The Lebanese Health Ministry has declared 11 dead, more 4.000 injured, including 200 critically, as a result of numerous explosions of the communication devices of the Hezbollah operatives.

The explosions in Lebanon began at around 3.45 local time on Tuesday, September 17 and lasted for about an hour. Communication devices, believed to be used by Hezbollah operatives, heated up and eventually exploded while in the hands or in the packers of their owners.

According to Lebanese media reports, the hospitals in the county are overflowing with injured people.

Israel has not commented on the attack, which took place just several hours after the news that Israeli security officials thwarted an assassination attempt on a former security official.

The next day on Wednesday, several explosions were reported in the Dahieh area of Beirut, Lebanon, as exploding hand-held radios killed at least five people and injured approximately 500.

Without confirmation on who did it, many are convinced that Israel executed this attack. Abu Ali via Amir Tsarfati on Telegram posted: this is “the most fantastic pre-emptive strike in modern history.” The facts are that “Hezbollah has thousands of brand-new disabled fighters, and if they enter the war now, its wounded will not even find one free bed in the hospitals in Lebanon because the hospitals are now bursting with injured. Even worse – is that Hezbollah has lost its security and military means of communication.” All of this sounds like a devastating humiliation for Hezbollah too.

Sources:
11 Dead, More than 4,000 Injured in a Wave of Lebanese Pager Explosions, by Anna Epshtein/TPS-IL

Amir Tsarfati/Abu Ali on Telegram, September 17, 2024

Beeper explosions, version 2: Multiple explosions during funeral of Hezbollah MP’s son, by Chana Roberts/Israel National News, September 17, 2024

A high-ranking Israeli official characterizes the escalating tensions with Hezbollah as a situation “on the precipice of conflict.” In the wake of Monday night’s cabinet meeting, which added the return of evacuated northern residents to the war’s objectives, urgent security consultations are underway, with the very real possibility of war against Hezbollah on the table.

The security official noted that the “main goal of the Gaza war has been largely accomplished.” The official added: “With the IDF’s announcement of the [Hamas’] Rafah Brigade’s defeat, effectively dismantling all Hamas brigades, resources are now available for a northern campaign,” the source explained.

On the diplomatic front, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gallant separately conveyed to US envoy Amos Hochstein that “military action remains the sole viable option for facilitating the return of northern residents,” as Gallant put it. Netanyahu emphasized that “while Israel values and respects US support, it must ultimately take necessary measures to ensure its security,” signaling that Israel may not defer to the administration’s unofficial preference to delay northern operations until after the US presidential elections.

Source:
Senior official says ‘preparations set in motion’ for Hezbollah war, by Ariel Kahana/Israel Hayom, September 17, 2024

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a special discussion that he held last Thursday, “We are heading towards a broad campaign of one intensity or another.” This is with regard to Israel’s northern front.

The heads of the defense establishment also claimed during Thursday’s discussion that a diplomatic settlement alone will not bring the residents of the north back home. Channel 13 News quoted a senior associate of Netanyahu as stressing that no date has been set for the military move, but it is a matter of anywhere from weeks to a few months.

Amit Sofer, head of the Merom HaGalil Regional Council, said in response to the report, “After almost a year of fighting in the north, we hear for the first time that the Prime Minister wants to expand the attacks in Lebanon. We support any formula that will bring security to the north, bring back the residents and keep the terrorists away from the border line. I believe that only crushing the enemy will bring such quiet. Now we also want to see actions and not just words.”

Source:
Netanyahu orders IDF to prepare for a broad campaign in Lebanon, by Israel National News, September 15, 2024

The Regavim Movement reports that in recent months, an illegal structure has been built near the military base Baal Hazor by Arabs from the village of Malikh in central Binyamin.

The construction and development procedures are being carried out more than 200 meters from the existing buildings in the village of Malikh, effectively creating a new incursion from the village into the open area, allowing potential control of the nearby fields and a security threat to the military base and its access routes.

Meir Deutsch, CEO of Regavim, stated: “One of the important messages we learned from the events that occurred on the Gaza border before October 7th is the importance of maintaining open fields in general and especially around IDF bases. The security system must wake up immediately and understand that there is no innocent construction: The Palestinian Authority does not stop for a moment its vision of establishing a state.”

Source:
Security breach: Illegal Palestinian structure allowed adjacent to military base, by Israel National News, September 16, 2024

Ahead of the publication of his book One Jewish State, former US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, sat down with the Sovereignty Journal. In the interview, he presents in detail the main points of his out-of-the box political strategy that advocates for Israeli sovereignty over all the territories of the Land of Israel, resulting in sovereign responsibility that fosters stability, prosperity and security for all inhabitants of the region.

One of Friedman’s key points is that “Israeli right has never been able to articulate a full vision for the region. Most have advocated for sovereignty over the Jewish settlements located in what is referred to as “Area C” since the disastrous Oslo Accords. None have offered a solution for Areas A and B—the territory that Oslo placed under almost complete Palestinian control. But carving out Area C for Israel while leaving Areas A and B to fend for themselves would ultimately turn those areas into Gaza—isolated hotbeds of angry Palestinians who undoubtedly would grow their existing terror network.”

With a fresh new way of approaching the long-standing desire and need for the application of sovereignty, we look forward to closely following Ambassador Friedman’s steps in bringing this plan to what we pray will be its unanimous approval and swift implementation.

