News Digest — 11/17/25
Drone Strike Near Tyre Kills Two Hezbollah Commanders, Lebanese Reports Say
Lebanese media reported Sunday (16th) that a drone struck a vehicle in the village of al-Mansouri near the coastal city of Tyre in southern Lebanon.
According to the Saudi-owned Al-Hadath channel, the targets were two Hezbollah commanders, Mohammed Shyoukh and Radwan Khashab. Local outlets, including Al-Mayadeen, said Shyoukh also served as the principal of the al-Mansouri school. Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed that at least one person was killed in the attack.
The strike comes as the Israeli military moves closer to a limited offensive against Hezbollah, which would include repeated Israeli Air Force strikes on weapons-production sites across Lebanon, particularly in the Bekaa valley and in Beirut. These facilities are often hidden underground or inside residential areas and are used to convert heavy unguided rockets into precision missiles by modifying their warheads.
Israeli officials estimate Hezbollah still holds tens of thousands of such rockets and several thousand missiles, as well as having produced thousands of new drones and explosive UAVs since the end of the war.
Hezbollah’s Radwan forces, which form the backbone of its cross-border invasion capability, have also regrouped. Despite the ceasefire, the group has gradually returned closer to the border. While large forward positions have not been fully restored, Radwan operatives have reassembled in the area between the Litani River and the frontier, including in major towns such as Nabatieh.
The IDF maintains five outposts in southern Lebanon along the 135-kilometer border, from Mount Dov to Rosh Hanikra, in positions only 500 to 1,000 meters from the Israeli fence. Israel had hoped for progress toward an arrangement with the Lebanese government after Beirut’s unprecedented decision six months ago to dismantle Hezbollah’s weapons infrastructure, but officials now say the Lebanese armed forces are struggling to carry out the mission. “For every rocket launcher they seize from Hezbollah, another is converted into a missile launcher in the Bekaa,” an Israeli military source said.
The source added that the Lebanese military’s long-running “Operation Southern Shield” involves significant blind spots and quiet cooperation with Hezbollah. “In practice, we must keep striking these weapons-production sites, such as the strategic factory in the Bekaa that we hit last week for the ninth time since the ceasefire began,” the source said.
No Palestinian State West Of The Jordan River, Netanyahu Vows
Israel will not permit the establishment of a Palestinian state anywhere west of the Jordan River, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said over the weekend, rejecting criticism from his own government while downplaying political differences with the Trump administration over the Gaza peace plan.
Over the weekend, ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich pressed Netanyahu to openly denounce the latest US draft of a United Nations Security Council resolution which endorses a “pathway” to Palestinian statehood.
“Otzma Yehudit will not be part of any government that agrees to this. I call on the prime minister to clarify that the State of Israel will not permit the establishment of a Palestinian state in any form,” said Ben-Gvir on Saturday (15th).
Leaders from Israel’s settlement movement and an operational lawmaker criticized Netanyahu for not backing legislation to apply Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, blaming him for the draft resolution backing Palestinian statehood.
Speaking at the opening of the weekly government meeting on Sunday (16th), however, Netanyahu rebuffed pressure from the right, reiterating his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state anywhere in Judea, Samaria, or Gaza.
“Regarding a Palestinian state: Our opposition to a Palestinian state in any territory west of the Jordan – this opposition is existing, valid, and has not changed one bit,” Netanyahu said.
“I have been rebuffing these attempts for decades, and I’m doing it both against pressures from outside and against pressures from within. So, I do not need affirmations, tweets, or lectures from anyone.”
Netanyahu also downplayed reports that the Trump administration is planning to move forward with stage two of the Gaza peace plan – including the deployment of an international peacekeeping force to replace the IDF and the reconstruction of Gaza – without Hamas disarming first.
“The first issue is the subject of the alleged ‘non-demilitarization ‘ of the part of Gaza that is in the hands of Hamas. There will be no such thing,” Netanyahu emphasized.
