Trump warns Iran: We may hit Pickaxe very soon

President Trump warns the US could soon strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain facility, while calling the conflict a limited "military conflict."

US President Donald Trump warned Friday that the United States could soon strike Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified Iranian facility where Tehran has allegedly been expanding its nuclear infrastructure. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump reiterated his position that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon. "Iran will not have a nuclear weapon," he said, before adding, "We may hit Pickaxe very soon...if there was anything going on with Pickaxe. Trump was also asked about comments made Thursday by Vice President JD Vance, who said he would not characterize the ongoing conflict with Iran as a "war".

With the United States having resumed strikes against Iranian targets for the first time in recent weeks, Trump was asked how he would describe the confrontation. "A lot of people don't call it a war. I call it a military conflict because it's small potatoes for us. It's not a big thing. We did Venezuela and we did this. In Venezuela we lost nobody, and in this we lost 18 people. And Vietnam - you lost a hundred thousand people," he replied. Vance spoke a day after Trump said he did not expect the renewed confrontation with Iran to continue for much longer.

Asked how long the latest escalation would last, Trump responded, “Not too long". He subsequently suggested that Iran could have limited ability to withstand continued American attacks. “I don’t think it will be very much longer. I don’t know how much more they can take," Trump said of Iran.rump also said the US was ready to launch further strikes against Iran if necessary. “It was a very heavy attack last night, and we are prepared to do another one anytime we want," he stressed. (Source)

US intelligence: Iran determined to continue war, weighing major escalation

New US assessments suggest Tehran believes it better understands its military strengths, the limits of American pressure and the leverage provided by the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears the conflict could drag on or escalate further.

Iran has emerged from six months of intermittent war with the United States more confident in its ability to inflict damage across the Middle East and increasingly convinced that it can sustain the conflict for months, according to recent U.S. intelligence assessments cited by The New York Times. Officials familiar with the reports say Tehran now has a clearer understanding of both its own military capabilities and the limits of American power. That confidence is feeding concerns in Washington that Iran’s leadership may be prepared to escalate after weeks of renewed fighting.

The shift has become visible on the ground. Over the past week, Iran has targeted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and American forces in the region, while the United States has carried out strikes inside Iran that killed military personnel and civilians. The latest exchanges have remained relatively limited. But officials who reviewed the intelligence said the assessments indicate that Iran’s hard-line leadership may be considering a broader confrontation. The reports also suggest that a comprehensive agreement ending the war remains difficult to imagine. U.S. officials see little indication that Tehran is preparing to make major concessions, while some believe Iran is content to prolong the confrontation and deepen President Donald Trump’s political problems ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.

Trump is not currently pursuing negotiations. Instead, he has argued that economic pressure will eventually force Iran to make concessions over the Strait of Hormuz and perhaps, later, its nuclear program. In the short term, however, officials who reviewed the intelligence believe additional sanctions could have the opposite effect and prompt further Iranian escalation. (Read More)

US reportedly targets Iranian tanker as blasts heard near Kharg Island

Explosions are heard near Iran’s Kharg Island in the Gulf, a key oil terminal, but their origin is unknown, the semi-official Fars news agency reports.

Fars news agency says blasts were heard by its correspondent, but that there was no smoke visible, while the SNN news agency claims “an Iranian tanker was targeted by the US” near the island.  (Source)

Zamir: IDF’s new doctrine is clear - ‘No ignoring, no containment’

IDF Chief Eyal Zamir calls for expanding the military and broadening the pool of those serving, while pledging greater support for troops and reservists.

IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Eyal Zamir on Thursday called for expanding the IDF and broadening the number of Israelis serving, while stressing the need to care for troops, reservists, career personnel, and IDF employees. Zamir made the comments at a recognition event for IDF troops and security forces organized by the State Employees’ Union and led by its chairman, Ofir Alkalay. The event was also attended by Head of the IDF Manpower Directorate MG Dado Bar Kalifa and additional representatives.

During the event, Zamir received an award of appreciation for IDF troops on behalf of the State Employees’ Union. He stressed that he was accepting the recognition not personally, but on behalf of those serving in the military. “First and foremost, I would like to say that I accept this shield with great humility, but in truth, it is not for me, and I am certainly not the focus here today," Zamir said.

"I stand here solely as the commander of hundreds of thousands of troops and officers-both in mandatory service and the reserves-who carry the security of the state on their shoulders every day, hour by hour." He added that the recognition belonged to the reservists who left their homes, families, and careers to report for duty, as well as to their families and to the fallen and wounded. "I am merely the representative of an entire military that operates with dedication, determination, and humility, and I accept this recognition in their name and because of them," he said.

...The Chief of Staff also stressed the need to increase the military’s manpower and capabilities in light of its missions. “We must expand the IDF, broaden the pool of those serving, and equip it with the necessary manpower and advanced capabilities to meet its expanding missions," Zamir said. Concluding his remarks, Zamir quoted from the Rosh Hashanah prayer: “‘Bring joy to Your land and gladness to Your city.’" (Ed note: Doesn't it say in Ezekiel 37:10, them dry bones will become "an exceedingly great army"?)  (Read More)

Katz: Israel will facilitate emigration from Gaza ‘by any means’ as soon as Trump allows

Defense minister claims 80% of Palestinians want to leave Gaza, but nobody will take them; PM visits IDF post in Strip, says Israel won’t withdraw from territory it currently holds

Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that plans to facilitate the mass emigration of Palestinians from Gaza remain under discussion and were merely “frozen” by US President Donald Trump, not taken off the table entirely. He discussed the plans, saying Israel would facilitate emigration “by any means,” at a conference hosted by Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, at the same time as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a visit to an IDF outpost inside the Gaza Strip and reaffirmed that Israel had no plans to withdraw Katz, in a recorded clip from the conference, claimed that some “80 percent [of Gazans]. want to emigrate,” citing unspecified surveys Israel has conducted, but that the unwillingness of other countries to take them in is a roadblock to implementing this.

“There is no real solution for Gaza in the end without this migration,” Katz insisted. “Hamas isn’t allowing them [to leave], and there are no countries in the world taking them in. President Trump put the issue on the agenda. Now every country needs to take people in — and that’s the big issue.” Should other countries be open to taking in Gazans, Katz said the Israeli government “is organized and prepared to get them out — by sea, by air, by every way possible.”

