LLX News

In a long-planned operation, the Israeli Air Force destroyed critical air defense systems and ballistic missile production facilities in Iran.

By: Yossi Aloni – Israel Today; israeltoday.co.il

For three hours, the Israeli Air Force dominated Iranian airspace, leaving Iran exposed, helpless and unable to defend itself. The Israeli operation had been meticulously planned over a period of years. Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked the targets in several waves: first, the Iranian S-300 batteries and the infrastructure of the S-400 system that was to be deployed in the future were destroyed. These are sophisticated air defense systems that Russia had sold to Iran.

Israel has destroyed the ballistic missile production facilities, the Iranian counterpart to the Israeli “Rafael” factories. This is a strategic strike that deprives Iran of the ability to produce new missiles. It is now left with only its existing missile stocks.

If you add to that the strike against the air defense systems, which leaves Tehran defenseless, then everyone understands the message: If Iran attacks, it risks an even stronger strike without being able to defend itself. “We will destroy anything we want. They are completely exposed,” says an Israeli source familiar with the details.

cont’d…

https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/israels-precision-strike-leaves-iran-defenseless/

IDF confirms terror chief was shot dead in Rafah firefight Wednesday; troops spotted body Thursday and Sinwar’s identity was formally confirmed after tests; no hostages at location

By: Times of Israel Staff and Agencies – timesofisrael.com

Israel on Thursday night announced that IDF troops had killed Hamas terror chief Yahya Sinwar in Gaza.

Sinwar, architect of the October 7 Hamas invasion and slaughter in southern Israel, was shot dead along with two other terrorists in a firefight in Rafah, in southern Gaza, on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet security agency announced.

He was not being directly targeted, and troops only realized that one of the three dead terrorists was apparently Sinwar when they inspected the scene of the firefight on Thursday morning.

Confirmation that the body was indeed Sinwar was finalized on the basis of DNA and other testing. Part of Sinwar’s finger was removed for expedited testing as the location was booby-trapped. His body was extracted and brought to Israel later Thursday.

In a joint statement, the IDF and Shin Bet said Israel’s military activities gradually constricted Sinwar’s area of operations, ultimately leading to his death.

cont’d…

By: Julie Stahl – Christian Broadcasting Network; cbn.com

JERUSALEM, Israel – Just ahead of the biblical Sukkot holiday, as Israel fights an existential threat on multiple fronts, Israel’s best ally, the U.S., is threatening to cut off military aid if the humanitarian situation in Gaza doesn’t improve in a month. This comes as Israel fast-tracks solutions to defend against killer drones.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sent a letter to top Israelis, warning them they have 30 days to seriously improve Gaza’s humanitarian aid crisis or Israel could face a U.S. arms embargo.

The State Department suggests the letter is necessary.

Spokesman Matthew Miller declared, “What we have seen over the past few months is that the level of humanitarian assistance has not been sustained. In fact, it has fallen by over 50 percent from where it was at its peak.”

Former U.S. Ambassador David Friedman was sharply critical of the administration’s decision, calling it “repugnant.”

cont’d…

https://cbn.com/news/israel/critics-blast-biden-administration-threat-cut-israels-military-aid-without-humanitarian

The writer, a three-time Emmy Award-winning actress and producer, reveals her unexpected journey after the Hamas attacks, uniting Christians and Jews against rising hate.

By: Patricia Heaton – The Jerusalem Post; jpost.com

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” – Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities 

Though written 165 years ago, the words of Charles Dickens remain relevant and reflect so well the times in which we are currently living. 

The worst of times: The horror of October 7 will forever be imprinted on all thinking, feeling people. The shock and grief experienced by Israelis and Jews all over the world, and indeed by every sane person, have shattered our souls and reminded us that we can never sleep while radical terrorists exist.

cont’d…

https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-823425

By: Michael Brown – The Christian Post; christianpost.com

Over the decades, “normal life” in Israel has looked very different than normal life in most every other country in the rest of the world. That’s because Israel has been surrounded by mortal enemies who want nothing less than the nation’s destruction, because Israel’s very existence is constantly being threatened, because Israel must live in a state of constant vigilance. And what happens when the nation lets down its guard and its security systems fail? October 7 happens.

Some of the most revealing accounts from the massacre came from non-Israeli young people attending the Nova Music Festival. On the morning of the October 7, as the sound of rocket blasts was heard, these non-Israelis were alarmed. “Are we under attack?” they wondered. But their Israeli friends danced and partied on. Nothing to be worried about! We get bombed all the time.

Little did any of them realize that this day would be different than the rest. But until the full reality hit, this was just another day in the life of an Israeli.

cont’d…

https://www.christianpost.com/voices/this-is-what-normal-life-looks-like-in-israel.html

There was a 350% increase in French Jews opening aliyah files.

Some 31,000 immigrants arrived in Israel under the shadow of war over the past Hebrew year, government figures released on Sunday show.

The wartime wave of aliyah from more than 100 countries comes at a time of surging antisemitism around the world.