“Even in the 20-point plan and in everything else, this territory will be demilitarized, and Hamas will be disarmed. Either this will happen the easy way or it will happen the hard way. This is what I said and this is what President Trump also said.”
Chief Of Staff In Rafah: ‘If Needed, We Will Take Control Of More Territory In Gaza’
IDF Chief Of Staff LTG Eyal Zamir held a situational assessment on Sunday (16th) in the Gaza Division, along with the Commander of the Southern Command, MG Yaniv Asor, the Commander of the Gaza Division, BG Barak Hiram, the Commander of the 252nd Division, BG Yehuda Vach, all Brigade commanders in the arena, and additional commanders.
Afterward, the Chief of the General Staff conducted a field tour in the Rafah area.
During the tour, Chief Zamir reviewed the operational picture and developments in all arenas, with an emphasis on the defensive effort, removing threats, and maintaining constant readiness for a rapid shift and transition to offensive activities.
“The IDF operates in a changing reality and is contending with challenges across various arenas. In the Gaza Strip, we maintain operational control of more than 50% of the area, without controlling the civilian population. The Yellow Line serves as a security line, and we continue operating to prevent Hamas’ resurgence by holding key areas as well as the entrances to the Gaza Strip,” Zamir stated.
He noted that “simultaneously with the current operational process, we must be prepared for a rapid transition to a large-scale activity to establish operational control of areas in the Gaza Strip, if required. Our troops continue operating along the Yellow Line to clear the area and eliminate terrorist strongholds.”
“The Southern Command will continue operating decisively to carry out the mission of eliminating terrorists and disarming underground terrorist infrastructure sites, while strictly maintaining security for our troops.”
The Chief of Staff declared that the military will “continue to insist that the Hamas regime will not exist on the other side of the border. Even if this requires time, we will persist in the mission of dismantling Hamas and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, achieving this either through an agreement or through military means.”
Turning to the efforts to inquire into the October 7th Massacre, he stated, “In the past week, we have focused on the inquiries into the events of October 7th. I established the expert committee upon entering my position as Chief of the General Staff out of full commitment to the truth and a desire to lead a deep process of learning and implementation of lessons. We owe this to the IDF, and I owe this to you – the commanders. We will not fear the implications, everything is for advancing the IDF forward, growth, learning, and progress.”
“We will remember the events of October 7th for eternity, but also the significant achievements in all arenas. Ahead of us is still the mission of conducting the inquiry of the entire war. This is a heroic war, and its achievements are yours, and thanks to you, I, and the entire people of Israel appreciate you for your actions and achievements throughout this war.”
Report: Hamas Stockpiling Weapons Around The World For Post-War Use
While diplomatic efforts are being made to disarm Hamas, Kan News revealed on Sunday (16th) that the terrorist organization has begun stockpiling advanced weapons outside of the Gaza Strip for when it is needed.
According to the report, the weapons are being stockpiled in Africa, Yemen and other supportive countries. They are intended to be transported and smuggled later to strategic locations, including the Gaza Strip.
The report noted that the operations are taking place precisely as discussions about disarming Hamas intensify, serving as evidence of the organization’s intent to preserve and rebuild its military capabilities in the post-war period as part of a long-term strategy.
About a week and a half ago, it was revealed that Austria’s domestic intelligence service had discovered a weapons cache in Vienna that is suspected to belong to Hamas and was intended for potential terror attacks in Europe.
According to a statement by the Austrian Interior Ministry, as part of the investigation, a 39-year-old British citizen named Mohammed was arrested in London on suspicion of being connected to the weapons cache.
The statement noted that Israeli or Jewish institutions in Europe were likely the targets of these “planned attacks.” After identifying him, the UK began extradition proceedings.
The suspect was arrested as part of an international investigation carried out by Austria’s Security Directorate and intelligence services, which focused on terrorist organizations around the world suspected of having direct links to Hamas. The investigation raised suspicions that a small group of terrorist operatives or supporters had smuggled weapons into Austria for possible use in attacks.
Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office, which participated in the investigation, said that Mohammed had met twice with a man named Abed, who was arrested in Germany last month on suspicion of planning attacks against Israeli and Jewish institutions in the country.