The US embassy referred requests for comment to the State Department in Washington. Trump initially proposed relocating Gaza’s roughly 2.3 million residents in February 2025, prompting Israel to establish a Defense Ministry directorate tasked with facilitating what officials termed “voluntary emigration.” Trump spoke of developing the coastal territory, devastated by the two-year war between Israel and Hamas following the Palestinian terror group’s October 7, 2023, onslaught, into a luxury resort destination.

The possibility sparked strong pushback, including from Egypt, and was condemned by Palestinians themselves. Trump later abandoned the proposal amid international opposition and a lack of countries willing to receive Gazans, and in his October 2025 Gaza peace plan he appeared to walk away from it entirely, pledging instead to “encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.” In June, Israeli security officials were reported to be seeking to revive the moribund plan and to have rebranded it in an effort to soften international opposition. According to Katz, however, Trump did not abandon the plan, but has merely “frozen it” due to pressure from Arab states. (Read More)

Watch: IDF continues to destroy Hamas tunnels in Gaza

Since the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, troops have disabled more than 26 kilometers of underground terror tunnels east of the Yellow Line.

IDF troops continue to operate in the northern Gaza Strip to defend and clear terrorist infrastructure from the area of the Yellow Line. Over the past few weeks, IDF troops dismantled an underground terror tunnel approximately one kilometer long. Since the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, troops have disabled more than 26 kilometers of underground terror tunnels east of the Yellow Line.

The IDF stressed that troops under the Southern Command are deployed in the area of the Yellow Line in accordance with the ceasefire agreement framework and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat. (Source)

Houthis escalate fighting in Yemen, eyeing control over Mocha Port, Bab al-Mandab Strait - report

Fighting has intensified around western Taiz as the Houthis attempted to reach Mocha, a port city less than 50 miles from the strait, Col. Abdul Basit al-Baher told the NYT.

The Houthis escalated fighting in Yemen in recent days as the Iran-backed terror group worked to seize territory that would give them greater control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a chokepoint at the entrance to the Red Sea that is instrumental in international shipping routes, The New York Times reported on Friday, citing local security sources. Fighting has intensified around western Taiz as the Houthis attempted to reach Mocha, a port city less than 50 miles from the strait, Col. Abdul Basit al-Baher, an army officer with the Yemeni government in the region, told the NYT.

The Houthis declared a blockade on Saudi oil tankers passing through the Red Sea, which is where most of Saudi Arabia's oil exports travel, in July and have since launched missile and drone attacks at passing ships and Saudi facilities from northern Yemen. Access to Mocha would enable the Houthis to exert greater control over ships transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the NYT cited Yemeni analysts as saying.

Heavy clashes in the area were confirmed to the NYT by an anonymous second security official in Taiz. The official added that the Houthis were attempting to cut off supply routes to Mocha. Mocha Port was targeted by multiple missiles in early August and was forced to suspend operations at one point after being hit by more than 25 missiles in a few days. The Houthis said at the time they targeted a military buildup of weapons and warships belonging to Saudi-backed forces in Mocha and have continued to defend their attacks as pre-emptive, accusing Saudi and Yemeni governments of preparing for a ground offensive. Until this week, most clashes involving the Houthis consisted of missile and drone attacks, without major ground battles, according to the NYT. (Read More)

IDF strikes in Lebanon after soldiers down Hezbollah drone

IDF soldiers shoot down a Hezbollah drone targeting troops in southern Lebanon, prompting Israeli strikes in the area.

The IDF said Friday that its soldiers shot down a drone launched by Hezbollah toward troops operating in the Security Zone in southern Lebanon. According to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, the drone was intercepted after soldiers opened fire. No Israeli soldiers were injured in the incident. The IDF said it subsequently launched strikes against targets in southern Lebanon in response to the attack.

"This constitutes a blatant violation by the Hezbollah terrorist organization. IDF soldiers will continue to operate in the Security Zone in order to remove any threat towards Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers." "The IDF is currently operating and will continue to act with determination against Hezbollah’s repeated attempts to harm IDF soldiers," stressed the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. On Thursday, the IDF stated that its troops had finished clearing Hezbollah out of the Ali al-Taher Ridge in the Security Zone in Lebanon.

The soldiers achieved operational control of the ridge area, both above and below ground, and cleared the area of terrorists. Some of the terrorists were eliminated, while others fled the area. Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday promised that Israel will not leave the Ali al-Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed. In a statement, he said, "The capture of the Ali al-Taher Ridge marks the completion of the phase establishing control over the security zone in southern Lebanon." (Read More)

Trump's Iran War Powers Window Closes Soon

A 60-day constitutional limit on presidential military action without Congressional approval expires Wednesday, potentially forcing a showdown over U.S. operations against Tehran. As security tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate, a critical legal deadline in the U.S. House of Representatives may reshape the confrontation as early as this week.

Dr. Kobi Barda, a U.S. affairs expert from HIT Holon Institute of Technology and the JPP Institute, explained in an interview with Radio 103fm that the administration's independent military authority to act against Iran is reaching its expiration date. Under amendments to the War Powers Resolution enacted in 1970, the president is authorized to conduct military operations without parliamentary approval for 60 days only. This period, referred to in the law as a "grace period," is set to conclude this coming Wednesday, May 9.

Barda noted an interesting historical detail: since 1942, when war was declared on Bulgaria, Congress has avoided formal declarations of war and instead preferred transferring temporary powers to the executive branch. However, in the current situation, any request by President Trump to Congress for an extension could face outright rejection, given the complex balance of power and the fact that midterm elections are only about six weeks away. He explained that the impasse leaves the White House with only three possible courses of action: halt military activity until the target date, take the political risk of requesting approval from lawmakers, or ignore the limitation and bring the issue to a precedent-setting decision in the Supreme Court. (Source)

Vance: US won’t talk to Iran until it stops attacking commercial ships

Vice President JD Vance says the US will not resume talks with Iran until Tehran stops attacking commercial ships: “Stop acting like crazy people."

US Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that Washington has no intention of resuming negotiations with Iran while Tehran continues to attack commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. “The President’s been very clear: We are not talking to the Iranians, and we are not going to talk to them unless they stop shooting at commercial shipping. My advice to the Iranians is stop acting like crazy people," the Vice President said at a press briefing at the White House.

