before any Israeli withdrawals from the Strip.

According to the CNN report, Netanyahu told Kushner and Mladenov that progress on the 15-point framework was politically “problematic” ahead of Israel’s October 27 Knesset election, insisting instead that Hamas take steps first. Pressed on whether Netanyahu would even be willing to approve IDF withdrawals within Gaza, the senior Israeli official indicated that no pull-backs whatsoever would be approved before the full disarmament of both light and heavy weapons.

“The prime minister was very clear that the IDF won’t redeploy and will continue to actively thwart any effort against our forces and against our people,” the official said. “The first step towards the demilitarization of the Strip would be for Hamas to hand over all of its weapons for decommissioning,” the official said, adding that this would be under US supervision. “It was also agreed to that we’d support any efforts to help with sanitation and any other health and environmental concerns,” the official added. (Read More)

Syrian army soldiers filmed chanting death threats against Jews in Damascus

The demonstration came after Israel rejected the Board of Peace's 15-point proposal for Gaza, reiterating that Hamas must first be disarmed.

“I am coming for you Jew…I will make your blood flow in rivers,” soldiers from the Syrian Arab Army chanted outside the historic Damascus Citadel on Saturday, according to Arab media reports and footage published on Sunday.The soldiers stood in formation while chanting “Allahu akhbar” and “I will sacrifice my body” in protest of the situation in Gaza, according to the Arabic channel Al Araby TV. The demonstration notably came after Israel rejected the 15-point plan for the Gaza Strip proposed by the Board of Peace, demanding Hamas first be disarmed.

Public statements and chants from security officials against Israel have intermittently circulated online since Ahmed al-Sharaa seized control of Syria in 2024. In December, footage showed members of the 60th Division threatening Israel Prof. Eyal Zisser, a Middle East expert from Tel Aviv University, told The Jerusalem Post that the frequent threats being voiced by Syrian ministries and military officials were only “natural” given that Syria’s security apparatus integrated active members of radical Islamist groups.

Needing to balance Washington’s support with the Islamists who brought him to power, Zisser suggested that Sharaa was unlikely to confront radical and rogue elements within the security forces, even after major sectarian attacks left thousands dead last year and members of the Alawite, Druze and Christian minorities continue to face attacks. Sharaa has sought to present a more moderate image to Washington, where he was previously considered a wanted terrorist for his role as leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, while media coverage has highlighted efforts to portray a new, reformed Syria. (Ed note: Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.)  (Read More)

Fmr. MK Ruth Wasserman-Lande reacts to Arab state advising to make peace with Israel before war

Taqiyya is mentioned in the timely video below. It is an Islamic legal concept that means precautionary dissimulation—the practice of concealing one's true religious belief, identity, intentions or practices. In other words it means a Muslim can lie if it enables the means to justify the end, which in this case means the destruction of Israel. 

An unidentified prominent mysterious Arab Muslim nation is mentioned in this show who might use Taqiyya to deceive Israel in a false peace that ultimately leads to war. Could we soon see more Arab states employ Taqiyya by signing on to the Abraham Accords? Could this be a plot that ultimately leads to the Psalm 83 and Zechariah 12:1-9 war?

Eight Arab, Islamic nations accuse Israel of derailing Trump's Gaza peace plan

In a joint statement, the countries accused Israel of undermining efforts to fully end the war with Hamas in Gaza and derailing Trump’s push to cement conditions necessary for long-lasting peace.

The foreign ministries of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt condemned Israel’s rejection of the Gaza Board of Peace’s (BoP) 15-point roadmap for implementing US President Donald Trump’s peace plan in a joint statement released on Sunday. In the statement, the countries accused Israel of undermining efforts to fully end the war with Hamas in Gaza and derailing Trump’s push to cement conditions necessary for long-lasting peace.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the proposed plan on August 9 during a cabinet meeting, stating that “the IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed.” The BoP’s plan, detailed by BoP head Nickolay Mladenov in May, outlined that Hamas disarmament and IDF withdrawal would occur in stages, continuing as progress is verified.

The joint statement emphasized that Hamas’s acceptance of the plan was a “vital milestone” in the Palestinian terrorist group's disarmament, a move that Hamas has previously refused to engage in. The foreign ministers called for the US to “enforce Israel’s full compliance with the commitments and arrangements envisaged under the Comprehensive Plan,” despite Netanyahu’s rejection.

They continued to claim that Israel “bears direct and full responsibility for any consequences resulting from its continued rejection, obstruction, delay or non-compliance, including any resulting deterioration of the situation on the ground and disruption of ending the war in Gaza.” The ministers asserted that the full and immediate implementation of the plan is urgent and necessary in order to obtain security and safety for Gazans. (Ed Note: Are you reading this? It's OK for Hamas to continue to fire at the IDF, but if the IDF returns fire and goes after Hamas, that is a terrible thing, and PM Netanyahu is also a terrible person for allowing such defense.) (Read More)

Hamas demands Board of Peace compel Israel to honor Gaza peace plan

Following high-level talks in Egypt with US envoy Jared Kushner, Hamas demands the Board of Peace compel Israel to fulfill its commitments under the Gaza plan.

