News Digest — 10/1/24
22 Dead In Airstrikes In Syria As IDF Enters Southern Lebanon
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 22 people in two separate attacks in Syria overnight, according to a state media outlet and an opposition observer organization.
According to a report by SANA, the Syrian state-controlled broadcaster, Israeli warplanes and unmanned aircraft struck Damascus at 2:05 am Tuesday (1st), approaching the Syrian capital from the direction of the Golan Heights.
Three people were killed in one attack,SANA claimed – nine others were injured.
In a separate attack, Israeli fighter jets hit an Iranian base in eastern Syria and a number of weapons caches and warehouses.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (a group opposed to the Assad regime), reported that 19 members of pro-Iranian militias were killed in the strikes, with 18 more injured.
The strikes reportedly targeted Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps positions in Deir Ezzor, 56 miles from the Iraqi border, and outside of Al Bukamal.
The targets included an Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp guesthouse in the village of Al-Heri, two weapons caches in Al-Hizzam, a warehouse in Al-Suwayieh, the IRGC regional headquarters in Deir Ezzor, and a radar facility.
The airstrikes came just hours after IDF ground forces entered southern Lebanon.
“The IDF is operating according to a methodical plan set out by the General Staff and the Northern Command which IDF soldiers have trained and prepared for in recent months,” the Israeli military said.
“The Israeli Air Force and IDF Artillery are supporting the ground forces with precise strikes on military targets in the area.”
‘Do What’s Necessary:’ US, UK Officials React To Israel’s Limited Ground Operation In Lebanon
After the IDF announced in the early hours of Tuesday morning (1st) that it had begun conducting a limited ground operation in Lebanon, international figures were divided in calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, with many expressing support for the operations.
Hezbollah began firing rockets toward Israel a day after Hamas’ attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The terror group’s attacks saw tens of thousands of civilians evacuated and a number killed in rocket and drone attacks – including 12 Druze children killed in an attack on Majdal Shams in July.
Democratic Senator John Fetterman wrote on X, “I fully support Israel’s choice to do what’s necessary to neutralize Hezbollah.”
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told the press on Tuesday morning (1st), “I want to make a few points clear, Number one, we support Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism, and that includes by bringing brutal terrorists such as Hassan Nasralah to justice. At the same time, we ultimately want to see a diplomatic resolution to conflict in the Middle East that provides long-term security too – for the people of Israel, and the people of Lebanon.”
Miller later added, “Israel has a right to defend itself against Hezbollah. If you look at how this conflict across Israel’s northern border started, it was Hezbollah that started launching attacks on Israel on October 8th. And those attacks continued and have continued and are continuing. If you look at what the acting leader of Hezbollah said just today, it’s that their attacks on Israel will continue. So Israel has a right to defend itself against those attacks. That includes targeting terrorist infrastructure inside Lebanon.”
While Miller asserted that the US maintained its position for supporting a ceasefire, he clarified to the press that “A ceasefire is not one side in a conflict unilaterally putting down its arms and stopping the conflict. It is an agreement for both sides to stop the conflict.”
Miller stressed to journalists that as Hezbollah had made clear, it intended to continue attacking. Israel’s operation is legitimized by its right to defend itself and that the assassination of Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was “unalloyed good for the region and the world.”
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, after speaking with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed, “We agreed on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border to ensure that Lebanese Hezbollah cannot conduct October 7-style attacks on Israel’s northern communities.”
Austin continued to state that the US would continue seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict and added that Iran would face “serious consequences” should Tehran attack Israel for the operations.
British foreign minister David Lammy repeated calls for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah ahead of the IDF’s official announcement after discussing the matter with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the phone on Monday (9/30).
“We both agreed that the position that we had at the UN last week was the best way forward: an immediate ceasefire and getting back to a political solution”
Earlier in the day, a spokesperson for the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged “all parties to show restraint.”
Ground Operation In Lebanon Begins With Heavy Artillery, Tank Fire
Almost a year after the beginning of Hezbollah’s incessant fire at Israeli communities, the IDF is crossing the northern border – according to the US State Department, Israel is “currently carrying out limited operations along the border.”
On the Saudi Al-Hadath network a report said that there is “Israeli preparation for the entry of ground and commando forces, in order to locate Hezbollah targets and blow them up.”