Asked whether the conflict with Iran would end before the November 3 midterm elections, Vance first said, “I wouldn’t call it a war," before explaining that the timeline largely depends on Tehran's actions. “When you ask when will this end, you’re asking me a question like when will the Iranians stop shooting at ships? I think the reality is I don’t know the answer to that question. You would have to ask the Iranians."

Vance also said the amount of oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz is approaching prewar levels, noting that 15 million barrels passed through the waterway during the previous night. “The reason gas prices are so high right now is because the Iranians are shooting at commercial shipping… Yes, gas prices are higher in the United States, but they’re way worse everywhere else in the world," he stated.

The Vice President also expressed strong doubts about Iranian claims that a US strike earlier this week hit a wedding party. “I will say that the Iranian state media has not been a very good scribe about what's happened in the conflict thus far, so I'm extremely skeptical of this," Vance told reporters. He reiterated the US military's position that civilians are not deliberately targeted, while saying authorities are investigating the reported incident. (Read More)

Defense Minister Israel Katz says any Iranian attack would free IDF 'from any restrictions'

His comments came following a statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayhu on Wednesday that an attack by the Iranian regime would be "one of their last decisions."

An Iranian attack on Israel would release the IDF “from any restrictions,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday during a speech to Defense Ministry employees ahead of the Rosh Hashanah holiday, Walla reported. “We will destroy all national, military, and civilian infrastructure in Iran, including energy infrastructure,” Katz threatened. “We will return Iran to the Stone Age.” Katz emphasized that the Iranian regime “knows very well” why it has recently avoided attacking Israel.

“We attacked them with force,” Katz said. “We destroyed their nuclear program, we assassinated [former supreme leader] Khamenei, and we severely damaged their strategic capabilities.” He added that the heavy economic pressure being applied by US sanctions against the Islamic Republic is “likely” to push the regime “to the brink of destruction.”

“Israel is prepared for defense and attack,” Katz added. “The IDF is ready to carry out the mission.” Netanyahu: Attack from Iran would be 'one of their last decisions' His comments came following a statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday that an attack by the Iranian regime would be “one of their last decisions.”

“Pay attention also to what is happening with Iran,” Netanyahu said as he addressed the ongoing fighting in the Gaza Strip and the threats from Iran during a visit to the Afiki Daat Hesder Yeshiva in Sderot. “They are attacking and threatening everyone, but not here because they already know what the significance of an attack against Israel would be.” (Source)

Katz: Israel won’t leave South Lebanon security zone until Hezbollah is disarmed

The defense minister said the IDF’s capture of the Ali al-Taher Ridge completed a key step in the process.

Israel will not withdraw from Southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed throughout the country and the danger posed by attacks from the Land of the Cedars is neutralized, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Friday. “Prime Minister Netanyahu and I are leading a clear and uncompromising policy, implemented every day by the IDF: Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed throughout Lebanon and the threats to the residents of the Galilee are removed,” Katz said. “The capture of Ali al-Taher is an important step toward achieving this goal,” he added.

Katz said the IDF’s capture of the Ali al-Taher Ridge in southeastern Lebanon marked the completion of a phase in consolidating Israel’s hold on the security zone. The decision to advance toward the ridge was made after intelligence indicated the presence of Hezbollah command-and-control tunnels there, according to the defense minister. The tunnels served as a command center for attacks on IDF troops and the Galilee, while the ridge constituted Hezbollah’s last commanding position protecting the Nabatieh area, giving it strategic importance, Katz said. The IDF operated in difficult terrain during both offensive and defensive operations on the ridge.

“I closely followed the activity on the ridge, including maintaining contact with the forces in the field, and I was deeply impressed by their commitment to the mission,” Katz said. He noted that to protect Israeli troops, a strict information blackout had been imposed on details of the operation. “In a complex and systematic operation, the mission was completed and the tunnels were cleared of terrorists,” Katz said. “I salute the determination of the IDF command and the courage of the fighters.”

The IDF said earlier on Friday that troops from the 36th Division had operated in recent weeks to clear and neutralize two underground routes in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area. The troops established operational control of the ridge both above and below ground and cleared the area of Hezbollah terrorists. Some were killed, while others fled, according to the military. The operation to neutralize the underground infrastructure is continuing. Once it is completed, the IDF will adjust its defensive posture based on its assessment of the situation. The underground network contained command centers, weapons-storage rooms, generator rooms, living quarters, showers and a kitchen, enabling Hezbollah terrorists to conduct operations and remain underground for extended periods. (Read More)

IDF says it entered, cleared Hezbollah’s Ali Taher Ridge tunnels ahead of demolition

Hezbollah operatives were killed or fled terror group’s ‘nerve center’ beneath hill in south Lebanon in recent weeks, army says, belying reports it was holding off offensive amid threats by Iran.

The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday night that it had finished clearing a “strategic” underground facility belonging to the Hezbollah terror group beneath a mountainous ridge in southern Lebanon in recent weeks. The Ali Taher Ridge is located within Israel’s southern Lebanon buffer zone, near Nabatieh. According to the IDF, Hezbollah built tunnel systems beneath the hill, which served as the “nerve center” of the terror group’s Badr regional division — a unit tasked with the area of southern Lebanon that is north of the Litani River. Dozens of Hezbollah operatives were believed to be holed up under Ali Taher when a new ceasefire took effect in June.

In a statement Thursday night, the IDF said that in the past few weeks, troops of the 36th Division, who had achieved “operational control of the ridge area above and below ground,” cleared two major tunnel routes under Ali Taher of Hezbollah operatives, killing some of them while others fled. A military official said that control was achieved through “offensive operational activities” in recent weeks, including ambushes against the Hezbollah operatives who had been hiding there, and attacks on the tunnel shafts with gunfire, grenades, drones, and airstrikes. Hezbollah also launched several explosive drones at troops operating on the ridge in recent weeks, including on Wednesday. The IDF described the facility as a “strategic infrastructure that was built over two decades,” activity it said was financed and planned by Iran.

