News Digest — 8/18/25
Whoever Raises Their Hand Against Israel Will Have Their Hand Cut Off; Israel Katz Warns Houthis
Defense Minister Israel Katz denounced the Houthis firing a missile towards central Israel on Sunday (17th), stating that the Yemen-based terror group will “pay with compound interest for every attempt to fire at Israel,” in a post on his personal X account.
“We are imposing an air and sea blockade on them that hurts them greatly, and this morning we struck infrastructure and energy targets. This is just the beginning. The continuation will be strong and painful,” he added.
“Whoever raises a hand against Israel – their hand will be cut off,” he concluded.
This came after sirens sounded across central Israel, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
The IDF successfully intercepted the missile, the military confirmed, and no injuries were reported. Magen David Adom added, Ben Gurion Airport temporarily closed air traffic due to the sirens sounding.
The missile, in turn, followed the IDF striking an energy infrastructure site that was used by the Houthis in Yemen, the military confirmed on Sunday morning (17th).
According to the IDF, the strikes were conducted in response to repeated attacks by Houthis against Israel and Israeli civilians, including launching surface-to-surface missiles and drones toward Israeli territory.
Army Radio reported that the Israel Navy struck in Yemen and targeted the Haziz power station. The report compared the strike to an earlier one this year in the port of Hodeidah.
The Houthi-run Beirut-based Al Masirah TV reported earlier that a power plant south of the Yemeni capital Sanaa was hit by an “aggression,” knocking some of its generators out of service. The Yemeni channel did not identify the source of the reported “aggression.”
Senior Houthi leaders were at the power station at the time of the strike, according to a report by UK-based outlet The Telegraph.
Netanyahu In Ofra: ‘We Fulfilled The Promise Of Generations’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the community of Ofra in the Binyamin region Sunday (17th), which this month marks its 50th anniversary. During the visit he emphasized his continued efforts to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and to strengthen Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.
Netanyahu took part in a ceremonial event alongside Israel Ganz, head of the Binyamin regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council. Together they unveiled a cedar tree that Netanyahu had planted on the site 25 years ago.
Addressing attendees, Netanyahu said, “It is very, very moving to be here. I came here 25 years ago. I said I would return, if invited for the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Ofra settlement.”
He continued, “I said that one of the young people in the crowd would surely also become the settlement secretary. He wasn’t a child, but he was a young man, and he is still a young man. I also said in conversation with you later that we will do everything to ensure the continuation of our hold on the Land of Israel, to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, to prevent the attempts that were—and, unfortunately, still are—to uproot us from here. I thank God, what I promised – we have fulfilled.”
“This was not easy, because there were many forces, many pressures. Pressures from within, pressures from outside, a series of American presidents who wanted to uproot us and establish a Palestinian state here. We stood firm together. We fulfilled the promise of generations, and look at what has happened since.”
Concluding his remarks, Netanyahu added, “I am amazed every time I come here, but I have not been next to this tree for 25 years. This tree symbolizes the deepening of our roots in our homeland and the raising of its treetops ever higher, exactly as we promised. I bless you for being, in essence, the spearhead of the continuation of our existence in our land.”
Ganz remarked, “Ofra is a symbol of vision, pioneering spirit, faith in the righteousness of the path, and determination that does not yield to any difficulty. From here came a call for life, community, education and action, which became the engine of growth for the entire Binyamin region. Our responsibility is to continue this path, to ensure that future generations in Ofra, throughout Binyamin, and all of Judea and Samaria, will continue to live here in security and prosperity. To achieve this, we must implement Israeli law in Judea and Samaria. Mr. Prime Minister, this is the moment for a move that will be recorded in the history books. THis is the moment to apply full sovereignty across all of Judea and Samaria, which will ensure that, as your government changed the reality in Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria too will change its face and officially–in the eyes of the world–become an inseparable part of the State of Israel.”
During the meeting, regional council leaders emphasized to the Prime Minister that this is the time to apply broad Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria–not only settlement blocs, but over all Jewish communities. They warned that any delay or hesitation would signal weakness and harm the future of the Israeli communities. “Applying sovereignty after a UN declaration would be seen as a reactive measure and would legitimize the line drawn by Israel’s enemies. We must reverse the order–sovereignty first, and only then will there never be a reason for a declaration.”
