US completes seven-hour strike wave in Iran, dozens of targets hit

CENTCOM completes a seven-hour wave of strikes on Iranian military sites while resuming its naval blockade.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced early Wednesday morning that it had completed an additional round of strikes against Iran, hitting dozens of military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian coastal areas. "US fighter aircraft, drones, and naval vessels launched precision munitions against Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, and coastal defense systems during the seven-hour wave to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian crews," said CENTCOM.

It noted that the strikes took place the same day US forces resumed the naval blockade against vessels transiting to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas. The blockade went into effect at 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday. "US forces remain vigilant, lethal, and prepared to execut operations directed by the Commander in Chief," the CENTCOM statement concluded. Earlier, CENTCOM confirmed that its forces have begun launching an additional round of strikes against Iran to continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

At 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (11:00 p.m. Israel time), CENTCOM officially announced that "US forces resumed the naval blockade against vessels transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas." It added, "There are currently more than 20 US Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East. American forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready."

Iranian state media reported strikes on Qeshm Island, as well as sounds of explosions in Ahvaz and Bandar Abbas. At the same time, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it destroyed multiple warehouses containing weapons, vessel parts, and aircraft components at the Sheikh Isa base in Bahrain and struck the MQ9 drone deployment ramp at the Ali Al-Salem base in Kuwait, destroying or damaging several US drones. (Read more)

US expands strikes into Tehran area as Iran threatens to ‘resist until the end’

American attacks reported across northern provinces, US fires on Iranian tanker headed for Kharg island; Iran responds with missile and drone fire on Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait.

The United States intensified its strikes targeting Iran early Thursday, hitting targets further north and into the Tehran area, as the Islamic Republic expanded its attacks on US allies in the region and vowed to “resist until the end.” Days of back-and-forth strikes by the US and Iran across the Middle East — and renewed threats to the Strait of Hormuz — have shredded the interim deal to end the Iran war and could tip the region back into all-out war. Iranian officials say US strikes have killed more than 35 people and wounded over 300. US strikes reached into areas around Iran’s capital, Tehran, for the first time in the latest round of violence, showing a widening set of targets for the Americans.

Iranian state media also reported American attacks in the northern Semnan province, home to Iran’s ballistic missile production and space program. Other strikes were reported in the provinces of Hamedan, Hormozgan, Khuzestan, Lorestan, Markazi, and Sistan and Baluchistan. “US forces struck Iranian command centers, air defense sites, missile and drone capabilities, and coastal surveillance facilities,” the US military said in a statement, adding it also hit targets in Bandar Abbas, home to Iran’s largest port and to key navy and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities on the Strait of Hormuz.

In the Persian Gulf, the US military began to enforce Trump’s newly reinstated naval blockade of Iranian ports, and said it opened fire on the Curacao-flagged oil tanker Belma sailing toward Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal. After the ship “ignored multiple warnings,” a US aircraft disabled the merchant vessel by firing a missile into the ship’s smokestack.

Another American strike Wednesday targeted a barracks for Iran’s 388th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, which operates tanks and armored vehicles, in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iranian state television reported. The report said Americans fired at least 13 missiles in the attack and the seven dead included conscripts and career soldiers. A number of troops were wounded. (Read More)

Report: Trump weighing ground force deployments in Iran

President Trump is weighing escalatory military options against Iran - including strikes on a deep nuclear facility and island seizures - as diplomacy stalls, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Following high-level briefings with top national security advisors, US President Donald Trump is giving serious consideration to significantly expanding American military operations targeting Iran, according to US officials cited on Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal. The strategic alternatives placed before the president include intensifying campaign airstrikes, launching ground operations to capture key Persian Gulf islands near the Strait of Hormuz, or bombing a deeply buried, fortified subterranean tunnel network known as Pickaxe Mountain that could support covert nuclear developments.

Trump reviewed these military possibilities during a Situation Room briefing on Tuesday evening, where discussions centered on sending American forces to occupy strategic territory along the strait, such as Kharg Island, alongside options to target Pickaxe Mountain and hit broader Iranian energy infrastructure, according to the WSJ report. The session capped days of consultations involving senior leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.

While Trump maintains publicly and privately that he prefers a diplomatic resolution, negotiations remain stuck. Tehran has resisted demands to surrender its enriched nuclear stockpiles despite months of direct strikes and a brief interim agreement that briefly permitted restricted oil exports. The impasse has prompted Trump to seek harsher options designed to compel capitulation or end Houthi and Iranian aggression against international maritime traffic.

A decision to greenlight ground operations or target Pickaxe Mountain would mark the most hazardous escalation of the nearly five-month conflict, carrying risks of increased gas prices and political complications ahead of the midterms. However, administration sources note that Trump remains hesitant to put troops on the ground and has repeatedly walked back past declarations regarding full-scale territorial seizures. The military options come on the heels of a fifth consecutive day of US military strikes against Iran, triggered when a temporary ceasefire collapsed after Iranian forces launched attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Washington to reimpose its naval blockade. (Read more)

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Dr. Bill Salus says: If the events in this article happen, it could lead toward the fulfillment of the prophecy below. Trump Is angry with Tehran, but the LORD is fiercely angry with Iran, which trumps even Trump”s anger!

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “I will destroy the archers (missile launchers) of Elam (southwest Iran)—the best of their (IRGC) forces. I will bring enemies (likely ground forces) from all directions, and I will scatter the people of Elam to the four winds. They will be exiled to countries around the world. I myself will go with Elam’s enemies (possibly a USA led coalition) to shatter it. In my fierce anger, I will bring great disaster upon the people of Elam,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 49:35-37, NLT; emphasis added)

Watch related video on the Elam prophecy below. 