The military said that Hezbollah operatives from the Badr unit had launched attacks from the underground site at troops and Israeli civilians in recent years. “Following the activity in the infrastructure in recent weeks, the ability to carry out terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops from the infrastructure has been neutralized,” the military said. Inside the tunnels, the troops found “command centers, weapons rooms, generator rooms, living quarters, showers, and a kitchen,” which the IDF said enabled Hezbollah operatives “to conduct fighting and remain there for extended periods.” (Read More)

Trump Backs Syria Pipeline Over Israel Route

The U.S. president's endorsement of an Iraq-Syria oil pipeline appears to compete with the India-Israel-EU rail corridor Washington previously championed. President Donald Trump recently posted on social media celebrating the prospect of an oil pipeline running through Iraq and Syria, which he suggested could serve as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.

However, Trump's enthusiastic sharing of an article about this potential commercial corridor may signal a troubling shift in White House energy policy and regional priorities. It raises questions about America's commitment to infrastructure projects that directly benefit Israel and its regional partners. The proposed pipeline, being advanced by Syrian authorities in partnership with American oil giant Chevron and already endorsed by President Trump, would run from Basra in eastern Iraq to the city of Baniyas on Syria's Mediterranean coast.

The Syria route would directly compete with the so-called "Peace Railway", a corridor promoted by the United States designed to connect India, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia through Israel to the European Union. But even if this represents a separate project rather than an outright replacement of the planned rail corridor, it may indicate the administration is turning toward a different regional policy. Trump may view the Peace Railway as a 'dead letter', given Saudi Arabia's firm refusal to allow any route passing through Israel unless a Palestinian state is established first. (Source)

From Dolphin to Dakar: 'Dragon' submarine reveals Israel’s changing undersea posture - analysis

The INS Drakon is a bridge between two generations of submarines and represents a broader technological transformation of Israel's most secretive fleet.

Israel’s most technologically advanced submarine, the INS Drakon, is on its way from Germany, expanding the navy’s operational capabilities for years to come. Israel’s submarine corps has long been the most discreet arm of the IDF, operating far from public view and even farther from the country’s shores. Over the past three decades, the fleet has evolved from the original Dolphinclass into the larger, more capable Dolphin II platforms, and now, the recently delivered INS Drakon. The INS Drakon is Israel’s sixth submarine and is expected to arrive at Haifa Port within weeks.

It was built along with German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and is equipped with “innovative and advanced technologies that place Israel at the forefront of global military technology and will enhance the Israel Navy’s operational flexibility for years to come,” the military said.

The foundation of the country's submarine fleet was laid with the three Dolphin-class submarines delivered between 1999 and 2000: the INS Dolphin, INS Leviathan, and INS Tekumah. Built in Germany and customized for Israeli requirements, these diesel-electric boats were designed around a compact hull, modern sonar systems for their era, and a mixed battery of torpedo tubes. (Read More)

Maine's high court gives father final say over daughter’s church attendance

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court affirmed a lower court ruling that granted a father final decision-making authority over whether his daughter attends her mother's evangelical church amid a parental dispute over the child's religious upbringing.

The court's ruling on Tuesday maintains a Portland District Court judge's decision regarding a 2024 dispute between Matthew Bradeen and Emily Bickford about the church attendance of their daughter, who was 11 years old at the time, according to The Maine Monitor.

Bickford had been taking her daughter to Calvary Chapel Greater Portland, an evangelical church in Westbrook, on multiple occasions each week.

Bradeen argued the church was a "dangerous and harmful environment" that had caused anxiety in his daughter. He said she suffered a panic attack after hearing the church's teachings on the Rapture, a belief that Christians will suddenly be taken to heaven during the end times while nonbelievers will be left behind to face the apocalypse. (Read More)

Brad Myers comment:

What if the shoe were on the other foot? Can a wife in a marriage dispute with her husband over a child in the state of Maine argue that the beliefs of Islam caused anxiety in her child, and would the high court in Maine grant the wife decision-making authority over whether her child will attend the father's mosque for services? I think we all know the answer to that question. Why are we hearing so much of an attack lately on the Rapture, a belief that Christians will suddenly be taken to heaven during the end times while nonbelievers will be left behind to face the apocalypse?

World Hunger and Starvation Have Reached a Crisis Level

Starvation is a particularly cruel and horrible way to die. Beginning with intense hunger and pain and followed by exhaustion and mental deterioration, starvation continues with the body gradually consuming its own tissues on a downward spiral toward death. The major safeguard against mass starvation around the globe is the World Food Program (WFP), which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its vital humanitarian work. With hundreds of millions of people in jeopardy thanks to poverty, famines, violent conflict, and extreme weather, this UN agency distributes massive quantities of food aid―last year alone, reaching more than 100 million people facing acute hunger―thereby saving millions of lives.   (Read More)    

Brad Myers comment:  

In August of 2026, world hunger and starvation have reached a crisis level with wars and extreme weather taking place around the world. On top of this, the world is experiencing soaring costs of oil, gas, electricity, fertilizer, food, etc., due to war, which leads people to experience poverty and famine. Jesus tells us in Matt 24:7-8 that these things will increasingly get worse as time goes by.

Iran has warned US it will respond forcefully to any Israeli offensive on south Lebanon ridge

Officials say over a dozen Revolutionary Guard members are holed up with Hezbollah men in besieged Ali Taher Ridge, where IDF says Lebanese terror group has key underground command center.

Iran has warned the United States that it would respond forcefully to any Israeli offensive on a mountainous ridge in southern Lebanon where Iranian military personnel are holed up alongside Hezbollah fighters, three officials briefed on the message told Reuters. The message, delivered last month, highlights Iran’s continued direct involvement in the ground fighting in southern Lebanon and its readiness to retaliate against Israeli attacks there as the regional war enters its seventh month. Defense Minister Israel Katz, meanwhile, said an Iranian attack on Israel would “free [the IDF] from all constraints,” and that in such a scenario, the military would “strike all infrastructure — including energy infrastructure — and return Iran to the Stone Age and darkness.”

Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, is believed to have built an underground command center and weapons stores within the Ali Taher ridge, which has a commanding view of southeastern Lebanon, according to Lebanese security sources, and has become one of the most contested pieces of ground in the Israel-Hezbollah war. According to the IDF, Hezbollah has a “strategic” underground facility beneath the hill, and that underground site is the “nerve center” of the terror group’s Badr regional division.

Hezbollah has said in public statements that it controls the hill and will confront any Israeli advances. Its officials have referred to a “facility” there, but have declined to provide details. The Israeli military has taken swaths of territory to Ali Taher’s south and has identified the ridge as one of its “primary operational focuses” in public statements.