Residents of Kiryat Shmona and other localities in the area were called to stay near a protected area, against the backdrop of the dramatic developments, which come after the series of assassinations in Lebanon including Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.
According to reports in Lebanon, the Lebanese army has cleared positions along the border and videos have been published of the withdrawal of troops from border posts to some neighboring villages.
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri was the first politician to allude to the ground move when he posted on Twitter the prayer for the welfare of IDF soldiers.
A U.S. official told the Washington Post earlier Monday (9/30) that Israel was preparing to launch a ground attack in Lebanon imminently, but it is expected to be limited. “Israel’s planned campaign would be smaller than its last war against Hezbollah in 2006 and would focus on clearing out terrorist infrastructure along the border to remove the threat to Israeli border communities,” the source said. The report came as Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that “the next phase will begin soon.”
The New York Times cited U.S. officials who said that they believe they have succeeded in convincing Israel not to launch a major ground attack in Lebanon, after long talks held over the weekend.
Special units in the IDF have already carried out such raids in recent days, in order to remove combat positions from which Hezbollah planned to target the northern settlements.
According to the report, officials in Israel assured their counterparts in the United States that they do not plan for these raids to lead to a major attack by ground forces with the aim of occupying parts of southern Lebanon. However, according to the report, it is still unclear whether this is the final Israeli decision and if there is still a possibility of a large-scale attack.
Earlier on Monday (9/30) Minister Gallant met with armored fighters on the northern border, and gave a hint of the new phase saying, “The elimination of Nasrallah is an important step, but it is not the end, in order to return the residents of the north, we will use all our capabilities, including you.”
I Was In A Hezbollah Tunnel – Part Of A Vast Network Under Lebanon – James Rothwell
I entered a vast tunnel, stretching from an opening in the Galilee region of Israel deep into the bowels of the earth. The tunnel, discovered by Israeli forces and promptly sealed off in 2019, was half a mile long, 260 feet deep, and took 14 years to build. It ended in a wall of rubble where the IDF had blocked the pathway leading to Lebanon. Had the tunnel not been discovered, Israel suspects it would have been used to launch a surprise assault on the north, perhaps to capture hostages and take them back to Lebanon.
The tunnel offers a glimpse of the type of enclosed, difficult territory Israeli troops will be facing with a possible ground invasion of Lebanon. Israel estimates that the tunnel network stretches for hundreds of kilometers. Hezbollah recently published footage that showed a truck mounted with rocket launchers passing through long, winding tunnels. The propaganda clip also featured Hezbollah troops driving on motorcycles through tunnels.
In light of a ground offensive, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror, a former Israeli national security adviser, said Israel’s “biggest mistake” was not taking decisive action against Hezbollah earlier, even prior to the 2006 war. “Israel was addicted to the quietness and was not ready to make any efforts to prevent Hezbollah from building its military capabilities.”
He said Israel now has two goals: to guarantee Hezbollah won’t be able to carry out its own version of Oct. 7 in the future, and to damage Hezbollah’s military capability to such an extent that it won’t be able to deter Israel in the future. (Telegraph-UK)
Netanyahu To Iranian People: ‘You Deserve Better’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a video statement Monday (9/30) directed at the people of Iran, urging them to defy their government, warning that it is pushing Iran “closer to the abyss,” adding that Tehran’s proxy war against Israel was a losing battle.
“I speak a lot about the leaders of Iran,” Netanyahu said. “Yet at this pivotal moment, I want to address you – the people of Iran. I want to do so directly, without filters, without middlemen.”
“Everyday, you see a regime that subjugates you, makes fiery speeches about defending Lebanon, defending Gaza. Yet every day, that regime plunges our region deeper into darkness and deeper into war.”
Referencing the targeted killings of Hamas’ commander in the Gaza Strip, Mohammed Deif, and Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Netanyahu said that the IDF was rapidly destroying the leadership of two of Iran’s largest proxy forces.
“Every day, their puppets are eliminated. Ask Mohammed Deif . Ask Nasrallah. There is nowhere in the Middle East that Israel cannot reach. There is nowhere we will not go to protect our people and protect our country.”
“With every passing moment, the regime is bringing you – the noble Persian people – closer to the abyss.”
“The vast majority of Iranians know their regime doesn’t care a whit about them. If it did care, if it cared about you, it would stop wasting billions of dollars on futile wars across the Middle East. It would start improving your lives.”
