News Digest — 7/3/25
Netanyahu Vows To ‘End Hamas’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Wednesday (2nd) to destroy Hamas “down to its very foundations” and emphasized Israel’s strategic vision for expanding its energy sector, as ceasefire talks with the terrorist group reportedly remain ongoing.
Speaking during a visit to the southern city of Ashkelon, where he toured the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company (EAPC), Netanyahu declared, “There will be no more Hamas. It’s over. We will free all of our hostages, and we will eliminate Hamas down to its very foundations.”
His remarks marked his first public comments since US President Donald Trump unveiled a new proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza.
Anticipating skepticism over whether Israel could both defeat Hamas and secure the release of the remaining hostages, Netanyahu dismissed the perceived contradiction, according to JNS. “Some say these are opposing goals – what nonsense. It works together. We will complete it together,” he said, receiving applause from those in attendance.
The prime minister’s visit focused largely on Israel’s long-term energy strategy.
Touring EAPC’s infrastructure, which transports oil from Eilat to Ashkelon, Netanyahu received briefings from company CEO Amit Shaked and met with senior officials in the Israeli energy sector.
He was joined by Energy Minister Eli Cohen, Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem, and Ashkelon Mayor Tomer Glam.
Netanyahu projected that Israel’s natural gas revenues over the next decade could reach 300 billion shekels (approximately $89 billion)
“We are going to increase and strengthen Israel’s energy capability. We have a very considerable capability,” he said, noting additional installations are already underway.
He emphasized Israel’s ambition to become a central energy hub linking Asia, the Middle East, and the Arabian Peninsula with Western markets.
“Our opportunities are enormous. We are not going to miss them or lose them. This is a huge opportunity – to defeat our enemies and ensure our economic, national, international, and energy future,” Netanyahu stated.
The prime minister also expressed gratitude to Israel’s energy workers for their efforts during the recent “Operation Rising Lion,” which included making critical repairs following enemy attacks.
Later on Wednesday (2nd), Netanyahu visited the Hone Front Command headquarters, where he praised soldiers and rescue teams who saved civilians trapped under buildings hit by Iranian missile strikes.
“You have done an amazing job. There is nothing like it in the world,” he told troops, commending their rapid response alongside emergency organizations and local authorities.
Meanwhile, Hamas said Wednesday (2nd) it was reviewing new ceasefire proposals put forward by international mediators.
The proposals reportedly aim to end hostilities in Gaza and secure an Israeli withdrawal from the territory.
Despite the ongoing diplomatic efforts, Netanyahu’s comments indicated no shift in his government’s objective to completely dismantle Hamas and its military and governing capabilities in Gaza.
“There will not be a Hamastan. We’re not going back to that,” he said. “We won’t miss this opportunity.”
IDF Eliminates Hamas Terrorists Behind Deadly Khan Younis Attack
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that two Hamas terrorists responsible for the June 24 killing of seven Israeli soldiers in Khan Younis were eliminated in an airstrike last Thursday (6/26), Israeli media reported.
According to the IDF, Israeli Air Force (IAF) aircraft – guided by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and the 188th Armored Brigade – struck and killed Musab Yaser Abdallah Jiban and Abd al-Latif Musa Hajjaj Barbah in the southern Gaza city.
“These two terrorists played a direct role in the murder of our soldiers,” the military said in a statement, naming the fallen troops as Lt.Matan Shai Yashinovski; Staff Sergeants Alon Davidov, Ronel ben-Moshe, and Niv Radia; and Sergeants Ronen Shapiro, Shahar Manoav, and Maayan Baruch Pearlstein.
The soldiers were killed while operating in Khan Younis as part of a wider offensive led by the 188th Brigade.
Preliminary findings from a military investigation, first reported by Army Radio correspondent Doron Kadosh, revealed that the soldiers had temporarily taken cover in a Puma armored personnel carrier (APC) ahead of a nearby Israeli airstrike.