Why lessons learned on October 7 prevent Israeli withdrawal from Syria - analysis

When Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa swept into power and ousted Bashar Assad in December 2024, Israel quickly implemented policies born of the lessons learned from October 7. The first was to act before threats metastasize rather than after. The second was never again to let those who want to murder you encamp right on the border. As a result, the IDF rapidly entered Syria, destroyed planes, helicopters, naval vessels, missiles, chemical weapons depots, air bases, and ports belonging to the Assad regime before they could fall into the hands of jihadist groups.

It also carved out a buffer zone inside southern Syria designed to keep forces hostile to Israel from establishing themselves within easy striking distance of communities on the Golan Heights. Again, the trauma of October 7 looms large. This buffer zone, together with the ones Israel has created inside Gaza and southern Lebanon, is now increasingly viewed in Washington as a problem that needs to be solved.

US President Donald Trump gave voice to that sentiment during a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, first reported by Axios, in which he reportedly urged Israel to begin withdrawing from southern Syria. “They don’t want you there. You should redeploy,” Trump reportedly told Netanyahu. Again, he sees Israel’s presence in Syria as a problem. Israel sees it as a solution.

With the exception of a handful of far-right activists who dream of establishing settlements across the border, Israel has no territorial ambitions in southern Syria. The one exception is Mount Hermon, whose strategic importance is so overwhelming that Israeli leaders have made clear they have little intention of relinquishing it. The same is not necessarily true regarding the rest of the buffer zone. The question has never really been whether Israel will eventually leave, but under what conditions. (Ed note: What al-Sharaa really wants is for Israel to leave the buffer zone, give back the Golan Heights, and for Israel to return to the 1967 border lines. All demands are impossible for Israel, and President Trump should know better. Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.)   (Read More)

Report: Erdogan offers Trump a regional deal that could complicate matters for Israel

A Lebanese report reveals a joint Turkish-Qatari initiative presented to the president, linking Middle East stability to a rapid Israeli pullback from Syria and Lebanon.

The Al-Akhbar (Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese daily) newspaper reported Wednesday morning on a Turkish-Qatari proposal presented by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to US President Donald Trump during their recent meeting in Ankara. According to sources, Erdogan – who is aware of Israeli pressure on the Trump administration regarding the war on Iran and other regional issues – proposed that the US support a broad economic project involving several countries in the region, with an emphasis on Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. The report added that Erdogan had previously discussed the outlines of this project with the US special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack. According to the report, the project is designed "to provide stable and secure foundations in the region, in a way that will enable the launch of major economic enterprises."


The sources noted that Erdogan complained to Trump about the Israeli "occupation" in Syria and Lebanon, alongside Israel's ongoing attacks in regional countries and threats toward other nations. He charged that this is "the main cause of instability that harms any process aimed at reining in Iran's allies." Additionally, Erdogan explained to Trump the importance of a rapid Israeli withdrawal from territories in Lebanon and Syria, as a precursor to future security arrangements between Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, the report said.


According to the report, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa also raised the issue of withdrawals during his meeting with Trump, emphasizing that stability in Syria requires the restoration of sovereignty over all its territory. He was quoted as saying, "Israel is preventing a solution in southern Syria, refused to include the word 'withdrawal' in the agreement, and halted negotiations when this issue arose. As long as it refuses to withdraw, why should we sign an agreement with it?" The ruling regime in Damascus is primarily demanding a return to the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement and an Israeli withdrawal from the territories captured after the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024. (Source)

Foreign influence, including from Israel, does not dictate US's Iran policy, Vance tells Joe Rogan

US Vice President JD Vance downplayed Israel's alleged political influence on US policies in the Iran war while talking to Joe Rogan on the latter's podcast, broadcast on Wednesday. "There's a lot of talk about how much the Israeli government is influencing American politics. There are certainly certain people within the Israeli government who hate the deal. And we see exact evidence," Vance said.

He also referenced a story published on Tuesday in Timemagazine, which commented on how Trump's former election campaign manager, Brad Parscale, was linked with an Israeli government-funded campaign paying conservative influencers to push their audiences towards denouncing the ceasefire between the US and Iran.

"I definitely think you have seen this very discreet, extremely well-funded campaign to try to derail the negotiation and try to derail the deal," Vance told Rogan. The Time article is "worth reading because it lists a bunch of people who have quite literally been paid by a former Trump campaign person who was himself paid by certain elements within the Israeli government. And those people are attacking me viciously for quite literally trying to accomplish the negotiation objective that the president set for the country," he added. Rogan asked how these people are attacking Vance, to which the vice president said that "It's social media posts... leaking to reporters. They're attacking me obsessively, saying that we should not be negotiating with Iran. We should just keep the military campaign going indefinitely." (Read More)

JD Vance alleges secret Israeli campaign to derail Trump Iran deal

JD Vance alleges Israeli government elements funded a campaign attacking him over Iran talks, while also claiming Jeffrey Epstein had Israeli intelligence ties.

US Vice President JD Vance accused "certain elements within the Israeli government" of financing a campaign whose participants attacked him over the Trump administration's negotiations with Iran. Speaking during an interview on Joe Rogan's podcast, Vance claimed that a "very discreet, extremely well-funded campaign" had sought to derail negotiations and a ceasefire agreement.Vance cited a TIME report that examined a digital campaign run by Brad Parscale, a former Trump campaign manager, whose firm Clock Tower X was hired by global advertising agency Havas to conduct a campaign on behalf of the State of Israel.

According to Foreign Agents Registration Act filings reviewed by TIME, Israel agreed to pay Clock Tower X $1.5 million per month. The campaign was intended to produce online content aimed primarily at younger audiences and amplify messaging through social media and other digital channels. TIME reported that three people familiar with the operation described a network in which conservative influencers received suggested language through private group chats and were compensated according to the reach and engagement generated by their content.

Parscale denied that money from the Israel contract was used to pay influencers and rejected allegations that he had sought to undermine President Donald Trump's policies. Vance, however, described the report differently. "It lists a bunch of people who have quite literally been paid by a former Trump campaign person who was himself paid by certain elements within the Israeli government," Vance told Rogan. He alleged that those individuals were "attacking me viciously for quite literally trying to accomplish the negotiation objective that the president set for the country."