In its message to Washington, Tehran threatened that any full-fledged Israeli offensive on the ridge would be met with a large-scale Iranian attack, said the three officials in the region, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. Hezbollah declined to comment on whether Iranian forces were present in Ali Taher. In response to Reuters questions about the message, or whether the US had put pressure on Israel not to attack Ali Taher, a White House official said, “This is not accurate.” (Read More)

Erdogan says Turkey would consider full membership of China-Russia-led security bloc

NATO member Turkey would consider taking its relations with the China and Russia-led security bloc, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, to a higher level, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday. "Turkey's prospect of (full) membership to the organization does not imply a breakaway from any other bloc or from the West," Erdogan said, according to a transcript of remarks he made to journalists on his return flight from Kyrgyzstan. Erdogan attended a summit of the SCO, of which Turkey is a "dialog partner," in Bishkek on Tuesday.

Erdogan also said on Wednesday that a mechanism is needed to permanently ensure the safety of commercial maritime transport in the Black Sea before a grain crisis escalates. Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey had prepared a plan for the safe passage of grain via the Black Sea, and that it was in contact with both Russia and Ukraine regarding it.

Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks on Tuesday in Bishkek on the sidelines of the SCO summit, and Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin had discussed the situation in the Black Sea with Erdogan. In remarks to journalists on his return flight from the trip to Kyrgyzstan, Erdogan said a grain crisis had resurfaced, particularly in Africa, and action needed to be taken before the problem escalated further, according to a transcript shared by his office on Wednesday.

"The safety of all civilian maritime transportation in the Black Sea is important to us. The fighting between parties should not escalate to a point where it undermines the safety of civilians and commercial life," Erdogan said. "We need to resolve this issue," he added.In July 2022, Turkey and the United Nations helped mediate the so-called Black Sea Grain Initiative to allow the safe export of nearly 33 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea, despite the war. However, Russia withdrew from the agreement in 2023, complaining that its own food and fertilizer exports faced serious obstacles. (Ed note: Did we just see old Gomer and Gog of the land of Magog shake hands? Isn't there a big prophecy about them found in Ezekiel 38/39? Persia (Iran) will also make an appearance in that prophecy.)     (Read More)

Trump: ‘Israel should not worry’ about latest Iran clashes, war will wind down soon

US President Donald Trump said that Israel should not worry about the ongoing escalation with Iran, and that he doesn’t expect the conflict with the Islamic Republic to last much longer, in a series of comments on Wednesday. Speaking to the Kan public broadcaster in a phone interview, Trump vowed to protect Israel amid the latest escalation that has reverberated across the Middle East. “Israel should not worry. You know why? Because I’m the president and I will take care of Israel,” Trump said.

Asked separately by a reporter in the Oval Office specifically about the latest escalation and how much longer it was likely to last, Trump responded, “Not too long.” He then spoke more generally about the broader conflict and insisted that that too will be over soon, without providing a timeline. “I don’t think it will be very much longer. I don’t know how much more they can take,” Trump said of Iran.

For months, he claimed that the war would end quickly and that Iran would capitulate, but that has not panned out. The comments came after hostilities between the US and Iran abruptly flared up on Sunday, ending a month without military action and threatening to fully reignite the conflict.Over the weekend, the US struck rocket launchers on Iran’s Larak Island, prompting Iran to fire missiles toward Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. The US hit more Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday in the biggest outbreak of fighting since July. (Read More)

Iran threatens to ‘shatter’ US

Tehran escalates threats after US strikes, demanding compensation for passage through the Strait of Hormuz as IRGC reports attacks on US assets across region.

Mohsen Rezaee, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, on Wednesday issued a new threat, following recent US attacks on Iran. "With all this flailing about, you will not only fail to climb out of the infernal depths you have created for yourselves, but you will soon see that Iran's new strategy on the battlefield, in diplomacy, and in countering the economic siege will shatter your very foundations," Rezaee wrote in a post on X.

Hassan Ghashghavi, spokesman for the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee, announced that passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be conditioned on the payment of war reparations. Ghashghavi explained that Article 7 of the "Smart Management of the Strait of Hormuz" law requires all countries, organizations, and individuals who caused damage to Iran during the war to reach an agreement with the Iranian government on a mechanism for paying compensation.

Earlier on Wednesday, the IRGC announced that two oil tankers hit a mine in the Strait of Hormuz. IRGC officials also said that Iran attacked US assets in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Iraq. (Source)

Israel says it’s ready to ‘decisively’ strike Iran if attacked during upcoming holidays

‘They like to attack on Jewish holidays because, after all, they hate Jews,’ says DM; Tehran says it targeted US military sites in Gulf states, as Saudi Arabia accuses it of killing two crew members on a state-owned tanker traversing Hormuz.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that Israel was prepared to respond “with great force” if attacked by Iran during the upcoming Jewish holiday period, after the largest exchange of fire between Washington and Tehran since July. Iran said it attacked US military targets in Jordan, Kuwait, Iraqi Kurdistan and the United Arab Emirates, after the US military on Tuesday said it had struck Iranian targets including air defenses and mine-laying capabilities in response to Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Later Wednesday, Saudi Arabia said one of its oil tankers was targeted in a deadly attack by Iran in the strait. Speaking at a conference hosted by the Yedioth Ahronoth media group, Katz said that “for now,” Iran is “striking throughout the region except us.”

“But there is a possibility that they will attack us. We are prepared for that defensively,” he said. Israel is prepared for a possible attack from Iranian forces over the Jewish high holiday season, which begins in mid-September, said Katz.If Iran attacks, Israel will “respond with great force, independently of anyone else,” Katz said, adding that “our planes are ready to take off.” “They like to attack on Jewish holidays because, after all, they hate Jews. Look at the many things that have happened in the past. But we are prepared both defensively and offensively, in coordination with the United States in this regard,” Katz said.