The investigation concluded that, while the soldiers were inside the vehicle, a terrorist rapidly approached, climbed onto the APC, and threw an explosive device inside.
Contrary to early speculation, the explosive was not planted in advance or attached to the vehicle but rather introduced at the last moment in a direct and deadly attack.
The IDF clarified that the troops had followed protocol, taking shelter in the armored vehicle to avoid shrapnel or structural debris from an incoming airstrike.
The military vowed to continue operations against terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip saying,”The IDF will not rest until all those responsible for harming our soldiers and civilians are brought to justice.”
The incident marked one of the deadliest single attacks on Israeli forces in Gaza during the ongoing conflict.
IDF Elite Unit 504 Interrogations Lead To Bust Of Iranian Terror Cell Operating In Southern Syria
The IDF arrested members of an Iranian terrorist cell while operating in southern Syria following receiving special intelligence from interrogations of other Syrian operatives by the elite Unit 504, the military said on Wednesday (2nd).
Intelligence that Unit 504 (The IDF’s Mossad) acquired during interrogations of operatives it captured in Syria opened up the ability to plan and execute the nighttime operations, which led to the arrests.
In the past, before the Assad regime fell, the air force did kill Iranian operatives moving around in Syria as part of its often under-the-radar “war between wars,” but it was rarely able to capture such Iranians, which would require more boots on the ground and for a longer period.
During the operation announced Wednesday (2nd), the IDF also located weapons in the areas where the terrorists were arrested, including firearms and grenades.
One of the commanders in the field said they are “working day and night to ensure that the residents of the Golan Heights can sleep in peace.
“We will not allow terrorist organizations or hostile elements to establish themselves in this area.”
In January, the IDF announced that it was greatly expanding Unit 504’s human and financial resources to take on a much larger role on the various Palestinian, Lebanese, and Syrian fronts.
While Unit 504 was always operating in Lebanon and Syria, even in those countries, its footprint was smaller before the current war, given that those countries’ borders were less porous.
Further, for more than a decade until the current war, Unit 504 had exited Gaza, leaving it entirely to the Shin Bet to recruit human spies.
However, immediately following October 7, 2023, Unit 504’s Gaza Division was reestablished.
Typically, the Shin Bet handles a small number of strategic level interrogations, such as a long-term project to locate an enemy leader or major threat, whereas Unit 504 might handle lower-level interrogations to assist with real-time tactical operations.
Yet, UNit 504’s locating Iranians to arrest in Syria signals using them for even more strategic issues.
Earlier this week, the IDF’s 210th Division arrested several suspects in southern Syria. The division’s forces were also deployed from the Mount Hermon area to the “border triangle” which refers to the borders of Israel, Syria, and Jordan.
US Bill Proposes Giving Israel B-2 Bombers, Bunker-Busting Bombs
A new bipartisan bill introduced in the US House of Representatives seeks to authorize the transfer of B-2 stealth bombers and GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs to Israel, should Iran resume efforts to rebuild its nuclear weapons program, according to Fox News.
The Bunker Buster Act, introduced by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Mike Lawler (R-NY), would empower US President Donald Trump to provide Israel with cutting-edge military tools if Iran is determined to still pursue nuclear capabilities in the wake of recent US airstrikes.
In late June, US forces carried out a coordinated bombing campaign targeting Iran’s top three nuclear sites, following days of pounding from Israeli Air Force jets.
Fourteen 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs were dropped from B-2 bombers in what Trump hailed as a strike that “totally obliterated” the core of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
While Israel also struck Iranian positions and eliminated high high-ranking military officials, it lacks the GBU-57s – precision-guided bombs capable of penetrating up to 200 feet underground before detonation.
Nor has the US ever transferred custody of its B-2 stealth bombers, of which only 19 remain in active service.
The proposed legislation would mark an unprecedented shift in military cooperation between the two allies, aiming to ensure Israel has the means to act independently if Iran resumes its nuclear ambitions.