Asked by Rogan how he was being attacked, Vance pointed to social media posts and leaks to reporters. "They're attacking me obsessively, saying that we should not be negotiating with Iran. We should just keep the military campaign going indefinitely," he said. Vance said critics had accused him of being influenced by Qatar and other foreign governments and of taking "marching orders from Tucker Carlson." (Read More)

Netanyahu warns Iran: ‘Attack us, and we will hit you harder than last time’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a message to Iran’s leaders on Tuesday, warning that should they decide to attack Israel, the Jewish state’s response will be greater than the last round. “Don’t count on it to be quiet if you attack us. Don’t count on a rerun. It will be a different broadcast—far more powerful,” the prime minister said while addressing the Negev Conference in Dimona, a regional forum focused on the economic development of Israel’s south. “We are prepared for any scenario,” he said. “Gone are the days when someone hits us, and we don’t even strike them with a single blow.” Israel and Iran last exchanged strikes on June 7, when Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for an Israeli attack against its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel hit Iran’s Mahshahr petrochemical complex in return.

Since then, the Islamic Republic has so far refrained from hitting Israel, even as U.S. and Iranian forces intensify their exchange of volleys. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps instead attacked Bahrain, Jordan and three tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz in response to the latest U.S. strikes. Two of the vessels, the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, which were linked to the United Arab Emirates, briefly caught fire, the Associated Press reported. The Emirati Defense Ministry said the attacks killed one mariner and wounded eight others. Bahrain’s Defense Force said its air defenses intercepted “a number of treacherous Iranian aerial attacks,” adding that “the deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilians and private property constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”

A Jordanian military source told the state-run Petra News Agency that the army “successfully intercepted and shot down four missiles that breached Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory early Tuesday.” U.S. President Donald Trump ordered more strikes against Iranian regime targets on Monday in response to the Islamic Republic’s attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Also on Monday, Trump told Fox News that the United States will be “taking over” the Strait of Hormuz. In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump declared the Strait open and that, from “this point forward,” the United States will be known as “the guardian of the Hormuz Strait.” (Ed note: President Trump sees this war with Iran as political and can be resolved by his deal making. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees this war as the survival of his nation. Remember that the peoples of the Middle East can afford to fight and lose all week long, the Jewish nation can't afford to lose once.) (Read More)

Trump’s Strategy Is a War Without Victory

Threatening Tehran with further attacks unless it returns to negotiations makes little sense when the president himself says the regime cannot be trusted—and when the Iranian people cannot overthrow it without meaningful outside support. There is something deeply strange about President Donald Trump’s insistence that Iran must return to the negotiating table, or face additional American strikes.

After all, Trump himself has repeatedly described the Iranian leadership as dishonest, fanatical and incapable of honoring its commitments. The recent memorandum and ceasefire have already broken down, while Tehran has again rejected negotiations under military pressure. Yet the administration’s answer is apparently to bomb Iran until the same regime agrees to sign another document.

What, precisely, would such an agreement accomplish? Treaty is valuable only when the parties signing it believe they are bound by it, or when an enforcement mechanism makes violating it prohibitively expensive. According to Trump’s own assessment, Iran’s rulers are not reliable negotiating partners. If that is true, returning to negotiations cannot itself be the strategic objective. At most, negotiations should formalize a reality that has already been created by overwhelming American power. Instead, Washington appears to be using military force not to produce a decisive outcome, but to bring Iran back into an endless diplomatic process. That is not a strategy. It is a cycle. (Ed note: Whatever the conclusion is to Iran, prophecy tells us that after this time, Persia will make a second appearance in Ezekiel 38:5.) (Read More)

U.S. Bombs Iran’s Bushehr, Home to Its Only Known Nuclear Power Plant (BUSHEHR)

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the arm of the Pentagon responsible for the Middle East, confirmed on Monday that its forces had conducted military strikes on a variety of targets throughout Iran, including the city of Bushehr, the home of the country’s only known functioning civilian power plant.

The strikes are part of a renewed campaign against the Iranian terrorist regime that began in response to Iran resuming violent attacks on seemingly random commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz in the first week of July, coinciding with a week-long mourning period in which the country held funerals for late dictator Ali Khamenei. President Donald Trump announced on February 28 that the former “supreme leader” was eliminated in the first American airstrikes as part of Operation Epic Fury, a campaign to erode Iran’s ability to pose a threat to its neighbors.

Operation Epic Fury was paused by a ceasefire in April, then allegedly fully concluded following the signing of a “memorandum of understanding” between Washington and Tehran in late June. As part of the memorandum, Iran committed to not interfering in free commerce in the Strait of Hormuz, a commitment it broke by resuming strikes on ships in early July. President Trump has since stated that the ceasefire with Iran is “over” but he is still willing to engage in negotiations with the country’s remaining leadership. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump wrote last week on his websites, Truth Social. (Read More)

Trump says US will strike Iranian power plants, bridges next week if no deal reached

US President Donald Trump said that the United States will target Iranian power plants and bridges next week, during an interview with Fox News's Trey Yingst on Wednesday. "We're going to hit them very hard tonight. We're going to hit them very hard tomorrow night. We're going to hit them very hard the night after," said Trump. "Will save energy targets for last. Next week it gets really bad for them." "We're gonna knock out all their power plants," he said. "We're gonna knock out all their bridges, unless they get to the table and negotiate."

Trump added that Iran has "no choice" but to agree to a deal, noting that US and Iranian representatives held talks on Tuesday. “I said, you better make a deal," noted Trump. "You're not going to have anything left.” President Trump also alluded to the effect of recent US Central Command (CENTCOM) strikes on the Islamic regime along the Strait of Hormuz.