Source:
Ambassador Friedman launches a political plan for sovereignty, by Israel National News, September 13, 2024

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to speak on the third day of the UN General Assembly in New York, Thursday, Sept. 26. However, according to Reshet Bet Radio, he has yet to request a meeting with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, over Israel’s dissatisfaction with the moves the Secretary has led and his statements against it since the beginning of the war.

Last June, Guterres accused Israel – without mentioning it by name – of spreading disinformation about him since October 7. He said, “I have heard the same source say several times already that I have never attacked Hamas, that I have never condemned it, and that I support it. But I have condemned Hamas 102 times, 51 of them in official speeches, and the rest on social media.” We beg to differ.

Guterres undeniably blames Israel for everything and states that “collective punishment of the Palestinian people” by Israel is not justified. He equates the Hamas rapes and murders with Israel’s activities in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza which was as close as he could get to justifying Hamas’s horrifying crimes without saying outright that Israel deserved it.

Guterres is no friend to Israel.The October 7 massacre and current war has shown his true colors. We cannot find a reason for Netanyahu to meet with this evil, and frankly, anti-Semitic “leader.” While we wish there was another way to send a message to Guterres, Netanyahu’s decision to forego requesting a meeting with him is the best option right now. While we don’t expect this choice to impact or change Guterres’ mind, it will certainly make a statement to people who understand the truth about what Israel is fighting for.

Source:
Netanyahu May Boycott UN Secretary General at the General Assembly in Two Weeks, by David Israel/Jewish Press, September 12, 2024

Israel’s chief negotiator for hostages and missing persons has offered to swap safe passage out of Gaza for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in exchange for the return of all 101 remaining hostages held captive by the terror group.

The proposal advanced by Gal Hirsch would enable Sinwar to walk free — albeit out of Gaza — together with his family and any others he might want to include, according to the report by Bloomberg News.

There are also other conditions to the latest deal, such as a requirement for Hamas to lay down its arms and relinquish control over Gaza, Bloomberg journalist Bobby Ghosh reported.

It’s clear now that the IDF has done its job so well that Sinwar fears for his life. The only way this could be a significant, productive and lasting deal is if Hamas permanently lays down its arms, which will only happen if Israel shows it is unbeatable.

If Sinwar’s life is spared, we’d like to think that Sinwar will never orchestrate one iota of terrorism against Israel again – nor appoint another to take his place – but we do not believe that will be the case for a moment! Hamas has breached every ceasefire agreement it has made with Israel. Only if Hamas cannot reorganize and regroup in any way, shape, or form in Gaza, Judea and Samaria or anywhere near Israel will Israel be safe from it.

Source:
Israel Offers to Swap Sinwar’s Freedom for Hostages’ Return, by Hana Levi Julian/Jewish Press, September 11, 2024

The number of Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount has surpassed all previous years since the liberation of Jerusalem in 1967.

As of Sept. 6, 51,672 Jews have visited the holy site since last Rosh Hashanah (Sept. 16, 2023), according to the Beyadenu—Returning to the Temple Mount‎ organization.

The Temple Mount Administration activist group reacted to the report of the record-breaking number of visitors, saying, “The increase in the number of worshippers ascending the Mount, even during times of war, makes the return of Israel to the Temple Mount a living and existing reality.” The group noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “has been enabling and encouraging this positive transformation for a decade.”

Source:
Record number of Jews visit the Temple Mount, by JNS Update Desk, September 11, 2024

Three Israelis workers at the Allenby Border crossing with Jordan were shot and killed when a truck driver approaching the terminal from Jordan at the terminal opened fire.

The victims are Yohanan Shahouri (61) Ma’ale Efraim, Yuri Birnbaum (65) of Moshav Naama near Jericho and Adrian Marcelo Podmesser, a resident of Ariel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack: “We are surrounded by a murderous ideology led by Iran’s axis of evil. The great majority of Israel’s citizens know that we are fully committed to achieving the objectives of the war: To eliminate Hamas, to return all of our hostages, to ensure that Gaza never again constitutes a threat to Israel and to return our residents in the north and south securely to their homes. We will wield the sword of David together and with G-d’s help, we will win.”

Netanyahu concluded with: “One more word. There are those who ask – ‘Shall the sword devour forever?’ In the Middle East, without the sword, there is no ‘forever’.”

Sources:
Israel-Jordan Border Crossings Closed After Terrorist Kills 3, by Pesach Benson/TPS-IL, September 8, 2024

Netanyahu after Allenby attack: In the MidEast, without the sword, there is no ‘forever’, by Hezki Baruch/Israel National News, September 8, 2024

“The army is now seriously turning its attention to Judea and Samaria. The terrorists have raised their heads,” a regional Judea and Samaria security chief said.

MK Simcha Rothman, who lives in the Gush Etzion community of Pnei Kedem, told JNS, “I think the operation in Tulkarem Jenin is a start, but it is far from being enough. The main problem is the Palestinian Authority, which pays the terrorists—some of the terrorists themselves are employed by the P.A. in its security forces, with some trained by the U.S. They are behind many of the terrorist attacks we see in Judea and Samaria.

Rothman further stated that the IDF must be responsible for security, and to “stop thinking the P.A. is an ally.” Until that time, he fears “we will sadly see more and more terrorist attacks.”

Source:
‘The Army is Now Seriously Turning Its Attention to Judea and Samaria’, by Josh Hasten/JNS, September 6, 2024