News Digest — 8/28/26
IDF Hits Hezbollah Targets In South Lebanon Following Drone Attack On Troops
The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday (27th) it carried out a series of strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in the Nabatieh area of southern Lebanon, following a drone attack the night before by the terror group on troops, as violence continues despite a US-brokered ceasefire.
The targets included sites used to store weapons that Hezbollah intended to use in attacks on troops and Israeli civilians, the military said.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported a series of bombings, including in the town of Arab Salim.
The strikes came after, on Wednesday night (26th), Hezbollah launched two drones at troops operating at the Ali Taher Ridge, beneath which Hezbollah has a major underground facility. Several of the terror group’s operatives are believed by the IDF to still be holed up there.
The troops shot down one of the drones and lost contact with the second, according to the army. No soldiers were hurt in the incident, which took place inside the military’s south Lebanon buffer zone.
“The IDF will not allow the Hezbollah terror organization to operate against IDF troops in the security zone. The IDF is currently operating and will continue to operate forcefully against its repeated attempts to harm IDF troops,” the IDF said.
Israel has increased its attacks on southern Lebanon in recent days, particularly in the Nabatieh area where the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge is located.
Israeli forces are operating inside a self-declared “security zone,” which runs around six miles deep inside Lebanese territory along the border.
Violence has dropped since a US-Iran memorandum of understanding on the broader conflict in June and a framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon later that month that calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from south Lebanon, and the deployment of the Lebanese Army to the region, starting in “pilot zones.”
Hezbollah rejects the agreement, which it did not sign, and refuses to disarm. Sporadic fighting has continued.
Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the broader Middle East conflict in March by launching rockets at Israel in support of its sponsor Iran, which had come under attack by a US-Israeli air campaign. Relentless Hezbollah fire at northern Israel sent hundreds of thousands of people scrambling to bomb shelters at all hours of the day and night. Israel responded to the Hezbollah attacks with a heavy air campaign and ground invasion.
IDF Chief Raises Alert, Orders Judea and Samaria Reinforcements
IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Eyal Zamir on Thursday morning (27th) ordered reinforcements to Judea and Samaria during a multi-front situational assessment.
“Many challenges are ahead of us,” Zamir began. “We are advancing operational procedures across all fronts, from Iran to Lebanon to Gaza, and remain on high alert in accordance with the sensitive multi-front situation.
He added, “Given the tensions in Judea and Samaria and the upcoming holiday period, I am ordering the elevation of readiness of an additional division headquarters in order to reinforce the forces in the area. In addition, preparations must be made for the immediate deployment of units and battalions to reinforce the area.”
“The IDF, across all of its arrays, will maintain full multi-front readiness throughout the holiday period – there will be no reduction in operational forces.”
On a technical level, Zamir noted, “Unfortunately, these days we are also facing a challenge regarding the IDF’s budget. In a time when the IDF and its personnel are operating on all fronts, we must deal with a lack of funds. Such a situation harms the IDF’s readiness.”
“We are defending the security of the State of Israel – this is the only consideration guiding us,” he emphasized. “We will not be drawn into issues that could divert our focus and undermine our readiness.”
IDF Kills Hamas Terrorist Who Held 3 Hostages, Sinwar’s Ex-BodyGuard, Others in Gaza Strikes
The IDF struck and killed Hamas terrorist Ismail Mohammad Ibrahim Barim in Khan Yunis on Wednesday (26th), the military confirmed on Thursday (27th).
Barim was a commander in the terror group’s Izzadni al-Qassam Brigades, the military noted.
After the October 7 massacre, he was responsible for holding three hostages in a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip, the military said.
Additionally, he had been “advancing attacks targeting IDF troops and Israeli civilians and attempted to rehabilitate the terrorist organization, with systematically violating the ceasefire,” the military said.
Also two Hamas Nukhba terrorists were killed by the IDF in strikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday (23rd) the military said in a statement earlier on Thursday (27th).
The IDF and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) killed Razek Sahil Suleiman Abu Shahma, Yahya Sinwar’s bodyguard and a Hamas Nukhba terrorist who infiltrated Re’im on October 7. Also, Nukhba terrorist, Hazem Moussa, who also infiltrated Re’im on Oct. 7, was killed.
The IDF said that the two were advancing terror attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians while also attempting to rebuild Hamas’ capabilities in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Bilal Ibrahim Saleh Raqi’l, a commander in the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades’ anti-tank array was killed Thursday (27th) by the IDF in the northern Gaza Strip, the military confirmed on Thursday evening (27th).
In the same announcement, the IDF confirmed that it also eliminated Azzam Rifaat Abd Ahadala, a terrorist within Hamas’ Khan Yunis Brigade.
Both Raqi’l and Ahadala had continued to advance terror attacks against the IDF and Israeli civilians, so the threat was removed by the IDF.
The IDF also struck and destroyed a structure in the Jabaliya area of the Strip that was used as an ambush position for Hamas and as a storage facility for weapons.
The ambush position was located approximately 50 meters from the yellow line, 70 meters from a hospital, and 170 meters from a school, the IDF said, calling it an example of Hamas’ systematic use of civilian and humanitarian infrastructure, contrary to both the ceasefire agreement and international law.
Israeli Team Being Sent To Nepal To Find Missing Israelis
A special team from Israel’s Harel Insurance Company is expected to depart for Nepal in the coming hours to assist in the search for Israelis in their 60s who went missing following severe flooding and mudslides in the country.