"We're beating them up really badly," Trump said. "They have to be beaten up." "We're hitting them very, very hard," he added. We're hitting every single thing they have along the [Hormuz] shore." Trump noted the success of the renewed US military operations in the region, saying that it is "hard to find" targets left to strike. (Read More)

Trump Vows Iran Strikes Will Continue as Tehran Claims Attack on US Positions in Jordan

US forces launch a five-hour wave of strikes across southern Iran, while Kuwait intercepts suspected Iranian aerial targets and Tehran warns that oil exports will remain under threat. The military confrontation between the United States and Iran intensified overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, as President Donald Trump declared that American attacks would continue and Iranian forces claimed to have targeted US positions in Jordan.

US Central Command launched a new wave of strikes against Iranian military infrastructure at approximately 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, according to reports. The operation was aimed at further weakening Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes came as American forces prepared to renew a maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports and coastal areas. The blockade was reportedly scheduled to take effect at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. CENTCOM later said the American attack lasted approximately five hours. Iranian locations reportedly targeted included Bushehr, Chabahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa and Bandar Abbas. “These strikes will continue to inflict heavy losses on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the US military said as the operation began.

Trump: “The strikes will continue”

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said Iranian energy sites were being reserved for a later stage of the campaign. “The strikes will continue until I say it is enough,” Trump said, adding that Iran still had “a little fight left,” but “not much.” The president also said American representatives had communicated with Iranian officials during the previous 24 hours, despite the continuing military escalation. Trump had earlier warned that the United States would strike Iran “very hard” during the night and again the following day.

Kuwait intercepts suspected Iranian targets

Kuwait’s military announced that it had intercepted suspected aerial targets sent from Iran after they entered Kuwaiti airspace. Kuwait’s state news agency also reported that firefighters had brought a blaze under control at a site targeted in what officials described as an Iranian attack. Six firefighting teams responded with support from the Kuwaiti military and National Guard. No casualties were reported, and officials said the damage was limited to property. Reports also emerged of Iranian missiles equipped with separating or multiple warheads being launched toward Bahrain. Footage circulating on Arab social media appeared to show such a projectile over Bahraini airspace, although the precise nature of the weapon could not be independently verified. Air-raid sirens were activated in Bahrain during the Iranian attacks. (Read more)

Government says $431 million allocated last month for 34 new West Bank settlements

The government announced Tuesday that NIS 1.3 billion ($431 million) was allocated by the security cabinet last month to fund the establishment of dozens of new West Bank settlements approved by Israel over the last three and a half years. The cabinet decision was formulated by the Prime Minister’s Office, and will be implemented by the Settlements Ministry and the Housing and Construction Ministry. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlements Minister Orit Strock announced the details in a joint press conference, stating that the funds would be used to establish “pioneer neighborhoods” at the sites of newly approved settlements, which will include prefabricated homes, roads and infrastructure.

Smotrich, who has long opposed Palestinian statehood, is the head of the Religious Zionism party that draws much of its support from settlements. He is also in charge of the Defense Ministry Settlement Administration, which oversees settlement activities in the West Bank. Declaring the cabinet’s decision historic and a “day of celebration for Israel and settlements,” Smotrich thanked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his support.

“We are strengthening the security of the State of Israel, killing the idea of establishing a terrorist state in the heart of the country, and strengthening our hold on the homeland in Judea and Samaria,” Smotrich said in a statement, using the biblical term for the West Bank. “There has never been a Zionist-settlement decision of this size in the whole history of Zionism since it was founded,” Strock said. United Nations bodies, Palestinians and most countries view the settlements as illegal under international conventions — a stance rejected by Israel — and as a primary obstacle to peace. Palestinians want the West Bank and East Jerusalem as territory for their own future state.

The government has, during its tenure, approved 103 new West Bank settlements, an unprecedented number in the history of the settlement movement. The expedited establishment of 34 new settlements will run in parallel to the usual settlement development process, Smotrich said, and appears designed to establish facts on the ground before any potential new government can reverse or stall the establishment of these settlements. (Read More)

Trump backtracks from proposal to charge 20% toll for securing Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump backtracks from an earlier assertion that Washington would charge a 20% toll for securing the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that the US will instead compensate those costs through investment deals with Gulf countries. “Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States reimbursement fee with trade and investment deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States,” Trump writes on Truth Social.

It’s unclear whether Trump’s plan to charge a 20% toll would have ever worked or whether his claim of new investments from Gulf countries will end up being a repackaging of previously pledged investments that have yet to come in in full. 

Trump also claims oil is “flowing like never before” out of the Strait of Hormuz, thanks to the US military efforts in the region, adding that a blockade of Iranian ports is now in place. (Source)

Israel, Lebanon begin US-brokered talks in Rome

Israeli and Lebanese delegations began U.S.-mediated talks in Rome on Tuesday aimed at advancing the implementation of a framework agreement to end months of fighting in the border area with the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group. The discussions are taking place at the U.S. Embassy in the Italian capital through Wednesday, and follow the deal reached in Washington on June 26 during the fifth round of negotiations between representatives of Beirut and Jerusalem. Arrangements for a potential Israeli withdrawal from Southern Lebanon and the deployment of Lebanese forces will be on the table, in accordance with the agreement, Reuters reported, citing officials familiar with the talks. The 14-point Israel-Lebanon Trilateral Framework Agreement also calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, and Jerusalem has emphasized that an Israeli withdrawal will occur only once the threat from the Iranian terror proxy is removed. 

Israeli forces are positioned within a security zone extending about 10 km (6 miles) into Lebanon along the entire Israeli border. The June 26 agreement identified two “pilot zones” north and south of the Litani River in which Israeli troops would be replaced by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), while Hezbollah and other non-state armed groups would be disarmed. A U.S. official said last week that the U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) was coordinating with Lebanon and Israel to launch the pilot zones. A U.S. military delegation was in Lebanon over the weekend to discuss the plan in detail with the Lebanese army, sources told Reuters.