Israel and the US jointly launched the war on Iran on February 28 in a bid to destabilize its regime and destroy its ballistic missile and nuclear programs. The fighting entered a truce in April, and the US and Iran signed an interim agreement with Iran in June, but the deal collapsed because of disputes over control of the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran launched a blockade early in the war. The US and Iran have since continued to exchange fire more sporadically. US President Donald Trump denied on social media on Wednesday that he was seeking to force Iran’s leaders back to the negotiating table. (Ed note: If Israel should attack a Muslim country during their Ramadan, one would think that the world just came to an end.) (Read More)

The September Perfect Storm: Too Many Warning Lights Are Flashing At Once

September has barely begun, and already the warning lights are flashing. War is escalating in the Middle East, oil prices are surging, diesel costs are soaring, and government bond yields are reaching levels not seen in decades. At the same time, America is carrying approximately $40 trillion in federal debt, the war in Ukraine continues to strain Europe, and investors are increasingly questioning whether the artificial intelligence boom has created another enormous financial bubble.

Any one of these developments would deserve attention, but the real concern is that they are happening at the same time. September already has an infamous reputation on Wall Street, historically ranking as the weakest month of the year for the S&P 500. That certainly doesn't mean September 2026 will produce a crash; history doesn't operate according to a calendar. But this September is arriving with an unusually combustible collection of risks already in place.

War Meets Wall Stree

The most immediate danger is the rapidly escalating confrontation between the United States and Iran. On September 1, U.S. forces launched renewed strikes against Iranian targets following attacks against commercial shipping and American forces in the region, and Iran responded with missiles and drones directed toward U.S. positions. The Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the confrontation, making this much more than another regional military exchange. A substantial portion of the world's petroleum supply normally moves through this narrow waterway, so any prolonged disruption immediately raises questions about global energy supplies. The Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the confrontation, making this much more than another regional military exchange. A substantial portion of the world's petroleum supply normally moves through this narrow waterway, so any prolonged disruption immediately raises questions about global energy supplies.

The Bond Market Is Sending A Warning

America's $40 Trillion Problem

AI Is Adding Another Layer Of Risk

The Dominoes Are Getting Closer

September's Uncomfortable History

(Ed note: A somewhat long but very informative article from Prophecy News Watch, PNW.) (Read More)

Netanyahu at Gaza Yellow Line: ‘We are not withdrawing, we are staying’

Netanyahu visits IDF forces near Gaza’s Yellow Line, declares Israel will remain in place and vows to complete the disarmament of Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited a military installation near the Gaza Strip's Yellow Line on Wednesday morning. The Prime Minister was accompanied by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Southern Command Chief Major General Yaniv Asor, and 99th (Bazak) Division Commander Brigadier General Elad Tzuri.

During the visit, Netanyahu was thoroughly briefed by the field commanders. The briefings focused on the IDF forces' operations in the Yellow Line sector, ongoing missions, and efforts to neutralize threats and protect the lives of soldiers and local communities. "We control the territory. You can see Ashkelon from here; you can see all of our communities in all directions: Sderot, Netivot, and the kibbutzes. We are not withdrawing. We are staying on this line," the Prime Minister declared.

He added, "We control 60% of the Gaza Strip, and there is more to come, because we are eliminating the terrorists who threaten us. We are doing so day in and day out. Yesterday we took the head of Hamas's general security service. We will certainly learn some things. But we are doing everything to reach our goal: disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip. Gaza will never be a threat to Israel. This goal has effectively been reached, and there is still work to be done, and we will complete it." (Source)

Trump’s ultimatum and the Red Sea: Why Iran cannot surrender

Certain leaders, certain regimes, and certain civilizations choose destruction over surrender - even when every rational calculation screams otherwise.

When a Leader Stops Choosing: From Pharaoh to Tehran 

How does the most sophisticated military force of the ancient world - the army of Egypt, the greatest empire on earth - march deliberately into a split sea and drown? Think about what had just happened. Ten plagues had systematically dismantled Egyptian civilization. The Nile turned to blood. Crops were destroyed. Livestock died. And just days before that final march, death had visited every Egyptian household in a single night - the firstborn of every family, from Pharaoh's palace to the lowest servant. Egypt was on its knees.

And yet - Pharaoh's army charged into the parted waters. Willingly. With full force. Where was their free will? Where was the most basic human instinct - survival? The answer the biblical text offers is not mystical. It is architectural. And it turns out to be one of the most precise frameworks ever written for understanding why certain leaders, certain regimes, and certain civilizations choose destruction over surrender - even when every rational calculation screams otherwise.

Free Will Is Not a Permanent Asset. It Is a Structure.

Here is the theological problem that most readers quietly skip over: the Bible states explicitly that God hardened Pharaoh's heart. Which raises an uncomfortable question - if God himself prevented Pharaoh from releasing the Israelites, how is Pharaoh responsible? Where is the justice? Where is free choice?

The traditional answer reframes the entire question. In the first five plagues, the text is precise: "Pharaoh hardened his own heart." He was not coerced. He chose, repeatedly, to dig in. But each choice added another layer to his internal architecture - until the architecture became a prison. Only later, when the plagues exceeded anything humanly bearable, did God "harden his heart" - not as punishment, but to prevent a false surrender. A capitulation born purely from pain, with no genuine internal shift, would have left the toxic infrastructure intact - and produced the next enslavement under a different name. The message is not mystical. It is structural: there is a point of no return. Beyond it, a leader does not choose - he operates from within a vessel he himself constructed, brick by brick, until its walls closed around him from the inside.

1945: When History Repeated the Bible

In the spring of 1945, every German officer with functioning reason knew the answer. The war was over. The Soviets stood on the banks of the Oder. The Luftwaffe was gone. German cities were ash. And yet - Hitler did not surrender. More than that: in those final months, Germany actually accelerated the deportation of Jews to extermination camps - prioritizing those trains over ammunition supply to the front.

Military logic had surrendered to the logic of an ideological structure that could no longer be stopped from within. In March 1945, Hitler issued the Nero Decree - ordering the total destruction of Germany's own infrastructure rather than let it fall to the Allies. Burn the house down so no one else can live in it. This is the architecture of institutional self-destruction. (Read More)

Closer To Nuclear War: Russia Pledges Support For Iran While It Threatens The UK, Germany And The Entire Ukrainian Power Grid

We have never been closer to nuclear war than we are right now. The Russians are absolutely furious that NATO countries have been providing many of the long-range missiles and long-range drones that have been raining down on their major cities night after night. They are publicly threatening the UK and Germany, and I believe that we should be taking those threats very seriously. Meanwhile, the fact that the Russians are openly aiding Iran’s war effort is deeply upsetting the Trump administration. At this stage, the Russians are not even trying to hide it. Both sides just continue to push the envelope, and that has brought us dangerously close to a shooting war with Russia. Of course once a shooting war with Russia starts, a single wrong. Once again last night, long-range Ukrainian drones struck an important energy facility deep inside Russian territory…

Vladimir Putin has vowed revenge after Ukraine humiliated the Russian dictator with yet another drone attack on a major oil hub. A barrage of long-range drones on Tuesday left the vast Ust-Luga fuel terminal in flames. The terminal, on the Baltic Sea near St. Petersburg, can process 700,000 barrels of crude oil a day.

