News Digest — 7/17/25
President Herzog : ‘Israel Will Not Stand Idly By Amid Threats From Syria’
President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday evening (16th) addressed the recent developments on the Syrian border, declaring that Israel will act decisively in the face of jihadist threats and in defense of its Druze citizens. The remarks were delivered during the State Memorial Ceremony for Theodor Herzl, the founding father of modern Zionism.
“Concerning today’s events, on this complex and tense day, I emphasize: the realization of this vision – the vision of partnership and normalization in the Middle East which has several ironclad principles that the State of Israel ‘will not compromise on,’ under any circumstances, and the events in Syria reflect them clearly,” President Herzog stated.
He continued, “First, the state of Israel does not stand idly by when there is even the potential for a jihadist threat over the border. Second, the State of Israel does not stand idly by when our allies and family members of Israelis, the sons and daughters of the Druze community, an integral part of us, are under attack and in danger of enduring a horrific massacre.”
The President also appealed to the Druze community and the wider public to refrain from taking matters into their own hands. “With deep understanding of the pain of the Druze community and the concern of our Druze sisters and brothers, I call from here to everyone, uphold the law, do not cross the border. Rather, allow the military and diplomatic efforts to do the work. The State of Israel must act, and indeed is acting and will continue to act, until quiet and security are restored to our border,” he said.
IDF Bombs Syrian Military Headquarters As Chaos Erupts On Israel-Syrian Border
The Israeli military warned Wednesday (16th) that it will continue to strike forces in southern Syria aligned with the Syrian regime until Damascus withdraws from Druze enclaves and halts the ongoing attacks on Druze militias.
An IDF Spokesperson said Wednesday afternoon (16th) that Israeli forces struck the entrance of the Syrian military’s headquarters outside of Damascus.
“A short time ago, the IDF struck the entrance gate of the Syrian regime’s military headquarters compound in the Damascus area of Syria,” the Israeli military said.
“The IDF continues to monitor developments and the actions against Druze civilians in southern Syria, and in accordance with directives from the political echelon, is carrying out strikes in the area and remains prepared for various scenarios.”
On Wednesday (16th), Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz called on Syria’s military to withdraw from the As-Suwayda province of southern Syria, warning that the IDF would continue to strike regime forces in the area to protect local Druze.
“The signaling in Damascus has ended–now painful blows will follow,” Katz said.
“The IDF will continue to operate with force in As-Suwayda to destroy the forces that attacked the Druze, until their full withdrawal. To our Druze brothers in Israel: you can count on the Israel Defense Forces to protect your brethren in Syria, Prime MInister Netanyahu and I, as Defense Minister, have made a commitment – and we will uphold it.”
Israeli forces struck Syrian army positions in As-Suwayda Tuesday (15th) and Wednesday (16th), bombing tanks, rocket launchers, and troop deployments.
Hundreds of Syrians, nearly half of them Druze, have died since the latest wave of fighting began in the southern Syrian province of As-Suwayda on Sunday (13th).
Located east of the Golan Heights, As-Suwayda is a sparsely populated region inhabited primarily by Druze, who make up some nine-tenths of the population, with a significant Christian minority.
Since the collapse of the Assad regime last December, however, sporadic clashes have broken out between local Druze and Sunni Bedouin militias.
The fighting has in some instances drawn in Syria’s Sunni regime, leading to deadly clashes between Druze militiamen and Syrian soldiers.
Prime MInister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement Wednesday afternoon (16th) urging Israeli Druze not to cross into Syria.
“My Druze fellow citizens of Israel, the situation in Suwayda, in southwestern Syria, is very serious. The IDF is operating, the Air Force is operating, and other forces are operating. We are acting to save our Druze brothers and to eliminate the regime’s militias.”
“And now I have one request for you. You are citizens of Israel. Do not cross the border. You are endangering your lives, you could be killed, you could be kidnapped,and you are harming the IDF’s efforts. Therefore, I ask you, return to your homes, and let the IDF carry out its mission.”
Danon Blasts Guterres: UN Silent On Syria Massacre, Targets Israel
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, on Wednesday (16th) blasted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, after Guterres took advantage of the instability in Syria to once again condemn Israel.
In a statement issued earlier in the day, Guterres said he was “alarmed” by the continued escalation of violence in Syria and said he unequivocally condemns all violence against civilians.
He then added, “however, I condemn Israel’s escalatory airstrikes and reports of the IDF’s deployment of forces in the Golan. I call for an immediate cessation of all violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
In response Danon said, “UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres continues to expose his moral bankruptcy. While members of the Druze community are being brutally slaughtered in Syria, he once again chooses silence.”
“Instead of calling for swift action in Syria, he chooses to vilify Israel – the only country actively fighting the forces of evil in the region,” added the Israeli envoy.
“The UN failed to condemn Hamas following the horrors of October 7. And now, after the massacre of the Druze in Syria, the shameful silence continues,” stated Danon.
Guterres has been regularly critical of Israel’s counterterrorism operations against Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis in Yemen.
Several weeks after Hamas’ October 7, 2023 massacre, the UN Secretary-General said that the attack on Israel “did not happen in a vacuum” and appeared to blame Israel for the attack.
After his remarks were widely condemned, the UN chief claimed the comments were misinterpreted and that he had indeed condemned Hamas.
He recently criticized Israel’s renewal of strikes on the Gaza Strip and said he was “outraged” by them.
In response, Foreign MInistry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein wrote, “We are outraged that you, Antonio Guterres, are the Secretary-General of the UN.”
“Not a word about the fact that Hamas rejected two American proposals to extend the ceasefire and release more hostages – two proposals that Israel accepted,” added Marmorstein.