In a CBS News interview broadcast on Sunday, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter, who is leading the talks for Jerusalem, said the Rome meetings will focus on creating conditions for the LAF to assume control in designated areas so that Israel can begin a phased withdrawal—but only if the Iranian terror proxy is dismantled. “What the agreement with Lebanon does is completely remove Iran from the paradigm,” Leiter told “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan, adding that Jerusalem and Beirut “are on the same page” in seeking to push Hezbollah out for Israel’s security and Lebanon’s sovereignty.

He said Israel “can withdraw the moment that Hezbollah is dismantled,” but that the military will have to remain in the security zone if the terrorist group retains its arms, “because we’re not going to go back to a situation where our citizens are going to be threatened by an Iranian proxy firing missiles and building tunnels so they can attack, like Hamas did on Oct. 7,” referring to the 2023 mass murder and kidnappings in southern Israel led by the Gaza-based terrorist organization that sparked a multi-front war with Tehran and its regional terror proxies. Hezbollah renewed its rocket and drone attacks from Southern Lebanon against Israel on March 2, following the targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of “Operation Roaring Lion” on Feb. 28. (Read More)

Trump's push for an IDF withdrawal could force Israel to rethink its Syria strategy - analysis

For Israel, there is no real strategic or tactical need to keep up the friction with Syrian villages along the buffer zone - and a re-think may be necessary in the future.

US President Donald Trump may be pressuring Israel to withdraw forces from several areas along the border with Syria, according to a Tuesday Axios report. “President Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call Thursday that Israel should start redeploying its forces out of Syria and urged him to do the same in Lebanon, according to US and Israeli officials,” an Axios report by Barak Ravid noted on Tuesday.

This raises questions about where Israel might shift forces and which areas are in the spotlight. To understand Israel’s current posture in Syria, it’s worth understanding how we got here, starting when Israel conquered the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967. In 1973, after the war with Syria and Egypt led to a ceasefire, there was a new buffer zone created on the Golan between Israeli and Syrian forces, resulting in a 1974 ceasefire line.

The line is not a single line but several lines, one called Alpha and another called Bravo. "The Israel-Syria border consists of two lines which are separated by a 155-square-mile buffer zone," the IDF said in 2020. "This buffer zone lies in Syrian territory and is monitored by the UN. To the east of it is the Bravo Line that signifies the end of the buffer zone and the beginning of Syria. To the west is the Alpha Line, where the UN buffer zone ends and Israel begins.” (Ed note: All very interesting, but remember the prophecy found in Isaiah 17. Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.)    (Read More)

'They don't want you there': Trump tells Netanyahu to pull IDF troops from Syria, Lebanon - report

US President Donald Trump allegedly told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel should remove IDF troops from Syria and Lebanon during a phone call on Thursday, according to a Tuesday Axios report citing US and Israeli officials. Trump claimed that the presence of Israeli military personnel in Syrian territory could create tension and may lead to escalation, one US official told Axios. “They don’t want you there. You should redeploy,” Trump allegedly told Netanyahu, according to the official.

IDF sources told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday evening that the report took them by surprise and they were unfamiliar with the reported phone call. The sources stated that there has been no change on the ground and that there were no indications that the situation would change imminently. The report came as Israel and Lebanon resumed peace talks in Rome to discuss the implementation of a trilateral framework between Israel, Lebanon, and the US.

The agreement, which was signed on June 26 in Washington, is aimed at disarming Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah and facilitating the withdrawal of IDF troops from southern Lebanon. Under the framework agreement, Israel agreed to withdraw troops from two areas, allowing the Lebanese army to take control of the zones and implement measures to disarm Hezbollah. The call also reportedly took place one day after Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. (Ed note: President Trump, when are you going to fulfill your words and DISARM both Hamas and Hezbollah, and give Israel some peace?) (Read More)

Latest wave of US strikes targets Iran’s coastal defenses, missile and drone sites (BUSHEHR)

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered more strikes against Iranian regime sites on Monday in response to the Islamic Republic’s attacks on civilian-manned commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command said it completed the “latest wave of strikes against Iran” at 10:15 p.m. Eastern on Monday, five and a half hours after the operation began at 4:45 p.m. CENTCOM struck military targets across Iran, including in Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa and Bandar Abbas, according to the statement. The attacks targeted coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites, and maritime capabilities.

“More than 50,000 U.S. service members are currently deployed across the Middle East. American forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready,” CENTCOM stated. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded to the latest U.S. strikes by attacking Bahrain, Jordan and three tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, it said. Two of the vessels, the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, which were linked to the United Arab Emirates, briefly caught fire, the Associated Press reported. The Emirati Defense Ministry said the attacks killed one mariner and wounded eight others. Bahrain’s Defence Force said its air defenses intercepted “a number of treacherous Iranian aerial attacks,” adding that “the deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilians and private property constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”

A Jordanian military source told the state-run Petra News Agency that the army “successfully intercepted and shot down four missiles that breached Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory early Tuesday.” No injuries were reported in the attacks on Bahrain or Jordan. Trump told Hugh Hewitt on Monday that Pickaxe Mountain, an underground nuclear facility in Iran, remained “a possible target for a nice, big, fat shot right in the front door.” “I think that you’ll, maybe you’ll see that. I’ll tell them right now. Look, the fact is they have no air force. They have no navy. They have no nothing. All they do is talk, and they have fake press,” the president said. “We’re going to take out Pickaxe Mountain. Tell the Iranians to be ready.” (Read More)

B2 Bomber is Back: Trump Explicitly Threatens to Strike Iran’s Impenetrable Pickaxe Mountain Nuclear Facility

President Donald Trump has issued a direct threat against Iran's highly fortified underground nuclear installation known as Pickaxe Mountain, warning Tehran to prepare for an imminent strikes campaign against the deep granite fortress. A major military flashpoint has emerged in the high-stakes aerial campaign over the Persian Gulf as the White House identifies its next primary strategic target. President Donald Trump has issued an explicit warning to the leadership in Tehran, declaring that the United States military is actively targeting the highly protected subterranean complex known as Pickaxe Mountain. The targeted facility, which serves as a critical component of the Iranian nuclear program, is located deep inside the Zagros mountain range just south of the heavily contested Natanz uranium enrichment complex.

