Hamas is understood to be considering a proposal by Israel for a cease-fire in the Gaza war triggered by the Islamic terror group’s massacre and kidnapping of Israelis on Oct. 7 last year, the Associated Press reports.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Hamas would experience “painful blows” as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) gear up for a significant operation in Rafah, Hamas’ stronghold in southern Gaza. Netanyahu, referencing the Passover, called for the release of 133 hostages held by Hamas.
Three pedestrians were wounded in a “ramming terror attack” in Jerusalem early Monday, but the terror suspects were detained after their firearms failed in what survivors described as a “Passover miracle.”
Following last weekend’s missile and drone attack by Iran and its proxies, Israel is reported to have launched an airstrike on a military base in Iran that used advanced missiles capable of evading Iranian radar, targeting a crucial component of the air defense system that safeguards Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Israel hit Iran with at least one missile early Friday in what appears to be a retaliatory strike after weeks of escalating tensions between the two countries, U.S. sources say.
The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution on Thursday, which had broad support and aimed to grant Palestine full United Nations (UN) membership.
While the US has pressed Israel not to attack the remaining Hamas battalions in the Rafah area of Gaza (because of the potential for mass civilian casualties), the Biden administration is now reportedly willing to support a Rafah operation provided Israel does not attack Iran, the Jerusalem Post learned from the Qatari newspaper The New Arab.
The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to vote this Friday on Palestine’s bid for full UN membership. It is expected that the United States, an ally of Israel, will veto the request as it would constitute an implicit recognition of a Palestinian state.
The United States and European allies have pledged more sanctions against Iran, but differences remain on whether to designate the country’s feared Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
Israeli officials aim to retaliate against Tehran for its unprecedented drone and missile attack while carefully avoiding further escalation, maintaining alliances crucial in repelling the attack, and staying focused on their military objectives in Gaza, according to The Wall Street Journal. US and Western officials expect Israel’s response could come swiftly, potentially as early as today.
Three Group of Seven (G-7) of the most advanced economies have been “firmly condemning the launch of missiles and drones from Iran, reiterating full support for Israel’s security.”
The U.S. has deployed naval warships to safeguard Israel and American forces, aiming to deter a potential direct attack from Iran on Israel, which could occur as soon as Friday or Saturday, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran, stressing that Israel would retaliate if attacked, coinciding with Gen. Michael Kurilla, the chief of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), arrival to Israel, whose visit is centered around discussions on what US intelligence officials are calling an “imminent” threat emanating from Tehran.
Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim nation, is to normalize relations with Israel, well-informed Israeli sources said Thursday.
The Australian foreign minister announced Tuesday that Australia would consider recognizing a Palestinian state on the grounds that a two-state solution is the only way to end the 75 year-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Reuters reports.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have successfully completed an extensive defense drill in northern Israel, engaging the 146th Reserve Division, Navy, Air Force, police, and rescue services. This multi-branch exercise, conducted alongside Israeli emergency services, aimed to enhance readiness and foster cooperation among various agencies for defense scenarios in the north.
On Monday, the U.N. Security Council revived the Palestinian Authority’s aspirations for full United Nations membership. However, the United States stated that the current state of relations between Israel and the Palestinians is not ready for such a move, effectively dampening the Palestinian Authority’s immediate prospects for U.N. membership.
Israel and its allies observed Sunday six months since the “Black Sabbath” on October 7, when Hamas fighters killed some 1,200 people and abducted about 253 persons.
Early Sunday morning, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pulled back all its ground troops from the Gaza Strip, retaining only one brigade to maintain security along a corridor that divides the Palestinian territory. The IDF declared on Sunday that it had completed the active combat phase of the conflict for the time being, but it did not rule out the chance of launching a new offensive into Rafah, located in the far south of Gaza, in the future.
A U.S. court ordered Iran and Syria on Wednesday to pay $ 191 million over the 2018 Hamas killing of an American citizen living in Israel.