”Iran, the leading state sponsor of terrorism and one of America’s top enemies, can never have a nuclear weapon,” Rep. Gottheimer said in a statement.
“That’s why I strongly supported our military actions… Israel must be able to defend herself against Iran and ensure it cannot rebuild its nuclear capabilities.”
Rep. Lawler emphasized that the bill is designed to give Israel “the tools and training they need to deter Tehran and make the world a safer place.”
Although the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran’s centrifuges at the underground Fordow site are no longer operational, questions linger about Iran’s remaining stockpile of enriched uranium.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned that Tehran could resume enrichment within months, saying, “The capacities they have are there. One cannot claim that everything has disappeared.”
Grossi added that while the damage inflicted by the strikes was serious, it wasn’t absolute. “If they so wish, they will be able to start doing this again,” he noted.
Meanwhile, the threat from proxies also remains high.
The bill is likely to reignite debate over the extent of US support for Israel’s defense strategy, especially amid continued volatility in the region and uncertainty over Iran’s next move.
Brazil Senate Establishes Official ‘Israel Friendship Day’ Amid Growing Opposition To Lula”s Stance
Brazil’s Federal Senate has passed a law establishing an official Day of Friendship with Israel, signaling growing pushback against President Lula da Silva’s increasingly hostile stance toward Jerusalem.
In a move led by opposition lawmakers, the Brazilian Senate voted last week to establish April 12 as “Brazil-Israel Friend Day.”
The measure passed with support from right-leaning and centrist parties, which currently have a majority over Lula’s socialist Workers’ party in the chamber.
After the veto window closed without intervention from Lula – who has been an outspoken critic of Israel since the Hams-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 – the law officially took effect on June 25.
This legislation marks a renewed attempt by opposition parties to push back against the government’s hostility toward Israel, following a similar proposal vetoed by former president Dilma Rousseff – also from Lula’s party – in 2013.
The new observance will take place on April 12, marking the anniversary of Brazil’s opening of its embassy in Israel in 1951.
“The new law goes beyond diplomacy, it recognizes and values the historical, cultural and social contribution of the Jewish community in Brazil,a vibrant, plural community deeply rooted in our national fabric,” Davi Alcolumbre, president of the Brazilian Senate and author of the legislation, said in a statement.
This latest move by opposition parties reflects increasing resistance to the government’s official stance and inflammatory rhetoric toward Israel.
In May, Lula accused Israel of “attacking women and children under the pretext of killing terrorists,” described its war against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas as “a genocide,” and claimed the Jewish state struck hospitals which did not contain Hamas members.”
In February, Lula also received pushback for comparing Israel to Nazi Germany and the war in Gaza to the Holocaust – a comparison described as an example of anti-Jewish hate under the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism.
The Brazilian Israelite Confederation (CONIB), the country’s leading Jewish organization, praised the latest legislation for recognizing the strong ties between Brazil and the Jewish community.
The president of the Senate reaffirms the feelings of the Brazilian people, who have love, respect and gratitude for Israel,” the statement reads.
“The technology of the Jewish state has greatly benefited the Brazilian state, and Israel is also grateful to Brazil, because, in the figure of Oswaldo Aranha, it recognizes the importance of our country in the creation of the Jewish state,” it continued.
Aranha, a Brazilian diplomat, led the United Nations General Assembly in 1947 during the historic vote on the partition plan for British Mandatory Palestine, a key moment that contributed to the international recognition of the State of Israel.
Brazil is home to approximately 92,000 Jews, making it the 10th largest Jewish community in the world and the second largest in Latin America after Argentina.
According to a survey by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Brazil ranks as the 21st least anti-Semitic country out of 103, with a quarter of the population expressing “elevated levels of anti-Semitic attitudes,” making it the third lowest in the region.
However, since the Hamas-led atrocities on Oct.7, Brazil has experienced a 961 percent spike in anti-Semitic incidents compared to the same period in 2022.