Senior Yesha Council officials added, “The hesitation in Israel in recent years has fueled political maneuvers to advance the idea of a Palestinian state. While the IDF fights on fronts in Gaza,Lebanon, and Iran, there is a political vacuum in Judea and Samaria, and the absence of a clear government decision undermines settlement security.”
Council leaders noted that the Knesset has already passed a decision by a large majority calling for the application of sovereignty–a decision the Prime Minister himself has supported in the past. They stated, “It is time to move from words to actions. Not partial sovereignty in settlement blocs only, but full sovereignty throughout all of Judea and Samaria–this is the call of the hour: Jewish, historic, moral,and security-driven.”
Ofra Secretary Sami Karsenti said, “The Prime Minister visited Ofra 25 years ago and planted a tree. During that visit, he promised to return for the 50th anniversary celebrations–and today has arrived. We are very pleased with the Prime Minister’s visit to our settlement. The Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria has come a long way, and we hold the land firmly. We continue the path of our ancestors who returned to their homeland after two thousand years of exile and are realizing the generational vision of the return of the people of Israel to all parts of historic Eretz Israel. At the same time, from here—Ofra, the first settlement established on the Jerusalem-Afula axis—we call to strengthen the settlements, regulate the status of the Ofra settlement, and apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.”
Chief Of Staff: ‘We Will Soon Launch Next Stage Of Gideon’s Chariots’
The Chief of Staff, MG Eyal Zamir, on Sunday (17h) conducted a field tour of the Gaza Strip with the Commander of the Southern Command, MG Yaniv Asor, the Head of the Operations Directorate, MG Itzik Cohen, the Commander of the 36th Division, MG Moran Omer, the brigade commanders and other commanders.
The Chief of Staff spoke with the battalion and brigade commanders in the field, explained the plans for the future, and emphasized his appreciation for their activity in Gaza these days.
“Today we are approving the plan for the next phase of the war. As in the recent operations in Iran, Yemen, Lebanon, Judea and Samaria, and Gaza, we will continue to change the security reality. We will maintain the momentum of Gideon’s Chariots while focusing on Gaza City. We will continue to attack until Hamas is defeated, focusing on the return of the hostages. “We will operate with a sophisticated, considered and responsible strategy. The IDF will use all its capabilities on land, in the air and at sea to strike Hamas with force,” he said.
“We will soon embark on the next phase of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, in which we will continue to deepen the damage to Hamas in Gaza City until it is defeated. Operation Gideon’s Chariots achieved its goals. Hamas does not currently possess the same capabilities it had before the operation. We have severely damaged it. The current campaign is not a one-off, it is another step in a long-term and structured plan, from a multi-sectoral perspective, to damage all components of the axis, led by Iran.”
“You have been fighting for almost two years in a row – you have gained unprecedented achievements, which bring security to the residents of the encirclement and to all citizens of Israel. I am proud of you. The IDF has a moral obligation to return the hostages, both alive and dead, back home.”
In Gaza, Tribal Fighters Stepping Into Governance – Waseem Abu Mahadi
As the political vacuum in Gaza left by Hamas’ retreat deepens, clan-based militias are stepping into governance roles, mediating disputes and escorting aid convoys in parts of the Strip. Rooted in Bedouin and clan traditions, these kinship systems have long mediated disputes, distributed aid and maintained social order when formal government structure faltered. The war has brought them back to the forefront, operating as de facto municipal authorities in many neighborhoods.
A Hamas-free pocket in eastern Rafah is controlled by the clan- based “Popular Forces” of Yasser Abu Shabab. They have a Facebook page with 30,000 followers. The group showcases its activities through frequent online updates. On July 31st, it said its fighters “secured and imported dozens of trucks” carrying flour and other supplies.
Omar Salim, 22, a student from Rafah, said, “These days, a lot of families are moving into areas controlled by the “Popular Forces” because they feel safer there than in the neighborhoods where Hamas militias are still around.”
In Deir al-Balah, Ibrahim Ahmed, 36, said, “Israeli forces have largely subdued Hamas, which now clings to a mere handful of weapons, primarily to instill fear among civilians and quash dissent. Hamas’ claims about readiness to resist an Israeli takeover of Gaza City are hollow media posturing – a facade for maintaining their waning influence.” He added that armed groups like Abu Shabab “navigate freely within Israeli-controlled territories” and avoid conflict with Israeli forces.