Offering a vision of globalized trade and investment, Netanyahu said that a post-Islamist Iran would finally be at peace – including with Israel.”
“When Iran is finally free and that moment will come a lot sooner than people think – everything will be different. Our two ancient peoples, the Jewish people and the Persian people, will finally be at peace. Our two countries, Israel and Iran, will be at peace.”
“Don’t let a small group of fanatic theocrats crush your hopes and your dreams,” Netanyahu continued. “I know you don’t support the rapists and murderers of Hamas and Hezbollah, but your leaders do. You deserve more. The people of Iran should know – Israel stands with you.”
Houthis Are Causing A Shofar Shortage Ahead Of Rosh Hashanah Celebrations
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, the nearly year-long war is causing a shortage of shofars, the traditional ram’s horn instrument that makes a plaintive cry during the Jewish New Year prayer service.
Many of these instruments arrive in Israel through the port of Eilat, and the Houthis, a Yemenite Iran-backed terror group, are interfering with deliveries.
Shippers have re-routed shofar deliveries, causing delays and fewer shofars delivered to Israel.
Jan-Elazar Refoua, who sells Judaica and gifts in downtown Jerusalem and specializes in shofars, reported that he usually sells six shofars a day in the period leading up to Rosh Hashanah, but this year he often sells just one daily.
Refoua spoke with Jerusalem Post about the difficulties leading up to Rosh Hashanah, “I went to order merchandise, and they would say, ‘Ok, it will be another week, or another two weeks,’” he explained. “Then, the shofars were 15% to 20% higher when the shofars were finally available.”
He said that scarcity is a problem but with the decline of tourism, fewer people are buying shofars.
However, despite the hardship created by the war, Refoua still hopes his business will survive and even thrive after the war.
“I have been here in this store for 42 years. We got through all the terror attacks and coronavirus.” He added that his wife was also injured in a terror attack.
Refoua, who has three sons in the reserves in Gaza, said “The main thing is that there should be more quiet and peace. I hope that the soldiers return in peace – that is what really matters.”
“We (Israelis) are like a sword – we get stronger from being in the flame – heated and cooled,” he added.
“The shofar is godly music,” he said. “Sometimes you don’t hear it with your ears – you hear it with your heart. It’s a different feeling.”
Rosh Hashanah this year begins on Wednesday evening (2nd) and ends at sundown on Friday (4th).
European Country Denies Citizenship To Those Who Chant ‘From The River To The Sea’
Germany’s Federal Interior Minister announced updates to rules governing naturalization, including the right to deny citizenship to those who post, share or chant slogans such as “From the River to the Sea.”
Among the changes is a shortening of the length of time before overseas workers can apply for German citizenship from eight to five years.
However, the Interior Ministry has also tightened rules designed to prevent racism and anti-Semitism from growing in the immigrant community in particular and in German society in General.
The German Federal Ministry of the Interior stated the aim of the new legislation is that “racism, anti-Semitism or any other form of misanthropy will rule out naturalization.”
Clause 10.1.1.1.3.1 emphasizes “Germany’s special historical responsibility for the National Socialist injustice and its consequences, especially for the protection of Jewish life.”
Prospective immigrants may also be excluded from becoming citizens if they deny the Holocaust or accuse Jews or the State of Israel of fabricating or exaggerating the Holocaust.
The new rules list prohibited slogans, such as “From the River to the Sea Palestine Will be Free,” “Let’s Go Bomb Tel Aviv,” “Death To Israel,” and “Israel, Child Murderers.”
In addition, using maps which replace the State of Israel with a Palestinian flag is also disqualifying.
Those who not only utter, but post, share, and like such slogans may not qualify for German citizenship.
Although the German states have autonomy over naturalization rules in their territory, a spokesperson explained to the German Press Agency that “The practice of recent years has shown, however, that the states are guided by the Federal Ministry of the Interior’s application instructions, so that the legal regulations on nationality law are applied uniformly.”
According to Der Spiegel, questions about the Holocaust, Judaism and Israel will be asked on citizenship tests in Germany to screen out candidates who may hold extremist views.
“If you don’t share our values, you can’t get a German passport. We have drawn a crystal clear red line here, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told Der Spiegel.