In the wake of talks in Egypt with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Jared Kushner, the Hamas terrorist organization announced on Sunday that it requested the Board of Peace to “compel" Israel into accepting a peace blueprint for Gaza. In an official public statement, the group declared that it called upon both mediating nations and the Board to “compel the occupation to implement all its obligations under the first phase, end all violations, halt killings and incursions, [and] approve the roadmap for the second phase" of the ceasefire arrangement engineered by Washington.

Earlier Sunday reports from Axios outlined details regarding Kushner’s Cairo session with Hamas leaders, during which the American representative pressed the organization to carry out its pledge to lay down arms. This diplomatic gathering marked Kushner’s initial direct interaction with Hamas leadership since the signing of an accord to end Gaza hostilities last October. The discussions occurred as the Trump administration and its Board of Peace endeavor to transition both Hamas and Israel into the subsequent phase of the United States' 20-point peace architecture.

Accompanying Kushner at the summit were former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, an executive member of the board, alongside Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for the Board of Peace. Representing Hamas at the table was the terror group’s political chief Khalil al-Hayya. Regional participants included Qatari diplomat Ali al-Thawadi, Egyptian intelligence director Hassan Rashad, and a high-ranking official from Turkey.

According to an insider familiar with the dialogue, the Cairo conference was designed to convert Hamas’s commitments regarding Gazan demilitarization into verifiable, concrete measures. Kushner is slated to travel to Israel on Monday for a sit-down with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A source informed Axios that those deliberations are expected to center on "corresponding steps" required on the part of Israel. (Ed note: "compel Israel" to stop hitting Hamas back after they have hit the IDF. Both Hamas and Hezbollah will never stop hitting at Israel, it's their religion to wipe out the Jew.) (Read More)

Kushner, Blair, BoP head Mladenov meet Hamas delegation in Cairo over Gaza roadmap, sources say

Hamas, US, and Board of Peace delegations discuss disarmament, decommissioning of terror infrastructure • Talks also included IDF withdrawal and Gaza's reconstruction, source tells 'Post'.

US envoy Jared Kushner, former British prime minister Tony Blair, and Gazan Board of Peace (BoP) Director-General Nikolay Mladenov met with a Hamas delegation in Cairo on Sunday to discuss the implementation of the BoP’s 15-point roadmap for the Gaza Strip, a source familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post. The source said that the objective of the meeting was to translate the steps outlined in Mladenov’s roadmap into concrete, verifiable actions aimed at maintaining the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and removing Hamas from power in Gaza.

The meeting also covered the transfer of all governing responsibilities in the Strip to the technocratic National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), as well as the deployment of the International Stabilization Force (ISF). According to the source, the US and Hamas delegations also discussed the decommissioning of Hamas weapons and terror infrastructure, IDF withdrawal, and reconstruction and humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza.

The source told the Post that “there can be no ambiguity: Hamas must relinquish governing authority and all weapons and military infrastructure. And Gaza can never again be a source of terror for Israel.” Additionally, Kushner, Mladenov, and Blair will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials on Monday, with the aim of advancing Trump’s 20-point plan for the Gaza Strip.

“The United States and Israel agree on the end state, which is a demilitarized Hamas. We will hear the concerns raised and discuss the next steps. What matters is that both sides agree on the desired outcome and are working to find ways to accelerate progress,” a BoP source told the Post. The council maintains that there are “no significant gaps” between the BoP and Israel and that it is possible to reach a point where the process moves to the next stage of the plan, namely the disarmament of Hamas. (Read More)

Iran Reveals Direct Control of Hezbollah

Senior Iranian leaders publicly acknowledge ongoing direct communication with Hezbollah commanders on the front lines, including operational guidance. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran's parliament, publicly acknowledged in a speech that Tehran maintains its commitment to Hezbollah and seeks to maintain the upper hand on the Lebanese front. In his remarks, he revealed the extent of Iran's direct involvement in directing attacks from Lebanon toward Israel.

Ghalibaf stated: "I am in direct contact with Hezbollah, including personal conversations with commanders and fighters on the front lines. I know each young man on the firing line personally. They will not break the line of resistance." The Iranian official's comments came amid reports of intensive Israeli strikes on the Ali Taher area, where numerous Hezbollah operatives are reportedly entrenched in what has been described as a strategic underground complex belonging to the terrorist organization.