The great majority of the immigrants came from Russia, followed by the U.S. and Canada, according to the data from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the quasi-governmental Jewish Agency released ahead of Rosh Hashana, which begins on Wednesday evening.

Nearly 20,000 olim arrived from Russia, and about 3,350 came from the U.S. and Canada. There were more than 1,820 from France, 980 from Ukraine, 975 from Belarus, 560 from Great Britain, more than 450 from Argentina, more than 300 from Georgia, 280 from South Africa, 250 from Brazil, 220 from Uzbekistan, 160 from Germany, 150 from Azerbaijan, 135 from Australia, 130 from Mexico, and over 100 from Kazakhstan.

https://www.jns.org/31000-olim-moved-to-israel-since-last-rosh-hashanah

“No weapon formed against you Shall succeed, And every tongue that contends with you at law You shall defeat. Such is the lot of the servants of Hashem, Such their triumph through Me —declares Hashem.” (Isaiah 54:17 – The Israel Bible)

By: Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz – Israel365 News; israel365news.com

On the last day of the Jewish year, Color Red Sirens sounded across the country as Iran launched a massive attack on Israel. Israel claimed that the Islamist regime fired at least 180 ballistic missiles, targeting cities all over the country and sending almost all of the ten million residents into shelters. The sole casualty reported was a 37-year-old Palestinian Arab man in the village of Nu’eima, near Jericho. Four other Palestinians were reportedly injured by shrapnel from the same missile near Jericho.

Two Israelis were injured by falling shrapnel and some damage and fires were reported. 

Netanyahu warned that the Islamist regime of Iran had made a “big mistake tonight” and vowed that “it will pay for it.”

“The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies,” said Netanyahu. “[Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar and [top Hamas military commander Muhammad] Deif did not understand this, [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah and [Hezbollah chief of staff Fuad] Shukr did not understand this, and there are probably those in Tehran who do not understand this.”

cont’d…

https://israel365news.com/396776/hand-of-god-protects-israel-from-massive-iranian-ballistic-missile-attack

By: Ron Ben-Yishai – ynetnews.com

Ballistic AirBNB: Hezbollah covertly stationed long-range missiles in Shia homes across southern Lebanon, paying residents to store them; IDF now targets these rockets, urging civilian evacuation to minimize casualties and spotlighting Hezbollah’s tactics to global audiences

Nearly a decade ago, Hezbollah embarked on a covert and innovative military initiative. The group extended an offer to Shia villages and residents in southern Lebanon: provide a room in their homes in exchange for a steady rental payment. However, this unique tenant is not a person – it is a relatively long-range missile equipped with a heavy warhead.

Stored on a launcher, the missile is ready to be deployed from a room adjacent to the hosting family’s home. The design includes a roof that can be quickly removed, allowing the missile to be raised and launched within minutes. The families accommodating these missiles serve both as human shields and as camouflage.

Hezbollah targeted impoverished Shia families living in villages around Tyre, Sidon, and even south of Beirut, who were in need of additional income. Over time, the project has expanded. Hezbollah even purchased plots and constructed homes specifically for this purpose, offering them free or at a nominal rent to Shia families willing to house medium-range missiles in a dedicated room. Some of these missiles are intended to reach central Israel. Hundreds of these missiles are stationed in areas south of Beirut, ready to be launched by Hezbollah operatives from special units.

cont’d…

https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/b1b4k50pc#autoplay

The Palestinian-fronted resolution passed by wide margin, demanding that the Israeli army and Jewish residents evacuate to pre-1949 line within a year.

By: Mike Wagenheim – Jewish News Syndicate; jns.org

(September 18, 2024 / JNS)

Jerusalem’s Old City, in addition to Judea and Samaria, must be Judenrein within a year, according to a Palestinian-drafted resolution, which the U.N. General Assembly passed on Wednesday.

The resolution, which passed by a 124-14 margin with 43 abstentions, is meant to give force to a July advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which declared Israeli presence to be illegal in any area over the 1949 armistice line.

More than 40 countries sponsored the resolution, which was the first that Palestinians filed after being granted unprecedented privileges, for a non-U.N. member, earlier this year.

The resolution calls on the Israel Defense Forces to withdraw completely from Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip within 12 months, which means evacuating all Jewish communities beyond the armistice line, including Jerusalem’s Old City.

cont’d…

By: Akiva Van Koningsveld – Jewish News Syndicate; jns.org

More than 450 Hezbollah operatives sustained wounds, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

(September 18, 2024 / JNS)

More communications devices used by Hezbollah terrorists exploded on Wednesday afternoon across the group’s main stronghold in Beirut and in Southern Lebanon, Reuters reported, citing a security source.

According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, at least 14 Hezbollah operatives were killed in the latest series of device explosions. In addition, some 450 terrorists were said to have sustained wounds.

At least one of the blasts took place in the vicinity of a funeral for terrorists killed on Tuesday, when thousands of Hezbollah pagers detonated all over the country, according to eyewitness reports.

cont’d…