The Russians have lost all patience and they have decided that there is no way that they are going to put up with this any longer. Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin openly acknowledged that massive strikes on Ukraine’s power grid are coming…

Putin told reporters on Tuesday he had ordered his military to prepare and launch large-scale strikes against Ukrainian energy facilities. “They battered our people, and they will get a response,” Putin warned, in what amounted to a public admission that Ukraine’s attacks are inflicting real damage on his country.

If that doesn’t work, Putin is prepared to escalate matters even more. In addition, Russian officials have been suggesting that there could be military strikes on British military facilities in the UK since the UK has been providing Ukraine with long-range missiles and long-range drones. When asked about the potential for direct strikes in the UK by the press, Putin did not deny that this is on the table…

“Are there British military facilities in Ukraine?” the Kremlin leader asked.

When a journalist clarified that the question was hypothetical, Putin replied: “If there are, then definitely [they will become targets – ed.].”Asked whether UK defence industry facilities located on British territory could become military targets, Putin replied: “That’s a secret, a military secret.” There is video footage of this exchange, and it is quite alarming. Because if Russia conducts strikes on British territory, we will be at war with Russia. (Ed note: Russia's newer intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile, the Oreshnik is said to reach speeds exceeding Mach 10, roughly 7,600 to 8,000 mph.)   (Read More)

Trump: Not Forcing Iran to Negotiate

A day after extensive strikes in southern Iran, the U.S. president declared he doesn't care if Tehran signs a deal, contradicting earlier statements from his Treasury Secretary. U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the ongoing escalation with Iran on Wednesday night, stating that he is not attempting to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table. His declaration contradicts recent remarks by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said last week that returning Iran to negotiations was the goal of economic pressure on the Islamic Republic.

"Contrary to what is being reported in ABC Fake News, I am NOT trying to force Iran back to the negotiating table," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "I don't care if they sign a deal that would be meaningless to them." Trump went on to say that he prefers the current situation, claiming the U.S. has "almost complete control of the Strait of Hormuz" while Iran's economy is "collapsing completely." He added that Iranian leaders are "only delaying the inevitable," and concluded by asking: "When will the Iranian people rise up and fight?"

On Tuesday evening, Trump threatened to continue attacks if Iran responds to American strikes on targets near the Strait of Hormuz. "If the failed nation of Iran responds to this very justified attack, it will be attacked again, and this time with much harder and higher force," he warned. "But even that won't be the biggest attack of all. The greatest attack is still waiting at the door, and when it's finished, very little will remain of the Islamic Republic of Iran!" (Ed note: "Rise up and fight? When will Trump stop with the "One more last chance to negotiate?" What chance has fists against guns? Come on, Trump!) (Source)

CENTCOM begins wave of strikes on Iran in retaliation for targeting of US troops in region

Iran will respond to the US' newest wave of strikes with an attack "several times larger," the semi-official Tasnim news outlet reported on Tuesday night, citing a senior Iranian military source.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it began a wave of strikes against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran on Tuesday. According to CENTCOM, the strikes are being carried out in retaliation for Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and the recent attack on US troops stationed in the region. Iranian state media reported that several explosions were heard in the cities of Bandar Abbas, Ahvaz, and Sirik.

Following the strikes, electrical power to several parts of the Hormozgan province was lost, Iranian state media IRIB reported. Power has been restored to Qeshm county in Hormozgan, the area's governor announced on Wednesday morning. IRIB added that a US airstrike on Sirik hit a wedding, killing four and injuring 35. The US did not immediately respond to the allegations. Air defenses were also reportedly activated in eastern Tehran, Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency said.

US President Donald Trump later confirmed the strikes in a post to Truth Social, echoing CENTCOM's reasoning for the strikes. "The United States is, as we speak, striking Iranian Targets near the Strait of Hormuz," he wrote. "The strikes are large and powerful, and in retaliation for the Iranians’ failed attempt at adding sea mines to the Strait, which currently has no mines (They have been completely removed or detonated!), and the Iranians shooting eight missiles, all successfully knocked down, at our Military Base in Jordan."

Trump threatened Iran that, should it respond to the "very justified attack," it will be hit "again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran!" (Read More)

Report: Russia secretly helped Iran develop missiles designed to hit US carriers

A Financial Times report says Russia secretly helped Iran develop advanced missiles designed to strike US Navy aircraft carriers in the Middle East.

Russia has covertly assisted Iran with the development of advanced missile technology since 2023, according to a report published by the Financial Times on Tuesday. The cooperation, reportedly carried out under the codename C430L, was intended to help Tehran develop missiles capable of striking US Navy aircraft carriers deployed in the Middle East.

A central objective of the project was the development of a ramjet propulsion system that could enable Iranian missiles to travel at several times the speed of sound. Such missiles, particularly if flying at low altitude, would reduce the reaction time available to Western air defense systems and potentially increase the effectiveness of an attack.

According to the Financial Times investigation, transferring technology of this level would have required authorization from Russia’s highest political leadership. The arrangement may have formed part of a broader technology exchange between Moscow and Tehran: Iran has supported Russia’s drone program, while Russia has assisted Iran’s missile development, alongside their existing intelligence cooperation.

Documents obtained by the Financial Times indicate that preparations for the arrangement were already underway before the agreement was formally signed in November 2023, roughly one month after the October 7 attack. The investigation found that Russian assistance continued during the war with Iran in February and that the support provided substantial help to Tehran during its attacks on Gulf states. Moscow and Tehran have significantly expanded their military relationship in recent years, with both governments facing mounting pressure from Western countries over their regional activities and broader international alignments. (Read More)

Russia said helping Iran develop supersonic cruise missiles

Russian engineers have made multiple visits to Islamic Republic for project making ramjet engine needed to build high-speed anti-ship and land attack weapon, Financial Times reports.

