News Digest — 10/4/24
Israeli Strikes On Beirut Target Potential New Hezbollah Chief
The Israeli Air Force conducted targeted strikes on Hezbollah’s stronghold in the Dahiyeh sector of Beirut early Friday (4th), targeting Hashem Safieddine, rumored successor to its assassinated leader Hassan Nasrallah in an underground bunker, according to reports.
After warning residents in the area to evacuate, the IDF bombed an underground bunker using bunker-busting munitions, to eliminate him.
Designated as Nasrallah’s successor since the 1990s, Safieddine was brought back to Beirut from his studies in Iran to head Hezbollah’s Executive Council just two years after Nasrallah assumed leadership. He is also related by marriage to Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of Iran’s Quds Force, who was killed by a US strike in 2020.
Safieddine, on the US terror list since 2017, has managed Hezbollah’s education system, finances, and foreign investments, leaving military and strategic matters to Nasrallah. He has maintained close ties with Tehran and supports the Iranian regime, with his brother Abdullah serving as Hezbollah’s envoy to Iran.
Saudi Arabia’s Al Hadath channel reported on Monday (9/30) that Hezbollah’s Shura Council had chosen Hashen Safieddine as the organization’s new secretary-general.
Israel also conducted strikes on the Lebanon Syria border early Friday (4th) after informing the Lebanese government that weapons were crossing into Lebanon for Hezbollah, and must be stopped. According to the Hezbollah affiliated Al Mayadeen network, traffic in and out of the country stopped after the Israeli attack.
‘We Won’t Let Hezbollah Settle On The Border’ IDF Chief Says
IDF Chief Of Staff Herzi Halevi says the main goal of the Lebanon operation is to establish security in the north and allow the returning of the residents to their homes after over a year of being displaced.
During the Rosh Hashanah holiday on Thursday (3rd), IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi conducted a situational assessment of the command centers of the IDF’s 98th and 36th Divisions, both of which are currently operating in southern Lebanon.
In his remarks, Halevi said: “Throughout the holiday, the IDF continues to operate intensely in Lebanon and in other areas. I met with the commanders and soldiers of the 98th Division and the 36th Division, who are operating in Lebanon for a very important mission – establishing security in the north and returning the residents to their homes after over a year of being displaced.”
“Returning the residents means destroying the terrorist infrastructure Hezbollah has built near the border so they could raid our communities and kill Israeli civilians when given the order. We are very determined to destroy this infrastructure and eliminate anyone present there. We will not allow Hezbollah to settle in these places. The damage to Hezbollah in all sectors – Beirut, Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon – will continue.”
“Our troops in Lebanon are eliminating more and more terrorists – every encounter ends with us having the upper hand. Our troops are more prepared and trained than ever, bearing the experience from the operations in Gaza, and their advantage in the combat arena is clear. The troops are supported by aerial and ground firepower capabilities, and they are operating courageously.
“I heard the initial findings from the battles in which we lost brave soldiers who fell heroically while fighting Hezbollah terrorists. I saw commanders who advanced in the face of fire, leading their soldiers forward, and courageously defeating the enemy. We will continue to fight in light of the heroism of these soldiers, and we will support and embrace their beloved families.”
“Today, I also met with the reservists, who left their homes, families, and jobs and are here with us, bringing much experience, knowledge, and a strong spirit. I have great appreciation for the reservists, the soldiers, and the commanders in regular duty, as well as for their families.”
“We will continue to operate across active arenas to bring greater security to the State of Israel as we begin the New Year of 5785.”
Sinwar’s Right-Hand Man: Hamas Leader Rawhi Mushtaha Announced Killed
The IDF announced the death of Rawhi Mushtaha, head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip on Thursday (3rd).
“Mushtaha, alongside Yahya Sinwar, established Hamas’ General Security Mechanism,” the military stated. “They served a prison sentence together in an Israeli jail. Mushtaha was considered to be the most senior figure in the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip and during the war, maintained civil control of the Hamas regime while simultaneously engaging in terrorist activity against Israel. Mushtaha was Sinwar’s right-hand man and one of his closest associates.”
The IDF also noted that Mushtaha had been one of Hamas’ most senior operatives and was a key decision-maker in how the terrorist organization deployed its fighters and assets.
Sameh al-Siraj, who held the security portfolio of Hamas’ political bureau and Labor Committee, and Sami Oudeh, the commander of Hamas’ General Security mechanism, were killed alongside Mushtaha, the military reported.
According to the IDF, the three senior Hamas operatives were killed in an airstrike around three months ago, but the Gazan terror organization refrained from making an announcement on the matter at the time to prevent morale loss among its fighters.
The military reported that the Israel Air Force airstrike that eliminated the Hamas leaders was conducted according to IDF and Shin Bet intelligence and that the three had been hiding inside “a fortified and equipped underground compound in the northern Gaza Strip.”
The IDF added that the compound had been a Hamas command and control center and had been equipped so that Hamas terrorists could remain within for extended periods.
The subterranean compound had reportedly served to shelter Hamas leadership, chief among whom was Mushtaha.
The Hamas leader “was involved in military decisions while also acting as the Head of Hamas Civil Governance in the Gaza Strip and holding the Prisoners Affairs portfolio. He also formerly held the finance portfolio,” the military added.
IDF Strike In Gaza Eliminates Terrorist Involved In Ramallah Lynching
Arab media outlets reported on Thursday (3rd) that Abdel Aziz Salha was eliminated in an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah, located in the central Gaza Strip. Salha, who was released as part of the Gilad Shalit release deal in 2011, is remembered for his role in the brutal lynching of IDF reservists Vadim Nurzhitz and Yosef Avrahami in October 2000 in Ramallah, when he presented his bloodied hands outside of a window.