Meanwhile, Hamas’ counterintelligence Sahm Unit continues to kill, torture, maim, and intimidate Palestinians in Gaza suspected of dissent or collaboration, with the group posting graphic images and videos of its actions on Telegram. (Media Line-Jerusalem Post)
Israeli Envoy Warns Of Rising Anti-Semitism In France: ‘Some Want To Erase All Jewish Memory’
Israel’s Ambassador to France, Joshua Zarka, condemned a wave of anti-Semitism in France following the recent felling of a tree planted in memory of Ilan Halimi, the young Jewish man murdered and tortured in 2006 by the “Gang of Barbarians.”
Zarka called the act “one of the most shocking events,” noting that Halimi was tortured for days before being killed. “His mother planted the tree in his memory, and people came and cut it down. These individuals want to erase all memory of Jewish life in France,” he said.
Zarka described the surge in anti-Semitism as unprecedented in modern times. “We are facing an enormous wave of anti-Semitism in France, and across Europe. It is something not seen since the last century, with the rise of Nazism. The major outbreak occurred on October 8, 2023, when even as Israel mourned its dead and counted the kidnapped in Gaza, crowds took to the streets of Paris, London, New York, and elsewhere shouting “Death to the Jews.”
The ambassador pointed to foreign influence in the recent surge, citing Qatar and Turkey as funding pro-Palestinian organizations whose activities create fertile ground for anti-Semitic attacks. He also criticized French President Emmanuel Macron, suggesting that the expected recognition of a Palestinian state encouraged anti-Semitism. Zarka said that Nacron’s remarks criticizing Jewish support for Israel have had the effect of emboldening anti-Jewish violence.
The escalating anti-Semitism is prompting many French Jews, the second-largest Jewish community in the world, to consider moving to Israel. “It is no longer a question of whether to make aliyah, but when, and under what conditions,”Zarka said. Some community members are reportedly making extraordinary preparations, such as converting savings into gold to bring to Israel, evoking memories of pre-World War II precautions. Zarka emphasized that French authorities are making significant efforts to combat anti-Semitism. The Ministry of the Interior and the police are doing crucial work, but the sheer volume of attacks, assaults, vandalism, and other anti-Semitic incidents, is overwhelming. Jews are hiding their identity – they do not display the Star of David, wear a kippah, or mark their homes out
of fear for their safety,” he said.
He also addressed incidents targeting El Al’s Paris offices and temporary visa suspensions for Israeli security personnel, noting that these issues have since been resolved.
Democracies Must Explain To Their Populations That War Is Sometimes Morally Required – Maj.-Gen. Yoav Gallant and Maj. (ret.) John Spencer
Few militaries are more studied by Western generals and defense officials than the Israel Defense Forces. These officials routinely seek Israeli briefings, request access to doctrine and tactics, and pursue cooperation on training and technology, even as their political counterparts issue statements of moral outrage and condemnation. This contradiction reveals a deep divide between political perception and military reality, between external messaging and internal understanding, between illusion and experience.
Since the war in Gaza began, Israel has hosted dozens of foreign delegations, with military officers and defense officials observing Israeli operations firsthand. They ask technical questions about targeting processes, coordination between air and ground forces, real-time intelligence integration, and how combat units distinguish between civilians and combatants under fire.
In Gaza, Hamas operates from hospitals, schools, and mosques by design. Early in the war, the IDF learned that if you want to find a tunnel, look beneath a school. If you are searching for an enemy headquarters, start under a mosque. If you suspect an arms depot, check the basement of a hospital. Hamas’ strategy was built to paralyze democracies, provoke condemnation, and weaponize civilian suffering.
Most past conflicts in the region (Iraq and Syria) did not involve an adversary intentionally preventing civilians from leaving combat zones. Most did not involve hundreds of hostages dispersed across a dense urban battlefield. Most involved insurgencies, not foreign-backed terror armies. Many involved military forces that did not follow the same standards of precision and accountability expected of Israel. Failing to account for these differences leads to flawed analysis and unrealistic policy prescriptions.
Democracies must regain strategic clarity. They must explain to their populations that war, when necessary, is not only legal but at times morally required. Silence will not deter enemies. Illusion will not protect civilians. And condemnation, without context or consistency, will not produce peace. Military professionals understand this. Political leaders must do the same.
Yoav Gallant is a former Israeli Minister of Defense. John Spencer is chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point.
(x.com)