The aggressive declaration comes amid reports of heavy tactical operations, with the United States military confirming it has initiated a third consecutive night of targeted strikes against key Iranian assets. Explosions have already illuminated the coastal skylines of southern port cities like Bandar Abbas and Konarak, while regional forces launched missiles from naval positions in Bahrain. The threat to target the mountain fortress represents a massive escalation in the air campaign, raising serious questions about the limits of conventional airpower against deeply buried targets.

The president issued a clear and defiant statement regarding the highly fortified nuclear target during a press briefing, warning the adversary of what lies ahead. He stated, "We're gonna take out Pickaxe Mountain. Tell the Iranians to be ready. Let them know we're coming, okay? There's not a damn thing they can do about it." The facility itself is carved nearly one hundred meters into solid granite rock, making it highly resilient to conventional aerial bombardment and rendering normal bunker busters highly ineffective. 

To overcome such extreme physical fortifications, military analysts suggest the Pentagon would likely deploy the stealthy B2 Spirit bomber to deliver its most specialized payloads. The heavy stealth bomber is the only operational aircraft in the world capable of carrying the massive, thirty thousand pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a highly specialized bomb designed to burrow through thick rock and reinforced concrete before detonating. By deploying multiple heavy bombers to strike the exact same entry portals, the military aims to cave in the tunnel systems, sealing the nuclear operations inside. (Read More)

Trump weighs ordering ‘big fat shot’ on Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site

US President Donald Trump says he will probably soon order a strike on the Pickaxe Mountain Iranian nuclear site.

Asked about the site, which was not among the three targeted by the US last year, Trump tells conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt that the US has been closely surveilling it.

“Pickaxe is a possible target for a nice big fat shot right near the front door,” Trump says. "We see no activity there. They’re not doing well with their nuclear situation… We’ll probably give Pickaxe a shot relatively soon,” he adds.  (Ed note: Why is Pickaxe Mountain so important? The Pickaxe Mountain facility (also known as Mount Kolang Gaz La) is located in the Zagros Mountains near Natanz, Iran. This region falls within the borders of the ancient civilization of Elam.)   (Source)

Trump says he wants Gulf states to reimburse US for ‘protection’ from Iran

US President Donald Trump says he wants the United States to be reimbursed by Gulf countries in the region for working to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing Iranian attacks. “I want to be reimbursed because we’re protecting a very rich portion of the world. We’re spending money, so… we are going to be reimbursed for protection,” Trump tells reporters in the Oval Office, singling out Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait as countries that the US has protected.

Many of those Gulf countries have privately faulted the US for launching a war against Iran without coordinating with them and without a plan for what it would do when Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. Those countries have since found themselves bearing the brunt of Iran’s retaliatory strikes. He speaks about the US “protecting allies… including Israel, including Saudi Arabia, including Qatar, including UAE. We’re protecting all of them, and we’ve done a very effective job.”

Trump is peppered with questions about how long he expects the latest escalation with Iran to drag out, given that he campaigned on avoiding protracted conflicts. He reiterates that the US is striking Iran hard tonight, but claims that the current round of escalation will end quickly. Trump says Iran agreed to a deal over the weekend that would have led to deescalation before backing out of the agreement “because they found out there was something in the deal they didn’t like.” Asked if he thinks that it won’t be possible to reach a settlement with Iran, Trump responds, “I never reached that conclusion. But we’re hitting them very heavy tonight.” “They’re going to fight for a while… and we’ll see what happens,” he says. (Source)

Trump says US will control Strait of Hormuz, get paid for it

Trump said that the US will "immediately" reinstate its blockade of Iran-linked ships in the Strait of Hormuz and charge a 20% fee on all cargo traffic "as a matter of fairness." 

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States will probably take over the Strait of Hormuzand should be reimbursed for controlling the vital waterway. "We're going to keep the strait, and we'll probably run it. We'll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we'll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be reimbursed for that," Trump said in a phone interview on Fox News's "Fox & Friends" program. "We're taking over the strait. They've got nothing."

"We're going to ​guard it. We're going to get paid for guarding it - a lot of money," he added. "We're going to be reimbursed, because the other nations are very wealthy. They're on our side, and we can't be expected to do that for nothing." Trump added that the US should have taken care of the Iranian threat "47 years ago," noting that the two countries agreed to "everything" during a recent 11-hour meeting in Washington, with Iran then demanding changes to the agreement.

He added that Iran "launched a drone at a ship" an hour after the negotiations concluded. "Everything's 11 hours with these guys," said Trump. "You know, you can't settle in one sentence and one hour and one minute. It should be one minute. And everything was agreed to yesterday. And they leave the room, and they call back, and they say we had to make a couple of changes." "We're not going to make changes," he added. "Always changes. They just, you know, they're professional negotiators. That's all they are. I don't even call them good at it. They haven't gotten anything; they've got nothing from me. But if you look for 47 years, they've been tapping people along, presidents. Every president got tapped along, didn't do anything, and they became more and more powerful." (Read More)

‘POTUS is absolutely right’: Iran’s FM mocks Trump over tolls for Hormuz passage

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi mocks US President Donald Trump over his vow to impose hefty charges on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran would charge a lower rate.

“POTUS is absolutely right. Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service. Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER. 20% is of course too much. We will be fair,” Tehran’s top diplomat writes on social media.   (Source)

Israel-Jordan border vulnerable to attack, weapon smuggling, terrorists, residents say - report

Despite the ongoing construction of a new border security fence between Israel and Jordan, local residents are fearful that a Jordanian attack could face little in the way of defenses, the N12 News reported on Tuesday. Central Arava Regional Council Head Meir Tzur pointed out the vulnerability presented by the current wire-fence setup. "There's nothing behind it," he explained to N12. "There's no problem crossing this twisted fence either. Here, for example, it's completely open. There are no indicative measures on the fence. Any citizen can cross, they don't even have to jump because it's torn down."