Russia has been helping Iran develop supersonic cruise missiles, an advanced weapon that is harder to defend against than subsonic variants, the Financial Times reported Tuesday. According to the newspaper, the development program began in 2023 and, if successful, would give Tehran a significantly greater ability to attack US aircraft carriers and other vessels in the Middle East. The FT said its investigation was based on Russian correspondence, travel records and military patents, and described the program as “one of the most significant known transfers of strategic military technology from Moscow to Tehran.”

The project, codenamed “C430L,” was organized by Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state arms exporter, and also involved NPO Mashinostroyenia, a rocket design organization that is under US sanctions. Documents show that officials from both organizations traveled multiple times to Iran before the C430L project was formalized in November 2023, the FT reported.

The program continued into 2026, with June correspondence showing discussions on the next stage, though it is not clear if that has begun, the report said. Work was still happening when Iran came under attack from a joint US-Israel campaign this year. The war is still ongoing, though it has become focused on a US-Iran standoff over control of the vital Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has tried to choke off by attacking shipping.

The development program is reportedly focused on a ramjet propulsion system that would allow a cruise missile to fly at multiple times the speed of sound. Military experts assessed that the weapon would most likely be used to hit ships and some land targets. Some of Russia’s top experts in the field were involved in the Iranian program, the FT said, and its engineers analyzed data from an Iranian ramjet engine system. (Read More)

Iran Fires Missile at U.S. F-35 Over Hormuz

Pentagon alarmed after Iranian air defense battery targeted American F-35 stealth aircraft escorting commercial vessels through strategic waterway, prompting new U.S. strike plan. An Iranian air defense battery fired a surface-to-air missile at a U.S. F-35 stealth fighter jet over the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report first published by Axios. The incident occurred while the advanced American warplane was providing air cover for oil tankers and commercial vessels transiting the strategic waterway.

While the missile did not come close enough to pose a direct threat or cause damage, and the incident ended without casualties, Washington was shocked that Tehran targeted one of America's most advanced military asset. Defense officials view the episode as an unprecedented escalation in the ongoing maritime confrontation in the Persian Gulf, signaling Iran's willingness to raise the stakes dramatically.

Aviation and defense experts caution that firing a missile does not necessarily mean Iran achieved full radar lock on the stealth aircraft. In modern combat, missiles are launched at stealth platforms through several methods: "blind" or statistical firing toward an approximate area where activity has been detected; use of passive systems and thermal or optical sensors that don't emit radar waves and therefore evade the aircraft's warning systems; or basic detection using low-frequency radars that can indicate a general presence in the sky without the precision needed for accurate missile guidance.

Washington has clearly identified that despite severe setbacks in recent months, Tehran is actively working to restore its radar arrays and coastal missile systems around shipping lanes. In response, U.S. Central Command, with full backing from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, developed a new operational plan dubbed "mowing the grass." The concept calls for periodic, limited strikes against Iranian targets in the strait, destroying military systems each time they are reestablished. While the White House initially hesitated over fears of broader escalation, events on the ground moved faster. (Read More)

Hamas’s worst fear takes shape in Gaza City - analysis

Israel’s daring capture of Hamas’s internal security chief, reportedly aided by anti-Hamas militias, exposes a humiliating vulnerability and the growing threat of revolt from within.

The daring operation in Gaza City on Tuesday morning, in which IDF and Shin Bet special forces captured Hamas’s Internal Security chief in broad daylight and took him to Israel for interrogation, is a humiliating security failure for Hamas. Israeli forces got to Mueen Al-Arabid at his Gaza City hideout, and apprehended him rather than kill him, despite his reported injuries sustained during the exchange of fire between his bodyguards and Israeli troops.

He is currently receiving medical treatment in Israel. But Israel didn’t pull this off by itself. What unfolded in Al Katibeh, west of Gaza City, was a rare — but not first of its kind — cooperation between IDF southern command and anti-Hamas militias. By the way, among Al-Arabid’s many responsibilities as head of Hamas internal security is to monitor and target anti-Hamas militias operating in Gaza. He’s also in charge of preventing such Israeli operations inside the Strip, adding insult to injury.

This is the scenario Hamas fears most. Like the IRGC in Iran, they feel they can sustain Israeli bombardment, regardless of the damage it may cause. It’s the internal uprising that really has them spooked. In the slow and uncertain implementation of Gaza’s Board of Peace plan to disarm Hamas, Israel will have to maintain vigilant monitoring of Hamas’s activity. And what better way to achieve that than by having more boots on the ground, a real lay of the land, and a shared loathing to Hamas. (Source)

Hamas Response After Gaza Commander Abducted

The terror group's first reaction to Israel's daring operation calls on the international community to condemn the raid, a far cry from its past threats of rocket fire. Hamas released a subdued response Tuesday to Israel's dramatic capture of Mu'in al-Arabid, the organization's Head of General Security Apparatus, marking a stark contrast to the group's typical bellicose rhetoric following Israeli operations.

Hamas official Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, said an Israeli special force had tried to carry out an operation in Gaza City before being detected, and that Israel then launched heavy airstrikes, killing and wounding several people. Rather than threatening military reprisals or rocket fire, responses that have typically followed Israeli military actions, Hamas's initial statements focused on condemning the operation and calling for international intervention.

Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the IDF had successfully captured a senior Hamas terrorist while carrying out strikes on several targets in the Gaza Strip in response to threats against Israeli forces, stating: "A short time ago, a senior Hamas terrorist was arrested, and this is our policy: We do not wait for threats. Instead, we pursue Hamas terrorists, thwart them, and destroy their terrorist infrastructure."

The capture of al-Arabid, who oversees Hamas's internal intelligence and security operations, represents a significant intelligence windfall for Israel. The operation ended with the arrest of a senior Hamas figure, which could shed light on the organization's covert activities and its methods of operation in the Gaza Strip. The raid also highlights the growing effectiveness of Israeli-backed Palestinian militias operating in Gaza. Reports indicate that over the past year, members of various militias have carried out operations that directly damaged Hamas's military capabilities in the Gaza Strip. Hamas's inability to mount a strong response signals their weakened operational capacity and internal instability. (Source)