On October 12, 2000, Nurzhitz and Avrahami mistakenly entered Ramallah on their way to a military base near the West Bank, instead of bypassing the city through the Hizma checkpoint. As soon as they entered the Palestinian city, they were identified as Israelis by their yellow license plates, and a Palestinian mob began pelting their vehicle with stones and attacking them.
At one point, they were stuck in a traffic jam, preventing them from driving away. Palestinian policemen took them to the Al-Bireh police station, all the while threatening them with rifles. Along the way, the reservists were subjected to brutal violence by the mob, with no attempt by the officers to protect them.
Even when the reservists arrived at the police station, the crowd gathered outside, demanding to pull them out and murder them. The doors were opened and the crowd, along with Palestinian policemen, beat the two men to death with extreme violence. Their bodies were then thrown into the street, where further abuse continued.
Salha, originally from the village of Deir jarir near Ramallah, admitted during his 2001 arrest that he was part of the mob that stormed the police station and strangled one of the soldiers while others beat him. When he saw his hands covered in the soldier’s blood, he went to the window and proudly displayed them to the crowd below.
In 2004, he was convicted of the murder of Corporal Vadim Nurzhitz and sentenced to life imprisonment. In 2011, however, he was one of the terrorists released as part of the Shalit release deal.
IDF Rescues Yazidi Woman Kidnapped By ISIS In Iraq
After 10 years, Fawzia Amin Sido, a Yazidi girl kidnapped by ISIS in Iraq and brought to Gaza at the age of 11, was rescued this week by IDF forces from the Gaza Strip and reunited with her family.
Israel’s official Arabic language X account shared the news and emotional footage showing Fawzia reuniting with her family.
“Fawzia was held for years by a Palestinian affiliated with Hamas-ISIS,” read the post. “Her story reminds us of the cruelty Yazidi children suffered when abducted against their will,” the post also added: “We must remember that 101 Israeli hostages are still being held in Gaza.”
The IDF released a statement detailing the operation’s behind-the-scenes actions. According to the statement, the terrorist holding Fawzia was killed, likely during IDF airstrikes in Gaza, and she managed to flee to a hiding place. Following complex coordination between Israel, the US Embassy in Israel, the United States and other international partners, Fawzia was secretly extracted from Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing in recent days.
After entering Israel, Fawzia continued to Jordan through the Allenby Bridge crossing. From there, she returned to her family in Iraq.
87% Of Gaza Border Residents Have Returned Home, Report Shows
A year after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas onslaught, a report from Israel’s Tekuma Administration – the government’s arm for rehabilitating the Gaza periphery – reveals significant progress in resettling and rebuilding the affected communities. Released Tuesday (1st), the report shows that 87% of residents have returned to their homes, with efforts continuing to address housing, security, and economic challenges.
On the eve of the attack, 63,978 residents lived in communities adjacent to Gaza. Of these 49,449 people have returned, while 12,708 remain in temporary housing solutions. The report details 244 projects initiated, totaling $1.7 billion – 90% of the annual budget allocated for rehabilitation and development of the Tekuma region.
Temporary housing solutions fall into three categories: urban, integrated, and rural. Each project addresses security, community rehabilitation, construction, infrastructure, economic development, and heritage preservation.
The Administration has invested significantly in security infrastructure upgrades, including the establishment of a centralized operations center to coordinate defense activities and implement comprehensive security measures for residents in the region. This arm of the Tekuma Administration, working on behalf of the Defense Ministry, coordinates IDF activities in the region and implements security measures for residents.
A pilot program to enhance community security response is underway in five communities closest to the Gaza border, testing new technological components such as observation devices, drones, and a dedicated civilian communication network. This program is expected to expand to more towns in the region.
The administration documented extensive damage through 3D mapping of physical infrastructure in most Tekuma communities and public areas. An architectural preservation survey was also conducted, creating a community documentation file and a survey of historic buildings.
Looking ahead, the administration plans to promote legislation defining the region as a “national focus area,” outlining its authorities and budgets. Additionally, it will seek a complementary government decision for development components in the 2025-2028 strategic plan, totaling $1.3 billion.
Several regulatory easements have been implemented to streamline reconstruction efforts, including exemptions from certain permits and plans.
The West’s True Enemy Is Clear – written by Jordan Peterson and Gregg Hurwitz
When your enemies publicly declare that they want to kill you, it might be a good idea to listen. The Islamic Republic of Iran and its terrorist proxies have unequivocally declared themselves devoted to the destruction of the West. Their intentions have been clearly stated: first to destroy Israel and then to move against their true enemy America, and the rest of the West. The Islamic Republic is the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, distributing massive sums of money to Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and more.
Americans along with other inhabitants of the free democracies need to understand what Arab and Muslim nations have been trying to tell us for years: the Islamic Republic will stop at nothing to attain their goals of disruption, subversion, and domination.
It is clear that the Western pro-Palestinian movement’s messaging apparatus – and much of its momentum – has been fomented, supported, and echoed by the Islamc Republic, not least through cyberwarfare, funding, and PSYOPs campaigns. The slogans being shouted by those who barricade and blockade universities, bridges, and streets are those of the Islamic Republic and its terror proxies. Mass rape and hostage torture are alternately denied and celebrated. Acts of self-immolation and “revolutionary suicide” are depathologized and glorified as political tactics.
No foreign nation should be granted the opportunity to infiltrate the West through nefarious means to destabilize and destroy us. Nonetheless: the Islamic Republic continues to do precisely that. We have unassailable evidence of the truth right in front of us: the Islamic Regime has declared itself an enemy of the West. It is high time we take them at their word.
Jordan B. Peterson is professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. Gregg Andrew Hurwitz is a best-selling American novelist. (Telegraph-UK)