The border was also seldom patrolled by IDF forces, Tzus stated. "You can just walk into Jordan." "We really want the Israeli army to be stationed on the border line, and not just with remote technology," he added. "We are afraid of this technology. Every Israeli knows that what starts with a small breach may eventually lead to a failure. A fence alone or technology is not the absolute solution."

From across the border, a steady stream of illegal entrants and smuggled goods has flowed into Israel over the years, local residents stated, including illegal weapons. One military source told N12 that the IDF catches around 50% of the smuggled weapons and goods. "If they succeed in smuggling weapons, they can also succeed in smuggling a terrorist." In January, The Jerusalem Post learned that the IDF's new security fence with Jordan could be completed as early as the start of 2028.

An announcement said that the fence, which will include a variety of cutting-edge sensors and will cost tens of millions of shekels, would begin construction in “a number of months,” but did not set a formal end date. Defense sources have also made clear that Israel has escalated proactive intelligence collection missions on the border and will not rely solely on the fence, though the fence is expected to be a major boon for securing the Jordanian border. (Ed note: The Central Arava Regional Council is located directly across from the Edom Mountains in Jordan. Located in southwestern Jordan, this historic region is known anciently as Mount Seir,) (Source)

More than an apartment: A new vision for retirement in Jerusalem

A new 60+ Modern Orthodox community is planned for Jerusalem’s Beit HaKerem neighborhood, designed for English-speaking retirees. The project emphasizes community alongside homes and amenities, including a pool, fitness center, rooftop terrace, shared spaces, and light-rail access. Consultations offer details on residences, pricing, and American financing options.

For many Americans, retiring in Israel has long been a dream. But while most retirement communities focus on buildings and amenities, a new 60+ Modern Orthodox community planned for Jerusalem's Beit HaKerem neighborhood is taking a different approach: community first. The project is being designed specifically for English-speaking retirees who want more than just a beautiful apartment. Residents will enjoy luxury homes alongside amenities such as a pool, fitness center, rooftop terrace, community spaces, and easy access to Jerusalem's light rail. Just as importantly, the community is being built around the idea that retirement should be shared with friends, neighbors, and people who are in a similar stage of life.

As interest in the project continues to grow, those interested are invited to learn more by speaking with a member of the project team. During a personal consultation, prospective residents can learn about the vision for the community, available residences, pricing, financing options for Americans, and the development timeline. With strong interest already generated, now is an ideal time to explore whether this unique Modern Orthodox community could be the right place for your next chapter in Jerusalem.  (Source)

US military says it struck 140 Iranian targets after ‘blatant’ Islamic Republic attack on ship in Hormuz

The U.S. military struck 140 military targets in Iran—the third round of strikes in a week—after the Islamic Republic “blatantly” attacked the Cyprus-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy as it went through the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command said on Saturday night. The military used “land- and sea-based fighter aircraft, drones and naval vessels,” and it targeted “Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage facilities, communication networks and coastal surveillance locations,” said CENTCOM. “A civilian crew member is missing, and the vessel is unable to continue the journey due to an onboard fire and significant engine room damage,” the U.S. military stated. “Iran was provided yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the memorandum of understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels but has again failed.”

The U.S. military is responding by “imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait,” according to CENTCOM. “These strikes are welcome, but they are being carried out to ‘degrade’ Iran’s regime’s ability to threaten commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz,” stated Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran. “However, if the U.S. wants to deter the regime, there will need to be a more robust response.” “Iran made a poor choice,” U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated. “Now they pay.” Earlier in the day, the Iranian regime declared the strait to be closed.

“The Strait of Hormuz is closed until further notice and until the end of America’s interventions in the region, and no vessel will be permitted to pass through,” said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC warned that any “new act of aggression” against Iran would be met with a “severe response” and that additional “enemy bases” in the region would be targeted. Following the latest round of U.S. airstrikes, the IRGC said it had launched attacks on American military assets in Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Jordan.

According to the IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency, the missile and drone attacks targeted military facilities in Qatar; a Patriot air-defense system, an ammunition depot and a radar site in Kuwait, refueling platforms used by aircraft carriers at the Port of Duqm in Oman, a military communications facility and a radar site in Bahrain, and a command center and MQ-9 drone hangars at Jordan’s Prince Hassan Air Base. (Read More)

US CENTCOM announces renewed wave of strikes against Iran

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces have initiated strikes against Iran in the early morning hours of Monday. In a statement on X/Twitter, CENTCOM stated that the strikes are intended to degrade Iran’s “ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz.” A CENTCOM spokesperson told CNN that US aircraft had so far successfully shot down an Iranian cruise missile and a one-way attack drone. The spokesperson added that within the past hour, Iran fired at a commercial shipin the Strait of Hormuz.

Several explosions were heard in Iranian cities, including Sirik and Bandar Abbas, shortly after midnight on Monday, according to Iranian state media reports. Iranian state media reported that one person was killed and four were injured during the strikes. The US carried out similar strikes on Iran in the early morning hours on Sunday, hitting approximately 140 Iranian military targets, according to a CENTCOM statement.

Sunday’s strikes targeted Iranian missile and drone sites, ammunition storage facilities, communications, and coastal surveillance locations using precise munitions. According to CENTCOM, the strikes were initiated for the purpose of “holding Iranian forces accountable” for the attack on a commercial vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz. (Source)

Iranians report renewed power cuts as heat drives electricity demand

Power and water outages have returned to several parts of Iran, residents across the country told Iran International on Friday, describing hours-long blackouts during intense summer heat despite official assurances the electricity network remains stable. The complaints came as the energy ministry called for consumers to reduce electricity use by at least 10%, warning that high temperatures are expected to push demand above 75,500 megawatts in the coming days. "Electricity has been out since 2 a.m. and it's now 5 a.m. We still don't have power," one resident in Islamshahr, near Tehran wrote.