The discovered cache contained five handguns and ten magazines stored in a suitcase inside a rented storage unit. Austrian law enforcement officials assessed that the weapons were also intended for additional Hamas-related operations, the details of which were not disclosed’
The Continuing Threats To Israel From Syria – Eitan Rubenstein
As part of my army reserve service, I belong to a unit that is holding a sector opposite Syria, defending Israel on the northern border. Syria continues to host terrorist organizations hostile to Israel who intend on harming it. The fall of Assad’s regime did not bring peace. Instead it created a strategic vacuum that was quickly filled by radical Sunni militias.
When Syrian opposition forces took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, 2024, in response, the IDF moved into the demilitarized zone between Israel and Syria, established by the 1974 ceasefire agreement, and set up several forward posts. Today, the IDF holds these positions as strategic depth to defend the nearby towns and villages of the Golan Heights from various hostile actors.
Iranian-backed Shiite forces are still operating in southwest Syria and are trying to rebuild their capabilities on the Syrian front, with funding from Iran. ISIS is also facing us in southern Syria, in addition to many small terrorist groups seeking to harm Israel, including organizations affiliated with Hamas abroad.
The flat terrain in the center of the Golan Heights could allow vehicles from Syria quick access to Israeli civilian communities in a very short time. In the southern Golan, a landscape of deep wadis can enable covert infiltration by terror cells.
The constant presence of the IDF in this challenging terrain allows it to preempt the build-up of hostile forces – a task that would have been impossible had the IDF remained behind the buffer zone fence. The Israeli presence in the buffer zone is essential to prevent a repeat of an Oct. 7-type surprise attack in the Golan.
The writer is an IDF reserve paratrooper officer who has fought in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. (Jerusalem Strategic Tribune)
Canadian-Israeli Denied Option To Put Israel As Place Of Birth In Her New Passport
An Israeli born Canadian woman was denied listing Israel as her place of birth on her Canadian passport at a Montreal passport office last Monday (10th), according to the woman and her legal counsel, with staff insisting that the exclusion was part of a new federal policy.
Start-Up Nation Montreal founder Anastasia Zorchinsky said, in a Thursday (13th) Instagram video statement that when she attempted to file a passport application, a Passports Canada employee told her that she could not put Israel alongside her birth city, Kfar Saba, due to the “political conflict.”
Zorchinsky told The Jerusalem Post that when she had demanded to know the policy that dictated this decision, the staff members then told her that she could, in fact, put Israel on her passport.
However, as Zorchinsky detailed in her video statement, she was told by Passport Canada staff that, since Prime Minister Mark Carney had officially recognized a Palestinian state on September 21, there were some cities that were eligible to be labeled “Palestine,” including Nablus, Jenin, Ramallah, and Jerusalem.
The policy expressed to Zorchinsky was politically motivated and discriminatory, she said in her video.
“These are the clear consequences of the current government and leadership in power,” Zorchinsky said.
She told the Post if someone else was in her position, they might not know how to deal with the situation, and it could result in them being denied the right to list their birthplace in their passport – with no legal basis.
Zorchinsky’s attorney, Neil Oberman, said on X that he had contacted Service Canada’s passport Program on Wednesday (12th), demanding the disclosure of internal documents regarding passport nationality designation and a review into the legality of the provided explanations – and that his client had experienced discriminatory service based on her national origin,.
“The law supports us. No regulation authorizes it. No democracy should tolerate it,” Oberman said on social media. “Passports are not political documents. They are instruments of identity and equality before the state. When administrative discretion crosses into discrimination, the rule of law itself is fractured. Canada must do better. Accountability starts with transparency and training.”
Passport Canada did not respond to inquiries from the Post, nor had any official bodies responded to Zorchinsky by Sunday evening (16th).
“I’ll keep using my voice to defend democratic values that protect all of us – freedom, dignity, and fairness, and to push back in every way I can against the injustices that try to silence them,” Zorchinsky said on Sunday (16th).