The delegation includes eight rescuers and will also search for a group of foreign tourists who were traveling with the Israelis near Chuyang Wuwa (Headwa) , close to the Nepal-China border crossing according to information received by the firm. The Israelis were hiking with the group when powerful floods and mudslides severed contact and the group’s trail was lost.
The search is expected to be carried out under extremely difficult conditions. Heavy and unusual weather has caused widespread destruction, blocked roads and isolated entire areas. The Israeli rescuers are preparing to operate in a remote, mountainous region where some areas cannot currently be reached by road.
The team described the mission as a “complex rescue operation” because of the rain and extensive infrastructure damage. Teams are expected to conduct searches on foot while using drones, surveillance systems and other technological capabilities. “Some of the roads in the area were blocked, access to parts of the terrain is limited, and the terrain conditions present significant operational challenges for the search and rescue teams,” the unit said. It added that its personnel remain in continuous contact with the Israelis’ family, the Foreign Ministry and other agencies operating in the area.
The Israeli delegation is heading to Nepal as the full scale of the disaster continues to emerge. At least 353 people have reportedly been killed, while more than 1,300 remain missing, including hundreds of tourists and foreign nationals from dozens of countries.
The disaster began after a massive collapse of ice and rocks in the Himalayan region. Initial findings and satellite imagery indicate that part of a glacier broke away at high altitude and plunged into a valley, generating a powerful torrent of water, mud and rocks that rapidly swept through populated areas.
Early reports suggested that an earthquake may have triggered the disaster. However, the US Geological Survey said the seismic activity recorded in the area was likely generated by the collapse itself. Investigators are continuing to examine the precise chain of events.
The floodwaters traveled along rivers in Nepal, destroying homes, vehicles and infrastructure. Roads and bridges were washed away, hydroelectric facilities were damaged, and entire communities were left without electricity or communications. In some locations, water levels reportedly rose by several meters within a short period.
The fate of hundreds of tourists and hikers who were in the region when the disaster struck remains a major concern. Authorities report that 825 are missing in Nepal and around 558 in Tibet, including foreign nationals from multiple countries.
The destruction of roads and other infrastructure has severely complicated rescue efforts. Nepalese forces are using helicopters alongside ground teams, with more than 100 people already rescued by military helicopters. Authorities are also monitoring the risk of further flooding. In Tibet, concerns have been raised over a lake that may have formed, been blocked or breached following the mudslide, potentially triggering another surge of water downstream. The disaster has also disrupted tourism and pilgrimage routes across the Himalayas. Some of those missing were reportedly traveling toward Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, sites considered sacred by Hindus and Buddhists.
Long-Proposed Building In The Jerusalem Suburbs Isn’t The Death Of Peace – Editorial
The Europeans are always on the lookout for opportunities to bash Israel. Their latest is called E1, a small area of land just east of crowded Jerusalem, where Israel has long wanted to build to connect to a nearby suburb. Plans approved in 2025 are now moving forward with construction tenders.
The UK, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Canada published a statement last week warning of “serious breaches of international law.” Developing the E1 area, they warned, “will undermine the prospect of the two-state solution by driving a wedge through the West Bank and harming the contiguity of the Palestinian territories.”
Under any realistic peace plan, E1 would remain part of Israel. That was the case in the maps presented at Camp David and Taba in 2000-01 when, to Bill Clinton’s lament, the Palestinians turned down Israel’s offer of full statehood. As for “contiguity,” have the Europeans looked at a map? Palestinians could easily bypass the tiny area – fewer than five square miles – by traveling a little east. Israel has long offered to build a bypass road for this purpose, with no harm done to the contiguity.
Per the Oslo Accords, E1 is part of the West Bank’s Area C under full Israeli administration. The Europeans prefer to forget that, issuing threats and loudly objecting to each local zoning decision, as they do nowhere else. For peace, it is far better for Israelis to develop suburbs such as E1, in nearby areas legitimately needed for strategic depth.
(wsj.com)
UK Prime Minister’s Attacks On Israel Are Dangerously Naive – Con Coughlin
In one of his first major foreign policy initiatives, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is planning to impose a ban on trade with Israeli communities in the West Bank, the type of empty gesture politics normally reserved for university campuses.
The only constituency likely to applaud such a move would be those who believe our national interest is best served by supporting Islamist death cults such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Does Burnham genuinely believe the UK would benefit from indulging in a gratuitous attack on a key Middle East ally like Israel?
Apart from the fact that Burnham’s plan to sanction such trade is unworkable – it is virtually impossible to identify goods and produce emanating specifically from these communities – it is hard to imagine a less opportune moment for Britain to pick a fight with Israel.
As if the Iranian attack on a UK power station was not sufficient proof of Tehran’s hostile intent, Iran has been accused of plotting assassinations in the UK against dissidents, journalists and Jewish communities. The regime has also paid criminal gangs to target government buildings and threatened to attack British bases used by U.S. forces.
Iran’s violent response in the Gulf, where it has repeatedly attacked the national infrastructure of Gulf states that have no movement in the U.S. war against the ayatollahs, shows just how indiscriminate the ayatollahs can be.
It would be helpful if the UK had access to Israel’s considerable intelligence on Iran’s capabilities and extensive terror network. But it is unlikely there will be much intelligence-sharing as long as Burnham feels this is a good moment to pick a pointless fight with Israel.
If Iran increases its attacks against UK interests, whether they involve more cyber hacks or major terror attacks on British soil, Britain will need all the allies it can muster. As far as Iran is concerned, there is no better ally than Israel, which is why British intelligence officials have spent the past decade developing close intelligence-sharing ties with Mossad to monitor Iran’s nuclear and terrorist activities.