Average temperatures, the ministry said, are forecast to reach around 41 degrees Celsius between July 14 and July 18 and remain unusually high through the following week. It urged households to set air conditioners to 25 degrees Celsius, switch off unnecessary electrical appliances and move heavy electricity use outside peak hours to preserve grid stability.

...Accounts shared pointed to repeated outages in Tehran province, Alborz, Khuzestan and Fars, with many residents saying electricity was cut for two to three hours at a time. "Power in Fardis of Karaj went out twice on Thursday – first from 7 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. and then again from 10 until 12:10 p.m.," one resident wrote. Another in Shiraz said electricity was cut shortly after 1 a.m. on Thursday, while residents in Karaj, in the vicinity of Tehran, also reported another evening blackout. Several messages came from the southern Khuzestan province, where temperatures regularly climb well above 40 degrees Celsius during the summer.

..."I went through so much hardship and debt to buy meat and fish," one resident wrote. "By the time I got home, the electricity went out and we've been without power for three hours. The meat I struggled to buy is spoiling." Another wrote: "Every day it's either the water or the electricity, or they dig up the streets and take forever to fix them. We live in a city with abundant oil, yet there's poverty and unemployment." The energy ministry said climate studies show the southern provinces of Hormozgan, Bushehr, Khuzestan, Sistan and Baluchestan and Ilam experience the country's longest periods of extreme heat, placing the greatest strain on the electricity network during the summer. (Read More)

Iran says one killed in strike on Khuzestan water facility

Iran says one killed in strike on Khuzestan water facility

One person was killed and four others injured after a projectile hit an agricultural water pumping station in Mahshahr in southern Iran, official news agency IRNA reported citing a senior official in Khuzestan province.

Deputy governor said the person killed was a guard at the facility, adding that emergency and medical teams were treating the injured. IRNA did not identify who was responsible for the attack. (Ed note:)  The city of Bandar-e Mahshahr is located in Iran's Khuzestan province and has an estimated population of approximately 182,500 residents. This city and area was once considered the core territory of the ancient Elamite civilization.)

Iranian media report wider US strikes early Monday

US strikes appear to have expanded early Monday local time compared with previous days, based on reports emerging from Iranian media. Eskan News' Telegram channel reported that the latest wave of attacks targeted a wider range of locations across southern and western Iran than previous strikes. According to the report, the targeted areas include Qeshm, Sirik, Bandar Abbas, Jask, Bushehr, Khondab, Bandar Mahshahr, Behbahan, Andimeshk, Dezful, Ahvaz, Abadan and Khorramshahr.

The report could not be independently verified, and neither US nor Iranian authorities have immediately confirmed the full scope of the reported attacks. (Read more)

Beneath Beaufort’s strategic bulwark, a Hezbollah lair built to attack Israel is unearthed

BEAUFORT RIDGE, Lebanon — With cool air rushing over the sweeping view from atop Beaufort Castle at dawn, it is easy to forget that just a few months ago, Hezbollah operatives launched hundreds of attacks at Israeli troops and northern Israel from this strategic escarpment. In late May, Israel recaptured the historic Beaufort Castle and the surrounding ridge, 26 years after withdrawing from the site, as it pushed deeper into Lebanon during the fighting against Hezbollah. Speaking to reporters during an organized media tour of the area last week, the commander of the 36th Division, Brig. Gen. Yiftah Norkin, said the capture of the Beaufort Ridge was “critical to the defense of the Galilee Panhandle, Metula, and the surrounding communities.”

Sitting atop a steep bluff some 680 meters (2,230 feet) above sea level, the site, known in Lebanon as Qalaat al-Shakif, commands sweeping views of the Galilee Panhandle in northern Israel, as well as the Nabatieh area in southern Lebanon, making it a strategically valuable position. Home to a medieval fortress and castle that today lies mostly in ruins, Beaufort also holds symbolic importance as an emblem of Israel’s past military entanglements in Lebanon, particularly the 18-year occupation that ended in 2000.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, operations in the Beaufort Castle area are focused on capturing and demolishing major Hezbollah underground sites, as well as preventing the terror group from carrying out rocket attacks on Israel from the area. (Ed note: Do take a minute and check out the revealing pictures from JPost in this article.) (Read More)

IDF ready for anything in case Lebanese military fails at peacekeeping, Givati chiefs tell 'Post'

There is heavy skepticism from the IDF about how effective the Lebanese army will be in keeping the peace versus Hezbollah attempts to rearm and restore its capabilities for threatening Israel, IDF Givati Brigade Chief Col. “E” told The Jerusalem Post in a recent interview. “We are skeptical about their abilities because their power is nothing compared to Hezbollah, but maybe the legitimacy it [allowing the Lebanese army to try peacekeeping] gives us will create some change. We need the Lebanese army to undermine Hezbollah,” said E.

In addition, the IDF Givati Brigade chief said that this legitimacy was critical after October 7. “We are no longer naive after October 7. We cannot go to sleep. We would prefer to go back to a state of quiet, but we live in the jungle of the Middle East, and we cannot forget this. We need to remember everything that happened to us. We need to be offensive-minded and ready to strike harder and faster in the next round than in this past round,” he said.

IDF Givati Brigade Weapons Commander Lt.-Col. "I” described to the Post watching the Lebanese army move into certain areas where the Givati Brigade was leaving. According to “I”, higher-level IDF and US officials handled the transition and handover of territory coordination, with I and his forces observing the Lebanese army from a safe distance for a period of minutes. Curiously, this handover of land occurred some days before the IDF officially acknowledged transferring territory in two key spots in southern Lebanon over to the Lebanese army.   (Ed note: Again, the government and army of Lebanon have little or no control over the terrorist group Hezbollah, and the IDF knows that fact very well. Too bad the US government has not learned that fact.)    (Read more)