Three more people who had previously been thought dead have been placed in the ‘taken hostage’ category. One of them is presumed dead, but with his body held by Hamas. This is in addition to one hostage who was killed during an operation to rescue him. One of the rescue team was also killed. The … More Gaza War 5 Jan
Israel is among those being blamed for yesterday’s bomb blasts in Tehran at the memorial for the 4th anniversary of the assassination of Iranian General Soleimani, It’s probably just a knee jerk reaction. Soleimani was killed by an American drone strike. But it’s convenient to blame Israel. Even the US said Israel was behind the … More Gaza War 4 Jan
Last night in an upscale neighborhood of Beirut there was a blast in what probably had been thought a ‘safe’ apartment. The third floor location does not appear to have any overt connection to any terrorist organization, but it was the site of some sort of gathering of Hamas leaders in Lebanon. At least one … More Gaza War 3 Jan
Even the Israeli government is aware that the war is moving into a new phase. Not only are reserve units being selected for release from combat, but also even some of the civilian population evacuated from the outer ring of towns around Gaza are being asked to return to their homes. It should be made … More Gaza War 2 Jan
IDF troops control almost all of the area of Gaza above ground. They are still discovering more tunnels and entrance shafts. The pattern of fighting has shifted to a sort of search and destroy model. IDF troops are actively looking for hostages and Hams combatants, especially senior Hamas leaders. I’m not even certain all of … More Gaza War 1 Jan
In the field, the IDF is operating on an anaconda approach. Little sections of Hamas tunnels are discovered, with their associated rooms and bays, often filled with weapons and equipment. Enemy material is confiscated or destroyed. The tunnels section, itself, is eliminated. Then the troops move on to the next objective. Safety of the IDF … More Gaza War 31 Dec
Last night there was another terrorist incident at a check point on a road leading south from Jerusalem. Our road to the city was closed for a while. The attacker, an Israeli Arab, stabbed two border police, one male, on female, and paid for it by becoming a “martyr”. Israeli security forces have arrested nearly … More Gaza War 29 Dec
Despite American efforts to keep the Gaza war from spreading, Iran keeps pushing proxies to get involved. The Houthis in Yemen have been particularly compliant. They use Iranian supplied missiles to attack Israel (not always effective, some have landed in Jordan and Egypt) and to disrupt international shipping through the Red Sea and Suez Canal. … More Gaza War 28 Dec
Hames rejected new approaches for a possible hostage deal. It ought not have been a surprise. The most important thing for Hamas is to survive. The only way they see that happening is to have a complete cease-fire (before they are eliminated). Any negotiations that don’t lead to their preferred results are meaningless. They are … More Gaza War 26 Dec
This morning I want to say a few words about the battlefield. IDF soldiers are not fighting in a traditional army vs army situation. The official term is asymmetric. But what does that mean? IDF troops have a tremendous advantage in firepower. Hamas tries to offset that by keeping their forces hidden. It’s a classic … More Gaza War 25 Dec
Wetherhorn 