Amir Khatami, head of Iran's armed forces, also addressed the situation in similar terms: "We will not retreat until the United States and Israel are defeated in the region, Iran's demands are met, and the enemy surrenders. We will not accept escalation in Lebanon against our brothers." (Source)

IDF Readies for Extended Lebanon Combat

Israeli forces continue operations to destroy terror infrastructure on Ali Taher ridge and in Beaufort as Hezbollah attempts to strike troops in the area. The Israel Defense Forces is preparing for the possibility of several days of intensive combat in Lebanon, according to reports Sunday evening, as tensions escalate over ongoing Israeli military operations on the Ali Taher ridge and in the Beaufort area of southern Lebanon. Channel 12 News reported that the IDF and Israeli leadership remain committed to completing the destruction of terror infrastructure in these strategic locations. While some of the terror facilities have been eliminated, others remain operational. Hezbollah, for its part, views control of these areas as strategically vital and has been attempting to strike Israeli soldiers operating there.

The heightened alert follows an incident Saturday in which three IDF soldiers were seriously wounded near the Ali Taher ridge. In response, the Israeli military launched extensive overnight strikes between Saturday and Sunday that Lebanese sources described as a "belt of fire" across southern Lebanon. Sunday morning, the IDF announced it had eliminated Abu Hassan Alaa, a senior commander in Hezbollah's Badr Unit, in a strike near the town of Deir al-Zahrani.

According to the military spokesman, the targeted killing was carried out in response to the terror organization's activities against Israeli forces operating in the security zone. The spokesman added that in his role, the operative had been involved in advancing terror activities in the field, including launching explosive drones at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. (Read More)

Hezbollah disarmament 'integral' to Lebanon-Israel security process, US official tells 'Post'

The spokesperson added that the terror organization bears sole responsibility for Israel's presence on Lebanese soil, saying, “This is precisely why Hezbollah must be disarmed and dismantled."

The United States reaffirmed on Sunday its support for a security process aimed at strengthening stability along the Israel-Lebanon border following a recent escalation, stressing that the disarmament of Hezbollah is an essential component of the framework A US State Department spokesperson told The Jerusalem Post that the “pilot zone” process remains the only viable path toward achieving long-term peace and security for both Lebanon and Israel. “We look forward to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF)'s completion of clearance operations in the first pilot zones and, after clearance is verified, the process will expand,” said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson emphasized that Hezbollah’s disarmament is an integral part of the process, signaling that Washington views the removal of the Iran-backed group’s military capabilities as a central element of any lasting security arrangement. “The United States will continue to support the Trilateral Framework in keeping with our interest in regional stability, the prevention of further conflict, and [US] President [Donald] Trump's agenda of promoting peace between nations,” he added.

Washington further delivered an unusually direct assessment of Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon, blaming the terrorist organization for the country’s economic and security challenges and arguing that its continued armed presence is incompatible with Lebanon’s long-term stability “Hezbollah has been the primary obstacle to Lebanon's economic recovery, the only blemish on its international reputation, and the biggest threat to the safety and stability of Lebanon,” the spokesperson said. He added that the terror organization bears sole responsibility for Israel's presence on Lebanese soil, saying, “This is precisely why Hezbollah must be disarmed and dismantled." (Ed note: Any bets on whether or not Hamas or Hezbollah will voluntarily disarm any time soon?) (Read More)

Israeli strikes reported in south Lebanon as Defense Minister Katz vows to ‘settle scores’

Reported nighttime attacks come day after three soldiers were seriously injured by Hezbollah drone; IDF names second senior Hezbollah commander killed in Saturday strikes.

Lebanese media reported Israeli airstrikes in the Ali Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon Saturday overnight, a day after three Israeli soldiers were seriously wounded by an explosive drone launched by Hezbollah. The reported strikes came hours after residents of the Upper Galilee were notified by local authorities that explosions were expected to be heard due to IDF activity in Lebanon. With fighting threatening to ramp up in Lebanon and in Gaza, Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a Sunday morning post on X: “No score on any front will remain unsettled.”

He added: “We will forcefully defend our soldiers and citizens.” His comments come after overnight reports of strikes in southern Lebanon, following an attack on troops early Saturday in which three soldiers were wounded. Israel has not confirmed the reports. Earlier Israeli strikes killed 11 in Lebanon, according to local authorities on Saturday, including three children and two women. On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces said it had killed a senior Hezbollah commander in an airstrike in the southern Lebanon town of Deir al-Zahrani the previous day. It said the Saturday morning strike on Ali Muhammad Fakhr al-Din came in response to a Hezbollah explosive drone attack in the predawn hours Saturday that seriously wounded three soldiers.

Lebanese media reported that the Deir al-Zahrani strike on Saturday morning killed two people. Al-Din, also known as Abu Hassan Alaa, was identified by the IDF as a “senior commander” in Hezbollah’s Badr regional division. The regional unit is tasked with the area north of the Litani River. The IDF said that as part of his role, Hassan Alaa took part in numerous attacks on Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. The statement from the IDF did not address the claims of overnight strikes in southern Lebanon. The army had announced previously that among those killed Saturday was Ali Samir Al-Haj Hassan, a battalion commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, who was hit in a strike in the town of Ansar. (Ed note:The picture above was taken in the southern Lebanese coastal city of Sidon, and shows lines of cars as people flee their city on August 15, 2026.)    (Read More)