“Not a word about the fact that Hamas exploits the transfer of goods to Gaza to rebuild its war machine in order to further attack Israel.”
“Not a word about UNRWA, which, under your leadership, employs Hamas terrorists, and its facilities were used by Hamas to hold hostages. Indeed, we are outraged by your moral bankruptcy,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson concluded.
Missile Fired From Yemen Triggers Sirens In Southern Israel
Air raid sirens were activated Wednesday evening (16th) in several communities near southern Israel’s Dead Sea region following the launch of a missile from Yemen, the IDF said. The incoming threat was successfully intercepted, according to the military.
Shortly beforehand, the Home Front Command warned that alerts could be expected across broader areas in southern Israel.
The launch marks the latest in a string of attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. A previous missile strike occurred last Thursday morning (10th), when sirens sounded at 5:19 a.m. across central Israel and the Jerusalem area. Millions of civilians took cover in shelters as the IDF later confirmed the missile was intercepted by the Arrow missile defense system.
Two days prior to that incident, the Houthis claimed responsibility for sinking the Greek-owned cargo ship Eternity C in the Red Sea. Of the ship crew, six were rescued, four were killed, and 11 remain unaccounted for.
Security officials told Reuters last Thursday (10th) that six of the missing crew members are believed to have been abducted by Houthi forces. The escalation underscores the growing regional reach of the Houthis amid Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and heightened maritime tensions in the Red Sea.
US-Backed Yemeni Forces Intercept Weapons Shipment From Iran To Houthis, CENTCOM Says
Yemeni National Resistance Forces (NRF), a coalition fighting against the Houthis, intercepted an Iranian arms shipment bound for the Houthis containing 750 tons of munitions and hardware, US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated on X.
“Yemeni partners successfully intercepted a massive Iranian weapons shipment bound for the Houthis,” read the publication, and also shared that the seizure represents the largest seizure of Iranian advanced conventional weapons in their history.
Included in the 750 tons of munitions were hundreds of advanced cruise, anti-ship, and anti-aircraft missiles, warheads and seekers, components as well as hundreds of drone engines, air defense equipment, radar systems, and communications equipment,” they explained.
The NRF, led by Gen. Tareq Saleh, is one of the armed forces that fight alongside the internationally recognized government of Yemen and against the Houthi terrorist group.
According to the NRF, the shipment was intended for use by the Iranian-backed Houthis. It contained clear Iranian-linked armament, with the manuals even written in Farsi, and the manufacturer being affiliated with the Iranian Defense Ministry.
“We commend the legitimate government forces of Yemen who continue to interdict the flow of Iranian munitions bound for the Houthis,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, Commander of CENTCOM.
The Palestinian Authority: A Failed Experiment – Maj. (res.) Raphael Benlevi
The Palestinian Authority has failed utterly and must be replaced with something more realistic, more accountable, and ultimately more conducive to peaceful relations on the ground. For three decades, the PA has been treated as the presumptive nucleus of a future Palestinian state. In reality however, it is a corrupt, authoritarian, and dysfunctional regime, one that governs without legitimacy, incites against Israel, and systematically fails to meet even the basic needs of the people it is meant to govern.
Despite unprecedented international support and billions in aid, the PA has not built a viable political, economic, or social foundation for sovereignty. Elections have not been held in nearly 20 years, corruption abounds, critics can be jailed or worse, and the judiciary lacks independence. The economy is dependent on foreign aid and Israeli tax collection.
The PA continues to reward convicted terrorists with stipends and to broadcast anti-Israel incitement in the media. It refused to explicitly condemn the Hamas massacre and its diplomats celebrated the attack. Its educational system glorifies martyrdom and demonizes Jews. Keeping the idea of a Palestinian state alive sustains Palestinian rejectionism and delays the search for real, workable alternatives.
Against this backdrop, the Hebron Emirate initiative, led by local tribal leaders seeking to govern independently of Ramallah, offers a compelling departure from the PA model. The broader principle of the plan is sound: governance should be localized, pragmatic, and rooted in organic social structures, not imposed from above by fallen elites.
Expanding localized governance models means moving beyond a dysfunctional partner whose cooperation is shallow and unreliable, and toward a structure that better reflects reality and serves long-term stability. The Oslo delusion was built on the fantasy that a fundamentally anti-Israel movement led by former terrorists could be empowered to create a peaceful, democratic state. Instead, it created a kleptocracy dependent on foreign money, steeped in rejectionist ideology, and incapable of reform.
The writer is a senior fellow at the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy.
The Markets Are Signaling Israel As A Clear Winner – Ruchir Sharma
Since the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, the best performing major stock market in the world is…Israel. After taking an initial hit, the market recovered fully in four weeks, and since then is up 80%. This ascent continued through the recent 12-day war with Iran.
The stock market kept signaling that the conflict would end soon, with Israel prevailing both militarily and economically. Despite all the international criticism of Israel for its multiple military offensives, a surge in foreign buying has fueled the rally in its stock market.
Founded amid poverty after the Second World War, Israel is one of the few countries to have risen from the developing into the developed ranks. Its $550 billion economy is among the largest 30 in the world. Israel spends more than 6% of GDP on research and development – more than any other nation and over double the global average. About half of R&D funding comes from foreign multinationals, many involved in defense-related industries.
With more start-ups per head than any other country, Israel’s business culture is closer to that of California. Half of its exports are tech products. GDP per head has nearly tripled since 2000 to more than $55,000, rising from 50 to 70% of the level in the U.S.
The writer is chair of the Rockefeller International (Financial Times-UK)
(ft.com)
